The 14 Best Places To Eat And Drink In Edinburgh

Edinburgh's twisting cobbled streets are home to half a million people. Eight times that number visit the Scottish capital per year. Unsurprisingly, the constant torrent of tourism has shaped the city immensely over the years. One sector that has benefited more than most is hospitality; massive demand has allowed an array of establishments to open in the city, many of which are on the cutting edge of British — and indeed, international — cuisine.

Edinburgh is often cited as one of the United Kingdom's best culinary destinations, boasting everything from local eateries to Michelin-starred restaurants. Equally esteemed are the city's drinking establishments in which chilly patrons can warm themselves with beer, wine, and the ever-present whisky. As the number of Edinburgh's brilliant bars, restaurants, cafés, and pubs numbers in the hundreds, this list is by no means exhaustive. Yet, the 14 establishments we have highlighted are among the very best in Edinburgh's excellent hospitality sector. All provide memorable food or drinks to tourists and locals alike. 

Located on Edinburgh's bustling Leith Walk, Spry is a wine bar known for a rotating, eclectic array of wines that are available by the glass or bottle. All wines are naturally produced and the list frequently includes offerings from exciting winemakers like Jonathan Purcell.

Impressive as the wine is, a large part of Spry's appeal lies in the food. This is served in the small plate format and includes dishes such as Jerusalem artichokes with cavolo nero and pickled pear. Refined and bright, these dishes are the perfect accompaniment to Spry's attention-grabbing wines.

Those that wish to enjoy the ultimate experience can opt for a five-course set menu served alongside matched beverages. The benefits of this approach were highlighted by one customer on TripAdvisor: "We chose the tasting menu with paired wines and were delighted with the carefully chosen dishes and wines. The wine, chosen to complement the small plates of delicious foods — crab, chicken patties, gorse ice cream, and goats cheese with rhubarb and hazelnut — was a real pleasure."

Stuart Ralston is one of the most respected chefs in Edinburgh thanks to his trio of restaurants: Aizle, Noto, and Tipo. While Aizle is the most prominent and Tipo is the newest, it is Noto that has made our list. This is because Noto offers the perfect blend of a relaxed atmosphere, impressive beverages, and astounding food.

All dishes at Noto are small plates that are designed to be shared. The entire menu demonstrates Ralston's preferred style of cooking where local produce is cooked with European technique under the influence of Japanese cuisine. Standout options include North Sea crab served in its shell with warm butter. Another popular dish is wild garlic, miso, and shiitake gnocchi.

The food is well complemented by an impressive bar serving high-quality wines and excellent cocktails, most notably one of the best negronis in Edinburgh. Enjoying such exceptional food and drinks in Noto's sleek dining room is a brilliant culinary experience. One customer highlighted this via TripAdvisor: "Thoroughly enjoyed our meal at Noto last night. Each plate we had was different, looked impeccable, and tasted delicious – a favorite of ours was the aubergine tonkatsu. Staff were very helpful in recommending the right amount of food for us to order ... We also enjoyed a couple of tasty cocktails to start. Overall the atmosphere, pacing of the meal, and friendliness of the staff on top of the good food make it a place well worth visiting!"

Edinburgh has a long history of brewing. Although the industry might not be as prominent as it was in the 19th century, there are still many exceptional breweries dotted around the city. Newbarns Brewery is perhaps the most exciting of these.

Opened in 2019, Newbarns has made a name for itself by brewing light, sessionable beers such as Table Beer. These beers are designed to be approachable without compromising quality, ensuring they appeal to a wide range of customers. Gordon McKenzie, co-owner of the brewery, explained to The Skinny, "I don't necessarily think that many people are intimidated by craft beer, or small brewery beer. But I think there's definitely room for a bit more of a kind of familiarity for people who maybe don't always want an IPA, people who drink a lot of Tennents ... I think it's really nice to open what we're doing up to people like that. So if you want something that you recognize, but it's just a little bit nicer, or a little bit different, that's basically what we're aiming for."

It was only towards the end of 2022 that Newbarns opened a small taproom in the space adjacent to the brewery. Already it has become one of the most popular places to get a pint in town. The quality of Newbarns' beers accounts for a great deal of this popularity, but not all of it; the taproom oozes character and a nice ambiance without a trace of pretentiousness.

Chennai's Marina has two locations in Edinburgh: One in Dalry and the other near Abbeyhill. Although smaller and newer than other Indian restaurants in the city, Chennai's Marina has rapidly gained acclaim thanks to its boldly flavored food. The meteoric rise of Chennai's Marina has recently culminated with a win at the Scottish Curry Awards 2023, with the restaurant being named "Outstanding Indian Takeaway of the Year."

Sannah Aron, the director of the business, had this to say to the Edinburgh Evening News after winning: "When I started this business two years ago the main thing I wanted to do was provide food that is as authentic as possible, it's proper south Indian food. Which I felt was really hard to get in Edinburgh. There was a lack of choice here. Our foods are very rich. Every state in India has different tastes. So I use spices and ingredients from south India and Sri Lanka — where some of my family are from — to make it more authentic. So that comes across in our food and I think it sets us apart from other takeaways."

Highlights of the extensive menu include the gobi pepper fry, an incredibly spiced, cauliflower starter, and gongura chicken curry. Although famed for takeaway, Chennai's Marina also offers limited seating at its Dalry restaurant. The space is intimate and filled with fragrant scents — every curry lover's dream.

Timberyard has been open in Edinburgh for over a decade. The restaurant is a family affair known for its Nordic-style interior and local, frequently foraged, produce. While always excellent, Timberyard received an injection of new life when James Murray became the new head chef in the autumn of 2021. Murray highlighted to The Scotsman what he had planned for the kitchen when he took over: "We want to be very flavor focused. That comes from excellent farming and aging of our meats, fantastic soil for our vegetables, knowledgeable fisherman and suppliers dealing with what's in abundance, sustainable, seasonal, and fresh ... We will have a focus on whole animal butchery, fish maturation, cooking over fire, and also classical techniques ... Charcuterie, interesting lesser-known techniques for preserving vegetables, fermenting and pickling will be a backbone to what we do day-to-day." Murray's approach has paid dividends; Timberyard received a long-awaited Michelin star in 2023.

There are three menus at Timberyard: Lunch, dinner, and tasting. The latter is eight courses for £110. Highlights include roasted quail served with Jersey royals and green garlic, as well as scallops with smoked roe, seaweed, and coastal greens. Equally impressive are the wine and drinks menus. Both are extensive and contain some fabulous options for both soft and alcoholic drinks — another reason to make Timberyard your next fine dining destination.

It is rare that a famous cocktail bar manages to maintain its popularity with locals. After all, bars that have been ranked in the world's top 50 often become unpleasantly busy with tourists. Despite having been awarded such recognition more than once, Edinburgh's Bramble Bar avoids this pitfall, remaining a calm destination where drinks — and not accolades — do the talking.

A similar modesty is mirrored in the bar's appearance. It is a speakeasy, but not in the kitschy, hidden passageway style. Instead, a small brass plaque announces its presence in the basement below a dry cleaners. The interior is dimly lit and welcoming with a wooden bar taking up the majority of the space. What is served here varies. The bar has an extensive range of gins and whiskeys that can be enjoyed straight. The main attraction, however, is the bar's cocktails. These include Shibuya Shake, a rum and bourbon cocktail, and Kimchi Tai, a drink that features three different types of rum.

The perfect mixture of style and substance makes Bramble Bar a favorite of all who frequent it as this customer highlighted on TripAdvisor: "This is a tucked away cocktail haven. A local tour guide recommended this joint and I'm so thrilled he did! Seriously, super incredible. The bartenders have an extensive repertoire with spirits and the menu has a lot of diversity. 100% need to saddle up here for a few hours and keep the rounds going to try super inventive libations."

Edinburgh has long been a university town; Edinburgh University was founded in 1583 and Edinburgh Napier and Heriot-Watt University also call the city home. Such vast numbers of students have led to a huge demand for cheap, quick, and good food — a niche The Nile Valley Café has met since opening in 1996.

The Nile Valley Café is known for its wraps, which are often labeled the best in the whole of Edinburgh. As a Sudanese and Middle Eastern establishment, the primary filling is falafel. Chicken, hummus, and baba ganoush are also popular options.

Customers choose a combination of fillings and watch as it is made and toasted right before their eyes. The quality of ingredients, skill of the staff, and efficiency of the process make dining at The Nile Valley Café a timeless pleasure. This TripAdvisor review seconds that: "This place is just timeless. It never changes and it's that reliability that makes it so incredible. Their falafel wraps in their takeaway café are legit the best in the UK. There's just no reason to go anywhere else. My go-to order is the baba ghanoush, falafel, avocado, sundries tomatoes with the Chili sauce. Pop some Sriracha one and it's the best you've ever had."