no alt text

Bucket list experience:

Massive Haggis food dish with knife stuck in it.

Last updated: 04 November, 2022
Expert travel writer: Lucy Gillmore

Edinburgh is the epicentre of Scotland’s vibrant food and drink scene. Once the butt of gastronomic jokes, for years now it has been celebrated instead for the bounty of its natural larder.

The capital’s restaurant scene is geared less towards Michelin star counts – although it has a smattering of these – and more towards field-to-plate and communal dining experiences, driven by chefs specialising in culinary acrobatics and pushing the boundaries, such as Aizle’s Stuart Ralston and Fhior’s Scott Smith.

There are more and more speciality food stores and delis springing up (stock up on local venison charcuterie), artisan bakers (tuck into smoked salmon bagels) and cheesemongers on every corner. Once there was one farmers’ market in the shadow of the cathedral – now there are five.

Local ingredients & flavours

It’s all about small plates, grazing menus and ingredients so seasonal, local and fresh you have to brush the soil from your plate.

Carnivores can tuck into wild venison, seaweed-grazed lamb and prime Aberdeen Angus beef. For fish-eaters there are hand-dived scallops from the west coast, Loch Fyne oysters to shuck, plump rope-grown mussels from Shetland’s chilly waters and artisan smoked salmon. It’s the produce and its provenance that shines.

And of course, Scotland is the home of the best whisky in the world, produced in world-class distilleries all around the region.

What to try

Haggis, neeps and tatties (haggis, turnips and mashed potato) is the best-known Scottish dish, and is surprisingly tasty. Many restaurants serve a contemporary gourmet take on the dish. All washed down with an obligatory dram or two.

Also see Lucy’s round-up of traditional Scottish foods you must try in Scotland.

Price: Free
Minimum age: Any
Age suitable: 18+
When: All year around
Duration: Any

Getting there & doing it

The gentrified docklands down in Leith are a real foodie enclave with no fewer than four Michelin-starred restaurants, along with gastropubs, seafood restaurants and bars lining the shore.

The chic neighbourhood ‘villages’ of Stockbridge and Bruntsfield, meanwhile, have plenty of cute eateries and bars away from the crowds.

Cooked salmon plated dish from restaurant Aizle
Experience

Aizle

Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom (UK)

Chef Stuart Ralston’s innovative tasting menu is an exciting leap in the dark, simply a list of seasonal ‘harvest’ ingredients.

Best for ages: 18+ | Free

Website >
Overview >
East Coast Cured
Experience

East Coast Cured

Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom (UK)

Near Leith’s revamped docklands, this tiny artisan charcuterie producer sells venison, sloe gin salami and rare breed smoked chorizo.

Best for ages: 18+ | Free

Website >
Overview >
market stalls on the street with blue and white striped awnings
Experience

Edinburgh Farmers’ Market

Edinburgh , Scotland, United Kingdom (UK)

In the shadow of the castle, the original farmer’s market has jauntily striped stalls stocked with sauerkraut, smoked salmon and Arbroath Smokies. Held every Saturday from 9am-2pm, 3 mins walk from Edinburgh Castle.

Best for ages: 18+ | Free

Website >
Overview >
I.J. Mellis Cheesemonger
Experience

I.J. Mellis Cheesemonger

Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom (UK)

This artisan cheesemonger has been a stalwart on the Edinburgh food scene for almost 30 years. They’ve now opened a ‘Cheese Lounge’ at the back of the Morningside store where you can sample the signature cheeseboard and other cheesy dishes.

Best for ages: 13+ | Free

Website >
Overview >

Our selection of the best Viator tours of this attraction or activity

Beer Tasting Session @ The Lost Close

Beer Tasting Session @ The Lost Close

Edinburgh

Small beer tasting session in an secret underground close, where you'll learn more about the history of Edinburgh through beer. What's not t...

£10 | Rating 4.75 / 5 [24 ratings]

Website >

Tour supplied by:

Viator Logo
Whisky and Folklore in Edinburgh Including Four Single Malt Scotch Whiskies

Whisky and Folklore in Edinburgh Including Four Single Malt Scotch Whiskies

Edinburgh

Our Whisky and Folklore tour is unlike any other experience in Edinburgh.  We take you to the historic Waverley Pub where you will be served...

£16 | Rating 4.93 / 5 [361 ratings]

Website >

Tour supplied by:

Viator Logo
The Edinburgh Cheese Crawl

The Edinburgh Cheese Crawl

Edinburgh

The 2-3 hour crawl will be packed full of the finest of Edinburgh's brie-liant cheeses, with very mature fun facts, and the chance to heckle...

£25 | Rating 4.65 / 5 [95 ratings]

Website >

Tour supplied by:

Viator Logo
Whisky Tour and Tasting

Whisky Tour and Tasting

Edinburgh

Enjoy an expert-led guided tour through our whisky distillery. You’ll learn about the heritage and traditions of scotch whisky production, a...

£25 | Rating 4.73 / 5 [30 ratings]

Website >

Tour supplied by:

Viator Logo

Our writer’s picks of the best places to stay near this experience, closest first

Cheval Abbey Strand

Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom (UK)

History-steeped aparthotel with contemporary designer interiors, perfectly located for sightseeing at the bottom of the Royal Mile.

Official star rating:

Cheval Old Town Chambers

Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom (UK)

Chic, contemporary design and a family and pet-friendly ethos come as standard in these luxury apartments in Edinburgh’s medieval Old Town.

Official star rating:

The Dunstane Houses

Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom (UK)

Small, sumptuous family-owned boutique hotel with a home-from-home vibe – and free parking – a short stroll from Edinburgh’s attractions.

Official star rating:

Eden Locke

Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom (UK)

A hip aparthotel in Edinburgh’s Georgian New Town, with shops and restaurants on the doorstep.

Official star rating:

Destination guides including or relevant to this experience

Edinburgh

Edinburgh Region, United Kingdom (UK)

Capital treats abound, from mighty castles and royal palaces to gourmet restaurants and arguably the world’s best performing arts festival.

Website >
Overview >