The ideal spot to grab a meal's worth of vegetables…read more PRICE: Inexpensive. SERVICE: Not unhelpful. QUALITY: Pretty standard for a greengrocer. CHOICE: Plenty. Fruit and vegetables outside, and plenty more inside. Argyll Place is probably one of my favourite shopping streets in Edinburgh. Odd, I know, but it contains three of my most frequented shops: the Bike Works, Al Haj's and Nadia's Fruit and Vegetables. This place is smaller than its next door neighbour, but has a much wider vegetables selection at a much lower price. It is perfect (indeed, this is what I do nine out of ten times) for nipping to on the bike, grabbing a few different vegetables and then heading back to cook dinner, having spent perhaps a quid without the prospect of vegetables then going to waste at the bottom of the fridge. It is open until an ideal time too: 8pm everyday (usually), and this of course means that even a late night dinner can be created using vegetables from here. Their wide selection caters for most, if not all, meal types, and are never in too bad shape. Of course, unlike supermarkets, fruit from here tends to be ripe and ready to eat... Overall a winner then? Definitely. Though not as smart as its next door neighbour, Nadia's is the perfect greengrocers.

Fresh veg and inexpensive with some hard to find items. This is one of my day to day places to pick…read moreup vegetables. Service is functional and the place is well kept. Not sure what else to say on this as it is a veg shop other than thumbs up from me. Tip: They have reduced items in bags outside which is normally 8 - 10 peppers for 79 pence or on occassion bags for 49 pence of items that need used that day. If you are making soup or similiar that day its ideal.

The fruit and veg from here isn't always at its best and I did once buy a bag of plums from here on…read morethe cheap just to find they'd gone off, but it was on the cheap and luckily for this review I know to slow cook them and they turned out to be delicious. This means there is a risk if you are buying the really cheap or out of season items, but other than that you should be okay. In general I don't want to put you off because there are some nice items on offer here, but you do want to keep your eye out for something that's simply too far gone.

It is a shop filled with an array of unusual ingredients that I wouldn't have a clue how to use but…read moreits handy to know its there and you feel good giving money to a local business. However make sure you inspect what you are buying very carefully. I was in a rush and that was my first mistake. I came home to find that my celery was hollow, my pepper had hole and my bag of potatoes was sprouting. But other times everything has been fine. I think inspecting your fruit and veg very is the key to being a happy shopper. Also its the one place i have seen where you can buy a fresh Guava fruit.

If variety is the spice of life then this shop will really spice your life up. There is an…read moreunbelievable amount of high quality fruit and veg on offer here. One of the things I like about this shop is also that it doesn't feel as cramped as other shops so it's easier to look around which is great considering how much range there is to look at here. Indeed it will be a challenge just to decide what it is you want. There are a lot of fruit and veg shops in this area, but this one really does hold its own and is a place I would recommend.

This is one of the shops that catches me on my hungry way home from the library. I know it's time…read morefor me to leave the library when I'm so hungry I start looking up recipes, and minutely going through the contents of my fridge and how I could put them together to make something delicious. Alhaj, which, honestly, I've always called the big expensive shop on Argyle Place, tends to cater to my every needs. But, oh boy, does it make a dent in my pocket. Calling all veggies out there: they have an amazing selection of tofu. Marinated tofu, smoked tofu, olive tofu... For some reason, once upon a time, I used to get tofu cravings when I was hungover. So this is where I went to indulge. One thing I will warn you about is that their sale section is generally really past the sell-by date. Though, this is handy to know: where the sell fruit and vegetables outside, they normally have an unmarked box full of goods all the way on the far right end of the stalls: if it's unmarked, it probably means they'll sell you the whole contents of the box for a pound or two. I mean, it may be expensive, but to be able to save in Edinburgh, you have to know how to shop.

This place is on my walk to and from uni. At both these times I'm hungry. At both these times my…read moremouth waters when I walk by the New Leaf. You see, ripe fruit's kinda hard to find in Edinburgh. I'm from Brazil. Fruit in Brazil looks like it does in photos. Big, bright and juicy. It is not the same in Scotland. Not by far. But the New Leaf sells only organic produce. And it seems that this reflects on having ripe fruit. Really delicious ripe fruit. The New Leaf doesn't only sell food, though. They also sell a range of eco-friendly detergents and cleaning supplies such as Ecoleaf. You can buy yourself some Ecoleaf washing up liquid and then go back when you've gone through it and get it re-filled for cheaper. You might even feel like you're being a good person. The possibilities are infinite. But on their food front: they get fresh bread delivered most days. They get delectable baked goods delivered from the Engine Shed on Wednesdays and Fridays, too. I got kind of addicted to this parmesan-herb-bread-twirl thing once upon a time, so I know when the deliveries happen. They also sell sun-dried tomatoes that aren't marinated and are much cheaper than buying the marinated ones. Here's a secret: marinating your own sun-dried tomatoes is dead easy. And you'll also save yourself a lotta moolah. So yeah, if you're veggie, or feel like you kind of care about the environment, stop by the New Leaf. They're always really helpful in there. Downside, of course, is that it's really pricey. But it's just as pricey as any other shop that sells organic produce.

If you have specific dietary requirements then this place is worth four stars, but if you don't…read morethen it's probably only worth three in my view. Virtually all the food is very expensive and a lot of it isn't even specialist stuff. For example, why would you buy a packet of porridge oats from here when you can buy them from somewhere else two minutes away for half the price? However, this is missing the point as all their fruit and vegetables are organic, fresh and ripe. Further, if you're lactose, wheat, gluten or anything else intolerant then it sells great, healthy alternatives to many foods for you to enjoy. If you've got specific dietary needs then this is the place. Unfortunately, it comes at a price.

I'm not sure if I'm in awe, or just a little disturbed by what I saw at this food store…read more I wouldn't quite call it a deli, although a lot of the food is quite fresh and especially "unique". Outside, there're fruits and vegetables, and anything else that's on sale at the moment. When I was there last, there were actual pots of curry (just the sauce ofcourse!) going for £1. Everything else out there looked pretty tempting, but it was quite a hot day so I'm a bit worried the food will have that sun baked taste, which sounds nicer than it tastes as I write it. Inside, however, was the BIGGEST surprise is inside the store on the shelves. They're ready made meals, in jars, including duck confit and most bizarrely wild boar. This may be normal to some of you, but I've never seen a wild boar let alone eaten one, so...I stared at it for a little while before I left.

Excellent family run shop selling some fancy bits and bobs. Like the previous reviewer I cant quite…read morecall this a deli. They sell some really interesting foods you don't see around the area. The guys that run the shop are great - always chatty and friendly. My main draw for here is the lunch time rolls for a little over a pound. Considering the chain places and coops etc can charge almost three pounds for a disappointing dry sandwich, this is a bargain. Nothing fancy just white rolls salad and whatever tempts you. They have bargain bins outside the shop which are always worth a browse. If you are passing pop in for a browse and a chat, you wont be disappointed.

Small one-lane Farmers market but the walk here was amazing and there is nothing like having…read moreEdinburgh Castle as your backdrop early in the morning. There are fresh produce vendors as well as food, snacks, honey, candles, and coffee mixed in. I really wanted to try the pasties guy, the rows and rows of savory baked good looked amazing but we let our kids choose and they went for something else. Most places do accept credit cards and we came mainly to pick up some fresh fruit to balance out all the heavy food we would be eating. The climate in Scotland is cold and rainy this time of year and the oranges and raspberries we got tasted different that the ones we get in the Bay Area. There is also meat and seafood, I loved seeing the fresh caught crab on a bed of seaweed and hard to find meat like venison for sale.

Came here to buy their fresh produce and try what they are selling. They are open every Saturday…read morefrom 9-2pm. They have area sourced produce, meats & cheeses, and baked goods and sweets. Small outdoor markets that seem to have quite a bit foot traffic. Service from each stall was friendly and welcoming. My son was looking for ice cream and found this Churn & Thistle ice cream place. He got raspberry, but they offered different flavors. It was very creamy and good and their waffle cone was excellent. Tasted almost caramelized and nicely crunchy. My favorite was their egg custard. It was very flaky and crunchy with a creamy center. It was very good. I've had some egg custards in Portugal as well, and these tasted authentic.

Eddie's is the sh*t when it comes to fresh seafood. Admittedly it stinks when you walk past it, but…read morefish is a smelly food so you can't really hold that against them. I have never seen a fishmongers so busy; on saturday mornings you can see people actually queuing outside just to pick up some prawns or whatever. I mean how many places can you say that about. And the fish is incredible. Having bought the aforementioned prawns (didn't queue though - not because they're not worth it, just because I'm really lazy) I can safely say they're the best in Edinburgh. They are absolutely huge, really fresh and tasted amazing. The rest of the food is awesome as well, even if you're just picking up a piece of haddock or something then it is the best place around. Admittedly slightly more expensive than the supermarkets, but when you're getting fish of this quality that is fresh every day then you can't really complain.

This really is the best fishmongers I've ever found in Edinburgh. If you're having a dinner party…read moreor cooking for a special occasion, you need to get your ingredients from here. Although it's right in the middle of student-ville, Eddie's is well-known all over the city and once you've bought from here it's easy to see why. The staff are not only friendly but also really knowledgeable. When I went in I needed things to make a fish pie, although I didn't know which fish would be best for it. Rather than simply trying to flog me the most expensive fish they had, the guy was very patient with me and showed me loads of different options. When I used to live in Marchmont I used to see the new deiliveries coming in every day (on the rare occasions I was up early enough, that is!), so you can always be confident that the stuff they have is fresh.

I didn't buy anything at this butchers in Marchmont, because having left dear mother at home, I'm…read morestill trying to come to terms with raw meat. The service was really friendly, especially for someone who obviously had no intention of buying anything. Like many butchers in Edinburgh, meat isn't the ONLY thing one can buy over there. There're a variety of pasties and pies, which are apparently made in-house! There is a fishmonger right next to it, so it's great if you'd like to get your raw meat and fish fix at the same.

It's undoubtedly clear that the meats on offer here are higher quality than you might get elsewhere…read moreand whilst you do have to pay a little bit more for the privilege of enjoying these meats they remain good value for money. The staff are also very friendly and will help you out if you are unsure what you want to buy which is always a great help. In addition, there is a fishmongers a few doors down which simplifies things if you are after both meat and fish. I do recommend it especially if you live in the Marchmont area.

Top notch shop! The pie was great and the service matched it. I'd recommend this shop to anyone for…read moretheir Scottish butcher shop needs.

This butchers is first class so as far as I'm concerned its just called the 'Butchers' and the…read more'First Class' part simply acts as an adjective. The best thing about this butchers is the value for money. Not only are you sold superior goods, but at normal prices - why would you buy meat elsewhere? The main things to try are the sausages and pies. Both are truly brilliant and well worth the pitiful amount of money you will have to pay for them. I cannot recommend this shop more highly and it is well worth a visit.

Great and efficient customer service. It's smallish so not a great selection, but what they have is…read moregood. They definitely need to expand their cheese selection--it's pretty much cheddar, blue Stilton, and a few sliced cheeses. On the whole, though, everything there is good with a decent selection. It's near me and my go-to for basic shopping.

My experience with the Scot Mid chain has hardly been before midnight, as it's very popular with…read moreparty-goers, myself included, and sometimes that's just how I roll. Ahem... I've heard the funniest stories from the ever patient staff, who amusingly resemble bouncers the later it gets, for saftey reasons I suppose. For example, it's a regular occurence that they have to enter in credit card PIN numbers for their inebriated clients, and frequently have to chuck quite a few out. Just like bouncers. I was quite pleased to see Marchmont gets to share the fun with its own branch, which did look decidedly more tame than it's sister branch on Nicolson Street. Then again, it was just 3pm, so things couldn't have really kicked off yet.