Chose this place because of the high rating and menu options shown in the pics. I really don't…read moreunderstand why it's rated so highly. They basically only have pizza and wraps (no menu like the one in the pic) I was expecting a hole in the wall with yummy food. It was indeed a hole in the wall, but the food thoroughly disappointing. I ordered the kofta kebab wrap and hummus wrap both with no tomatoes. One came with tomatoes. Though the wrap was 10" x 3" the kofta hiding inside it was about 7"x1"-the veggie to meat ratio was ridiculous. I guess that's what makes it a small? I did enjoy the sauce-creamy with a little spice. My friend did make the point of why she thought it was highly rated. Nearby a university, open late, cheap, and quick...even considering all of that it's still a no for me.

This place is so gooood! I came here during one of my re-explore Edinburgh days, where I walk…read morearound this fine city until I get hungry and then go on the hunt for a favorite food. So the craving at the time was schwarma, and Palmyra had some pretty decent reviews. So off I moseyed in the hopes of getting a delicious meal. Not even 12pm yet, I was the only customer in the shop, nabbing a window seat so I could people watch during my lunch. My server was so friendly and the service overall was great. I ordered a chicken schwarma with chips. I was kind of hoping for traditional Turkish bread, but my meal came on the thinner pita-style bread that didn't exactly hit the spot, but was delicious all the same. The schwarma was large for £5.50 and my fries could have easily served two, the serving was massive. Also served with garlic sauce and a sweet type of chilli sauce. Overall a flavourful and filling meal that I would certainly have again. For about £8 this meal could have served two and easily satisfied two grumbling bellies.

While exploring the Royal Mile, we stumbled upon a Kurdish eatery whose terrace overlooked Victoria…read moreStreet. What used to be called Hanam's is now Daika; same menu, same offerings, I don't know if they've changed ownership. We ordered: -- Mixed Grill (£24.95): three meat skewers that he said were middling. -- Halloumi Fries (£9.85): usually my favorite thing on a Mediterranean menu, but theirs was a bit tough, took chewy to the next level, & the pomegranate molasses did nothing to improve the flavor. -- Babaghanoush (£9.80): nice texture with the eggplant bits, properly smoky, & went well with the pita that stayed warm in its parchment bag. -- we also had lemonade in a bottle that was tart & refreshing. Rather than having lunch at Daika, we instead should have ordered a hookah; smoking shisha on their beautiful terrace with a view of Old Town around us would've been more enjoyable.

To be honest everything was fine, however I just thought it would be a little bit better. The…read morefattoush salad was not very flavorful. The best thing we had was the fried halloumi. It was actually excellent and I would give that dish five stars. The Falafel was a bit dry. The grilled prawns were served with the shell on so they had to be peeled which was a bit messy. I usually don't expect to peel my prawns at the dinner table. The meats on the mixed grill were average. The minced meat kabob was the most flavorful. The others were a bit overcooked. Also, they may have been a bit understaffed but they generally did not clear any dishes when we were finished with them unless we asked them to.

Yum Yum probably makes my favorite shawarma. But it's also the priciest of the late night kebab…read moreplaces I venture to and also kind of out of the way (for me at least) so I rarely ever go here. The staff are friendly and the ingredients taste fresh. Can't go wrong with Yum Yum, especially after a night of drinking.

SOLID Doner kebab with a lot of vegetables and yummy sauce. This place is hidden around a corner…read morebut was such a nice find. We got the chicken and lamb kebab as well as a classic Doner kebab. Both were nice but the mixed meat was better. The sauces were really good too and I wish they had feta, but.... I think it's what I'm used to. Really great and fast snack and so happy we stopped here.

We all enjoyed our food here , tasty , not too expensive . Good service . Fish & chips were ok …read more Majority of us ordered Mediterranean food and we were not disappointed.

Best Mediterranean food I've ever had! Lots of options to share, perfect for groups. We loved the…read morefalafel, the mixed grill, and stuffed mushrooms. Definitely get a side of tzatziki while you're at it. This isn't a place you want to miss out on!

Not sure how to describe this place accurately. Little hole in the wall that just happens to have a…read moreline out the door because their wraps are so good and affordable that it's hard to believe! Don't be deterred if there are a dozen in line, I braved it, figured out the ordering on the fly and loved it so much. I had a falafel with hummus and avocado with lettuce and tomato rolled and heated like panini. It's simple , but so good. Garlic sauce or spicy sauce can be added. Reasonably priced. Friendly workers blow through customers!

When we arrived there was a steady line of people ordering to eat in as well as takeaway. We…read moreordered saram salad and thri best wraps. Service was quick & friendly, price was super affordable, and food was fabulous! What a fun find! Highly recommend!

This place was such a delight today!! My friends had been there before thrice so it came with high…read moreexpectations, and it did live up to those!! The waiter was excellent: friendly, attentive, courteous, helpful! The nan breads could be cooked a bit more, and their kitchen extractor fan was loud (we shouldn't have sit so close to the kitchen entrance) . The baklava was nothing special - just like the ones bought from shops. Apart from the above minor points, the food was Really Really good!! I was so jealous I couldn't try the lamb chops (trying a meat-free month for a while) but my friend assured me they were delicious and cooked perfectly, soft and proper charcoal cooked! The lamb dish with the vegetables and the tomato sauce was massive and well cooked too! I tried the spinach with chickpeas, herbs and rice as a side. Delicious! As a drink I chose the yoghurt drink: they add a bit of salt, helps digestion too :-) I even tried their mint tea: they do have fresh mint leaves which they add apart from the standard peppermint bag. You should definitely try it if you're into Kurdish / Middle Easter cuisine!

Set the wayback machine to November of 2013. I am on a two-week journey in Edinburgh for reasons…read moreunrelated to food. However, being a food blogger, I made a point to have at least one restaurant experience each day for the purposes of my reviews. I figured that considering the amount of walking I'd been doing, I shouldn't have had any problem keeping my weight down. By the end of the two weeks, I had gained ten pounds. I blame restaurants like Nawroz for that. Is this a critical review? Not in the slightest. I'm only saying that with nearly every restaurant I've been in, I've never seen more generosity in service and portions than businesses specializing in Middle Eastern cuisine. Okay, perhaps I would put them on a tie with the Greeks, but I would much prefer large portions of Middle Eastern cuisine than of Greek. Yeah, I know, I'm going to get murdered for that one. I'm not saying that Middle Eastern cuisine is better than Greek cuisine. I'm saying that Middle Eastern cuisine is...clearly better, how can anyone argue with that? I've said that certain cuisines become gateways to other cuisines; they stimulate your culinary curiosity while others are gastronomic thunderdomes. Which would I put in the latter category? Obviously American and westernized Chinese. Even sushi is starting to fall into that category. But gateway cuisines? Indian definitely, French and maybe Dutch to lesser degrees, they all open our minds to new ideas, leading to other possibilities. From Indian, you may try Nepalese, Persian, or Moroccan. Of course, if one is talking technicalities, these countries are only lines on a map, and when addressing nutritional anthropology, what you get are hundreds of tribes migrating through history across Africa and Asia, sharing their ideas and techniques. Comprehending that, suddenly calling a certain cuisine Indian makes no sense, as what classifies as Indian food is actually several different culinary methods which happen to occupy that region. What classifies as Indian changes depending on where in India you are? In fact, naming a cuisine not after a country but a people should be more appropriate. Kurdish cuisine encompasses Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey. With that, there are quite a few foods which the average curioso will recognize. You'll find falafels, humus, flatbreads, baklava, and shawarma. So what should you do when given such variety? You order it all. Wait, what? Nawroz offers various dishes but one is a mixed collection of various starters. So the five of us ended up getting large mixed plates of starters with only two mains, allowing us to share in the traditional Middle Eastern fashion. You don't order a main and lift from it selfishly. You order a mountainous bowl of food and open the plates of the table to share. This is what you do. Nawroz should be experienced each time as a gathering of friends and family. Invent a celebration if you have to. Someone's birthday? A wedding? Christmas (which they celebrate at Nawroz ironically), or how about the traditional Iranian new year...which is actually called Nawroz. So the restaurant is named after one of the most boisterous events in all the Middle East; why wouldn't you take that opportunity? It's like a restaurant that celebrates Christmas all year round. The décor is perfect with what it attempts to convey: culture and tradition with mild compromises to operate as a functional restaurant. Red and black chairs over a tiled floor, raw brick on the walls with hanging rugs, tapestries, and paintings. Various regional iconographies rest upon the bar. I can feel the pride of the owners in their culture by the décor of the restaurant and the quality of their food. Even the hummus is molded into a fan, topped with olives. The flatbread is fried, a new first and favorite. The mixed starters ranged from contemporary to intimidating and I devoured each and every one. Even though we had ordered mixed starters for five with only two mains, we couldn't squeeze another plate of food onto our table. Everything was good and we still had dessert waiting for us--three types of baklava with Turkish delight. I'll reiterate my previous point. The various cultures of the Middle East know how to make people welcome and this is reflected in their restaurants. Their food is munificent, huge portions at reasonable prices. With Shezan and Nawroz being so close to each other (walking distance) I know that any future domiciles in Edinburgh would have to be in close proximity to this region so when I entertain visitors, I always have a place to go. I am happy that my small home town has a Persian restaurant--so at least my absence from this cuisine would be short. DECOR: 9 PLATING: 8 SERVICE: 8 FOOD: 9 VALUE: 10 OVERALL: 8.8 out of 10

Clearly, they don't get many vegan visitors. I was so excited to see numerous dishes marked as…read morehaving vegan options upon request, but I have to say that the shakshuka is not the move. To "veganize" it, they simply remove the eggs, cheese, and yogurt, leaving behind a bowl of tomato sauce with toast, for exactly the same price. The side of mushrooms I got saved the day, which were genuinely delicious; lightly charred and topped with chives, there was a variety of portobello, shiitake, oyster, and more. The cafe is cute, definitely dressed for Instagram, and there are colorful and/or glittery drinks to complete the picture. Just not exactly as vegan-friendly as advertised.

Cute brunch spot! Very kind staff. The pancakes were quite small but tasty. Definitely worth…read morestopping by for a bite.

The food was absolutely delicious, staff were friendly, and the ambiance and decor was very…read morepleasant and beautiful. Would come here all the time if I lived nearby.

Super friendly cafe with some of the most fresh and tasty wraps. Good lunch deal including soup and…read morewon't leave you feeling unhealthy or poor! Would return just to chat to the owner! Places like this that make you happy to support local businesses, and will return when I'm back in Edinburgh!

A surprising little gem! I nearly walked away after seeing the place inside. The display cabinet…read morewas incredibly bare and looked a bit like a deli that had stopped trying, and the menu items looked too simple to be worth trying. Before I could suggest we continue our search for food, however, my friend had already started ordering. Oh well, I figured, I can at least try it. I went for the falafel and Fuul wrap with cheese, and she the falafel aubergine. Turns out, the display only shows you a small section of what's actually there. What happened next was a huge surprise to me! As we bit into our respective wraps, we concluded that they were surprisingly complex to the taste. Every bite had layers of taste, and it really just worked incredibly well. I actually had to put my wrap down for a few minutes to just let the tastes linger in my mouth before I continued eating. The falafel recipe they use here is different from anything I've tried before, and incorporates dill, which was a bit strange at first, but again: It works! I will definitely come back here some other time, and you'd do well to give them a go too!

Well I can definitely attest to the fact that Magnus H returned to this place, because he brought…read moreme with him. You see, the Fringe has been a magical place for my brain but hell on my eating habits. Don't get me wrong, it's a pleasant sort of hell, but on mid-day Sunday when I realized that all I had eaten so far was ice cream... steps needed to be taken. I was craving something somewhat healthy and with the options in and around the festival being more of the "burger and beer" variety, Magnus suggested we go here. I actually laughed when I read his review, because the same thing went through my head when I walked in the door: this place looks like it has given up. The little deli counter has a few dishes plunked on it and the menu looked OVERLY simple. But all I had eaten was icecream and even an overly simple falafel would be better than my all dairy diet, so I ordered a wrap and kept my fingers crossed. Magnus did not steer me wrong: for £4 this wrap was a good size, with a surprising amount of added toppings that magically appeared from under the counter. The ingredients were fresh, it was actually wrapped in a way that makes it perfect for traveling while eating (you'd be surprised on how many wrap places miss this mark) and I agree - the dill in the falafel was surprising but really dang good. It will definitely be added to the places for a quick meal in the area and I daresay, will become a Fringe staple for me for this next week. Worth popping your head in the door.

Great place! Yum! Love the vegan haggis. Ask for extra sauce because it's very tasty!read more

Great food, great service. I got a vegetarian haggis, a risk that turned out great, from the bottom…read morelayer of mashed turnips to the water cress on top. Nice, nutty texture in the middle. A side of potatoes with some charred kale and good butter were delicious. Bread and butter pudding with brandy crème on the side exquisite. It's a bit pricey and I went as a treat for myself, and it was worth every penny. Long ago I'd go the original Henderson's on Hanover Street, and this is more upscale and, if possible, even more delicious. I got there early and there weren't many people there yet, but the service was excellent--attentive without being smothering. Oddly, there was a baby in the kitchen crying loudly in the kitchen when I first got there, but the sound eventually went away. Great place.