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    Joseph Pearce

    4.2 (46 reviews)
    Closed • 11:00 am - 12:00 AM (Next day)

    Joseph Pearce Photos

    JOSEPH PEARCE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

    Recommended Reviews - Joseph Pearce

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    Alasdair C.

    Pearce's is a fantastic, vibrant, friendly cafe / pub / restaurant 5 minutes walk from Waverley steps (if you have long legs like me). It would probably consider itself a pub first and a cafe / eatery second, but the standard of food served here is honestly better than most of the restaurants I have visited in the city. Top-class stuff. During the day there is a section at the rear of the bar dedicated to customers with young children, something I hadnt seen before and thought I would hate, but it actually creates a really friendly, cheerful atmosphere in the bar. There are often events like art auctions and baking competitions held here, which although twee sounding, help add a unique flavour to the place and really help Pearce's stand out from the crowd. Great for a drink or a bite to eat on a sunny afternoon, as well as a relaxing pub to unwind in during the evening.

    Delicious brunch , two poached eggs hiding under the yummy smoked salmon with tomatoes, mushrooms and on yummy dark bread
    Alisa R.

    We came here for brunch and were not disappointed! DELICIOUS eggs royal! Lovely smoked salmon and on yummy bread from the manna house! Cute and Funky bar and Resturant. Very friendly ! Will go back again for sure.

    Bloody Mary-partially drank oops :)
    Jen H.

    Great drinks and relaxed, nice environment. I ordered the Bloody Mary and it was tasty. Highly recommend grabbing a pint here.

    Gibson A.

    This pub is definitely owned by people who are integrated into their community and understand what their customers, many of whom are students, want. As soon as you walk in it feel clean and well organised, and on the walls there are plenty of adverts for events including charity auctions and and a weekly jog on Tuesdays at 7pm to a place called Sofi's and back again. I'm not entirely sure why they do this, but it apparantly attracts quite a crowd. Apart from this, the drinks are well priced and the service is friendly and effective. The food is proper gastropub stuff with posh poached eggs on ciabatta toast and a wide selection of crepes. I had a smoked salmon sandwich with salad which cost £5. This seems a lot, but it was a good portion which provided a filling meal in itself. Joseph Pearce does excellent business and you only have to visit once to understand why.

    Meatballs and . Both wonderful
    Randy N.

    Our fish and meatball meals were wonderful. This place is a hidden gem that is away from the Old and New Town areas. Highly recommend!

    Lori N.

    We stopped in out of the rain for a delicious lunch today. They have brunch 'til 4:00pm, so my husband had their three-egg omelette which came with a small green salad. I had the sweet potato & roasted goat cheese salad. Finished with their insanely scrumptious chocolate brownie cake and ice cream. The atmosphere is relaxed and our table upstairs looked over the back garden; very pretty! All in all, with their outdoor terrace, the bar and the upstairs dining area, there is something for everyone at Joseph Pearce.

    Rezzi I.

    Long live the swedes! That's the general vibe of this restaurant/bar, which was bought over by a Swedish couple a few years ago. Having lived in Sweden for two years, I noticed the sign outside advertising Swedish cider. Many restaurants offer that these days, but once you step in you can't miss the large Swedish flag and paraphernalia on the walls. The menu is a clever mix of Swedish pancakes, cured salmon and a smorgasbord, and some more general European dishes such as Barcelona salad and tiger prawns with gazpacho! Jonathan Pearce is quite large, and the rooms near the rear are very nicely decorated. They hold several theme events throughout the year and my friend and I are anxious to go to an all day barbecue there this weekend!

    A cappuccino next to Joseph Pearce's kid-friendly menu.

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    16 years ago

    My neighborhood bar... very, very busy with each type of people you will meet in the city. Always a fun place for meeting people.

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    16 years ago

    Great pub! Good food and a great selection of continental beers combined with a welcoming atmosphere make Pearce's well worth a visit!

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    17 years ago

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    16 years ago

    Fantastic pub, so glad it's our local. Can get a bit busy as others like it too! They give blankets for those who like to sit outside.

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    15 years ago

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    Joseph Pearce Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - Joseph Pearce

    “Other bars include Victoria, Sofis and Boda (all in Leith) plus the newest member, Hemma, off the Cowgate.”

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    Makars Gourmet Mash Bar - Crown Of Slow Cooked Beef Shoulder With A Rich Horseradish Infused Gravy

    Makars Gourmet Mash Bar

    4.8(548 reviews)
    0.8 mi•Old Town, Royal Mile
    •££

    Tip: There is a long wait here, so make a reservation or check in and then go for a shop on nearby…read moreVictoria street and total mile. However do not let the wait deter you, this place is not overhyped in the slightest. Everything came out delicious, hot, and fresh. Highly recommend the mustard mash and the lamb shank. Also a pro for the Americans - service was awesome and they brought us a water bottle every 5 minutes - immediate five stars!! Olivia and Neo were great and so nice and accommodating. Definitely stop by!

    One of our first meals in Scotland so we had to try hqggis…read more Having made a reservation we had lunch just after our Edinburgh castle tour at Makars which was just down the hill. Service was efficient and friendly despite the full house. Although we were seated next to the kitchen, our booth still had the privacy and was shielded from the sounds and bustle. Everything was pretty good although a tad salty for our palate. Haggis is an acquired taste though and I'm not quite sure what to make of it. We celebrated one of our gang's birthday by ordering sticky toffee pudding and some other desserts to share. To our surprise the restaurant waived the cost of the sticky toffee pudding which was the most expensive dessert we had. That simple thought made a great impression for us as we were totally not expecting it and the server didn't even tell us until we told them they made a mistake by not charging us.

    Photos
    Makars Gourmet Mash Bar - Downstairs inside the restaurant

    Downstairs inside the restaurant

    Makars Gourmet Mash Bar - Homemade Free Range Gourmet Scotch Egg

    Homemade Free Range Gourmet Scotch Egg

    Makars Gourmet Mash Bar - Pork shank and mash potatoes

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    Pork shank and mash potatoes

    The Doric - Haggis,nepps and tatties

    The Doric

    4.3(152 reviews)
    0.6 mi•Old Town, Royal Mile
    •££

    What an amazing experience. Great historic establishment…read more I got my first taste of Haggis and it was grand. You have to go here !

    Just sat down for a traditional Sunday roast, and sadly, this was definitely not the place to go…read morefor one. The beef was uninspiring at best, and the whole experience left me feeling rather disappointed. What made it even more disappointing was the rather grand announcement on the menu: "Gilmour's Roast Sirloin of Beef served every Sunday Lunch from 12-4pm, while stocks last." Well, that certainly set my expectations high! The wording made it sound as though people were practically queuing around the block to get their hands on this legendary Sunday roast before it sold out. Having now sampled it, I suspect they'll have enough beef left over to see them through to next Sunday. What arrived was two rather sad slices of very dry beef. I was expecting a generous portion of beautifully roasted, succulent beef--tender, juicy, and practically falling apart at the mere sight of a fork. Instead, I was presented with something that appeared to have spent rather too long contemplating its existence in the oven. A bit of gravy might have helped, but I suspect even a full-scale rescue operation would have struggled to bring this beef back to life. Now, the sticky toffee pudding was an entirely different story! Absolutely delightful. Warm, moist, and delicious, with a generous helping of rich toffee sauce and a small dollop of ice cream. Proper British comfort food at its finest! If the Sunday roast was the disappointment of the afternoon, the sticky toffee pudding was the hero that swooped in to save the day. I would happily return for that alone. The service was lovely, with friendly and welcoming staff, and the restaurant itself is in a fantastic location with a wonderful atmosphere. It's a great spot to sit down and enjoy a meal. Unfortunately, when you advertise a Sunday roast as though it's the hottest ticket in town, you really ought to deliver something worth writing home about. In short: Come for the atmosphere, stay for the sticky toffee pudding, but perhaps give the Sunday roast a miss.

    Photos
    The Doric - Upstairs, bar side

    Upstairs, bar side

    The Doric - Broccoli and cheese soup.

    Broccoli and cheese soup.

    The Doric

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    Queens Arms

    Queens Arms

    4.4(116 reviews)
    0.8 mi•New Town
    •££

    Out of all the places I've been to in Scotland, I think Queens Arms was one of my favorites…read more We had reservations for this place recently and when I took one step inside, I was already in love. I mean who doesn't love a good pub? You get great drinks and great food at an affordable price. As I write it makes me think of think of when Zidane reunites with Freya in FF9. Sometimes we don't wanna eat at fancy Michelin restaurant that has small plates but charges a premium. Sometimes we just wanna cut all the BS and just get a nice hearty meal. And thats what we got. When we sat down we found out that they were doing a Trivia night. Normally I would have told my girl to pick another spot to eat but for some reason I was cool with it. There was even a table nearby with kids(yuck). And you know what? It was fine. That's because we had been sipping on some amazing cocktails. If you also partake, Gin and Mezcal enjoyers will love the Bramble and Hibiscus Crush. What color are Luigi's overalls from Super Mario? That's such an easy question. Wait...what do you mean Luigi's overalls are blue? They are green. Look at this picture onli...Oh... One of the stars of our meal was the Haggis. This was the first time I had ever tried it and after trying it at multiple places Scotland, Queens Arms I feel has done it the best. I love the complexity of the flavors of the meat with the creamy and pepper flavors of the peppercorn sauce. If you've never had Haggis, you definitely have to try it here. The best part is that it comes with mashed potatoes too! Shoutouts to the Fish and Chips if you are also into that. One of my friends ordered that and I definitely had to go back in for multiple bites. Finally the roast. The Sunday Roast should just be an automatic order if you happen to come here on a Sunday. You get so much food and it's all so damn tasty. They'll cook a roast to whatever doneness your heart desires. We went with Medium Rare and it came out perfectly. If you didn't have enough flavors with all the extra sides it comes with, they also give you gravy to pour on anything you want. Thanksgiving basically came early this night. But as I looked around and admired all the bookshelf's and all the families have a nice dinner with their loved ones, I just thought about how happy I was. I was finally here! This was the start of my trip. Queens Arms has set a high ceiling on great experiences in Scotland. We even went back there a couple of days ago just because we knew we would be able to end the night on a good drink. But in the end I think if you are Edinburgh, you have to come to this place. It is one of my favorite experiences I've had in Scotland so far and I dream about when I can come back again.

    Came here on our first night in town on the strength of the Yelp reviews and were not disappointed…read more We enjoyed a fantastic Sunday roast including a delicious pavlova for dessert. The kids meal of mac and cheese and fries was perfect for our picky little eater, though big enough for at least two!

    Photos
    Queens Arms
    Queens Arms
    Queens Arms - Wellington upfront and Mac and Cheese in the back

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    Wellington upfront and Mac and Cheese in the back

    Under the Stairs

    Under the Stairs

    3.9(79 reviews)
    0.9 mi•Grassmarket, Old Town
    •££

    This was a standout lil place downstairs that takes you out of the fray of tourism into a hip…read moregastro/bistro atmosphere. Terrific food, unique local menu, tremendous small, choosy list of whisky, wine, beers. The beer pickled mussels amazing. Cheese plate terrific. Had a cod over white beans in tomato sauce. Smoked kipper pate. What I loved most is that the staff, kitchen , chef served really great food, cared about the ingredients, and just offered a hip environment. Highly recommend! Servers were cool and nice to us.

    Every time I am in Edinburgh, I gravitate to Under the Stairs. In the summer months, it gets…read morepacked, especially later in the night. The first time, we arrived around 10 pm on a weekend. Thankfully a couple left just as we arrived so we were able to snag a table pretty easily. The drinks are lovely and the flavor profiles are rather unique. I love spritz drinks so I really enjoy that they rotate the flavors seasonally at least. The last time I was in Edi, I stopped by maybe 2-3 times on my way to or from dinner for a cocktail. I tried to order different cocktails off the menu to taste as many as possible. I enjoyed every one of them which is surprising. Sometimes when a place tries to be different and interesting, the drinks can fall flat. These were exactly as described! I don't often eat here but one afternoon, we grabbed a cheese board, roasted turnip and hummus. The turnip was DELICIOUS. I was shocked since I never really care for them most days. I liked that the hummus was served with (i think) endive leaves. It added a nice crunch to the bite. The cheeses and bread were great. I have never seen one particular item before.... Pickled grapes. Wow. They were so interesting. The vinegar flavor was not strong but it added such a unique flavor to the otherwise sweet fruit.

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    Under the Stairs
    Under the Stairs - Spot the Turn Tables...

    Spot the Turn Tables...

    Under the Stairs - The Tiny Sign

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    The Tiny Sign

    Badger & Co - Strawberry sundae...so good

    Badger & Co

    4.5(76 reviews)
    0.9 mi•New Town
    •££

    My wife and I visited for dinner and had a very nice time. We were celebrating our honeymoon. The…read moredecor was so fun and cozy, but also a bit more upscale than I anticipated. We were there at the beginning of the Fringe Festival, so it was pretty crowded, but the service was high quality regardless! I could tell they communicated very well as a team. We tried several dishes. The chicken pot pie was very tasty, but perhaps a little over done on the outside - not necessarily a complaint just an observation. The pesto pasta with mayo was a little too rich for my palate but my wife really enjoyed it. The bread was phenomenal, simple and delicious. We also had the cabbage, which was straightforward and enjoyable. My wife had an old fashioned and liked it a lot. I had the Cold town lager and it was excellent. All in all a nice experience, and I would recommend to those looking for a semi upscale dining experience, but not to those looking for a fast casual dinner.

    Badger & Co. was one of the places we most wanted to try while visiting Edinburgh. It was…read morecompletely booked on our first night, so we tried again the next evening and were fortunate to snag an 8:30 p.m. reservation. Even after arriving, we still had a bit of a wait for our table, but we were able to order drinks from the bar while we waited. The atmosphere is what really makes this place special. The Wind in the Willows theme is charming and thoughtfully done, creating a cozy, beautiful space that feels uniquely Edinburgh. As for the food, it was good but not outstanding. Two of us ordered the chicken pies, one had the steak pie, and one had the macaroni and cheese. Everything was enjoyable enough, but nothing really stood out, especially considering the prices. Service was fine, though not particularly memorable. Overall, I would recommend Badger & Co. for the ambiance, decor, and experience rather than the food itself. It's a lovely place to stop for a meal or drinks and soak in the atmosphere, but the food and service didn't quite live up to the hype for us. 4/5 stars.

    Photos
    Badger & Co - Wagyu burger with chips fried in beef drippings.

    Wagyu burger with chips fried in beef drippings.

    Badger & Co
    Badger & Co

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    The Scran & Scallie - Scottish asparagus crepe

    The Scran & Scallie

    4.5(166 reviews)
    1.2 mi•Stockbridge
    •£££

    Had an amazing dinner at The Scran & Scallie last night - our first evening in Edinburgh and it was…read morea terrific way to start our Scotland vacation! Service was friendly and efficient. Cute space in a neighborhood outside of the touristy area - easy bus ride from old town especially if you take it in the correct direction to start, oops! - Scallop and potato starter - 5/5 really delicious three scallops on a small bed of smashed potatoes with something deliciously crunchy on top, presented in scallop shells, pretty! - fish pie - 5/5, dining partner had this and the bite I had was delicious - shrimp, fish, don't know what other seafood inside but yum! - fish & chips - 5/5, I laughed when the plate arrived with an enormous piece of fish and then proceeded to eat the whole thing. Homemade tartar sauce the best I've ever had. Chips were like steak fries, so good! Crisp on outside, soft and steamy on the inside. I tried to finish them all but could not there were so many! - broccoli on the side - 4/5 solid offering to round out the meal - toffee sticky pudding with pecans and vanilla ice cream - 5*/5 this was outstanding! The best I've ever had and wish I hadn't polished off the entire fried fish so I had more room to have more of this! Highly recommend Scran & Scallie when you're in Edinburgh and want to get a terrific friendly meal outside of the tourist zone

    Scran and Scallie is Gaelic for food and drink, and they hit both right on the mark. We were able…read moreto get a lunch reservation for our entire party of 8, which was great. Drinks menu was varied and innovative and very fun. Lunch was absolutely amazing, each member of our party was so happy with their choice and super pleased with this lovely establishment. Make a reservation as they are very popular.

    Photos
    The Scran & Scallie - Kitchen view

    Kitchen view

    The Scran & Scallie - Scallops

    Scallops

    The Scran & Scallie - Whiskey cocktail

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    Whiskey cocktail

    Joseph Pearce - gastropubs - Updated October 2026

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