Close to my hotel. Great, courteous service. Yummy take out. I was a bit surprised to have…read morepotato wedges in my gyro.

Ola Kala was a nice find. We had the chicken wrap and a salad. Service was provided by the owner…read more(most likely). He helped answer questions about the menu. Good prices for a decent gyro. The salad was amazing.

Herbie is still a staple in my culinary tool belt and the purveyor of a million sauces I didn't…read moreknow I needed. In fact, it's evolved into a new role over the last few months as a go-to lunch spot. The sandwiches & rolls they have aren't fancy... they're not over the top... they're good cheese or pate on a fresh bun and really, what more can you ask for on a gloomy day? I've recently tried my hand at bread baking, so I heartily tip the hat to the fresh options here. Simply put: Herbie makes everything look easy, and I still love them for it. So why the dip down in stars? I'm not sure if they're busier or I'm just coming at odd hours, but the shelves seem a little less stocked than they once were and my eyes aren't quite as wide while i'm browsing the collection but does that mean this place is in danger of falling off my go-to list? Heck no. It's still a brilliant little shop.

I've been here once before in the search of a good feta cheese to add to my dinner, and have to say…read moreit was one of the best I've ever had. It's a tiny little shop with little variety compared to others, say Henri's or IJ Mellis, however they do have a decent selection of deli meats which I was on the hunt for today. Depending on what you like (my favoraite cheeses are at IJ Mellis and I buy certain meats from Henri's), Herbie's might have a small something to contribute, but it wouldn't be my first choice if I'm after meat, cheese and wine. It's a very cute shop with lovely service that is well worth checking out, but I guess if you already know where your favourites are you could forgo Herbie's and not miss out on much.

This small bakery/coffee shop has both dine in and takeaway options since there aren't lots of…read moretables inside. Both the chocolate eclair and scone were really good. We also got an iced flat white which was strong and refreshing.

Best cafe in Stockbridge. Friendly staff. Good seating arrangements, excellent selection of food…read moreand drinks. I've already been 3 times now.

I held an afternoon tea on the 27th of December 2013 as part of a wedding celebration. Email…read morecommunication prior to the event was clear and straight forward. Menu choices looked good and I was able to rent crockery for an additional £40. I was sent an invoice for around £500 with details including the delivery time - 3-4 (the event started at 4). On the day there was no contact from Craig the owner. I phoned him twice and left one voicemail to check all was going to plan. The afternoon got to 16.30 and the house was full of guests. Still no delivery from Bespoke and no phone call with an apology or explanation. Craig appeared at 16.30 in a rental van with squashed cake bases and bags of stuff clearly just bought. He then proceeded to start making sandwiches and decorating cakes. It is now 5pm an hour after the event started. There was no space in the kitchen as guests were here and tea and champagne were being served. He did not leave until 6.30 having finished preparing an extremely poorly displayed array of squashed food. The crockery I rented did not appear until people had started eating and I had to ask where it was. Craig then ran out to his van and brought in a crate of dirty dishes. I had to unload and clean them in the sink before they could be used. It looked like cigarette ash or something. I was now trying to assist Craig to speed him up while wearing a wedding dress. Craig returned the next day to collect his crockery. There was not one apology or explanation. He was very slippery when I asked him why he was so late and why it had then taken 2 hours for him to prepare the food. He said "these things happen" and looked away. The food tasted fine however presentation was laughable. I would strongly advise against using this company. It was completely embarrassing and a huge waste of money.

I've been traveling to Edinburgh several times a year and always make it a point to have at least…read moreone meal here per trip. The food is delicious. The menu is varied and the prices are reasonable. Delicious all around. Haven't had a dish here I haven't liked!

Eastern Spices is my local Indian takeaway place in Canonmills. It's big claim to fame is that it's…read morefeatured in Peter Irvine's book 'Scotland The Best' and is one of the only Indian takeaways in Edinburgh mentioned, because of this I think my expectations are always a bit too high. The food is good, but can be a little hit or miss. Tonight I ordered a lamb madras, vegetable pakora, puree and gulab jamon. My order arrived within half an hour and everything was piping hot. The madras wasn't too oily and had a good kick to it, the pakora was crispy and delicious (I wolfed down two before they made it on to a plate), the puree was light and fluffy and the gulab jamon (fried milk dough balls doused in syrup) finished off my meal perfectly. This was definitely a good experience, however I've had meals that haven't been nearly as good because of orders taking ages to arrive, or the food being lukewarm and nothing particularly special. Give it a try though, you might catch them on a good day!

We came here on a recent trip to Edinburgh while exploring the city outside the Royal Mile…read more Everything was good, but the place was smaller than I expected and felt a bit packed. Despite that we got bread, paella, cheese, raspberries, pears, apples, lettuce, cucumbers, and jam for the rest of our trip in Scotland and it was all fantastic. The paella we ate there. I got the chicken paella because I didn't think picking apart seafood with my hands was the best idea while wrangling two small kids without a reasonable place to sit down. It was really good, if a tiny bit saltier than I'd like. The spices were top notch and the experience of seeing it made in the huge 6' in diameter wok-like pans was worth it. The bread (we got spelt) was _really_ good and I wish we'd gotten two loaves. Instead, we got only one and just relished the breakfast sandwiches we made with it the next few days. The cheese, jam and produce formed the basis of a lot of what we ate for the next few days and it was much better than what we'd been getting at Tesco.

A cute farmer's market held every Sunday year-round in the most pretty neighborhood. It's a nice…read morestroll around the streets or to Dean's Village while grabbing some local goods. I have to admit that the space was smaller than I expected, but they do have a bit of everything from jams, fresh produce, meats, baked goods, chocolate, alcohol, coffee, and more! I definitely recommend coming here hungry, so you can try one of the food stands. I ended up trying the Chicken Paella (£5), which you can't miss. I was immediately attracted to the plate as I saw people walking around with them. For £5, the plate is huge and will easily fill you up. Unfortunately, the flavor and taste was only okay. It may be best to share, so it's not so overwhelming. It's not bad, but definitely not one of the better paellas I have had. My friend did get the dumplings, which are pretty popular as well though. Either way, cool little spot to grab a bite and walk around. It does get pretty crowded though.

Stopped off here to pick up some groceries and snacks. It has a decent variety of food but not the…read moremost orderly store and the employees seemed grumpy which was unusual given my experience with others in town.

This Sainsbury's Local store is in a useful location on Shandwick Place, just off Princes Street in…read moreEdinburgh city centre. The selection is mixed, they have a great to-go food and drink section, which includes a Costa Express machine, however, the stock of essentials and groceries wasn't too good while being at the usual inflated convenience store pricing. The layout of the store was easy enough to follow, but due to the presence of security gates, you will need to go through the checkout area even if you don't buy anything, which can be a pain, especially if there's a big queue and the item you wanted to purchase is out of stock. There are a couple of hotels nearby, so this can be a great stop to get a couple of things to take back to your room, without having to travel far, but better alternatives for sure around the city. 3*

This place scares me…read more I don't often shop at big stores like this. No, it's not a hipster thing (ok... it's kind of a hipster thing) but ever since moving into Stockbridge, my favourite Sunday activity is visiting all the little local spots to grab groceries for the week. There's something charming about swinging into the butchers and then down to the bakery for tonight's dinner. But not everything can be found at a little haunt and sometimes, my bank account gets mad at me and I have to venture into a big spot like this. The thing I will point out (as many before me have) is that the quality of their store brand here is excellent. Much better than the Tesco stuff I found my first few weeks (that's the extent of my big box groceries though, so take this with a grain of salt I suppose). From the produce, to the pre-made salads (the beetroot and quinoa is excellent! Oh gosh, I AM a hipster!), to the interesting pre-made meal finds - it's a nice step up from your normal big box selection. Plus, they stock three different kinds of Yamazaki whisky. Coming from Canada where you can't find this in the MOST exclusive shops - this tickles me. So I would be a huge fan of this place, if it didn't give me complete and utter anxiety every time I set foot in the place. It is SO DAMN BUSY. ALL THE TIME! I don't know if it's because there's a online pick up area right at the front (which is handy), or because i'm too used to my Sunday shop strolls, but this place seems like a bit of a zoo every time i've been in. Which would be ok I suppose if the lines moved a bit quicker at check out and there were more people to lead this lost Canadian to the right aisle, but as it stands - though useful, it's a rather unpleasant shopping experience. I'll keep coming here for big ticket items and when I get my arse in gear to do a big shop, but I doubt it will make it on the regular rotation any time soon.

When I moved from Surrey to Scotland one of the very few things I missed was Waitrose. Living in…read moreFalkirk, we didn't even have a Sainsbury's but my Waitrose withdrawal ended when we moved to Edinburgh - where there is not only one - but TWO Waitroses to meet the foodie needs of North and South. I would never consider Waitrose to be my regular grocery store - I suppose that's where the missing star goes. It's more of a treat - like going to a food hall of a posh department store. The cleaning supplies and toiletries are a bit more than at other shops and the selection isn't as good - but they are there in case of emergency. The true delight comes in the more interesting selection of fresh fruit and veg - far more greens that any other supermarket - and even most independent grocers. Bok Choi, kales (whole not shredded), chard.... perfect for green juices! Great cheeses, meats, fresh baked breads and the amazing dessert aisle!! The salted caramel brownies from Maison Blanc are incredible!! The Strockbridge/Comely Bank location is ideal for when you have other things to do in town and the free parking garage is a great bonus. Another bonus - free tea and coffee if you have a 'My Waitrose' card. Ah, Waitrose - you do spoil us!!

Seeing as though this is my go-to for most everything in the area, it would be odd to award it…read moreanything but a four star. Though, take this with a grain of salt - it's a grocery... do not expect bells and whistles. This shop is a decent place for all the staples. It carries coconut water and almond milk (both strangely hard to find in the city) for when i'm attempting to be healthy and cheap pizza, crisps and ice cream when i'm not. But unless it's 10pm and you're exhausted, there's no reason to grab your alcohol or your cheese here, with Appellation Wines and Mellis just down the road (granted, in complete opposite directions). But for your run of the mill finds? Definitely a solid choice of standard chain grocers out of your usual suspects in the area.

Major downgrade! It seems as though in recent weeks I've…read morenoticed going in now that prodcuts have been moved to different areas of the store, but doesn't necessarily mean there will be product ready for purchase. Need bacon? Good luck if you're shopping in the evening. Fresh selection of veggies? Lol, good luck. So unless you're seeking junk food or the usual bread and milk combo, I wouldn't be so excited about this place. Very basic.

I dropped off a closed suitcase for shipping. They went through the bag. I missed a few items that…read morecouldn't be shipped like mini perfume. But to find it, they would have had to open the suitcase, dig out the clothes and then open the toiletry bag. If I had of known, I would've thought twice about dropping my suitcase there.

Mailboxes etc. is super duper handy for all your postage needs and whether it's a small or large…read moreparcel you need to get delivered this place comes up trumps. I love travelling and have friends dotted around all over the globes so it's nice to be able to send them a wee thing now and again, especially for birthdays and such. You can buy little compact boxes from Mailboxes which are very reasonably priced and come in various sizes. I'll usually get one of the smaller boxes and cram as much as possible inside. I have a friend who has an E-Bay shop and usually dispatches her stuff through Mailboxes and has never had any problems with their courier service. In addition to postage services, Mailboxes also offers a print and copy service so ideal if you need to print off lots of flyers for an event.