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The Doric

4.3 (147 reviews)
ModerateBars, Scottish, Gastropubs
Closed 12:00 pm - 10:00 PM

The Doric Photos

THE DORIC ATMOSPHERE

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

Recommended Reviews - The Doric

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Reviews With Photos

Sunday Roast
Eric S.

The Sunday Roast was everything I thought it would be. Great vibe, less touristy than I thought it would be. Make sure you're upstairs.

Haggis, neeps & tatties
Kelly C.

Blessed that the staff was able to fit us in on a busy Saturday night! I came in with my family and we had the best experience. My dad tried haggis for the first time, my sister and mom got shepherds pies, and I got the venison. Sooo good! Also you must try the homemade ice cream. It was to die for!!

Pranjali S.

This was the highlight food experience of our London and Scotland trip in September. My boyfriend (now husband) recommended Doric because he had eaten the best Haggis and Sticky Toffee Pudding on his trip to Scotland a few years ago. I made a reservation for a weekend evening about a month in advance. We were seated immediately in a delightful little nook of the top floor of the restaurant. They were very clear that the food will take time because everything is made from scratch and fresh, but we were prepared for that. We ordered a wine and a whiskey and a cheese plate to go with that. The alcohols were great but the cheese plate was a little blah in comparison to the food that was forthcoming. For food, we ordered the Haggis (obviously), the Shepherd's pie and the Sticky Toffee Pudding. The Haggis was the star. The best Haggis I've had in my 3 days in Scotland (and I had Haggis everywhere I went). The meat was delicious, the turnips were scrumptious and the potatoes were so creamy! The icing on the cake was the sauce which blended everything together in a mouthwatering morsel that just got all my taste buds singing. The shepherd's pie was also very very very good!! In fact, when we ate leftovers a day later, the minced meat and peas from the shepherd's pie with the potato had accumulated even more flavor. The Sticky toffee pudding was perfect - sticky, not too sweet, warm and so comforting! This was an excellent meal and I will come back here every single time I am in Edinburgh!

The Doric
Alvine L.

Love , love this place . Reservation a must . We got lucky . It was 3 of us and we walked and explain we didn't have a reservation and ask to please see if anything can be done and they where able to accommodate us after a little bit and I was so grateful and again lucky . I love the downstairs which has a bar old school and upstairs is the dining area . Cute little are and small space but warm and perfect . Also another bar upstairs as well . Server was great and patient with us . I had the famous fish and chips and omg the fish was perfect fried . It was juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside and got and perfect batter . The chips (fries ) were fried perfectly . Perfect crunch . Had a beer to go with it and it was perfect . I can't never finish a meal but I finish those . I will come back again for sure

Joni B.

We had our best meal in Edinburgh at, The Doric! The charming dining room provided an excellent setting to enjoy our meal. The wild mushroom starter was so good! For our mains we enjoyed shepherds pie and the couscous. The star of the show was the sticky toffee pudding!

Brad E.

I loved this restaurant. Near the train station and the prototypical Scottish experience. The haggis - and everything else was amazing, and the service was excellent. Highly recommended.

John W.

Good scotch, beer and music. Friday and Saturday nights starting st 8 they have live music.

Tiger prawns and chorizo with a side salad
Jason W.

The good stuff: I ordered the tiger prawns & chorizo starter with a side salad. It was really amazing. My wife had always wanted to try Cullen skink (seafood version of potato soup) and she finally got to enjoy it. Both were really tasty. The side salads were huge and really good. The bread was fresh and amazing. The bad: Service. We didn't have reservations so we were told it would be about a 45 minute wait. There were empty tables everywhere. So we waited downstairs at the tavern. When we went back up the same tables were open. Once we were seated our waitress was scarce. Several times I had to grab a different server to see if they could find her. Once we finished lunch I finally had to go to the bar area and ask for our ticket and pay the bill. Never saw our server again. Great food but in my opinion the service was poor.

Sticky Toffee Pudding

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1 year ago

Great restaurant that lived up to other reviews. Food was delicious. Service was great. Ambience was cozy.

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1 year ago

Food was good. Kids menu a plus. No reservations and they snuck us in. All around great

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11 months ago

Great venue, friendly staff. We had shepherds pie, fish & chips, and sticky toffee pudding. All were very good.

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10 months ago

Great location, a bit down from the royal mile, good food and very nice drinks. Moderately priced and a good value.

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11 months ago

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11 months ago

Great food, drinks and service! Casual, cozy atmosphere. Nice evening in Edinburgh.

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11 months ago

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11 months ago

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1 year ago

The venison is hands down the best I have ever had. If you have ever been curious about venison, this is the BEST

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2 years ago

What a nice place, great environment. Drinks on point. Food was fabulous. Shepherds pie was best I ever had!!

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The Doric Reviews in Other Languages

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

Makars Gourmet Mash Bar

(517 reviews)

££

Old Town, Royal Mile

If you're in Edinburgh and want a place that does comfort food right, Makars Mash Bar is absolutely…read moreworth the stop. We tried a variety of dishes including the Scotch egg, chicken, pork, and beef options, and every single one was excellent. The meats were very flavorful and tender, and the mashed potatoes were easily some of the best we've had. The Scotch egg was perfectly cooked with a rich, slightly runny yolk and a crispy, well-seasoned outer layer. The sticky toffee pudding was also outstanding and a perfect way to finish the meal and was shared by the group as the portions were huge!! The atmosphere was lively and welcoming, with a unique and cozy feel. We waited about 20 minutes in line, but it was worth it. Service was great, everyone was friendly, and the experience felt very well run. This is also a great option for families, especially if you have picky kids. You can't really go wrong with excellent mashed potatoes and high-quality meat options. FYI the Pork Shank was the winner overall.

Makars Mash is one of those places that is always at the top of folks recommendation lists for…read moreEdinburgh. I found this to be for good reason. At the door, parties of 2+ had around an hour wait. I was lucky enough to be dining solo, so was immediately seated to a small high-top area by the door. Service was very kind. I ordered the Lamb and Classic Mash. The side pickles were tasty and refreshing. The mash was truly good. I ended up wishing I picked a different protein because the lamb came on the bone, wish was hard to eat around for me. Since it was my first day in Scotland, the conversion between pounds and dollars hadn't yet processed for me. As a heads up, ordering the 23.00 pound classic entree came out to be $32.50.

The Devil's Advocate - Smoked fish plate

The Devil's Advocate

(629 reviews)

££

Old Town, Royal Mile

Just an awesome, rockin' final meal in Edinburgh - fantastic food, good service and energized local…read morevibe! Absolute must to get reservations! We tried on our first week in Edinburgh and failed, but were able to make reservations 3 weeks out for our last night in Scotland, and we are glad we did. Pork cracklins were a bit hard and crunchy, but everything else was perfect. We had fresh bread and langostinis for starters, along with a smokey whiskey cocktail, the Smoked Indiscretion! For mains we enjoyed the poached Cod, and the Pork with Barley. Service was very good, and wine selection was extensive. Atmosphere was loud with music and locals' chatter in the bar below, but dark tables and heavy wood panels made it a perfect place for a couple celebrating 3 weeks of travel. Highly recommend a visit to the Devil's Advocate, if you can book a table in advance.

The Devil's Advocate is undoubtedly a treasure to find in Old Town Edinburgh, especially if you…read moreaccidentally take the News Steps to get there, only to realize you should have simply taken the steps up Advocate's Close from Cockburn Street. But they call these lessons, "character building," apparently. No matter, the Devil's Advocate is worth the search. Located in an old Victorian pump house halfway up (or down) Advocate's Close, the Devil's Advocate is known for a killer whisky shelf of more than 300 different bottles from various distilleries across the Highlands, Lowlands, Speyside, Campbelltown, the Islands, and Islay. I finally sipped on a 15-year Tamdu that has convinced me to keep a bottle at home. Then there's the Clydeside 2024 Limited Edition Cask Strength that was wicked impressive. The bartenders are class at making and serving seasonal and regular cocktails that have their spin and character. My wife enjoyed gin-based cocktails such as the Clean Slate (with St-Germain, citrus, and sugar), Rose Garden (with Yellow Chartreuse, Cocchi Rosa, apple, lemon, and mint), and Bee's Knees (honey and lemon). I went full speed ahead with the scotch cocktails, which are essentially classics with a scotch-substituted twist. The Double Shot is an Espresso Martini with Dalmore 12 in addition to Kahlua, espresso, and demerara -- quite smooth without being too sweet. The Scotzia is a Negroni with Fettercairn 12, while the Boxcar is a Sidecar only with Aberfeldy 12. We enjoyed the bar for a few hours, watching the bartenders make magic while sipping on cocktails, while listening to 80s pop tunes. A great evening indeed.

Queens Arms

Queens Arms

(114 reviews)

££

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.

We got 3 reservations to split up our group of 8 adults and 2 kids, so we were all able to make…read moresure to get a table and have the Sunday roast. We shared the ultimate sharing roast and everything was delicious and so filling. It was also nice to be able to sit and watch a match while enjoying the food. The coffee was pretty good too. This is definitely a good option if you're looking for a Sunday roast in the area

Under the Stairs

Under the Stairs

(79 reviews)

££

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.

Badger & Co - Strawberry sundae...so good

Badger & Co

(73 reviews)

££

New Town

After several disappointing dining experiences elsewhere in the UK, Badger & Co was a refreshing…read morereminder of how exceptional a gastro pub can be. From the moment we walked in, the atmosphere struck the perfect balance between cozy and clever, with a unique and humorous Wind in the Willows / Mr. Toad-inspired décor that gives the place real character without feeling gimmicky. The food was absolutely top-notch. Every dish we ordered was clearly made with care, high-quality ingredients, and beautiful presentation. From the Scotsman scallops to the steak pie and desserts like the sticky toffee pudding and cranachan teacake, everything tasted as good as it looked. This is the kind of place where you can tell the kitchen takes pride in what they send out. The drinks were just as impressive and creative, well balanced, and easily some of the best we've had on this trip. Definitely a place where the bar program matches the strength of the kitchen. Service is where this place truly stands out. Sean and his team created a welcoming environment, and our server William absolutely knocked it out of the park. Attentive without hovering, friendly without being forced, and genuinely invested in making sure we had a great experience. Between the incredible food, outstanding drinks, fun atmosphere, and exceptional service, this ended up being one of the best dining experiences of our trip. I would confidently recommend Badger & Co to anyone visiting Edinburgh who wants a memorable gastro pub experience.

Great place to get our first official meal in Scotland! Really great service and yummy food…read more Husband and I shared the fish and chips which was massive. Fun restaurant with a nice vibe. Definitely would recommend!

St Vincent - This was sooo good!

St Vincent

(12 reviews)

££

Stockbridge, New Town

I wondered if I'd feel guilty whilst drinking cask ales at a traditional Scottish pub, right…read moreoutside of a church. Nope. It was brilliant. This place is grand...and by grand, I mean chill and comfy. Great for crews to relax and have philosophical debates and enjoy some beer. Love it.

I love the cosy, hidden away feel of St Vincent bar. I really do feel like it's been hidden away…read morefrom me for some reason, and the only reason I learned of its merits was because my brother was participating in a Poker tournament here one evening, and so I came along to basically peek over his shoulder and embarrass him and put him off the game by asking stupid questions. While I was there though, I thought, what the heck, I'll have myself a cheeky half pint (it was a Sunday, so I was winding down from the weekend) and take in the atmosphere. It was one of the pretty few and far between bars in Edinburgh where I felt completely comfortable and part of the banter within five minutes of being in the place. St Vincent is frequented by a lot of regulars, but not the kind of regulars that put their pint glasses down and fix you with a steely stare in silence as you creak the pub door open, and then through which you inevitably awkwardly feel like you should creep back out of again. All in all, this is relaxed and welcoming bar to attend of an evening, and if poker is your forte, you can play your heart out on a Sunday evening.

The Doric - bars - Updated May 2026

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