The Doric

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.

Whiskey flight tastings

Fish Filet

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Double Shot with Dalmore 12, kahula, espresso shot, and Demerara.

Howies

4.3(219 reviews)

0.2 mi•Old Town

•£££

Such a friendly and beautifully set restaurant. The food is picturesque and top notch. Everything…read morewe had, from the large portions of bread paired with roasted red pepper humus to the flaky and flavorful cod, was exceptional. The wait staff is helpful as well as friendly. They prepared a table for us even amidst a packed house. Know that this is not just a restaurant, it's a date night restaurant. We brought the kids, which was perfectly okay, but the setting and price is more date night worthy. This place is terrific! Enjoy!

Good haggis, but overall underseasoned and underwhelming…read more My fiancé and I visited Howie's and had a mixed experience. We started with the haggis appetizer, which was genuinely delicious hearty, comforting, and reminded me of a Salisbury steak with gravy and potatoes. If you're going, I'd absolutely recommend starting there. Unfortunately, the rest of the meal didn't live up to that strong start. My fiancé ordered the ribeye with fries, and once again I have to say: Edinburgh really struggles with fries. These were bland, oily, and needed a serious dose of salt. The ribeye itself had no seasoning, which was disappointing. While the peppercorn sauce was good, a quality ribeye should be flavorful on its own without having to rely on sauce. I ordered the salmon with beets and potatoes. It was decent, but, like much of the food we've had in Edinburgh so far, it could have used more seasoning. The ingredients seem fresh, but the flavors just don't sing. For dessert, we shared the banoffee pie. It was light and not overly sweet which I appreciated but it was just okay. Not memorable. Service was another weak point. Our server wasn't rude, but we were largely forgotten because there was a large party seated behind us. At this price point, you expect attentive service. I understand Scotland doesn't operate on a tipping culture, but when restaurants are charging higher prices (and often more than comparable U.S. restaurants once converted from GBP), the quality and attentiveness should match. Overall, Howie's wasn't terrible, but it wasn't great. Amazing haggis, decent dishes, mediocre seasoning, and slow service. For locals who prefer milder flavors, this might be a solid choice but for visitors used to more robust seasoning and higher service standards, it may fall short.

Beautiful bar

Lobster 1/2

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Mussels appetizer

Makars Gourmet Mash Bar

4.8(521 reviews)

We were a group of 6 and waiting time was less than an hour on a busy Monday at 2pm. Notification…read morewas via text or through a link which you can monitor your table's availability. We had a lovely meal here at Makars Mash Bar (technically called The Makar's Rest) We ordered the following: - Coke & Ginger Kombucha - Free Range Gourmet Scotch Egg (deliciousness to share and a great way to begin a meal) - Home Grown Lion's Mane pan-fried bites, served with vegan aioli wasn't a hit with the group but I really liked it. - Slow Cooked Lamb (rich and full of flavor) - Crown Of Slow Cooked Beef Shoulder (incredibly tender and literally fell apart) - Makars Wild Boar Sausage With Beef Dripping Gravy (got a bite in and it didn't taste gamey) - Sides of Black pudding mash and Scottish cheddar cheese & onion mash which we really enjoyed. - Sticky Toffee Pudding was a perfect end to the meal. Great comfort food, generous portions, and a really enjoyable experience overall. Would definitely recommend. Atmosphere outside in the chilly air was a challenge at first. Outdoor heaters would have been a plus. At least we were seated.

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.

0.7 mi•West End, New Town

Downstairs inside the restaurant

Homemade Free Range Gourmet Scotch Egg

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Scotch eggs

Forage and Chatter

4.8(42 reviews)

The menu has enough choice to give even the pickiest of eaters something to love, however it is…read morelimited enough to prevent the indecisive from spending time unable to choose a dish. We had such a fab time here, and the entire table loved their meal - the beef was our favourite dish. The only thing to be wary of is to make sure you request a table on the ground floor and not up the staircase, if you have mobility issues.

Forage and Chatter was my last meal in Edinburgh, and I'm glad that I could end my visit here on…read moresuch a high note. I made reservations for one. And was seated in their outdoors (-ish) area. It's almost like an outdoor alley but still has a roof. I agree with the previous Yelper comparing it to a farmhouse/garden. The service was impeccable. Each team member that helped take care of me was very attentive, polite, and knowledgeable. I ordered the cured salmon appetizer, lamb neck filet entree, and a few whiskys. Both dishes were cooked perfectly, with a nice combination of flavors and textures. Forage and Chatter was one of my favorite meals in Edinburgh and I would most certainly make reservations here if I ever came back.

Stairs to entrance outside

Salmon appetizer

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Angels with Bagpipes

4.4(132 reviews)

•£££

This place deserves to be Michelin Starred. Every dish is creative, delicious and beautifully…read morepresented. Very friendly and cordial staff as well.

My brother and I had the chicken, which was delicious but was a small portion which left my brother…read morefeeling hungry as we left. My husband and I ordered the burrata, but it didn't come with bread as listed on the menu. The service was quite slow so we gave up on requesting the bread. I was pleased that they allowed for multiple side sauces to my husband's Denver steak. Ambiance was lovely, allowed for casual dress.

Their sign is adorable.

Battered cod was fresh and not oily at all. Scottish crab, lemon and crumpet was super fresh and delish.

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BBQ Root Vegetables and Lentils

The Perch

4.8(8 reviews)

0.4 mi•New Town

Delicious food in a very cozy upstairs space with great service. I had the venison, which was…read morecooked perfectly and served on a bed of greens and beets with a horseradish purée. I usually dislike beets but this combo really worked! My friend got the polenta, which was also very good and filling, and we shared the shoestring fries. All in all, a wonderful meal with friendly service. They have a weekday lunch special, which we would definitely return for.

The Perch offered us the ideal dinner. We were visiting Edinburgh, were hungry but it was late and…read morewe wanted some comfort food. And that is exactly what we got! Fish and chips were delicious, and perfectly prepared. My daughter had a burger and loved it. Service was excellent too!

Venison with horseradish puree

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Queens Arms

4.4(114 reviews)

0.4 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.

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

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Wellington upfront and Mac and Cheese in the back

Pibroch Scottish Restaurant

4.2(16 reviews)

0.3 mi•Old Town

The partner-in-dine and I were staying close to Pibroch and decided to book a table for dinner on a…read moreSunday evening. We made our booking the night before and were pleased that we could be accommodated. We were seated promptly next to a window where we could pass the time waiting for our food by looking at the passers-by and cars. But we didn't have to wait long. The appetizers came out quickly. I got the Cullen Skink, a Scottish soup of smoked haddock, potatoes and leeks in a creamy broth. My partner-in-dine chose the Pibroch Haggis Parcels with Red Wine Plum Sauce. We were both happy with our appetizers. For our mains, I had the Haggis, Neeps and Tatties while my partner-in-dine went for the Roast Duck. We were again elated with our choices. Every dish was wonderfully presented and tantalizingly delish. Definitely recommendation-worthy!

I told myself I wasn't going to try the haggis, but what did I do? I tried the haggis. I'm glad I…read moredid. The wait staff there are extremely attentive, friendly, and willing to answer any questions. Our party started off with the haggis parcels in a red wine plum sauce as an appetizer. The haggis was encased in filo dough. It was delicious. I went with the salmon, because Scotland has the best salmon in the world, so I've been told. This salmon was exceptional. I enjoyed the crispiness on the top of the salmon and the potatoes and broccoli accompanied the dish perfectly. I didn't care for the tomato sauce, and just ate around that. If you want authentic Scottish food, and friendly service, try this place out. They are also wheelchair accessible, as they have a ramp to guide you in the door.

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Royal McGregor

4.2(124 reviews)

This place is no longer open. And for some reason google maps shows it down the ally way behind…read morewhere it looks like it used to be. So don't bother going looking for it. It's not there.

So this is actually one of my favorite places to eat dinner in Edinburgh. I know that the city is…read morefull of incredible restaurants, but I've just got a soft spot in my heart for this one (probably because it was the very first place I ever ate at my first visit to Scotland). I've sat inside (which has a really cozy pub feel) and outside (taking in all the sights and sounds of the Royal Mile). I've made a reservation, I've also just walked in. I've had good service, great service, and really exceptional service. But one thing remains the same: I *always* get the Vegetarian Haggis Tower with mash, turnip, and whiskey sauce (it's probably my favorite veggie haggis in Edinburgh; and that cream whiskey sauce? could drink it!), a side of garlicky chips, sticky toffee pudding, whisky, Irn Bru, and a cider. It's a must meal for me anytime in the city.

Remodeled and changed name. Copper Still...

Steak and Ale Pie

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Exterior

The Joker & the Thief

4.8(4 reviews)

0.8 mi•Leith

This is exactly the kind of pub I love. Not fancy. Not touristy. Great music. Great drinks. A bit…read moredivey. Dark enough to be intimate. Friendly barkeeper. Moderate prices. Old-school pub atmosphere. If I'd live in the neighbourhood, this would be my local pub to go to all the time.

Having undergone a lick of paint outside and a renovation inside the bar is now a very good choice…read moreshould you wish a quieter establishment in which to watch the football on TV or play Trivial Pursuit or just drink and talk somewhere you don't have to raise your voice in to be heard. At £3.50 for a pint of Joker IPA it's also got a more sensible pricing policy than many of its near neighbours. On visiting again the other week I saw the pub now has an arrangement with the Origano pizza takeaway further down Leith Walk. You can therefore order (from around a dozen or so different types) a pizza & have it delivered to the pub for consumption there.