I discovered this wee gem, not long being open whilst passing through portobello…read more What drew me in was the newly painted exterior with the nicely displayed products in the window, so in l went. On entering l was greeted by one if the owners who said "hello and how are you today " and that alone is something rare these days, never met such polite staff and helpful in every way. The first thing l noticed when l walked in was how well stocked the shop was, everything was in its place, on the shelves where stocked with locally sourced in Edinburgh or Scotland, from biscuits to locally made jam. There where in house made pizza slices to go as well as coleslaw, and cheesecake. The Mouse hole deli stock a variety of scottish cheeses with a selection of cold cut meats, with the usual deli items such as the salads, fresh eggs available and an assortment of baked breads. The prices here are pretty good considering you are supporting locally sourced goods that are made nearby. I do see myself coming back? Most definitely. Service 5* Atmosphere 5* Value 5*

Fantastic food, excellent service…read more Don't miss this hidden treasure. Their selection of cheeses is mouth-watering, and the owner will make you any sandwich you want without comment. One wall is completely taken up with shelves of sauces, treats, and other little prepared nibbles to take away. Very affordable and not far from the water. Owner was quite friendly and welcoming - I wish I lived in this neighborhood so I could be a regular!

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.

It's been a very long time since I've been into Valvona & Crolla, and even longer since I've…read moreactually eaten here. However, the opportunity arose when attending a musical jazz gig during the Fringe Festival. Few people realise how far back the shop extends past the delicatessen part at the front - there's a whole restaurant and a small performance space back there! I'm happy to report that the standard of food is as high as ever, and the menu choices are a cut above your 'standard' Italian restaurant, of which there are several in this part of Edinburgh. I started with the Salmone - thinly sliced Scottish salmon with pickled cucumber, shaved beetroot, dill, capers, EVOO and lemon juice. A perfect palate cleanser before the main event. I followed this with a nice veggie linguine with Chanterelle mushrooms (I can never resist a good Chanterelle, and these were VERY good), then a rather indulgent Torta de Chioccolato (sans creme fraiche), which had a few attendant boozy Amarena cherries - yum! They have a select wine list - not hugely extensive but featuring many unfamiliar vintages; I was also impressed with the Ichnusa unfiltered lager from Sardinia; I only had a sample taste of that as we'd already committed to a Trabocchetto Pecorino, a nice fruity white with plenty of body. All in all, a delicious feast. Great service too. I would recommend booking in advance as it can be very busy, particularly during lunch hour.

Walking in and the space is chock full. Just about everything one needs, even excellent vegetables…read more Wonderful staff so friendly and helpful, and they know their stock.

Don't miss this gem. The people who worked there were some of the most engaging and friendly people…read moreI have met. Truly great people, and not just one of them, all 3. It's the kind of place you feel like there is a positive vibe both from a service perspective and from an employment perspective that pervades the essence of the service. But also, these were just lovely people. The food was phenomenal. I had the hot italian panini toasted and my daughter had the millionaires shortbread (which means covered in caramel and chocolate!) Both were terrific. The sandwich was hot, both in temperature and spice levels, with a great texture, an herby pesto, gooey cheese, and delicious hot peppers. I was convinced to give the Irn Brew a shot. "As Scottish as haggis!" he said. I'm not sure I loved the Scottish soda but I was glad for the adventure and the Scottish experience! In an area popular with tourists there are often many places where the service is not amazing because they know you may never come back and their employers are focused on churning as many people through as possible. In those places it often seems more time is spent on the descriptions of the food and advertising than the food and experience itself. Or, there are chains, like the Starbucks literally right there. This was not the case. This place was special. The food and the people compete for excellence (although the people win in my opinion!) If you miss this, you are missing out. We are leaving the early tomorrow and I want to try and get there for breakfast! Just terrific.

This is a nice little place to grab a bite to eat. The people who worked here were nice. The smoked…read moresalmon, cream cheese, and avocado sandwich was great. This is located across from St. James Centre on Leith Street.

After a 7 mile bike ride with toddler in tow we came across this wee deli nestled upon the shore…read more Very good location and the weather was nice so we ate outside which made for a very pleasant experience indeed. I am feeling generous as I am aware of how difficult it is to keep new businesses afloat. I ordered the brisket sandwich which had horseradish mayo and some slaw. In my opinion it was a bit a dry, I didn't hesitate to ask for a dollop more of the beautiful mayo and some onions to give it a little extra kick. The owner obliged and after said adjustments I thoroughly enjoyed my sandwich. My better half ordered the club sandwich which was really tasty. It had 3 layers of very hearty sourdough and some cheese which I am going to say was jarlsberg. Then a trio of meats, pastrami, turkey and bacon all smothered in mayo and tomatoes. We split both sandwiches so we could both have the best of both worlds. I like the feel of this place. The owners were very nice and welcoming and the location is really nice.

Having walked past this place time and time again this week, finally decided to stop in and get my…read morelunch from here today. I regret not having come in sooner! I had a duck & slaw wrap, which was toasted and a small portion of sweet potato & roasted yellow pepper soup. £5 well spent! They do have a table and a few chairs outside but they were in the shade so I took my food to the benches just up the way to sit in the sun. The couple (making assumptions here) behind the counter are full of smiles & super friendly, he's South African and she's Polish.. He does all the cooking, she apparently hates cooking! So kudos must go to him on a superb house made slaw.. apple, celery, thick slices of cabbage & carrot, lovely amount of crunch and acidity to balance out the richness of the duck. Can imagine it would have gone fantastic with some pulled pork but they'd sold out of the pork already. I was expecting the soup to be quite sweet (as most sweet potato soups tend to be) hence why I only got a small portion, but I was pleasantly surprised to taste the smokiness of the roast peppers and to find the soup was in fact quite savoury. Deli side of the store is a bit sparse at the moment, Relish around the corner have a much bigger range of stuff. But I think given time, their range of items will grow. Possibly one of the best lunches I've had this week, highly recommend!

Wow... this was one of the best breakfast spots on our 2-month trip! We were there in early…read moreSeptember and had to wait only about 5-10 minutes for a table. The food was absolutely delicious! My porridge was so hearty and yummy, I wanted to lick the bowl. My spouse's eggs benedict dish was also fantastic, and you can tell they use very fresh, high quality ingredients. The way they serve the meals in little stainless steel lunch boxes is adorable. My chai tea latte with oat milk was fantastically spicy and not too sweet. The server was friendly, knowledgeable, helpful, and always nearby, so it was easy to ask for our check when we were ready. And the inside of the restaurant had a warm, cozy feel. I would gladly eat every breakfast here the next time we're in Edinburgh!

This place seems to be very popular and know it. At first glance, it's a cute, cozy, and humble…read morecafe. Everyone there was very nice; service was good. When it came to ordering, I got an Iced Latte and a Buttery Bap. The menu is a bit difficult to decipher, as it was confusing how much or how little can be added to it and at what cost. The menu said I could only pick one filling, but when I asked I was informed that I could pick an unlimited amount. I'm glad I trusted my instinct and went with just two: Veggie Haggis and Tattie Scones. Both of these were truly delicious. However, there was an extra charge for the second filling. Prices for additions are listed at the bottom of the menu as if they were sides you could order separately. On the receipt, I also saw that I was charged 0.50 extra for ice. I don't understand why places charge extra to make an iced drink when overall you're actually getting less of the drink. Overall, everything tasted good and I'm glad I was able to try numerous Scottish classics.

There is a lot of sandwich places in the area but this one stands out. Better quality although it…read moreis also slightly more expensive than its neighbours. There's a wide and varied selection of breads and fillings as well as a good selection of hot sandwiches (try the Cumberland sausage & mango chutney baguette; the club sandwich & fries is a favourite of many regulars) and burgers (the chicken burger with Mexican cheese, salsa, salad and fries is a Friday lunchtime treat). The staff are very friendly and seem to have been here for year. They always have time to smile, say hi and chat. The place is very light thanks to the large windows. Come rain or sun, I like to on one of the high chairs by the windows, have lunch & a Bundaberg ginger beer while watching the world go by Henderson Row. I love the big wooden table in the middle although it can be busy sometimes. There are a few tables outside for relaxing on a sunny day. The coffee here is good but there are 2 excellent coffee places round the corner but if you are looking to treat yourself to quick nice lunch in the area, then this is the place.

It was a refuge from the rain…read more This small deli was a chance encounter but we enjoyed it. The staff was friendly and the service good. They brought our orders to our table and checked on us just the right amount.

All my research said that IJ Mellis was a must and I understand why. This tiny cheese shop located…read moreon Victoria Street is booming with business. Likely for the cheese, but also for the service! Even though crowded and busy, the staff was so delightful and friendly! They let us sample some cheeses before we made our selections. We went with all Scottish cheeses, because when in Scotland. They were fabulous!! We got a mix of cheddar, Gouda and blue that we can't wait to enjoy on our upcoming train ride. Prices are fair and by weight. Yum!

Fantastic! If you're a cheese lover, you must stop by. The staff member was so unbelievably kind…read moreand knowledgeable. I got an aged Scottish cheddar and it was amazing. They even suggested the proper cracker to go nicely with it. They'll give you a sample, so just ask! It's a small place but so cozy and welcoming.

The Shore in Leith is constantly being heralded as the new centre of Edinburgh for foodies, and the…read moreexistence of Relish right here seems to corroborate this. It's a fairly high-end deli, where you can go for a sophisticated kind of sandwich or light lunch, or else do some gourmet shopping - they stock a range of cheeses, pickles, fancy-looking vegetables and the like. It's a little pricey, but seems less so when you consider what the equivalent kind of shop would charge you somewhere like New Town. And if you know your Roquefort from your Dolcelatte, then you'll recognise that Relish is a place of quality.

My review is basically based on a short visit to this cafe/deli place…read more We ordered their daily soup which was Thai vegetable and it was absolutely lovely! Spicy, nice seasoned and quite fresh! They have a quite good selection of wine and cheeses. Also we found our favourite tortillas chips in there which was handful! Would definitely come back and try their salads that looked quite nice too.