Guidebook for Edinburgh
Brunch and breakfast
Top cafés in the area local to my place that mean you can avoid cooking first thing!
Gorgeous French bakery and cafe. Great all day for sumptuous cakes, bread, lunch and breakfast specials. Brunch is served until 1pm, includes filled rolls, french toast and potato and courgette rosti with mushrooms and poached eggs. The rosti was my choice, and very tasty it was too!
Dog friendly.
259 personas locales recomiendan
The Manna House Bakery & Patisserie
22-24 Easter RdGorgeous French bakery and cafe. Great all day for sumptuous cakes, bread, lunch and breakfast specials. Brunch is served until 1pm, includes filled rolls, french toast and potato and courgette rosti with mushrooms and poached eggs. The rosti was my choice, and very tasty it was too!
Dog friendly.
Red Kite is an excellent new café on London Road, less than ten minutes from the flat. They do breakfast on weekdays and brunch at the weekends. With a standard menu including carnivorous, vegetarian and vegan options they also include inventive specials. I recommend the Red Kite Veggie breakfast featuring homemade baked beans and treacle soda bread. Prices range from £4.95 for granola, yogurt and fruit to £9.50 for the full breakfast with egg, bacon, sausage, tomato, bake beads and soda bread.
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Red Kite Cafe
7-8 Cadzow PlRed Kite is an excellent new café on London Road, less than ten minutes from the flat. They do breakfast on weekdays and brunch at the weekends. With a standard menu including carnivorous, vegetarian and vegan options they also include inventive specials. I recommend the Red Kite Veggie breakfast featuring homemade baked beans and treacle soda bread. Prices range from £4.95 for granola, yogurt and fruit to £9.50 for the full breakfast with egg, bacon, sausage, tomato, bake beads and soda bread.
Brunch is served every day here until 1pm. Menu includes vegetarian, pescatarian and vegan options, with daily specials. I recently tried the french toast with yoghurt, fruit compote and honey. Lovely! Prices range from £3.90 for granola, yogurt and fruit to £10 for smashed avocado with hot smoked salmon.
Also sells cool gifts, independent magazines and house plants.
Dog friendly
43 personas locales recomiendan
Century General Store & Cafe
Brunch is served every day here until 1pm. Menu includes vegetarian, pescatarian and vegan options, with daily specials. I recently tried the french toast with yoghurt, fruit compote and honey. Lovely! Prices range from £3.90 for granola, yogurt and fruit to £10 for smashed avocado with hot smoked salmon.
Also sells cool gifts, independent magazines and house plants.
Dog friendly
Great family- and dog-friendly Swedish pub with kitchen. Their brunch is fantastic and has some out of the ordinary options. Vegetarians and vegans are also catered for. Hemma means 'home' in Swedish and the staff are very good at making you feel comfortable. On our last visit they even produced sun cream as we were sitting outside. I tried Edamame bean, pea and mint smash on sourdough toast with poached egg. Highly recommended!
73 personas locales recomiendan
Hemma
75 Holyrood RdGreat family- and dog-friendly Swedish pub with kitchen. Their brunch is fantastic and has some out of the ordinary options. Vegetarians and vegans are also catered for. Hemma means 'home' in Swedish and the staff are very good at making you feel comfortable. On our last visit they even produced sun cream as we were sitting outside. I tried Edamame bean, pea and mint smash on sourdough toast with poached egg. Highly recommended!
This is a friendly place where you may well bump into some local characters. The tea is well brewed and as it is a Turkish café I would expect the coffee to be really great too. There is an extensive breakfast (lunch and dinner!) menu including a Turkish breakfast option. I tried the vegetarian breakfast which wasn't actually that amazing. It was totally edible, but very much like a buffet breakfast in a big hotel, and not a patch on the freshly-cooked options that you get at Red Kite across the road. There was an impressive range of cakes on offer so this may be a better place for a coffee and cake than breakfast.
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Cherry's Cafe
45 London RdThis is a friendly place where you may well bump into some local characters. The tea is well brewed and as it is a Turkish café I would expect the coffee to be really great too. There is an extensive breakfast (lunch and dinner!) menu including a Turkish breakfast option. I tried the vegetarian breakfast which wasn't actually that amazing. It was totally edible, but very much like a buffet breakfast in a big hotel, and not a patch on the freshly-cooked options that you get at Red Kite across the road. There was an impressive range of cakes on offer so this may be a better place for a coffee and cake than breakfast.
Breakfast is served all day long at Art and Vintage, and it's a lovely place to hang out. Besides serving gorgeous cakes and breakfast they are also a beautifully presented vintage store. They do full Scottish breakfast, pancake stacks and breakfast rolls. I chose something that wasn't on the menu - a roll containing fried egg and mushroom - it was delicious. A great cup of tea too. Highly recommended.
23 personas locales recomiendan
Art and Vintage
3 Lyne StBreakfast is served all day long at Art and Vintage, and it's a lovely place to hang out. Besides serving gorgeous cakes and breakfast they are also a beautifully presented vintage store. They do full Scottish breakfast, pancake stacks and breakfast rolls. I chose something that wasn't on the menu - a roll containing fried egg and mushroom - it was delicious. A great cup of tea too. Highly recommended.
My favourite places
A few of my personal hot spots
The inspiration for Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter books, Victoria street is a curvy, cobbled route from the Royal Mile to the Grassmarket, lined with curiosities.
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Victoria Street
Victoria StreetThe inspiration for Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter books, Victoria street is a curvy, cobbled route from the Royal Mile to the Grassmarket, lined with curiosities.
Slightly biased, as I am part of the two-person crew who programme musical offerings in the Traverse bar every Monday, but outside these gigs you’ll find the best new writing in theatre here. Check out the programme and try something new.
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Traverse Theatre
10 Cambridge StSlightly biased, as I am part of the two-person crew who programme musical offerings in the Traverse bar every Monday, but outside these gigs you’ll find the best new writing in theatre here. Check out the programme and try something new.
All the National Galleries are excellent but this one is my favourite. Crammed full of the great and the good from Scotland’s past and present, it’s a great place to hang out in bad weather. Entry is free and the history lessons are thrown in. It also has a great café.
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Scottish National Portrait Gallery
1 Queen StAll the National Galleries are excellent but this one is my favourite. Crammed full of the great and the good from Scotland’s past and present, it’s a great place to hang out in bad weather. Entry is free and the history lessons are thrown in. It also has a great café.
This is easy. It's just 30 seconds from your door. I walk the dog here every day and it never fails to lift the spirits, rain or shine. Infinite variety – a very walkable hill with a great view, a set of climbable crags, seven lochs, hidden woodlands and endless trails. A unique wild space in the heart of the city.
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Holyrood Park
Queen's DriveThis is easy. It's just 30 seconds from your door. I walk the dog here every day and it never fails to lift the spirits, rain or shine. Infinite variety – a very walkable hill with a great view, a set of climbable crags, seven lochs, hidden woodlands and endless trails. A unique wild space in the heart of the city.
A special place for tree and plant lovers. Great to visit at any time of year, and if it’s cold or raining, step into the tropical glasshouses where it’s always summer.
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Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
Arboretum PlaceA special place for tree and plant lovers. Great to visit at any time of year, and if it’s cold or raining, step into the tropical glasshouses where it’s always summer.
Refurbished Victorian Baths with two swimming pools and a Turkish Bath. Check out the Edinburgh Leisure website to find opening times. Well worth a visit.
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Portobello Swim Centre
57 The PromenadeRefurbished Victorian Baths with two swimming pools and a Turkish Bath. Check out the Edinburgh Leisure website to find opening times. Well worth a visit.
This architectural gem of a place has recently been refurbished and is a great place to go when its raining! The Museum is split into two parts ...
The Victorian Building houses a varied collection of antiquities from all over the globe, stuffed animals, early forms of transport ... you name it! It's worth a visit just to enjoy the beautiful main hall which forms an atrium with stairways and balconies at various levels.
The adjacent new building houses the Scottish collection. Ancient relics are in the basement and visitors move chronologically through Scotland's history as they ascend the floors until Billy Connolly and Sean Connery are represented at the top level.
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National Museum of Scotland
This architectural gem of a place has recently been refurbished and is a great place to go when its raining! The Museum is split into two parts ...
The Victorian Building houses a varied collection of antiquities from all over the globe, stuffed animals, early forms of transport ... you name it! It's worth a visit just to enjoy the beautiful main hall which forms an atrium with stairways and balconies at various levels.
The adjacent new building houses the Scottish collection. Ancient relics are in the basement and visitors move chronologically through Scotland's history as they ascend the floors until Billy Connolly and Sean Connery are represented at the top level.
Cafés, pubs and restaurants
My favourite places to eat and drink.
This is our local. It’s quite a unique place as it manages to maintain its status as Edinburgh’s best known gay bar alongside being just an honest-to-goodness pub where everyone is welcome. Great real ales, a fine selection of whiskies and whatever tipple takes your fancy. The pub grub isn’t bad too.
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Regent Bar
2 Montrose TerraceThis is our local. It’s quite a unique place as it manages to maintain its status as Edinburgh’s best known gay bar alongside being just an honest-to-goodness pub where everyone is welcome. Great real ales, a fine selection of whiskies and whatever tipple takes your fancy. The pub grub isn’t bad too.
This is a sweet little place for an afternoon or evening snack. They sell cheese platters plus soft and alcoholic beverages and that’s it. They do it really well. What’s not to like?
185 personas locales recomiendan
Pickles
60 Broughton StThis is a sweet little place for an afternoon or evening snack. They sell cheese platters plus soft and alcoholic beverages and that’s it. They do it really well. What’s not to like?
The Shore Bar and Restaurant does the best fish and chips in town, an iconic bar in an iconic location. Even better, there is live jazz here several evenings a week and on Sunday afternoons.
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The Shore Restaurant
1 ShoreThe Shore Bar and Restaurant does the best fish and chips in town, an iconic bar in an iconic location. Even better, there is live jazz here several evenings a week and on Sunday afternoons.
This is just a perfect Indian restaurant in Infirmary Street where you can mix and match small portions as you please. This place is always busy so you might have to book, but highly recommended.
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Mother India's Cafe
3-5 Infirmary StThis is just a perfect Indian restaurant in Infirmary Street where you can mix and match small portions as you please. This place is always busy so you might have to book, but highly recommended.
Edinburgh-ers love ice cream and gelato, and you will find ice cream parlours in many neighbourhoods, however this one is the best. On warm days you'll see a queue right out of the door, but it's definitely worth the wait. Always some inventive and totally delicious flavours await ...
131 personas locales recomiendan
Mary's Milk Bar
19 GrassmarketEdinburgh-ers love ice cream and gelato, and you will find ice cream parlours in many neighbourhoods, however this one is the best. On warm days you'll see a queue right out of the door, but it's definitely worth the wait. Always some inventive and totally delicious flavours await ...
A gorgeous restaurant serving gourmet food at a reasonable price. The twist is that it is a vegetarian restaurant (with many vegan offerings too). If you are a vegetarian it's fantastic to go to a place where all the choices are for you, and if you're not the food is so tasty you won't even miss having meat!
117 personas locales recomiendan
David Bann Restaurant
56-58 St Mary's StA gorgeous restaurant serving gourmet food at a reasonable price. The twist is that it is a vegetarian restaurant (with many vegan offerings too). If you are a vegetarian it's fantastic to go to a place where all the choices are for you, and if you're not the food is so tasty you won't even miss having meat!
With a long colonial history, the UK has some of the best Asian restaurants in the world. Mother India's menu is comprised of smaller dishes (like a Spanish tapas bar) meaning you can choose two or three dishes each to form a varied buffet for everyone to share. Very popular, booking advised.
115 personas locales recomiendan
Mother India's Cafe
3-5 Infirmary StWith a long colonial history, the UK has some of the best Asian restaurants in the world. Mother India's menu is comprised of smaller dishes (like a Spanish tapas bar) meaning you can choose two or three dishes each to form a varied buffet for everyone to share. Very popular, booking advised.
This is a very informal place in the popular neighbourhood of Stockbridge, which is just north of the New Town. It serves delicious home-made burgers, steaks and very good coffee.
40 personas locales recomiendan
Bells Diner
7 St Stephen StThis is a very informal place in the popular neighbourhood of Stockbridge, which is just north of the New Town. It serves delicious home-made burgers, steaks and very good coffee.
This is a more formal place we visited recently. It has a varied menu to suit all tastes. Great food at reasonable prices.
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Dine Edinburgh
10 Cambridge StThis is a more formal place we visited recently. It has a varied menu to suit all tastes. Great food at reasonable prices.
This is a beautifully preserved Victorian-era pub with a good range of whiskies and beers. They also serve excellent traditional food at lunchtime and in the evenings. The premises are split into two parts ...
The Circle Bar is bright and spacious with seating cubicles alongside the windows. On the walls you'll see antique tiled panels celebrating the work of various inventors.
The Oyster Bar is a small formal restaurant serving not only seafood but a wide range of produce. It was used as a location for the Oscar-winning 1981 film Chariots of Fire.
125 personas locales recomiendan
Cafe Royal
19 W Register StThis is a beautifully preserved Victorian-era pub with a good range of whiskies and beers. They also serve excellent traditional food at lunchtime and in the evenings. The premises are split into two parts ...
The Circle Bar is bright and spacious with seating cubicles alongside the windows. On the walls you'll see antique tiled panels celebrating the work of various inventors.
The Oyster Bar is a small formal restaurant serving not only seafood but a wide range of produce. It was used as a location for the Oscar-winning 1981 film Chariots of Fire.
Abbeyhill gems
A guide to the area where my flat is located
If you love flowers and plants stop in here. Although generally a flower school (if you fancy taking a class, book early - https://www.narcissusflowers.co.uk) they also sell pot plants and flowers. The smell in here is gorgeous.
Narcissus Flower School
15 E Norton PlIf you love flowers and plants stop in here. Although generally a flower school (if you fancy taking a class, book early - https://www.narcissusflowers.co.uk) they also sell pot plants and flowers. The smell in here is gorgeous.
This is a lovely gift shop where you'll find unusual homewares to take home. Better quality and better value than you'll find in the tourist areas of town.
House Edinburgh
7 Easter RdThis is a lovely gift shop where you'll find unusual homewares to take home. Better quality and better value than you'll find in the tourist areas of town.
If you're into knitting or crochet this is a great place to be. Jess who runs the shop dyes her own yarns and lovingly curates the stock to her own, very good, taste.
Ginger Twist Studio
60 London RdIf you're into knitting or crochet this is a great place to be. Jess who runs the shop dyes her own yarns and lovingly curates the stock to her own, very good, taste.
This is a great wee second hand bookshop run by a local poet. Unsurprisingly, it has an excellent selection of poetry and a good variety of other books. Take a while to look round and have a chat with the owner.
Citadel Books
Montrose TerraceThis is a great wee second hand bookshop run by a local poet. Unsurprisingly, it has an excellent selection of poetry and a good variety of other books. Take a while to look round and have a chat with the owner.
Lovely café and vintage store. Stocks 20th Century finds from across Europe, fairly priced.
23 personas locales recomiendan
Art and Vintage
3 Lyne StLovely café and vintage store. Stocks 20th Century finds from across Europe, fairly priced.
The City
A short guide to Edinburgh
I'm calling this section Royal Mile, but it really encompasses the entire 'Old Town'. For many years the Old Town was surrounded by a city wall. Within it, the Castle stood and the highest point and the Royal Mile led from the Castle down to Holyrood Abbey, the remains of which stand beside Holyrood Palace, the Royal Family's residence when visiting the city.
As the population increased the Old Town became more cramped, and, to stay within the city walls, expansion could only be upwards. Hence the earliest 'skyscrapers' were here in the form of (up to) 12 story buildings, some of which date back to the 16th century.
The Old Town is a world heritage site.
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The Royal Mile Jewellery
I'm calling this section Royal Mile, but it really encompasses the entire 'Old Town'. For many years the Old Town was surrounded by a city wall. Within it, the Castle stood and the highest point and the Royal Mile led from the Castle down to Holyrood Abbey, the remains of which stand beside Holyrood Palace, the Royal Family's residence when visiting the city.
As the population increased the Old Town became more cramped, and, to stay within the city walls, expansion could only be upwards. Hence the earliest 'skyscrapers' were here in the form of (up to) 12 story buildings, some of which date back to the 16th century.
The Old Town is a world heritage site.
When the black death wiped out a large proportion of Edinburgh's population in the Old Town, the city fathers employed town planners and architects to create the 'New Town' north of the city wall. The streets north of Princes Street (and the main thoroughfare itself) were built during the reign of Georges I, II, III and IV, hence the description 'Georgian architecture'. The planning began not long after the Union of the Crowns in 1707 (when the governments of England and Scotland were officially joined) and the names of the streets reflect this union. For example you'll find Rose Street (emblem of England) and Thistle Street (emblem of Scotland), St Andrew Square (patron saint of Scotland) and Charlotte Square (George III's queen).
The New Town is a world heritage site.
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Edinburgh Old Town
When the black death wiped out a large proportion of Edinburgh's population in the Old Town, the city fathers employed town planners and architects to create the 'New Town' north of the city wall. The streets north of Princes Street (and the main thoroughfare itself) were built during the reign of Georges I, II, III and IV, hence the description 'Georgian architecture'. The planning began not long after the Union of the Crowns in 1707 (when the governments of England and Scotland were officially joined) and the names of the streets reflect this union. For example you'll find Rose Street (emblem of England) and Thistle Street (emblem of Scotland), St Andrew Square (patron saint of Scotland) and Charlotte Square (George III's queen).
The New Town is a world heritage site.
Edinburgh's seaside is well worth a visit, particularly on a sunny day. A long well-kept sandy beach with a promenade, cafés, an amusement arcade, ice cream parlour, swimming pool with Turkish Bath and the chance to meet many locals. It's a popular spot.
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Portobello
Edinburgh's seaside is well worth a visit, particularly on a sunny day. A long well-kept sandy beach with a promenade, cafés, an amusement arcade, ice cream parlour, swimming pool with Turkish Bath and the chance to meet many locals. It's a popular spot.
Live music
I work in the music business and these are my pics of where to find good live music in Edinburgh
There is a regular traditional music session featuring some of Scotland's finest players getting together every Sunday afternoon. The Bar is also well worth a visit.
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The Waverley Bar
3-5 St Mary's StThere is a regular traditional music session featuring some of Scotland's finest players getting together every Sunday afternoon. The Bar is also well worth a visit.
This place is famous for traditional music sessions and you'll find musicians playing here every night.
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Sandy Bell's
25 Forrest RdThis place is famous for traditional music sessions and you'll find musicians playing here every night.