Food · Edinburgh · United Kingdom
What to eat in Edinburgh
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Edinburgh, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Andrew Colin, CC BY 2.0
Quick answer
Start with Haggis, neeps and tatties, Cullen skink and Full Scottish breakfast. Join a tasting in an Old Town whisky bar or at the Scotch Whisky Experience by the castle esplanade to compare malts from Speyside, Islay and the Highlands. Book dinner ahead in August and December, when the city is full and walk-in tables are rare.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Haggis, neeps and tatties
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 5
- Tipping
- Tip about 10–12.5% in restaurants if a service charge is not already added.
- Food experiences
- 4
11 foods to try
Dish
1.Haggis, neeps and tatties
Sheep's heart, liver and lungs minced with oatmeal, onion, suet and spices, traditionally cooked in a sheep's stomach and served with mashed turnip (neeps) and potato (tatties). Vegetarian haggis made with lentils and oats is widely available.
Where: Traditional pubs and Scottish restaurants across the Old Town; also as part of a cooked breakfast.
Dish
2.Cullen skink
A thick soup of smoked haddock, potato, onion and milk, named after the fishing village of Cullen on the north-east coast.
Where: Pubs and Scottish restaurants, often as a starter with bread.
Breakfast
3.Full Scottish breakfast
Eggs, bacon, sausage, square Lorne sausage, black pudding, haggis, tattie scones, mushrooms and beans; heavier than its English cousin.
Where: Cafés and hotels across the city.
Drink · Vegetarian
4.Scotch whisky
Malt and blended whiskies from Scotland's regions, from peaty Islay malts to lighter Lowland and Speyside styles; drink it neat or with a drop of water.
Where: Whisky bars in the Old Town and Leith, and the Scotch Whisky Experience by the castle esplanade.
Dish
5.Smoked salmon
Scottish salmon, cold-smoked over oak, served with brown bread, lemon and capers or folded into scrambled eggs at breakfast.
Where: Restaurants and delis across the city; Leith's seafood restaurants for fresh fish.
Dessert · Vegetarian
6.Cranachan
Layers of whipped cream, raspberries, honey and toasted oatmeal laced with whisky, once a celebration of the summer harvest.
Where: Scottish restaurants, especially during the raspberry season in summer.
Snack · Vegetarian
7.Shortbread
Rich, crumbly biscuits made from butter, sugar and flour, sold as fingers and rounds and packed in tins as Scotland's classic gift.
Where: Bakeries and tearooms; a baker's fresh batch beats the souvenir tins on the Royal Mile.
Snack
8.Scotch pie
A small, round hot-water-crust pie filled with peppery minced mutton or beef, eaten hot from bakeries and at football grounds.
Where: Bakeries across the city and at Tynecastle and Easter Road on match days.
Street food
9.Fish supper with salt 'n' sauce
Battered haddock with chips; Edinburgh chip shops ask whether you want 'salt 'n' sauce', a tangy mix of brown sauce and vinegar found almost nowhere else.
Where: Chip shops ('chippies') across the city, including Leith and Portobello.
Dessert · Vegetarian
10.Tablet
A hard, grainy fudge made from sugar, condensed milk and butter, much sweeter and more crumbly than English fudge.
Where: Sweet shops, bakeries and farmers' markets.
Drink · Vegetarian
11.Irn-Bru
Scotland's bright orange fizzy drink, made to a secret recipe since 1901 and widely recommended as a hangover cure.
Where: Every newsagent, café and chip shop.
Food experiences
Whisky tasting
Join a tasting in an Old Town whisky bar or at the Scotch Whisky Experience by the castle esplanade to compare malts from Speyside, Islay and the Highlands.
Dinner on the Shore
Leith's waterfront has some of the city's best seafood and modern Scottish restaurants, from casual oyster bars to acclaimed tasting-menu dining rooms.
Weekend markets
The Edinburgh Farmers' Market on Castle Terrace (usually Saturdays) sells Scottish beef, game, cheese and smoked fish; the Stockbridge Market on Sundays adds street food by the Water of Leith.
Pre-theatre menus
Many restaurants serve two- or three-course set menus in the early evening at lower prices, good value whether or not you are going to a show.
Quick bites and street food
- Full Scottish breakfast — Cafés and hotels across the city.
- Shortbread — Bakeries and tearooms; a baker's fresh batch beats the souvenir tins on the Royal Mile.
- Scotch pie — Bakeries across the city and at Tynecastle and Easter Road on match days.
- Fish supper with salt 'n' sauce — Chip shops ('chippies') across the city, including Leith and Portobello.
Vegetarian options
Of the 11 foods in this guide, 5 are usually vegetarian: Scotch whisky, Cranachan, Shortbread, Tablet and Irn-Bru. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Book dinner ahead in August and December, when the city is full and walk-in tables are rare.
- Pub kitchens often stop serving food well before closing time, around 9pm.
- Tap water is free in restaurants; ask for a jug.
- Vegetarian and vegan options are widespread, including vegetarian haggis at most traditional places.
- Check whether a service charge has been added before tipping, especially for larger groups.
Tipping
Tip about 10–12.5% in restaurants if a service charge is not already added. Tipping in pubs is not expected, and taxi fares are usually rounded up.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Aye | Yes |
| Wee | Small |
| Bonnie | Pretty |
| Dreich | Dull, grey and wet (weather) |
| Haar | Cold sea fog off the Firth of Forth |
| Slàinte mhath | Cheers (Gaelic) |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Edinburgh famous for?
Haggis, neeps and tatties, Cullen skink, Full Scottish breakfast and Scotch whisky. Sheep's heart, liver and lungs minced with oatmeal, onion, suet and spices, traditionally cooked in a sheep's stomach and served with mashed turnip (neeps) and potato (tatties).
+Is Edinburgh good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Scotch whisky, Cranachan and Shortbread.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Edinburgh?
Tip about 10–12.5% in restaurants if a service charge is not already added. Tipping in pubs is not expected, and taxi fares are usually rounded up.