Guidebook for Edinburgh
Arts & Culture
Beautiful cinema that shows many independent and art house films and documentaries, with a great bar. Try to see films in Screen 1 - stunning!
255 locals recommend
Cameo Picturehouse
38 Home StBeautiful cinema that shows many independent and art house films and documentaries, with a great bar. Try to see films in Screen 1 - stunning!
Arts venue for art, film and music with a cool bar, cafe and its own beer and gin breweries. Many artists and musicians have studios here so there is often something interesting happening.
161 locals recommend
Summerhall
Arts venue for art, film and music with a cool bar, cafe and its own beer and gin breweries. Many artists and musicians have studios here so there is often something interesting happening.
Great art house cinema with cafe/bar. Always something interesting screening.
184 locals recommend
Filmhouse
88 Lothian RdGreat art house cinema with cafe/bar. Always something interesting screening.
The Lyceum
30b Grindlay StBeautiful old theatre usually focusing on the classics.
Traverse Theatre
10 Cambridge StModern theatre with bar, for cutting edge contemporary work
The Usher Hall
Lothian RoadConcert hall mostly for classical work but also for bands
ODEON Edinburgh Lothian Rd
118 Lothian RdMainstream cinema showing the best of Hollywood
Drinks & Nightlife
Great pub with open fire, no music and good food and local ales. Gets very busy in the evenings!
65 locals recommend
Cloisters Bar
26 Brougham StGreat pub with open fire, no music and good food and local ales. Gets very busy in the evenings!
The Ventoux
2 Brougham StSweet bar with good beer
The Golf Tavern
30 - 31 Wright's HousesCan hire golf clubs and balls here for playing on the free links
Very local and sweet pub where most people know each other but are friendly towards anyone who enters. Cheap.
Burlington Bertie
11-13 Tarvit StreetVery local and sweet pub where most people know each other but are friendly towards anyone who enters. Cheap.
Blue Blazer
2 Spittal StReally nice traditional, friendly pub
Restaurant and bar. Famous for its mussels and beautiful traditional design. Cheaper food in the bar than the restaurant but you can't book tables and gets very busy.
125 locals recommend
Cafe Royal
19 W Register StRestaurant and bar. Famous for its mussels and beautiful traditional design. Cheaper food in the bar than the restaurant but you can't book tables and gets very busy.
Essentials
Real Foods
37 Broughton StOrganic, vegan, whole food shop with good muesli.
Fishmonger's, one of the best in Edinburgh. Always very fresh and the owners walk around in yellow wellies
24 locals recommend
Eddie's Seafood Market
7 Roseneath StFishmonger's, one of the best in Edinburgh. Always very fresh and the owners walk around in yellow wellies
Everything Else
Beautiful small Victorian swimming pool with glass roof and sauna and gym. Open to all. Check swim times on their website before going.
29 locals recommend
Warrender Swim Centre
55 Thirlestane RdBeautiful small Victorian swimming pool with glass roof and sauna and gym. Open to all. Check swim times on their website before going.
Public tennis courts, free during low season. Can borrow racquets there during high season.
12 locals recommend
Meadows Tennis Courts
Public tennis courts, free during low season. Can borrow racquets there during high season.
Meant to be the best fish and chips place in Edinburgh. They have a sister takeaway in Newington but it is always closed when I try to go so have never tried it.
60 locals recommend
Tailend
14-15 Albert PlaceMeant to be the best fish and chips place in Edinburgh. They have a sister takeaway in Newington but it is always closed when I try to go so have never tried it.
Food Scene
Often cited as one of Edinburgh's best restaurants, it's all about locally sourced or foraged ingredients. Expensive but well worth it.
184 locals recommend
TIMBERYARD
10 Lady Lawson StOften cited as one of Edinburgh's best restaurants, it's all about locally sourced or foraged ingredients. Expensive but well worth it.
Bright and modern Swedish cafe with fresh bread and light bites. Not cheap but very nice
126 locals recommend
Söderberg The Meadows
27 Simpson LoanBright and modern Swedish cafe with fresh bread and light bites. Not cheap but very nice
Cafe/arts venue, run by a cooperative and always friendly and fairly cheap. You can also buy a stranger a free coffee there, or claim a free coffee, bought by a stranger, yourself.
19 locals recommend
The Forest Cafe
141 Lauriston PlCafe/arts venue, run by a cooperative and always friendly and fairly cheap. You can also buy a stranger a free coffee there, or claim a free coffee, bought by a stranger, yourself.
lovely cakes and interesting teas in china cups with flasks of hot water. Big wooden tables that are often shared. Very popular
119 locals recommend
Lovecrumbs West Port
155 West Portlovely cakes and interesting teas in china cups with flasks of hot water. Big wooden tables that are often shared. Very popular
Lovely and inexpensive Japanese restaurant. cash only and BYOB. One of my favourites.
24 locals recommend
Bentoya
13 Bread StLovely and inexpensive Japanese restaurant. cash only and BYOB. One of my favourites.
Very small and sweet Spanish restaurant. Gets very busy so best to book. The food is nice, but I've not found it amazing, the staff are very friendly though!
16 locals recommend
El Quijote
Very small and sweet Spanish restaurant. Gets very busy so best to book. The food is nice, but I've not found it amazing, the staff are very friendly though!
Nice pub retaining traditional features but with a clean modern style. Serves lots of beers and good burgers
63 locals recommend
The Southern Bar
22-26 S Clerk StNice pub retaining traditional features but with a clean modern style. Serves lots of beers and good burgers
Remarkably reasonable and good food. Good views of the castle. Sister restaurant to the apartment.
156 locals recommend
The Outsider Restaurant
15-16 George IV BridgeRemarkably reasonable and good food. Good views of the castle. Sister restaurant to the apartment.
The Apartment
7-13 Barclay PlGood food at reasonable price. Stylish restaurant.
Korean Restaurant. Never been but have heard lots of good things about this restaurant and think its quite reasonably priced. I really want to go.
30 locals recommend
Kim's Mini Meals
5 Buccleuch StKorean Restaurant. Never been but have heard lots of good things about this restaurant and think its quite reasonably priced. I really want to go.
French bistro restaurant. Very sweet and one of my favourite restaurants. Locally sourced fresh produce. Sometimes great food, sometimes just good. Bit expensive but have cheaper pre-theatre&set menus
45 locals recommend
Cafe St Honorė
34 Thistle St N W LnFrench bistro restaurant. Very sweet and one of my favourite restaurants. Locally sourced fresh produce. Sometimes great food, sometimes just good. Bit expensive but have cheaper pre-theatre&set menus
Popular place with students. Thai street food on long shared tables.
257 locals recommend
TING THAI CARAVAN Teviot Place
9 Teviot PlPopular place with students. Thai street food on long shared tables.
Tower Restaurant
Chambers StreetGood but expensive restaurant at the top of the museum.
Machina Espresso
38 W TollcrossGREAT coffee and good pastries and friendly staff
Sightseeing
Two museums, one old , one new, both beautifully designed, combined to house Scotland's and the world's treasures. Great roof terrace and restaurant.
1378 locals recommend
National Museum of Scotland
Two museums, one old , one new, both beautifully designed, combined to house Scotland's and the world's treasures. Great roof terrace and restaurant.