The best restaurants in Edinburgh, picked by our critics (2024)

The best restaurants in Edinburgh, picked by our critics (1)

Photograph: Grant Anderson

Looking to eat your way around the capital? Here’s our round-up of the absolute best restaurants in Edinburgh

Written by Chiara Wilkinson

Deputy Editor, UK

Written by: Dayna McAlpine & Arusa Qureshi

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Edinburgh’s food scene is thriving. Attracting some of the best chefs in the country, brand-new ventures are popping up all the time; for our summer 2024 update, small plates spot Eleanore has been crowned our number one, followed closely by Heron in second, which retained its Michelin star in 2024.

But it’s not just exciting newbies on our list. Here you’ll find everything from old classics to neighbourhood joints, from super-fresh seafood and gorgeous local produce to daring twists on international flavours and innovative plant-based dining. Hungry? Us too. Whatever you’re craving, here are the best restaurants in Edinburgh right now.

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This guide was last updated by Time Out’s features editorChiara Wilkinson, who is from Edinburgh.At Time Out, all of ourtravel guidesare written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see oureditorial guidelines.

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Top Edinburgh restaurants

1.Eleanore
  • 5 out of 5 stars

  • Recommended

Photograph: Chiara Wilkinson for Time Out

What is it?Relaxed neighbourhood dining and wining at the top of Leith Walk.

Why go?This low-key but irresistible jaunt from chef Roberta Hall – the mind behindsister resto The Little Chartroom – ticks a hell of a lot of boxes. The vibe is spot on: all industrial Scandi-esque neutrals with lots of light and a healthy hum of chatter and clatter. The food is done to a mouth-wateringly high standard with a pretty reasonable price tag for what you’re getting (£65 per person for a set menu with £45 for paired wines). This is playful, modern cooking, executed with a natural flair.

Time Out tip:Eleanore goesabove and beyond to cater for dietaries, so long as you tell them in advance (the same can’t be said for every tasting menu in this list).

2.Lyla
  • 5 out of 5 stars

  • Recommended

Photograph: Chiara Wilkinson for Time Out

What is it?A top-tier fine-dining restaurant where the surroundings are as elegant as the dishes.

Why go?It’s hard to know where to start with Lyla, Stuart Ralston’s fourth Edinburgh venture: sometimes, you’re left quite literally speechless at the intricacy of it all. Situated in a towering Royal Terrace townhouse which previously housed thelate Paul Kitching’s 21212,ingredients are sourced from all over Scotland with a focus on sustainably caught seafood and foraged goods. You’ll leave feeling indulged, of course, but in a chic way, like you’ve justwalked into the city after a night at the opera.It won’t come cheap – the ten course tasting menu checks in at £165 per head – but for the standard of service, food and everything in between, it really doesn’t disappoint.

Time Out tip:Book yourself into one of the luxury upstairs bedrooms and roll directly from dessert into bed.

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3.Heron

The best restaurants in Edinburgh, picked by our critics (8)
The best restaurants in Edinburgh, picked by our critics (9)

What is it?Buzzy fine dining restaurant with soothing views over the Water of Leith.

Why go? Heronhas made some serious moves since opening in 2021. Itkept itsMichelin star in 2024 – chefs Sam Yorke and Tomás Gormley are the youngest in Scotland to receive the recognition – and spotlightsfarm to table dining, meaning everything on the menu isinconceivably fresh. A-la-carte and two tasting menus are on offer, always changing to reflect the best of the seasons. Think:hand-dived Orkney scallops with blood orange, mackerel with fig leaf and hazelnut, Gubbeen cheese with heather honey. Our mouths are quite literally dribbling at the thought.

4.Aizle
Photograph: Aizle

What is it? A neo-bistro with an intense focus on seasonal ingredients.

Why go? Chef Stuart Ralston and front of house supremo Krystal Goff opened Aizle in 2014 pursuing the concept of ‘bistronomy’: fresh local food and informal surroundings, but with the kind of tasting menu you’d expect in a much swankier environment. The team have now moved into the Garden Room at The Kimpton Charlotte Square. But their tried and tested concept remains the same,with a boarddetailing the latest ingredients Ralstonwill use to rustle upyour six-course blowout.

Time Out tip: On the wall there is a board of the latest ingredients that will make up your meal for the evening; you tell the waiting staff which you would prefer to avoid, if any.

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5.Timberyard
Photograph: Timberyard

What is it? Elaborate dishes in an artistic setting.

Why go? Timberyard nails so many of the requirements for an excellent meal out: expect unusual ingredients and exciting combinations that run from drinks to dessert, plus a hipster vibe. It’s a family-run business, and owner-operators the Radfords – along with their extended team of local growers, breeders, producers and foragers – have you in very safe hands.

Time Out tip:It’s always worth asking the waiter to elaborate on the minimal menu descriptions, as the combinations are often more intriguing than at first glance.

6.Fhior

The best restaurants in Edinburgh, picked by our critics (14)
The best restaurants in Edinburgh, picked by our critics (15)

What is it? A Scandi-style restaurant offering up creative modern cooking.

Why go? Scott Smith’s latest Edinburgh venture Fhior – that’s Gaelic for ‘true’ or ‘honest’ – certainly lives up to its name. Their ambitious use of foraged ingredients and local produce is one that pays off across every dish on their seven or ten-course menu.You won’t know what you’re getting until you’re served, but trust us, everything here is exquisite. And there’s even something to take home: yes, a menu, handed to you in a mysterious envelope at the end.

Time Out tip: Fancy splurging out? Add a drinks pairing to your meal for £80 for seven courses or £110 for ten.

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7.Cardinal
  • 4 out of 5 stars

  • Recommended

Photograph: Chiara Wilkinson for Time Out

What is it?Exciting fine-dining with a late-night mood – and none of the chin-stroking you’d expect from a 16-course taster menu.

Why go?Cardinal is the latest venturefrom chef Tomás Gormley: one of the minds behind Leith’s Michelin-starred Heronandthe more recent opening,Skua in a Stockbridge. Here, the staff are super laid-back,Honey Dijon and Jamie XX soundtrack the background, and thedrinkspairing,which seemed to have an emphasis onfemale producers and biodynamic numbers,is gorgeously curated. All of this makestheextensive (to say at the least) 16-courses feel accessible, or at least less wanky.Boldly thought out and innovative, the food itself is, for the most part, divine. If you’re after a meal which doubles as a night out, this is the place for you.

Time Out tip:They also offer a more concise tasting menu available on select days for lunch and dinner.

8.Lucky Yu

The best restaurants in Edinburgh, picked by our critics (18)
The best restaurants in Edinburgh, picked by our critics (19)

What is it? Neon-lit Japanese-inspired food joint on Broughton Street, which also does banging cocktails.

Why go?If you’ve got a craving forgyoza, bao buns, or that specific umami kick that only soy or miso can satisfy, then this is the place for you. Created by the team behind Bodega and with the kitchen headed up by ex-Gardener’s Cottage chef Duncan Adamson, Lucky Yu offers specialty dumplings,yakitori, natual wines and much more, all served up in sleek, understated surroundings.Oh, and did we mention how frustratingly cool the clientelle are? Yeah, that too.

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9.The Little Chartroom

The best restaurants in Edinburgh, picked by our critics (20)
The best restaurants in Edinburgh, picked by our critics (21)

What is it? A neighbourhood bistro serving up local, seasonal dishes.

Why go?Namedfor the owners’ passion for sailing, The Little Chartroom is a much talked-about addition to Edinburgh’s dining scene and one that actually lives up to the hype. Dishes are modern but pay homage to traditional Scottish flavours and cooking.The Little Chartroom’s new premises are at14 Bonnington Road (formerly Martin Wishart’s cook school).

Time Out tip:Check out the team’s second venture,Eleanore,in the space formerly occupied by the original venueon Leith Walk. It’s a restaurant and wine bar with a menu that is sophisticated, fresh and delightfully simple.

10.Café St Honoré
  • French

What is it? An enduring bistro that hasn’t lost its charm and a rigid observer of the SlowFood movement.

Why go? Café St Honoré has been around for donkeys, but still, quite rightly, comes up in conversation as one of the nicest spots for a smart bistro meal in the centre of Edinburgh. The French angle got sidelined long ago in favour of locally sourced Scottish produce, cooked expertly, anddogged adherence to Slow Food principles.

Time Out tip:Counting the pennies? Try thereasonably pitched Café Classics menu (three courses of their favourite dishes for £36, or just £32 at lunch).

Been there, done that? Think again, my friend.

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