There’s only one word to describe Edinburgh: magical. Whether admired from afar atop the precipice of Arthur’s Seat, or close up, gazing towards the fairytale cityscape from Prince’s Street; every angle, every labyrinthine hidden courtyard and lantern-lit alleyway, tells a story.
If you peel away the layers, exploring beyond the famed Royal Mile, delving into its myriad, eclectic neighbourhoods, there’s some superb eating to be found in every pocket of the city.
Stuart Ralston (whose empire includes the recently Michelin Star-awarded Lyla) brings relaxed New York/Japanese-style vibes to New Town with Noto on Thistle Street, where pared back decor and a cool soundtrack play second fiddle to the sharing plates menu.
 | Stuart Ralston's cooking at Noto is some of the best in the city |
Armed with one of the bar manager’s incredible signature cocktails (we recommend the Pisco Sour), knock the socks of your taste buds by cracking into dishes such as customer favourite North Sea crab butter and sourdough – an affordable, exceptional indulgence that should not be missed. Food here is playful and theatrical without being ostentatious. Take the prawn toast, for example, topped with ethereally light flakes of katsuobushi, which ‘dance’ on top of the prawn mousse. Or a bowl of gnocchi-like potato udon noodles with wild mushrooms and mushroom broth – an egg yolk balanced on top, ready for diners to churn into the bosky liquid, emulsifying it to silky perfection. Service is bright and charming, and absolutely makes this place.
On the other side of the city, in upwardly trendy Leith, where yoga studios nudge up against brunch cafes and street food joints, Roberta Hall-McCarron's third eatery, Ardfern on Bonnington Road stands out from the crowd.
 | A visit to Ardfern is highly recommended. The casual small plates eatery combines personal, knowledgeable service with cool, intriguing plates of food |
The low-key all-day cafe, bar and bottle shop is one to watch. Not only are front of house incredible, being super passionate about the provenance of the food, cocktails and carefully chosen wines (including organic wine on tap from Tre Monti), but the food is out-of-this-world good.
Expect, like Noto, small but substantial sharing plates that tease the beauty out of Scottish ingredients, using them in simple but daring ways which push the boundaries.
The cafe’s signature hash brown (on our trip topped with sweet crushed peas, baby gem lettuce, green chilli and wakame) was a highlight of the weekend, as were the sweetest, lightest chicken liver parfait over an English muffin with pickled shimeji mushrooms, a yeasty homemade crumpet, turned in lashings of butter, topped with smoked cod, poached egg and silky hollandaise, and a puffy flatbread, layered with wild garlic pesto, asparagus, duck egg, smoked almond and Spenwood cheese.
The doughnuts are incredible too!
Speaking of doughnuts, we highly recommend joining Lannan Bakery's queue at Hamilton Place in Edinburgh’s leafy Southbridge suburb – it really is worth the hype. You’ll find it impossible to choose from the counter of self-taught baker Darcie Maher’s rightly celebrated artisan joint.
 | Yes, the queue at Lannan Bakery in Stockbridge on the outskirts of the city centre IS worth it |
Elegant squares of blackcurrant and creme fraiche custard mille-feuille. Pastries bursting with pistachio cream and rhubarb compote. Darcie’s take on a Jaffa cake. Intricately knotted cardamom buns. And tarts gleaming with exquisite toppings. You’ll savour every single bite.
Stay awhile in Stockbridge, to wander along flower-strewn mews, and to linger around the affluent area’s independent foodie shops, from IJ Mellis cheesemongers (which also has an outlet on Victoria Street in the city centre), to Joelato, Vino Wines and Cata. A flourishing food market takes place here on Sundays.
There’s more excellent food shopping to be had at Italian food hall/deli Valvona & Crolla on Elm Row. The family-run deli/food hall has been delighting locals and visitors to Edinburgh for generations. You cannot fail to be dazzled by the floor-to-ceiling food displays, vibrant fresh produce delivered weekly from Milano, and incredible cheese and charcuterie counter.
Wander around the back to discover the restaurant, for antipasti platters, Bellinis, and excellent regional Italian cuisine. Walk it all off with a gentle meander up nearby Calton Hill or through the fascinating crypts of Old Calton Burial Ground.
Wherever your feet land in Edinburgh, there’s inevitably something good to eat nearby.
Stay at: The Scott Hotel, Holyrood Park Road
University of Edinburgh students can only dream of staying in the kind of digs found within the UOE Collection, and The Scott Hotel (part of the group) is certainly the jewel in its crown.
The historic townhouse is just a short bus ride from Edinburgh city centre, delivering an instant moment of calm to all those who step over the threshold.
 | The Scott Hotel enjoys a leafy setting, making it a relaxing destination for a city break in Edinburgh |
An oasis, set in leafy grounds, The Scott marries country house elegance with dramatic flair – traditional wainscoting and carved wooden detailing elevated by bold fabric and wall coverings, and an eclectic art collection, drawn from some of the UK’s most exciting talents.
After a warm welcome (with sherry if you like it), we immersed ourselves in the comfort of room 35, taking time to nestle into the Mid-Century-style velveteen sofa with a cup of tea and shortbread, watching stragglers traipse up Arthur’s Seat, which is perfectly framed by the window.
Every detail had been thought of in the bright suite and its adjacent oversized marble shower room, complete with robes, slippers and Laura Thomas toiletries.
If you’re enjoying lunch at the hotel, first stop for a while in the sunshine-filled lounge room where, tucked amongst the plants, you can lean back, revel in the warmth of the day, and take advantage of the provided tea, coffee, and flavoured water.
Evening diners, though, absolutely should allow time for a pre-dinner aperitif or post-prandial whisky in the moody, 1930s speakeasy-esque cocktail lounge. They make a mean Martini!
 | Bonnar's dining room is beautiful |
It’s not hard to imagine starlets of old like Marilyn Monroe slinking into one of the curvaceous pastel pink chairs found in Bonnar’s, the hotel’s 18th century dining room.
Again, there’s a Mid-Century vibe here, taking colour cues from the original Thomas Bonnar ceiling fresco.
You can expect refined, informed and genuinely friendly hospitality from the front of house team, who go out of their way to deliver a personalised, warm experience. In the kitchen, Roman head chef Pier Berretta combines classic cooking with ingenious techniques he learnt at Copenhagen’s Noma, devising plates that celebrate Scottish produce, with a fresh, light-handed touch.
Sustainability is key to Pier’s mission, and he clearly takes immense pride in working with local producers, harvesting ingredients from the hotel’s kitchen garden, and ensuring nothing is wasted.
An outstanding demonstration of this concept is in Pier’s three-times-proved white rye sourdough brioche bread, presented to the table wrapped like a parcel in string. Cream is used to craft the kitchen’s own cultured and Marmite butters, with the resulting buttermilk folded into the bread, finished with an unbelievably moreish glaze of brown sugar and tarragon vinegar. It is must-order.
Lettuce – usually reserved for salad-making – is given a different lease of life in a starter at Bonnar’s, being charred, layered with roasted garlic dressing, garnished with sea purslane, and topped with pops of sharp, briny mustard seed.
Cubes of flavoursome cured sea trout came together well in our other starter, with tiny peach-coloured bubbles of salmon roe, the most delicate buttermilk and dill sauce, and slivers of spring vegetable pickles.
 | Pier's cooking is thoughtful and sustainable |
The Castle Game venison that followed was interestingly garnished – in a way that pulled what’s considered an autumn and winter meat into summer. Tenderly pink within, it landed with a moreish barbecue sauce, charred corn, corn puree and greens.
Big fat, juicy scallops, submerged in a pale seafood cassoulet, delivered to the other side of the table, had a wonderful flavour, but we found the beans just slightly undercooked.
When it comes to dessert, the kitchen team have been really quite thoughtful. The list is short ... and not too sweet. Our Eton Mess, for example, layered meadowsweet-dusted meringue, with a featherlight syllabub-like cream, just-cooked rhubarb, and buttery biscuits. A riot of textures that never veered towards being too sucrosy.
And we loved Pier’s take on a cheese course. Luscious Morangie Brie custard, glazed with spruce syrup, and covered in seeded onion crackers for dunking.
There was just time for a sip of coffee (decaf) before heading up to our room, where night staff had delivered one of the best turndown services we’ve seen in years. Water and glasses were set on the bedside tables, slippers laid out, chocolates popped on the bed, curtains drawn, lights dimmed, and the TV piping out gentle classical music. Perfection.
There are more of those considered touches at breakfast, where rather than having to schlep to a buffet, each table is delivered a platter of cured meats, Scottish cheeses, granola fruit and yoghurt pots, and dainty mini croissants to awaken their appetites while they wait for the main course. In our case, caramelised French toast, smothered in maple butter and topped with bacon. We couldn’t have asked for more.
Stay at: The Fingal, Alexandra Dock
This five-star floating hotel, docked in trendy Leith (which has a distinctly Flemish/Belgian feel with its waterways and cafe culture), is considered some of the most luxurious accommodation in Britain.
She started life in 1963, commissioned by the Northern Lighthouse Board to safely transport lighthouse keepers, supplies and staff, later becoming part of The Royal Yacht Brittania Trust, which lavished £5 million on her conversion before she welcomed her first guests in 2019.
 | The Fingal is certainly one of the UK's most striking hotels |
No stone was left unturned in the refurbishment, which included creating 14 cabins (four duplex rooms), the 2 AA Rosette Lighthouse Restaurant & Bar, and an elegant, modern ballroom, complete with a duo of sweeping staircases.
It’s not every day you get to walk the red carpet, so it certainly feels special carrying your luggage up the gangway onto the boat, where reception staff delight in making every part of your stay as wonderful as possible.
We were escorted to Isle of May – a magnificently appointed classic cabin, with a ‘princess and the pea’ bed (don’t worry, there’s a step), porthole windows, Fingal’s own tartan throws, furniture covered in buttery eggshell-coloured leather, and a welcome tray filled with goodies, including, to our delight, Tunnock’s Tea Cakes.
The shower room is generously sized for a boat, and gorgeous to boot, the shimmering pearlescent tiles reminding us of those found in Yves Saint Laurent’s bathroom in Marrakesh. There are lovely little nods to Fingal’s seafaring past here too - from anchor towel hooks, to wheel-shaped taps. We also liked the careful selection of Noble Isle toiletries – who wouldn’t want to use Whisky & Water shower gel?
When the day is clear and bright, there’s no better way to spend an afternoon than up on Fingal’s Moet & Chandon deck, where Champagne, cocktails and nibbles are the order of the day. Service was a little slow on our visit but, cradled in soft loungers with the sun on our faces, we barely noticed. Plus, the house-curated cocktail list is worth the wait, taking premium Scottish spirits and serving them up in bespoke glasses and tankards. The Yard No. 140 is highly recommended!
 | Watch the sun set from The Fingal's restaurant, where the seafood is sensational |
Do dress up for dinner in the restaurant, aiming for a window seat so you can watch the sun set.
Head chef Pedro Barreria and restaurant chef Andrea Sendon Alonso spend a great deal of time sourcing the best produce for their menus – also growing some herbs and vegetables on dry land in beds beside the boat.
Andrea (cooking during our visit) is especially enthusiastic about Scotland’s seafood – her face lighting up as she talks about the fruits of the country’s waters.
We began dinner in style, with a chic aperitif of cherry liqueur, Cognac, bitters and Champagne, and nibbles of warm sourdough rolls with lashings of whipped seaweed and wild garlic butter.
Whisky-cured Wester Ross salmon with a piccalilli-style cucumber puree, tart lemon gel and herbed cream cheese arrived next, alongside one of the most exquisite starters we’ve eaten this year, both in terms of flavour and plating. The presentation of Eyemouth crab, dressed with hazelnut, dill, apple, mandarin gel and avocado cream showed an eye for detail, and enormous restraint, allowing the sweetness of the crab to play a starring role.
 | The Eyemouth crab is unforgettable |
This level of simplicity, letting the food do the talking, came across in a salad of smoked duck breast, blood orange and chicory too.
Andrea could not have handled the Peterhead lemon sole any better. Caramelised in the pan, it retained its melt-in-the-mouth texture, and, again, remained the centrepiece of the plate, garnished with smoked leek and nori, succulent Shetland mussels and wild garlic butter sauce.
It was a brave move to put a picanha cut steak on the menu (they’re best served medium to rare with little leeway either side) but Andrea did justice to this flavoursome slab of Black Isle beef, pairing it with beef fat cooked pearl onions, turned asparagus, pea puree and a bolshy Rioja sauce.
The cherry on top of our meal was a pair of the prettiest, most accomplished desserts. A mille-feuille of rhubarb with caramelised pastry, tender rhubarb pieces, rhubarb jus and rhubarb sorbet sung in the bowl. And the Valrhona mousse and hazelnut sponge, encased in a thin chocolate shell, with Greek yoghurt sorbet was a masterclass in chocolate work.
After snuffling the chocolates left on our pillows during turndown, we were lulled to sleep by the gentle rocking of the water, perfectly sated.
Make time for a leisurely breakfast - all table service. Toast and huge, puffy pastries quickly arrive with coffee, and there’s a well curated menu of continental and hot dishes. The brûéed porridge with whisky, its top lightly crunchy, sweet and smoky, has to be tried to be believed. And you cannot go wrong with a Full Scottish, complete with potato scone, black pudding, and haggis, of course.
Ask at reception for your complimentary passes to board The Royal Yacht Brittania, just a short walk from The Fingal. It’s an utterly fascinating glimpse into 44 years of Royal seafaring, taking you from the messes below deck, to the Queen’s austere living quarters, state dining room ... even a tuck shop!
Stay at: The Witchery, Castlehill
Opulent. Mystical. Extravagant. Just three adjectives which barely scratch the surface of describing a stay at The Witchery.
Set within a historic building at the top of the Royal Mile, a stone’s throw from Edinburgh Castle, the hotel and restaurant’s raison d’être is to surprise and delight its guests.
And delighted we were, to climb the twisty turny spiral staircase up to The Turret room, where our luggage awaited.
After probably the most comprehensive room tour we’ve ever had (including how to operate the secret, hidden TV in the bedroom and the coffee machine) there was time to appreciate the palatial suite of three rooms, which wouldn’t look amiss in the portfolio of Lawrence Llewellyn-Bowen circa 1998. It’s over-the-top, but in the most fantastical way. Light dances from chandeliers. The gothic, romantic, and Oriental fabrics and furnishings make every inch of the space utterly idiosyncratic. A four-poster bed overflows with cushions. And doors swing open into a gorgeously ostentatious bathroom, where a freestanding bath, his and hers sinks, Penhaligon toiletries and a separate shower room (with a shower each and tactile library-style wall coverings) await.
 | Lose yourself in The Witchery's Turret room |
It’s the kind of place you could get lost in, investigating all the nooks and crannies. And there’s nothing The Witchery team hadn’t thought of. A bottle of champers on ice, handmade chocolates, guides to the city, make-up cloths, a superfast phone charger by the bed. The devil is in the details, and on these, The Witchery is absolutely faultless.
Once we’d finished nosing around, it was time to descend the Rapunzel-esque staircase, toddle through the enchanting lantern-lit reception courtyard and down into The Secret Garden, thought by many to be the most romantic dining room in Britain.
Wow. What can we say other than there’s nothing quite like it? Moody and smouldering ... sensual even, The Secret Garden has sexy down to a tee, the low lighting, candelabra and flickering tealights casting a spell over the space, while hanging floral centrepieces bring a touch of femininity.
 | Dine by candlelight at The Wichery |
The menu is pricey (you’re definitely paying a premium for the atmosphere) but clearly crafted from excellent ingredients, which we felt the front of house staff could have made a bigger song and dance about.
Our grilled hand-dived Orkney scallops were the best we’ve eaten. Absolutely stunning, melting dreamily in the mouth, and matched with a well-judged romesco sauce and bitter sea greens.
Findlay’s of Portobello haggis was pivoted from the usual presentation, being served with pineapple chutney and potato bhaji in what was a nice twist from a very classic-reading menu otherwise.
We thought the East Neuk lobster and Tarbet brown crab pie was the epitome of luxury, filled generously with sweet, sweet seafood in a light sauce laden with concasse tomatoes, and finished with a pithivier-styled pastry lid. The triple-cooked chips alongside were well-seasoned and crisp, and it was good the kitchen had gone to the effort of mixing up the accompanying greens too, flavouring them generously with butter, salt and a dash of acidity.
Creedy Carver duck was a touch hard to cut with the given steak knife (they probably need sharpening) but ate very well, being extremely juicy and boasting a golden crust. Garnishes of duck fat crumpet, alexanders, Vichy carrots and pickled walnut ketchup brought something a bit different to the party.
 | The Secret Garden dining room is the height of romance |
To finish? It had to be cheese. Scotland is endowed with world-class cheesemakers who deserve more recognition, and it was refreshing to see so many of the great and the good of the country’s dairy world on the list, rather than the usual suspects.
It was quite possibly the most interesting cheese plate we’ve been served in a very long time (the only veering away from the country being Suffolk’s Baron Bigod, a Brie-style variety served at its unctuous, silky, voluptuous best).
Also served was a piece of supple, milky Connage Gouda, complex, almost smoky, rich Anster, buttery Dhorlin from the Mull of Kintyre (a Scottish take on Taleggio), and, our standout favourite, Hebridean Blue. What a cheese! Fudgy, slightly crumbly, meaty, minerally, almost crystalline in places. It’s an absolute joy, and rarely seen outside of the finest local cheesemongers.
A highlight of our stay was the simple pleasure of being able to take a late breakfast in our room, eschewing the usual sit-down hot full English (or Scottish) which is still available downstairs.
The Turret has a table laid out ready for dining, so all you need do is slip into a robe, wait for a knock at the door, and marvel as a member of the breakfast team sets out a hamper packed with fresh coffee and juice, gourmet yoghurts, neatly cut fruit, cheeses, cured meats, jams, pastries, butter and bread to enjoy at leisure. In our case, it was eaten late, to an unexpected burst of sunshine through the windows, the sound of bagpipes striking up in the near distance. Utter, utter bliss and the best end to an unforgettable visit.
