18 places to eat and drink around Edinburgh’s West End
We've rounded up some of the best spots to grab a bite or a pint this festival season
The West End starts at the junction of Princes Street and Lothian Road beneath the lovingly restored Binns Clock, on the corner of the old department store that’s now the flagship home to Johnnie Walker whisky. Retail and tours are available but the showstopping bars to check out are on the top floor. Alternatively, head beneath ground to fun-loving cocktail bar Encore across the road, or wine bar Le Di-vin, strikingly set in a converted Polish chapel nearby on Randolph Place.
Start to escape the city centre bustle with a seafood treat at Dulse, or something simpler from the cicchetti menu at the West Room with a glass of wine. Next door, Cairngorm Coffee on the sunny corner of Melville Place is the spot for locally roasted coffee brews and a sweet treat.
Stroll along cobbled William Street for a convivial drink at Teuchters Bar & Bunker, where they also serve some solid pub grub including Cullen skink in a mug. If that’s a bit couthie for your tastes, The Voyage Of Buck and The Green Room across the way do a slightly more cosmopolitan line in drinks and food. A direct route to Haymarket Station from here takes you past The Palmerston, the standout dining destination in this patch. Old Pal, despite being quite new, lives up to its name with a reliable offer of croque monsieur at lunch, late-afternoon aperitif, tasty dinner plates or a nightcap after dark.
Effect a shimmy onto nearby Morrison Street, which runs from the EICC to Haymarket, and another avenue of eating and drinking options opens up. Milk’s little room of calm is a great spot for coffee, breakfast or bakes, while the brunch at stylish Nishiki also stands out, with tip top sahsimi, temaki and noodles served into the evening. Chizuru Tei also offers sushi and, with BYOB, can prove a bit of a bargain. Nok’s, from the folk behind Nok’s Kitchen in Stockbridge, is a surprisingly spacious restaurant with a fun-loving bar adorned in colourful kitsch, serving up a pan-Asian menu of tasty stir-fries, pad thai, tempura and specials. Widening the global vibe, Fava Greek Kitchen does an extensive selection of mezze if you want to dip and share, including good veggie options, as well as wraps and great-value gyros.
Finally, for a coffee or well-crafted snack on your way in or out of Haymarket Station, family-run Nomad Café just opposite or the branch of Twelve Triangles just a short way up Dalry Road will see you right.
This TipList is taken from Eat & Drink 365, our sister mag recommending the best in restaurants, bars, cafés and more across Edinburgh. Want a copy? It’s available online or across all good stockists in Scotland’s capital; main picture: Grant Anderson.