5 kebab and grill eateries in Edinburgh
Our TipLists suggest the places worth knowing about in different themes, categories and locations. This month, we’re on the grill. No longer the sole preserve of the late-night takeaway, kebabs, shawarma and gyros make for the perfect cheap, casual eat which (whisper it) can actually be pretty healthy too
Ada
9a Antigua Street
With the conviviality of a friendly neighbourhood lokanta, Ada is a top spot for a kebab when you want to enjoy a sit-down dinner. Nicely spiced iskender kebabs are served on a bed of flavoursome chickpea rice and shish kebabs are delightfully tender. And it’s right opposite the Playhouse; who doesn’t love a pre-theatre ’bab?
Baba
130 George Street
Kebabs meet casual fancy dining at Baba. Lamb adana from the charcoal grill gives the classic Turkish dish a whipped feta upgrade with a side of sweet peppers, while slow-cooked lamb shoulder falls from the bone and comes adorned with pomegranate seeds. Are ‘occasion kebabs’ a thing? It feels like they might be here.
Kabul Kitchen
36 Castle Terrace
The light-studded entrance to this Afghan restaurant gives glitzy, Dubai-esque vibes, but the interior is more demure. It’s the food that leaves jaws dropping though; lamb cooked for hours and wrapped in flatbread still warm from the oven, or perfectly charred shish kebabs.
Leith Shawarma
154 Leith Walk & 49 Roseburn Terrace
Two spits (one lamb, one chicken) turning against an electric grill tell you that this is a classic late-night kebab spot. The flatbread is hand-cooked, stuck to the side of a bread oven until it pulses with air bubbles, and the falafels are hand-rolled. They offer an array of pizzas on a base of traditional fatayer dough, too.
Neighbourwood
294 Leith Walk
You can’t miss this glass box of a kebab shop: the bright lights might lure you in but it’s the lemon-tinged chicken shawarma doused in homemade chilli sauce that will keep you coming back. Booth seating inside and a scattering of outdoor tables make for casual sit-down dining.
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This article was written in partnership with Monkey Shoulder.