9 great spots for casual dining in Edinburgh city centre
From pho and ramen to tacos, brunches and rotis, these laid-back favourites deliver big flavours without the fuss
Pho
St James Quarter
Busy and buzzy, this Vietnamese chain delivers the goods. Their signature pho is deeply savoury and warmly generous, while the packed summer rolls are fresh and vibrant. Well catered-for dietary requirements, reasonable prices and brisk service make it a great option for a solo lunch or team catch-up.
Roti King
8 South St Andrew Street
Despite being a chain, Roti King brings a distinct sense of funkiness to town. Malaysian and Singaporean street-food staples are served against an industrial backdrop that looks like the set of a dystopian musical. Roti canai (roti dipped in a thick curry sauce) is the highlight, but murtabak (stuffed roti) and beef rendang are also solid choices.
The Scottish Café & Restaurant
National Galleries Of Scotland, The Mound
Housed within the National Gallery, the space is big and bright, with a terrace overlooking Princes Street Gardens. On the same level, you can dander through to ‘The Monarch Of The Glen’ after a lunch of warming Cullen skink, salmon fillet and potato scone or simple but delicious fish and chips.
Taco Libre
3 Shandwick Place
Mexican-owned and run, the tacos are hot, fast and authentic at this gloriously kitsch technicolor restaurant. Order the fish baja tacos, guacamole, loaded sweetcorn, sopes with refried beans and plenty of napkins. The margaritas are outstanding, too. Cash only.
Tani Modi
103 Hanover Street
Always keeping up with the latest brunch trends, sticky green matcha sauce can now accompany the ever-popular pillowy pancakes at Tani Modi. If savoury is more your style, full breakfasts here are hard to beat and all your florentines and benedicts come in big portions with oozy eggs.
Urban Angel
121 Hanover Street
Seasonal, local, brunchy-lunchy, coffee; it sounds so simple but this atmospheric basement café always adds up to so much more than the sum of its parts. It’s positively cavernous inside, so don’t be put off by a queue (although competition for outdoor tables is fierce). The chorizo skillet is worth a try.
Also try… Edinburgh Street Food for an abundance of choice and no table reservations, The Mussel Inn for, you guessed it, mussels and chips, or Ikigai Ramen for a filling bowl of ramen in the Old Town.
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.