Plenty of foot traffic means the Royal Mile’s vendors don’t need to do much to entice customers. It would be easy for restaurants and bars to sit back and rely on location alone. However, there are a few places on and around this 1.2-mile stretch of the Old Town offering something daring, different or downright delicious.

As thousands of tourists traverse the route daily, there’s an appetite for Scottish fare. The menu at Cannonball changes with the season, featuring Scottish lamb, sea trout and sometimes a wild garlic risotto served alongside one of the best views in the city of the Castle and Royal Mile. Down a narrow close opposite St Giles Cathedral, the Devil’s Advocate has one of Edinburgh’s biggest whisky collections and serves a Scottish-style bar-bistro menu. And while some bars attract stag parties, there’s still a handful of old-fashioned pubs along the Royal Mile for a cosy, quiet pint. The Ensign Ewart and Jolly Judge are time capsules eschewing everything gastro-pub showy, while further down The World’s End feels like a 17th-century coaching inn inside. 

Not far from this, Wedgwood Restaurant has provided an intimate haven of fine but unfussy dining since opening in 2007. Chef Paul Wedgwood’s love of foraging can be seen in the seasonal menu of dishes such as pigeon pastrami with sweet cicely, and he runs foraging experiences on alternating weekends.

Just across from Wedgwood, Black Grape is a sleek and sophisticated wine bar where Scottish produce like sea trout and wild mushrooms is crafted into a delectable selection of sharing small plates, accompanied by a varied and delightfully affordable wine list. Their cocktails are worth mentioning too. Nearby, Piggs brings a touch of Spanish passion with another excellent selection of wine and traditional tapas dishes to share. For fish lovers, Scotland’s natural bounty from the sea is finely crafted into small plates at White Horse, where fresh oysters are a must and crab scotch eggs show the chef’s inventive side.

Finally, a short turn off the Mile onto Blackfriars Street takes you to Three Blind Mice and its tasty wood-fired pizza offerings defying the hiked tourism prices in the area. There’s a secret speakeasy-style cocktail bar in The Burrow below, as well as Edinburgh Larder café next door and Salt Horse, good for burgers and craft beer, just down the street. 

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.