What's on the Menu? Edinburgh!
Who knew you could eat your way through Edinburgh? I certainly did not and yet, that is exactly what my son and I just spent the weekend doing during an unplanned, spontaneous meet up in the charming city. We sampled Thai, Italian, Japanese, Argentinian, Spanish, and traditional British cuisine in our short visit and we were not disappointed with one bite. We did learn the hard way that reservations – bookings – are a must, especially during a Saturday downpour. It is quite simple to make reservations through Open Table or via the restaurants’ websites – or a phone call to the restaurant works too. While Edinburgh is quite walkable, there is also incredible public transportation running non-stop. Our hotel was located in the heart of the city on Princes Street, which enabled us to walk to countless restaurant options and loads of shopping too. We were also able to visit the National Gallery and Colton Hill and enjoy the many monuments and historic buildings in the area. In fact, our hotel room had a view of Edinburgh Castle, which is particularly beautiful lit up at night.
Here are some of the restaurants we recommend:
Time4Thai – lunch special; lovely Jasmine tea; friendly service
La Locanda – small Italian restaurant located in Old Town; limited menu, but everything was delicious; daily specials
Hibiki – many choices; we opted for sushi, gyoza, and noodles and were quite pleased
Gaucho – upscale Argentinian venue; comfortable, intimate seating; unlimited roast option on Sundays; beautiful food presentation
Café Andaluz – tapas; Sunday special 3 tapas, plus dessert; I don’t want to tell you what to order, but get the Crema Catalana for dessert!
Ivy on the Green - this reminded me of a mini- Tavern on the Green. Impeccable service. Extensive fancy drink menu. Fabulous pastries. Try the fresh mint tea!
Coro the Chocolate Café – fabulous crepes, waffles, and pancakes with loads of toppings and delicious cappuccinos and hot chocolates; shakes, too
There are also many Indian options to choose from and more pizza places than you would think. And, of course, pubs.
Team service is utilized in most venues, which means you may ask any staff for additional menu or service items. Food arrived quite quickly in most cases. Service is included and you use contactless pay right at the table, which is quite efficient. Most places state a time limit for their tables based on the size of your party, but we never felt rushed by waitstaff.
As for hotel, my mother had recommended the Old Waverley and I was lucky she did. Hotel rooms were at a premium due to the World Climate Summit (COP26) and most of the larger hotels were either fully booked or quite expensive. The Old Waverley is old, but quaint, and ideally located for virtually anything you would want to do in Edinburgh.
My visit isn’t even over yet, but I am already looking forward to enjoying Edinburgh with the whole family. Truly a lovely, hospitable city with much to offer.
