21 Incredible Things To Eat In Edinburgh Right Now

For when you're bored of macaroni pies.

1. Hog Roast Roll at Oink

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This really is one crackling lunch. Sorry. Not only is the service really quick, the food is seriously tasty too. Go for the pulled pork, haggis, and apple sauce served in a soft brown roll. You won't find another lunch quite like it.

2. Wings at Wings

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Wings + awesome sauces + Stars Wars + lovely staff = a really good restaurant. The concept is simple: chicken wings smothered in a choice of 80+ sauces, served with a drink. Stuck for what sauce to have? Give Gene Parmesan (creamy and cheesy) and Taps Off (hot hot hot) a try.

3. Hot Chocolate Float at Mary's Milk Bar

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The combination of hot chocolate (choc orange is my fave) with cold ice cream is deliciously comforting. There's new ice cream flavours to choose from each week, and you should grab a spot by the window and look up at the Castle ahead of you if you want to enjoy a view while cradling your chocolate.

4. Curry at Mosque Kitchen

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If you want cheap, amazingly tasty, genuine Indian food, The Mosque Kitchen is your place. Serving a selection of curries from school-style metal drums onto paper plates for less than a fiver, this place puts the finer Indian restaurants in Edinburgh to shame.

5. Pad Thai at Ting Thai Caravan

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Serving a selection of street Asian fare in wooden boxes, their most popular dish is the pad Thai. But their Massaman Ped (duck massaman curry) and their sweet potato fries are excellent too - especially if you get coconut rice and some garlic noodles on the side.

6. Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Chilli Jam at Cairngorm Coffee

Just LOOK at all that melty cheese. But the cheese toastie at Cairngorm Coffee isn't just about the melting cheese. It's made with fresh sourdough bread and spread with homemade chilli jam. Delicious.

7. Gourmet Burgers at Holyrood 9A

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Tucked just off the Royal Mile, this is the place to visit if you need a respite from all the tourists and tartan. There are TWENTY amazing burgers to choose from (veggies also have two options) and I'd recommend the ooey ever-so gooey Blue Murder.

8. Haggis Burrito at Los Cardos

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If Irvine Welsh needs refuelling he comes here for a Haggis Burrito (yes, you read that right). A haggis burrito may sound odd, but there's a reason it's Mr Trainspotting's favourite: it's spicy, it's filling and it's very tasty. And they'll even deliver, catering to your hangover needs.

9. Baked Potatoes at The Baked Potato Shop

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They only do veggie fillings, and there's a huge selection to choose from avocado salsa to soya and mushrooms. Plus the tatties are so large, you could even save half for later. There's always queues round the block in summer and it's unlikely you'll get the much-coveted one wooden table by the window, but if you do, savour it, it's the friendliest, happiest, yummiest place you'll ever sit.

10. Raspberry Brownies at Mimi's

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This family-run tea and cake parlour has really taken off in Edinburgh. The branch in Leith has only been open a couple of years but they've already become an institution, and they've opened another branch on the Royal Mile. There's nothing nicer than coming here and settling down with a slice of cake (the raspberry brownie is my fave) and a book.

11. Cooked Breakfast at Haven

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This wee café has been voted the best in Edinburgh on more than one occasion. Offering the best Scottish breakfast in Edinburgh (it comes with black pudding and haggis), it's best enjoyed with a cup of tea, while curling up and reading an old copy of Vogue, which they have a brilliant stash of.

12. Dumplings at Chop Chop

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Here, you're best to order lots of sharing dishes (go for the unlimited banquet and you can keep ordering more of your faves). Their crowning glory are their dumplings, fried or boiled, you make up your own sauce and dunk like crazy. Warning, though: this place ain't garlic light, so perhaps it's not the most first date friendly!

13. Ramen at Tangs

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Pop in on a rainy day, go at lunch to get the best deals, and order yourself a big ol' bowl of TonKotsu Ramen. Rich pork stock, topped with pork belly and topped with bean sprouts. What could be better?

14. Steak at Shebeen

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This South African steak house only offers the highest of quality, locally-sourced meat that is cooked to perfection. And while you could choose surf and turf or Biltong, it's their steak which excels. But it does get busy, so book if you are going at the weekend.

15. Sushi at Sushiya

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There's only enough for space for 22 people in this famed Japanese eatery, but waiting for a table is worth it. Their dumplings are paper thin and perfectly formed and their sushi will transport you to Japan.

16. Tapas at Tapa

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First you gawp at the prices. Then you chuckle as the menu is funny. Next, your food arrives and you gawp at how beautifully laid out it is. Then you eat. And, well, you don't gawp as it's just too tasty and your mouth is busy. This is unusual tapas (baby back ribs and black pudding feature) is so tasty.

17. Mushroom Risotto at David Banns

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First it was a little cafe known for its soups, but now David Banns is a proper veggie restaurant with an ever-changing menu. Their flavours are superb and it's the sort of place you can safely take a non-veggie without worrying that they'll grumble at the lack of meat on the menu.

18. Falafel Wraps at Khartoum Cafe

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Even if the food WASN'T good you'd still want to come here every day for a chat with Abu its owner, a.k.a. the smiliest man alive. He makes his own falafel, every day, using a secret recipe. He then loads it all into a delicious wrap that's impossible to eat without getting really mucky. But you don't care, as it's just too yummy.

19. Pizza at La Favorita

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This is just proper pizza, served in a proper Italian restaurant by lovely, Italian staff. Sometimes that's all you need.

20. Ice Cream Sundae at Luca's

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Make the trip, order a Hot Chocolate Fudge Sundae and just be happy in the way that chocolate melted over handmade ice cream can make your day.

21. Hot Dogs at The Flying Dog

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Bring your dog for a hot dog. No, seriously, dogs are welcome at this hot dog joint and bar, which serves yummy dogs loaded with toppings. Go for the Top Dawg, it's named that for a reason: smothered in toms, onions, hot sauce and jalapenos, it's crazy good.