A Cheat Sheet For Where To Eat During The Edinburgh Fringe Festival

Forbes

a day ago

From refined tasting menus to relaxed alfresco spots and specialist whisky bars, this guide is designed to suit a range of budgets and Fringe schedules. getty
Next month, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe will begin, bringing over 3,000 shows to 265 venues in the Scottish capital. With so many visitors expected in the city, here's a cheat sheet for finding some of the best places to eat and drink during the event.
From refined tasting menus to relaxed alfresco spots and specialist whisky bars, it's designed to suit a range of budgets and Fringe schedules.
Best for: tasting menu experience
Near: Edinburgh Playhouse, Assembly Rooms, and The Royal Military Tattoo at Edinburgh Castle
Located in The Balmoral Hotel at 1 Princes Street, Number One is a fine dining restaurant offering seasonal tasting menus rooted in Scottish produce. With four AA Rosettes and recognition from the Michelin Guide and La Liste, the kitchen is led by chef Mathew Sherry, known for his precise, produce-driven cooking.
Menus feature ingredients from small-scale farms and suppliers across the UK. Diners can choose between booking a seven-course tasting menu or a three-course menu. The wine list, curated by head sommelier Callum McCann, spans over 350 labels and includes rare vintages.
No visit to Number One is complete without a visit from 'the sweetie trolley' to the table. The dark wood trolley with a large glass dome holds a selection of nostalgic sweet treats reimagined by chef de cuisine Mathew Sherry, such as sea buckthorn meringue tarts, tablet and Macallan whisky chocolates to enjoy with a final digestif or boxed to take home. SCOTCH at The Balmoral
Best for: a Dram
Near: The Stand, Pleasance Courtyard, St Andrew Square venues
Tucked inside The Balmoral Hotel, you'll also find SCOTCH, one of Edinburgh's most atmospheric whisky bars, home to over 500 varieties from big-name single malts to rare, limited editions.
Settle in on one of the tweed sofas while kilted Whisky Ambassadors offer personalized recommendations or guide you through a tailored tasting, complete with stories and expert insight. Pomelo
Best for: adventurous Asian cuisine
Near: Summerhall, George Square, Bristo Square, Queen's Hall
Pomelo is an adventurous Asian eatery located in Marchmont, run by multi-award-winning chef-owner, Jun Au. The cafe's reputation for its hand-ripped noodles has attracted long queues of customers since it launched in 2021.
Hand-ripped noodles at Pomelo. Christina Leahy
By 2023, Pomelo's success prompted a move to a larger 24-cover location, which now offers lunch from Wednesday to Saturday, a family-style dinner with a menu designed for sharing on Fridays and Saturdays, and an Asian 'brunch' on Sundays. Harajuku Kitchen
Best for: Street food
Near: Summerhall
Edinburgh festival-goers can enjoy authentic Japanese street food this August as Harajuku Kitchen sets up shop across multiple city locations during the Fringe. The popular Japanese eatery will be serving their signature handmade gyozas and traditional udon noodles at The Pleasance throughout the festival, alongside appearances at Edinburgh Street Food, Grassmarket Market, and Stockbridge Market.
Visitors can also try the Harajuku Bistro in Bruntsfield that serves comforting dishes using recipes passed down to chef-owner Kaori Simpson from her mother. Diners can expect to see everything from kaarage chicken to rich, warming noodle broths, using fresh Scottish produce. The Mussel & Steak Bar
Best for: extraordinary value and high quality surf and turf in the city
Near: Underbelly Cowgate, Pleasance Courtyard
In the heart of Edinburgh's old town, The Mussel and Steak Bar at the bottom of Victoria Street has become a must-visit restaurant for visitors to the city and locals since opening in 2005.
The Mussel and Steak Bar at the bottom of Victoria Street has become a must visit restaurant for visitors to the city and locals since opening in 2005. Dana Malcolm
Owner Marshall Milne was inspired by the quality of Scottish produce when he opened the restaurant and works closely with a network of Scottish farmers and fishermen locally and across Scotland. A prime city centre location over two floors, the restaurant interiors invoke the sea with a pebble beach mosaic and turquoise accents throughout. Moss
Best for: Scottish farm to table with a difference
Near: Stockbridge Church, Stockbridge Ceramics
Chef Henry Dobson trained at Ballymaloe Cookery School and has traveled extensively to hone his craft before opening Moss, an intimate 26-seat restaurant with a bold, sustainable vision. He and head chef Dylan Pinder work exclusively with Scottish ingredients for their menu, with produce from Dobson's family farm in Angus and a network of sustainable growers and farmers across Scotland.
Expect inventive, hyper-local dishes like bone marrow focaccia, duck smoked over table-shaving wood, and wild sorrel ceviche. The British only drinks list is just as unique, featuring English natural wines, house kombuchas, and roasted barley tea. Toscano
Best for: authentic Italian sandwiches eaten on the move
Near: George Square, Underbelly's Circus Hub, The Meadows
This family-run schiacciateria is a must-visit in Edinburgh and only opened in March of this year. It specializes in schiacciata, pronounced 'skee-ya-cha-ta', a Tuscan style squashed focaccia sandwich brimming with Italian cheeses, meats and spreads.
Each sandwich on the menu is named after an Italian destination, like the Gambassi with porchetta, caramelized onions, roast potato spread and grilled peppers or the Arezzo with mortadella, provola affumicata (smoked provola cheese), truffle and olives spread.