The best 43 restaurants near 7 Edinburgh Festival Fringe venues

Pleasance Courtyard

Going to see Monkeys Everywhere or For the Love of Spam? You could always grab a pre-show bite in situ, as the Pleasance’s cobbled courtyard is an August location for Edinburgh business Pizza Geeks - we love their Pineapple Express pizza - as well as Luxford Burgers and Mint Eats, who specialise in flatbread wraps. If you’re after a nearby sit-in restaurant, try Asian fusion venue Macau Kitchen (93 St Leonards Street, www.macaukitchen.uk) or there’s long-termer, the dependable Blonde (71-75 St Leonards Street, www.blonderestaurant.co.uk). You’re also just five minutes from the Royal Mile, where you’ll find the White Horse Oyster Bar (266 Canongate, 0131 629 5300, www.whitehorseoysterbar.co.uk), Wedgwood (267 Canongate, Edinburgh, 0131 558 8737, www.wedgwoodtherestaurant.co.uk) and Black Grape (240 Canongate, Edinburgh, 0131 237 7419, www.theblackgrape.co.uk). Easily the best coffee in this postcode is from Santu (126 Canongate, www.santucoffee.com).

Gilded Balloon Teviot

Once you’re done with their on-site beer garden, try Brazilian telephone box creperie, Tupiniquim, stalwart Ting Thai (8-9 Teviot Place, www.tingthai.co.uk) or Gilded Balloon’s bar Lucky Penny (19-20 Teviot Place), which is run by Newbarns Distillery and will showcase foodie guests including sandwich geniuses, Alby’s. Round the corner to Forrest Road and there’s pizza favourite, Civerinos (www.civerinos.com), who have just opened another branch in Stockbridge, and Thomas J Walls - the cafe that was formerly an optician. They’re great for brunch dishes, and do an excellent Guinness cake. Hotel du Vin (11 Bristo Place, www.hotelduvin.com) is round here too, if you want something smarter. The best coffee in the vicinity can be found at the new Origin Coffee (6-8 South College Street, www.origincoffee.co.uk) where, this August, they have an Origin Coffee x Electric Spirit Co Negroni Bar and an Oatly collaboration that has resulted in coffee soft serve. They’re also holding various restaurant pop-ups, including a three-course Korean-inspired one with chef Archie Herbert, from August 11-14, Talking of pop-ups, Tomas Gormley, of Edinburgh restaurants Skua and Cardinal, has opened a temporarily fried chicken outfit, Coop, which will be serving dinner from Fettle on the corner of Marshall Street throughout August. Go!

Church Hill Theatre

Before you see The Outrun at this venue, fish for a table at seafood eatery Finn & Grape, which just won best Scottish restaurant at The Good Food Guide’s 100 Best Local Restaurants 2024. For something more casual, we love the quiche at 181 Delicatessen (181 Bruntsfield Place, Edinburgh), which has a small seating area out back. Also, IJ Mellis (330 Morningside Road, 0131 447 8889, www.mellischeese.net) has a Cheese Lounge that’s to be found at the rear of the space, and where you can have dishes including green salad and tete de moine.

Traverse/Usher Hall/EICC

Nearby Lothian Road is rather fast food-tastic, with everything from Belgian frites to German doner kebabs. If you want a casual sit-down feast, then Chaakoo (117 Lothian Road, 0131 202 5755, www.chaakoo.co.uk) is worth a shot, as is Mexican venue, Topolamaba (93 Lothian Road, 0131 228 6863, www.topolambamba.com) or Bread Meats Bread (90-92 Lothian Road, www.breadmeatsbread.com). We especially love Japanese restaurant, Kanpai (8-10 Grindlay Street (www.kanpaisushiedinburgh.co.uk) and it has a new neighbour in Bucks, for those who like sinus-clearingly spicy chicken wings (www.bucksbar.co.uk). 

If you’ve got time to spare, try the Storytellers of Edinburgh Afternoon Tea at One Square Bar and Restaurant at the Sheraton (0131 229 9131, www.onesquareedinburgh.co.uk). It celebrates JK Rowling, Sir Walter Scott and Irvine Welsh, via the magic of cakes. 

Those who need an afternoon bun to keep them going, could stray a little further along to 147 Morrison Street and Nice Times (www.nicetimesbakery.com), or to West Port for Lovecrumbs (155 West Port, www.lovecrumbs.co.uk), which has had a recent makeover and is looking very smart. If it’s Saturday, you’ve always got the option of Edinburgh Farmers Market, from 9am until 2pm, for pasties and ice-creams. All three Festival venues are also a short walk to Queensferry Street, where you’ll find the new Six by Nico (0131 388 6666, www.sixbynico.co.uk) at number 40, Hope Izakaya (0131 285 2831, www.hopeomorisu-izakaya.com) at 41 and, for cocktails, the excellent new Downstairs at Betty’s piano bar (15 Charlotte Lane). 

Assembly George Street

Contini George Street has just celebrated 20 years in business, so it’s only fair to pay them a visit and try their sirloin tagliata. There are new additions to the thoroughfare, and surrounding streets, including pasta pit-stop Ragu (92 George Street, 0131 526 3939, www.ragupasta.co.uk), Brazilian rodizio chain, Rio (The Assembly Rooms, 54 George Street, 0131 659 9600, www.rio-steakhouse.co.uk), and the Spanish Butcher (58a North Castle Street, 0131 322 0525, www.spanishbutcher.com). Coffee? It’s always Wellington (33a George Street). 

Assembly George Square Gardens

Where to start? We’d go for fish and chip and ice-cream purveyors, Alandas (www.alandas.co.uk), who are here, as well as on George Street, and offering menu items including spicy prawn mayo on a large portion of chippy chips. If you’re looking for a sit-down space, you’re close to Scandi cafe Soderberg (27 Simpson Loan, www.soderberg.uk) and don’t forget, they have a secret mini ice-cream shop round the back of that block. 

The Playhouse

This theatre and music venue launched its own bar and restaurant, Little Picardy (18-22 Calton Square, www.littlepicardy.co.uk), on August 12. It won’t be serving a full menu until later in the year, but you can try a few nibbles and drinks now. Other close-by venues include the lovely wine bar and restaurant, Spry (1 Haddington Place, 0131 557 0005, www.sprywines.co.uk), with its downstairs cafe, Ante, and there’s always our beloved Eleanore (30-31 Albert Place, 0131 660 0990, www.eleanore.uk).

Try Down the Hatch, for poutine, wings and cans of Canada Dry. Kids under 12 eat free there, until August 16, see their Instagram (@downthehatchdiner) for terms and conditions. Other pre-show munchies for all ages can be had at Edinburgh Street Food on Leith Street (www.edinburgh-street-food.com). Pop in for a cheese toastie from the appropriately named Cheesin’, followed by the strawberry and mint soft serve from SoftCore (who also have a new parlour at 22 Marchmont Road).

If all else fails, there’s St James Quarter, where there’s Southeast Asian venue Ka Pao (0131 385 1040, www.ka-pao.com) or one of Scottish food hall Bonnie & Wild’s vendors, which include El Perro Negro Burgers, will sort you out.

We're offering 40% off an annual digital subscription to The Scotsman, so you can enjoy a summer of amazing content for less. Checkout using promo code SUMMER40. Subscribe here.