Narrowing down my three favourite restaurants in Edinburgh may have been one of the most difficult tasks I’ve embarked upon this semester. All joking aside, Edinburgh has a fantastic food scene, not only in its range of cuisines offered but also in the abundance of restaurants dedicated to local produce and run by independent chefs. But a few display a unique true love for bringing people together over beautifully prepared food.
1. Café Pomelo
Starting as a humble little lunch cafe just at the end of Marchmont, Pomelo has recently opened the doors of its proper dinner restaurant just a few minutes down the road. With a few small candle-lit tables, steaming windows, and one chalkboard menu on the wall, it has a uniquely family and cosy feel. Sitting down, you can just peek off to catch a glimpse of the chefs pounding and pulling the dough for their classic hand-ripped noodles, or see bursts of fire licking the sides of a pan filled with sesame spinach. Besides the noodles (prepared from scratch minutes before), either with spicy veg or beef, their Kimchi chicken sandwich is a flavour texture explosion. Its soft fluffy brioche bun encloses a delightful crispy, yet moist chicken breast, all cut through with firey tangy kimchi, which puts any Chick-fil-A to shame. Asian fusion with local ingredients, Pomelos’ inventive flavour combinations and true community connection make this the beating heart of Edinburgh. And with their noodles (yes I am talking about them again) at only 11.50, its doors remain open for students.
2. Meze Meze
Hands crisscrossing over each other, passing plates of steaming aromatic beef skewers, a dollop of tangy tzatziki, a crunch of crispy falafel, all licked up with steaming fluffy pitta heaping bowls of rice, Meze Meze is a true celebration of Mediterranean cuisine; if sharing is caring, they have this art mastered. Family owned and run, going here feels like being at a summer dinner party – laughing with the waiters, pouring new glasses and chatting with friends as hours fly by. Standing just by the Primark and Spoons, it’s easy to overlook and assume it’s just another tourist trap and soulless establishment off Princes Street. Yet this is one true gem; from its walls covered in posters, warm lighting, and long tables, there’s a true joy of life and community the space creates. The food here is done to simple, perfection every time – you can feel these recipes have been passed down from generation to generation. Plates spread across the table in bursting colours, Meze Meze is one to bring all your friends to and make those Edinburgh winters a little brighter.
3. Café Saint Honoré
Tucked away just off Thistle Street, the warm glow of Café Saint Honoré is a Parisian oasis in the centre of Edinburgh. Immediately welcomed in by the soft smell of sautéed onions red wine, slow French jazz music in the background, classic white table cloths, bottle of wine filling the walls and rustic antique mirrors – it’s hard not to feel hopelessly romantic. To start, classic (warm!) crusty and airy French baguettes made daily on-site, sit on the table. The true masterwork of Chef Director Niel Forbes, all ingredients are delivered by local farmers, fishmongers, and butchers, capturing the true taste of Scotland, yet still unmistakably, classically French. Officially members of the “Slow Food” Cooks Alliance, local produce means the menu changes weekly; this week, for example, features a classic smoked haddock, crushed heritage potatoes all served over tensed spinach (courtesy of Peelham Farm Organics), all tied together with a zesty, yet smooth dill and lemon sauce. Dishes here are a little higher in price (two-course lunch starting at 25 and dinner for 28) so this may be one to save up to, but oh so worth the wait (and certainly cheaper than a plane ticket to Paris)!
Local ingredients transformed by incredibly creative, talented individuals, these restaurants capture the essence of this incredible city and allow us to share these with the friends and family that make this place our home.
“Restaurant Moustache, Paris” by Hotels-HPRG is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.