Edinburgh New Town is a wonderful place to dine all year round but during the Festival is when it really comes alive. Here are ten Edinburgh new town restaurants to try during festival season.
EH2 Tempus
An elegant space with high ceilings, booth seating, chandeliers and dramatic flower displays, EH2 Tempus within the George Hotel in Edinburgh city centre is perfect for dining with groups of friends (try and bag the raised table) or for an intimate evening for two. The menu, which changes with the seasons, utilises the best of Scotland’s larder – the beef comes from Orkney, the salmon, oysters and mussels from Loch Fyne while the sausages and burgers are supplied by renowned Edinburgh butcher, Crombies.
Recent 5pm reviews of Eh2 Tempus.
“Had a great 2 course meal with 20% discount. Five in party and all had different food but all thought it was excellent.“
“Last minute booking and nice to return to this place. Lovely welcome, new menu, great food and service – and 20% off food!!“
20% a la carte discount at EH2 Tempus when booking on 5pm.
Amarone
Traditional Italian classics are the speciality of Amarone. Pizza and pasta lovers are spoiled for choice, while other popular dishes include petto d’anatra all’ Amarone (pan seared duck breast served pink with Amarone wine sauce, braised Savoy cabbage, pancetta and confit of figs) or the fritto misto (a selection of fresh Scottish fish and shellfish dressed in a light batter, deep fried and served with hand cut chips). Diners can finish their meal with a drink from the extensive liqueurs menu.
Recent 5pm reviews of Amarone.
“Lovely restaurant, excellent service, fabulous food. Looking forward to the next visit.“
“We really enjoyed our dinner at Amarone, having booked this as a date night for myself and my husband. The atmosphere was really good with a happy and friendly buzz about it. The service was great and the food delicious! I would recommend this as a great place to start a night out, topping it off with their amazing Lemon Cosmopolitan.“
£14.95 for 2 courses on pizza + pasta menu at Amarone when booking on 5pm.
Angels Share Hotel, Bar & Restaurant
Named after the whiskey lost to evaporation during the distilling process, Angel’s Share has, as you would expect, over 200 whiskeys to choose from as well as an extensive cocktail list. A modern venue with a unique interior decorated with the faces of Scottish stars, it has a relaxed atmosphere during the day and is bustling at night. The Angel’s Share specialises in mostly Scottish based dishes using quality, fresh Scottish ingredients and typical main courses include pan roasted chicken supreme with haggis and whisky jus or slow cooked belly of pork stuffed with Stornoway black pudding with leek mash and apple jus.
Recent 5pm reviews of Angels Share:
“As before, this deal is superb value for two courses and a bottle of wine. Food was its usual high standard, good portion size, well prepared and presented. Staff were friendly and efficient. Good to see that the menu changes regularly.“
“We have dined here a few times and the quality of the food and drink is great and also tasty. The staff are always lovely and very efficient as well. The place has a nice vibe about it whether it is Sunday lunchtime or a Friday evening. We will definitely be back there soon.“
£35 2 person offer – 2 courses each on a la carte menu + bottle of wine at Angels Share when booking on 5pm.
Ashoka Edinburgh
Since opening in the spring of 2013, Ashoka Edinburgh has been a hit with Edinburgh residents and visitors alike. The chefs at Ashoka Edinburgh freshly prepare the selection of dishes available at the buffet as well as the a la carte menu. Popular items include the chicken tikka korma, the Bengali king prawn and the chef’s combo platter for two featuring a selection of starters like pakora, samosa and pooris.
Recent 5pm reviews of Ashoka Edinburgh:
“Superb food. Great quality buffet. Has changed chef since I first went (it was good before) but it’s possibly even better now!”
“Everything about it was fabulous. Great food, great staff, great service, great everything.”
£8.95 buffet offer at Ashoka Edinburgh when booking on 5pm.
Asti
A five minute walk from Omni Centre and Playhouse, theatre goers make the most of the hearty pre-theatre menus at Asti while local workers keep lunchtime busy. Good pasta, gnocchi and risotto dishes are at the heart of both menus with an interesting array of dishes available on the daily specials board.
Recent 5pm reviews of Asti:
“Asti seems more like a deli come cafe on entering, however, the intimate dining room at the back is perfect for a relaxed lunch or dinner. The food on offer is generous (considering the deals available) and quality outstanding. Staff are attentive and friendly and could not do more to help.”
“Asti was a last minute idea on a busy Saturday in Edinburgh, and the booking went through even though it was full – a happy mistake for us, because the food was fantastic! The service was friendly and attentive, and we really enjoyed the set menu. The gnocchi in particular was delicious. This is my new favourite restaurant in Edinburgh and I plan to book a table the next time I’m in town!”
£9.95 for 2 courses on lunch menu at Asti when booking on 5pm.
Cafe Andaluz Edinburgh
With an interior that looks like it has been airlifted in from Andalucia – terracotta pots, Moorish hanging lamps and intricately carved wooden furniture, in Cafe Andaluz you get the impression that you could be dining in a bodega rather than Edinburgh’s city centre. The restaurant has a wide selection of meat, seafood, and vegetarian tapas dishes.
Recent 5pm reviews of Cafe Andaluz:
“Always a great experience and definitely my favourite tapas.”
“Will 100% return here as we all loved everything! Amazing services, food and wine :-)”
£14.95 for 3 tapas + dessert at Cafe Andaluz Edinburgh when booking on 5pm.
La Tasca Edinburgh
Open all day, seven days a week, La Tasca is ideal for lunch, a break during a shopping trip, after work drinks, an evening meal for two or indeed an evening meal for twenty. With ingredients including quince from Galicia, cured meats from Pamplona and cakes from Seville, the restaurant has a strong focus on authenticity. Regional specialities such as beef and pork meatballs from Madrid or chicken thighs cooked with creamy spinach from Castile compete for attention with Andalucian seafood and classic tortillas.
Recent 5pm reviews of La Tasca Edinburgh:
“Excellent deal, excellent service, can’t really fault them at all!”
“I managed to convince my very fussy eater boyfriend to head down to La Tasca for Tapas as a change, when we got there we got the 3 tapas dishes and a starter for £9.95 deal. We split the dishes between the both of us and there wasn’t anything we didn’t like that we ordered! Everything was so full of taste! The jug of sangria was spot on also, we were surprised at the quality of the food and drinks. The service was also very quick considering we could only see two front of house staff working. Would recommend this to anyone and will happily be returning to the restaurant again!”
£14.95 for starter and 4 tapas on the set menu at La Tasca Edinburgh when booking on 5pm.
The Living Room Edinburgh
Open from late morning to late night, The Living Room is popular for business lunches, reviving shopping trip breaks and catchups with friends, and also boasts a piano bar for guests looking to unwind with a cocktail. With a seasonally changing menu packed with British produce, there is enough variety to please traditionalists as well as more adventurous diners.
Recent 5pm reviews of The Living Room Edinburgh:
“Four of us met for a work meal, and all of us ordered off the Supper Club menu. The food was good value for money, the service was prompt and attentive and the atmosphere was buzzing.”
“Good food in lovely restaurant.”
Check out The Living Room Edinburgh‘s offers in 5pm.
Blackwood’s Bar & Grill at Nira Caledonia
Part of the luxurious Nira Caledonia hotel on Gloucester Place, Blackwood’s Bar & Grill is a stylish restaurant specialising in Scottish meat, game and seafood. Pride of place on the menu goes to the grill section where traditional Highland cattle, reared outside on grass and heathers before being aged for 21 days, is seared to guests’ specification in the Josper charcoal oven.
Recent 5pm reviews of Blackwood’s bar & Grill:
“Four of us went for an early dinner on a quiet Tuesday evening and were all thoroughly impressed by this hidden gem, in a pretty central location. The staff were very patient and attentive, we all loved it and vowed to return. The furniture is comfortable and the decor is stylish. This great hidden gem needs a light shining on it. It is well worth a visit, or two.”
“The abundant candles/dimmed lighting and soft furnishings created a very relaxing ambiance within the dinning room. The 5pm set menu was excellent with extras free gratis. Glass of very drinkable house wine and homemade artisan bread with three types of butter (including curried butter, which was unique) Superb food full of flavour. For instance the cinnamon cheesecake actually tasted of fresh ground cinnamon. This rather secluded (but still very central) restaurant had very attentive and helpful staff and with their good house wine/excellent food it was an altogether very pleasant dining experience.”
£16 for 2 courses on set menu at Blackwood’s Bar & Grill when booking on 5pm.
Victor and Carina Contini Ristorante
With imposing pillars, high ceilings and mosaic flooring, Victor and Carina Contini Ristorante, located in a converted bank building on George Street, retains a feeling of splendid grandeur. While the setting is impressive, the welcome in the family run Italian restaurant is warm. The pizza are made with the finest Neapolitan flour, the pasta is made fresh in house, and the restaurant always has a selection of regional dishes such as the cassouela from Lombardy, a slow cooked Luganega pork sausage and spring cabbage stew. Gluten-free and vegetarian dishes are available as well as a children’s menu.
Check out Victor and Carina Contini Ristorante‘s offers on 5pm.
For more dining offers in Edinburgh’s New Town check out Piece of my City Edinburgh New Town.