Edinburgh Festival Restaurants can be booked via 5pm Dining.

August 22, 2017

We love the festival and you can always find great dining offers on our Edinburgh Festival Restaurants page.

Whether you want a tasty little Italian which is just two minutes from the Trav or 20% off tapas in the West End, our Edinburgh Festival Restaurants page is a quick and easy way to find a deal and book a table.

However, there are also days when it’s good to find a little peace and quiet. Days when taking a break from the festival has a definite appeal.

If you are in need of a little tranquillity, we would advise visiting Leith or Stockbridge; areas of Edinburgh where the Festivals make less of an impact.

And here are some suggestions for eating out in Leith and Stockbridge.

Chez Mal

Housed in the eye-catching Malmaison hotel on Tower Place, Chez Mal restaurant enjoys spectacular views over the Port of Leith. Given a smart refurbishment in 2016, the dining room has a sleek, contemporary look. The new look bar is a hip hangout with craft beers and innovative cocktails while the waterfront terrace is always popular when the sun makes an appearance.

The menus at Chez Mal restaurant change with the seasons and are neatly balanced between classic brasserie dishes and contemporary international choices. The set price seasonal menu has lots to offer with main course options such as USDA slow-roast beef brisket and blackened sweet potatoes with succotash and chimichurri sauce or the char grilled chicken breast and crunchy Thai salad.

Book in via 5pm and you can enjoy two courses from the prix fixe menu plus a glass of wine for £19.95.

Shri Bheema

One of two Shri Bheema restaurants in Edinburgh, the Leith branch is on Constitution Street. Part of an award-winning group of restaurants that stretches from Aberdeen to the south of England, this Shri Bheema is a family-run restaurant specialising in regional specialities from the north and south of India.

Shri Bheema can be booked online with 5pm Dining. Two people can tuck into a mixed kebab platter plus a pint of Cobra or Kingfisher each for £24.95.

Britannia Spice

Named after the Royal Yacht Britannia which is berthed nearby, Britannia Spice is located in a former whisky warehouse on Commercial Street in the old port of Leith. The restaurant itself is in ship-shape condition with rope ladders and ships’ helms carefully chosen to accentuate the maritime theme.

Britannia Spice serves multi-ethnic cuisine with dishes from India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Thailand. An AA Rosette for culinary excellence is the latest in a long line of awards.

Book into Britannia Spice via 5pm Dining and you can enjoy a 20% discount on the a la carte menu.

Taisteal

Meaning travel or journey in Gaelic, Taisteal is a contemporary Scottish restaurant on Raeburn Place in Edinburgh’s Stockbridge neighbourhood. As well as extensive stints in numerous Michelin-starred restaurants, the Chef Proprietor has travelled widely. He brings all of these experiences to bear on the menu at Taisteal. The restaurant launched at the start of 2017 with the aim of delivering elements of fine dining in a relaxed atmosphere.

The best Scottish produce, prepared using techniques, recipes and flavours from around the world are at the heart of Taisteal. The menu changes regularly but typical starters might be the Singapore squid with squid ink risotto or the sweet and sour sweetbreads. Main courses might be Gressingham duck breast cooked with maple and five spice or the cod and Shetland mussels with a curried cauliflower purée, almonds, saffron and vanilla gnocchi. Vegetarian dishes includes options such as roast lotus root stuffed with wild mushrooms, edamame beans, pistachio and basil pesto.

Diners can book Taisteal with 5pm Dining and have two courses from the pre-theatre menu for £12.

Papavero

Edihburgh Festival Restaurants — Papavero has a welcoming, sunny dining room on the Stockbridge/New Town border.

Located on Howe Street in Edinburgh’s Georgian New Town, Papavero Restaurant aims to please lovers of both Italian and Scottish food. Decked out in warm reds and yellows with candles on the tables, it is an inviting space. The menus are packed with classic Italian pizza and pasta dishes as well as Scottish favourites such as haggis, neeps and tatties and fish ‘n’ chips.

Some of the dishes, like the grilled black pudding wrapped in Parma ham, are an Italian Scotch fusion. Other dishes, like the Scottish salmon with a pistachio and Parmesan crust, use Scottish ingredients to make Italian dishes.

The two countries theme continues with the choice of desserts where customers are as likely to be offered pannacotta as they are banoffee pie.

Papavero has attracted lots of glowing comments on its 5pm Dining page:

‘Great little place! My friends and I were really impressed with the huge menu! The food was simple but delicious! Will definitely be back to try out more things on the menu!’ Rating 5/5

Diners who book Papavero with 5pm Dining can make good use of a 25% discount on the a la carte menu.

Purslane

Run by head chef and owner Paul Gunning, Purslane delivers what the chef terms casual fine dining. A compact and stylish restaurant in fashionable Stockbridge, Purslane has garnered lots of praise for its modern, seasonal cooking. Chef Gunning has an impressive CV taking in several restaurants with multiple Michelin stars and he brings that high level expertise, minus the Michelin-style fuss, to Purslane.

Locally sourced, seasonal ingredients drive the menus at Purslane. As well as the a la carte menu, there is a tasting menu which can be paired with matched wines for each course. Typical starters might be the pan-fried scallops with celeriac purée and samphire. A popular main course might be the roast rump of lamb with parmentier potatoes, a red wine jus and peas in a buttery stock. Desserts are a speciality at Purslane whether they be a relatively straightforward vanilla pannacotta with raspberry sorbet or a more complex white chocolate mousse with pineapple salsa and pineapple sorbet.

You could make use of a 10% discount on the dinner menu or have two courses from the lunch menu for £14.95 when booking Purslane with 5pm Dining.

The Stockbridge Restaurant

The Stockbridge Restaurant is a family-run venue on St. Stephens Street. Exceptional food and attentive service are the aim here. Only without the flummery sometimes associated with fine dining. Clever lighting, including candles and well positioned mirrors, give everything, and everybody, a romantic glow. Paintings in the style of the Scottish Colourists add further panache.

Creative European dishes made with fresh, seasonal produce fill the menus at The Stockbridge Restaurant. Typical dishes starters on the a la carte menu might be the seared cod with a scallop and crab boudin, fennel and langoustine bisque or the pork fillet which is wrapped in pancetta and served with pork belly, cheeks and black pudding.

Popular main courses include the grilled halibut with fried quail egg, crispy pancetta, sautéed potatoes, spinach, mushrooms and an Arran mustard sauce. Others may prefer the lamb rump and belly with roasted heritage potatoes, spinach, butternut squash and romesco sauce.

Diners with room for dessert may find themselves attempting to decide between a banana tart Tatin or a chocolate brulée with chocolate brownie, white chocolate mousse and milk chocolate ice cream. The restaurant also has a selection of hand-picked wines and beverages to complement your meal.

Book in via The Stockbridge Restaurant’s 5pm Dining page and you can enjoy two courses from the set menu plus a glass of Prosecco for £27.95.