Eating Out in Edinburgh

The Olive Branch looks great from the outside. I used to pass it on my way home and be haunted by images of the wonderful looking food that people had sitting in front of them, so one day I finally decided to go in.

Unfortunately, it wasn't what I had hoped. The service was really poor. For a small place, there were too many staff on. They seemed to be falling over each other, but you would think that with that many staff on they would at least be able to handle everybody's orders in good time. This was not the case. They took a long time to get to us, then our sandwiches took almost an hour to arrive.

Having said that, the sandwiches themselves were very good. Not spectacular, but very tasty. They were also very expensive, unfortunately. I ordered a coffee when I eventually managed to flag down a waitress, but thankfully the coffee was something they did very well.

Overall, it looks better than it is. The coffee is great and the food is pretty good, but the prices are a little bit more than they ought to be and the service is bad. I wouldn't recommend it but it does have its upside too.

Edinburgh has a lot to offer in terms of restaurants, cafes and so forth. From the run-of-the-mill fast food places you get everywhere to some truly unique establishments that really go the extra mile to make your dining experience a memorable one.

We now have two Michelin starred restaurants, both on the rapidly up-and-coming Shore area, down by the docks. This part of the city has really come into its own recently, with a lot of cash being put into making it a friendly, lively place to spend your time at either day or night. There's a dizzying array of choices on offer down there if you want a bite to eat, with dance venues, bars, pubs and more besides all jostling for space, with beautiful views out over the Firth of Forth.

There are other hot spots too, like the Grassmarket, with a host of pubs serving genuinely good quality food, some pizzerias, a crepe stand and - for that special night out - one of Edinburgh's most underrated restaurants: The Heights (a rooftop venue in the Apex Hotel that looks directly out to Edinburgh castle).

Everywhere you go though, there are new options appearing, and to suits all tastes too. Branching out from the Grassmarket, you can walk up Victoria Street and pass the excellent Grain Store and Maison Blueu; a few minutes along the road and you find the Outsider (serving the best venison I have ever eaten in my life) or - if you're on a budget - Monster Mash, serving up massive portions of good food at affordable prices.

It was often a criticism of Edinburgh that its choice of places to eat was severely limited. That could not be further from the truth now. No matter what the occasion there will be something to suit.

Quick Tips:

Don't ever go to MacDonald's or Burger King or any of that kind of rubbish. The fact is that what they serve is not any good and it isn't even cheap any more.

For a standard meal deal at BK, you're looking at paying about £4.50. At lunchtime you can get the best burger I've ever eaten, with a side of good chips and salad for £3.65 at the Buffalo Grill, either in Stockbridge or up by the University.

On Princes Street, you can go twenty paces up behind the main Burger King and get a good, fresh cooked bacon sandwich at Snax. If you really want to keep things cheap and easy you can get yourself a pie or a pastry from Greggs on just about any street in the city. Wherever you are, you can ask a passer by where the nearest Greggs is and they’ll know precisely what you’re talking about – it’s become something of an institution. Their fudge and custard doughnuts are magnificent.

If you must go to one of the chains, then go to Subway. These have been springing up all over the city in the past few years and they produce a really filling, really tasty sub - prepared to your own specifications - for £1.99 (if you're not fussy which one you get).

For the budget conscious traveller, there really is a vast array of options and MacDonald's, Burger King and KFC should be at the bottom of your list. In Texas, I had Jack in the Box burgers that were better than in many restaurants I've eaten over here, but in Britain the fast food burgers look and taste like they've been sat on. Avoid them like the plague.

And of course there is one final option when you're out and about in Edinburgh. If you want to get a seriously filling, hot meal inside you then you can always get a bag of chips from any chippy for £1 - £1.50. Not the most nutritious thing in the world, but they sure are tasty!

Best Way To Get Around:

Everywhere that's worth going to in Edinburgh (with a VERY few exceptions) can be found right in the city centre. This is one of the best cities in the world to walk around, and just about everything is within comfortable walking distance, so if you don't mind wandering for ten to twenty minutes you can reach just about anything you're looking for pretty easily without having to resort to transportation.

If you want to spare your shoe leather, the bus system in Edinburgh is outstanding. It's really straightforward if you stick to Lothian Buses (big maroon or red and white things), as you can go as far you want on any bus for £1. If you need to do some bus-hopping then you can pick up a day pass for about £2.50 that will give you unlimited travel all day, anywhere in the city (including the route into and out of the airport).

Taxis are a last resort unless you have plenty of money to burn. Edinburgh cabs are amongst the most expensive in the world. A short ride from one end of Princes Street to the other will cost you about £5 plus. Don't even think about getting a taxi from the airport as that will cost you about £30 one way, depending on the traffic. It often actually works out cheaper to hire a stretch limo if there’s a bunch of you travelling(!).

Driving in Edinburgh in your own car can be a bit of a nightmare these days too, as there's a lot of cars and very old, very narrow roads. This means that the same journey at the same time of day can take 10 minutes or it can take an hour, depending on how the traffic goes. You're far better sticking with the buses or with your feet. I personally recommend walking as there's loads to look at as you wander around the place and you're never that far from wherever it is you need to go. If you need to take the bus, Lothian Buses have an excellent website at www.lothianbuses.com.

No-one would argue that the setting for the Witchery by the Castle is magnificent. Sitting a stone's throw away from Edinburgh Castle down a charming little alleyway from the historic Royal Mile, you walk down candle-lined steps into a beautifully decorated restaurant and the first impression you get - whether upstairs or down - is one of earthy, accessible, quality fine dining.

The service is outstanding, as is the wine list. A massive tome of a thing, if you know your wines then you will find precisely what you're looking for in this list. With almost 1000 wines to choose from, you'd be forgiven for thinking that they've just crammed it with everything they can find, but far from it. Every option is carefully selected and staff will be happy to advise you if you need a little help ... I know I did!

The food is magnificent. I've spoken to a number of 'foodies' and read several reviews for the Witchery, and I've often heard the food labelled as overrated. But every time I've been there the food has been cooked to perfection. Last visit I had a haunch of speyside venison on a turnip and potato gratin with chocolate oil(!) whilst my wife had an Aberdeen Angus rib-eye and both were mouthwateringly good. Similarly, the desserts and coffee were first class.

It's not cheap, with mains such as those above coming in at around 27 pounds, starters hover around the 10 pound mark and desserts come in at 7.
If this is a little bit pricey then it's well worth coming in for a two course light lunch or pre-theatre supper for a very reasonable 12.95.

Quick tip: ask to see the visitor's book and have a scan through. Some very interesting names in there.

The Buffalo Grill can be found on the corner at 1 Raeburn Place, in Stockbridge, over the road from Hectors Pub. It has a pleasant, unassuming exterior and a good atmosphere when you walk in the door. They have another venue near the University on Chapel Street, but on the one occasion I went to this second one the food wasn't quite as good and the restaurant itself didn't have the same relaxed, pleasant vibe.

The decor is themed around - as you may expect - Native Americans, with an array of black and white photos and paraphernalia on the walls. It is very well put together and doesn't feel at all tacky - the restaurant has a strong sense of what it is and provides good quality food in a comfortable environment at a very reasonable price, 7 days a week.

Always check the specials board when you go in. It's on the back wall and they come up with some truly mouthwatering dishes. I recommend going along at lunchtime, too, because the prices are significantly cheaper but the portions are still very good and the quality is not diminshed at all.

You can order a broad range of stuff, from soups and salads right through to mexican food, italian dishes or steak, but where I think this place truly excels are its burgers. There's a veggie option, plus a selection of freshly prepared burgers that are just cooked to absolute perfection. Very few places will ask how you like your burger cooked - when they do you know you're onto a winner. I like mine medium rare and they nail it every single time. Overflowing with flavour, beautifully prepared, served with relishes, steak fries and salad, and all for less than the cost of a MacDonald's burger meal! At lunchtime your basic burger cost 3.65 last time I was there, which is an absolute bargain. Throw in the fact that their lunch menu is available till 4pm at the weekend and you have yourself a truly magnificent burger place. Something that's becoming increasingly hard to find these days.

Overall - great place, easy to find, proper lunch menu, great, friendly service and excellent food. What more could you ask for?