5 of the best restaurants near Edinburgh's Royal Mile

It's one of the capital's most famous thoroughfares, but where should you go if you want to grab something to eat while enjoying a wander along the Royal Mile?

Located at the heart of the Old Town and known for its rich history and stunning architecture, the Royal Mile is a huge draw for tourists but there are more than a few delights for food and drink fans hidden among its streets.

WEDGWOOD

(267 Canongate, Royal Mile, Edinburgh EH8 8BQ)

The historic Royal Mile is one of Edinburgh's most famous thoroughfares. Picture: Thinkstock

Head Chef Paul Wedgwood could let the almost constant array of awards heaped upon him and his eponymous eatery do the talking, but he prefers to let the dishes he creates and the excellent service on offer wow visitors to his hugely popular restaurant instead.

The highly regarded chef has used his vast experience and travels around the globe to create menus that showcases the best of what Scotland’s larder has to offer since he opened Wedgwood with business partner Lisa Channon in 2007.

For a true taste of Scotland, we can’t recommend the Wee Tour of Scotland taster menu (£50.00) enough, featuring seven courses with seasonal ingredients like West Calder black pudding, North Sea Hake and Diver caught Sound of Mull king scallop it’s a great example of just how good dining out in the capital can be.

THE WITCHERY

A meal at The Witchery Restaurant is perfect for date night. Picture: Neil Hanna

(Castlehill, The Royal Mile, Edinburgh EH1 2NF)

As magical a setting as its name suggests, The Witchery is easily one of the capital’s most captivating restaurants but it’s the outstanding dishes that will leave you under its spell.

Located close to the gates of the Castle, the enchanting restaurant’s menus have a focus on seasonal Scottish produce and have been enjoyed by a number of celebrities over the years including Michael Douglas, Pierce Brosnan and Tilda Swinton. Don’t worry if you don’t have an A-lister’s budget, The Witchery offers a number of great value set menus making it accessible without breaking the bank.

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The historic Royal Mile is one of Edinburgh's most famous thoroughfares. Picture: Thinkstock

ONDINE

(Ondine, 2 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh, EH1 1AD)

Widely considered to be one of the capital’s best examples of a seafood restaurant, Roy Brett’s Ondine is the perfect place to go to find out why the Scottish seafood scene has exploded in popularity over the past five years or so, with people in the UK finally catching on to what the waters around Scotland have to offer.

The restaurant has excellent views of the Old Town and lovers of shellfish will be delighted by the excellent Oyster Bar which features native and rock varieties “covering the length and breadth of Britain” including shellfish from Jersey, Menai, Dorset and Loch Fyne.

A meal at The Witchery Restaurant is perfect for date night. Picture: Neil Hanna

AMBER RESTAURANT AT THE SCOTCH WHISKY EXPERIENCE

(354 Castlehill, The Royal Mile, Edinburgh EH1 2NE)

A treat for whisky lovers and foodies alike, the Amber Restaurant at the Scotch Whisky Experience offers modern twists on traditional Scottish cuisine - with added whisky of course.

With lunch and dinner menus available, its a more relaxed affair and the restaurant even offers a “Scottish tapas” option, with five dishes specially chosen by the chef to reflect the “best of Scotland’s ingredients from the mountains, glens, lochs and seas”.

Of course, should you want to enjoy Scotland’s national drink alongside your meal then all you have to do is select one or two drams from the 440 different Scotch whiskies and Scotch whisky liqueurs available.

CONTINI CANNONBALL RESTAURANT AND BAR

(356 Castlehill, Edinburgh, EH1 2NE)

Victor and Carina Contini are two of Edinburgh’s best loved restaurateurs and with the opening of their Cannonball restaurant, located at the very top of The Royal Mile, in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle, they’ve given guests and residents alike yet another excellent venue in which to enjoy their distinctive style of food.

A three-storey eating and drinking experience. Cannonball House is one of Edinburgh’s oldest recorded buildings, the name of which comes from the cannonball shot lodged in the wall facing the castle.

Its elegant interior is the perfect place to enjoy a spot of light lunch to escape the bustling Royal Mile or, if you’re looking to treat yourself, a luxurious dinner featuring dishes like whole grilled fresh Scottish lobster and Spiced Tamworth pork belly - all finished off with a dram in the restaurant’s excellent Glengoyne Room, which offers 120 of the finest malt whiskies, including the full Glengoyne and Tamdhu collections.

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