Guidebook for Edinburgh
Food Scene
Aka is a swedish cafe/bar just next to the canal with outdoor seating (plus blankets for cold days). Nice for cakes and coffee in the daytime as well as a great menu.
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Akva
129 FountainbridgeAka is a swedish cafe/bar just next to the canal with outdoor seating (plus blankets for cold days). Nice for cakes and coffee in the daytime as well as a great menu.
Good for Mexican food, this restaurant is much larger than it appears from the outside, but still fills up quickly.
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Viva Mexico
41 Cockburn StGood for Mexican food, this restaurant is much larger than it appears from the outside, but still fills up quickly.
Buffalo is a very popular steak house close to festival venues. Well-priced for steak and you can BYOB. Recommend booking in advance if possible.
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Buffalo
12-14 Chapel StBuffalo is a very popular steak house close to festival venues. Well-priced for steak and you can BYOB. Recommend booking in advance if possible.
Mamma's restaurant is a good place to stop on the Grassmarket with indoor and outdoor seating. An american style pizzeria where you can choose your own toppings from a very extensive list including haggis, cactus and chocolate!
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Mamma's American Pizza
28 - 30 GrassmarketMamma's restaurant is a good place to stop on the Grassmarket with indoor and outdoor seating. An american style pizzeria where you can choose your own toppings from a very extensive list including haggis, cactus and chocolate!
Kilimanjaro Coffee
104 Nicolson StSmall cafe with award-winning coffee.
Pick up a locally sourced pulled-pork hog roast sandwich to take-away!
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Oink Victoria Street
34 Victoria StPick up a locally sourced pulled-pork hog roast sandwich to take-away!
Mosque Kitchen serves generous sized portions of curry at affordable prices, a good place to stop if you are really hungry. It has counter service and seating can be limited at busy times, so take-away or share tables.
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The Mosque Kitchen
31-33 Nicolson SquareMosque Kitchen serves generous sized portions of curry at affordable prices, a good place to stop if you are really hungry. It has counter service and seating can be limited at busy times, so take-away or share tables.
American diner style restaurant often hosting free comedy shows downstairs.
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The City Cafe
19 Blair StAmerican diner style restaurant often hosting free comedy shows downstairs.
Lovecrumbs West Port
155 West PortEXCELLENT CAKE
Really good hot chocolate and great chocolate to buy.
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Chocolate Tree
123 Bruntsfield PlReally good hot chocolate and great chocolate to buy.
Empires
24 St Mary's StGreek/Turkish food, nice, small setting.
Entertainment & Activities
Cameo cinema (est. 1914), is now a Picturehouse cinema (featured in The Illusionist), cool place to catch a film or have drinks in the Cameo Bar.
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Cameo Picturehouse
38 Home StCameo cinema (est. 1914), is now a Picturehouse cinema (featured in The Illusionist), cool place to catch a film or have drinks in the Cameo Bar.
Showing international films and with a nice cafe/bar, Filmhouse is a good place to visit.
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Filmhouse
88 Lothian RdShowing international films and with a nice cafe/bar, Filmhouse is a good place to visit.
Essentials
General small supermarket, open 0800-2200 Mon-Sat and 0900-2200 on Sun for all basic essentials.
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Scotmid Co-operative
5-19 Leven StGeneral small supermarket, open 0800-2200 Mon-Sat and 0900-2200 on Sun for all basic essentials.
Parks & Nature
The meadows is a great spot for a walk and to take a break from the festival, it has a view of Arthur's Seat and the Crags and leads to George Square with it's festival venues and further to the city centre. On sunny days the meadows will be busy with people relaxing and having BBQs.
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The Meadows
Melville DriveThe meadows is a great spot for a walk and to take a break from the festival, it has a view of Arthur's Seat and the Crags and leads to George Square with it's festival venues and further to the city centre. On sunny days the meadows will be busy with people relaxing and having BBQs.
Holyrood Park walks will lead to Holyrood Palace and the Scottish Parliament and also across to Duddingston and onwards to Portobello. Most famous is Arthur's Seat an extinct volcano right in the middle of Edinburgh. There is a path to the top which can be done in about an hour and great views when you make it.
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Ipharki ye-Holyrood
Queen's DriveHolyrood Park walks will lead to Holyrood Palace and the Scottish Parliament and also across to Duddingston and onwards to Portobello. Most famous is Arthur's Seat an extinct volcano right in the middle of Edinburgh. There is a path to the top which can be done in about an hour and great views when you make it.
Princes Street gardens sit between the railway line and the high street shops. nice place to take a break with great views of the castle.
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Princes Street
Princes StreetPrinces Street gardens sit between the railway line and the high street shops. nice place to take a break with great views of the castle.
Head to the top of Calton Hill for great views of the city.
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I-Calton Hill
Calton HillHead to the top of Calton Hill for great views of the city.
Arts & Culture
Opened in 1906, King's Theatre is a good venue with drama and dance shows during August.
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Itheatara kaKumkani
2 Leven StOpened in 1906, King's Theatre is a good venue with drama and dance shows during August.
An oasis of calm during the festival period, the Book Festival features events with authors from around the world in a lovely garden setting. Stop for an ice-cream and check out Jura Unbound evenings in the Spiegeltent.
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Edinburgh International Book Festival
121 Charlotte SquareAn oasis of calm during the festival period, the Book Festival features events with authors from around the world in a lovely garden setting. Stop for an ice-cream and check out Jura Unbound evenings in the Spiegeltent.
Usually one of Edinburgh university's student unions, Pleasance Dome hosts many shows during the fringe.
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Pleasance
60 PleasanceUsually one of Edinburgh university's student unions, Pleasance Dome hosts many shows during the fringe.
Another major fringe venue, Pleasance Courtyard is not too far from Pleasance Dome and has lots of temporary bars/outdoor seating.
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Pleasance
60 PleasanceAnother major fringe venue, Pleasance Courtyard is not too far from Pleasance Dome and has lots of temporary bars/outdoor seating.
The National Museum of Scotland has great exhibitions and is very child-friendly, with free admission!
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National Museum of Scotland
The National Museum of Scotland has great exhibitions and is very child-friendly, with free admission!
Known as The Gilded Balloon during Edinburgh Fringe, Teviot hosts many comedy shows and there are lots of food stalls just outside to grab a bite to eat on the move.
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Teviot Row House Student Union
13 Bristo PlaceKnown as The Gilded Balloon during Edinburgh Fringe, Teviot hosts many comedy shows and there are lots of food stalls just outside to grab a bite to eat on the move.
Sightseeing
You can't miss Edinburgh Castle with it's prominent position in the city centre. Listen out for the one o'clock gun. During August you will hear the Tattoo and fireworks at night time.
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Ikhethelo le-Edinburgh
CastlehillYou can't miss Edinburgh Castle with it's prominent position in the city centre. Listen out for the one o'clock gun. During August you will hear the Tattoo and fireworks at night time.
Drinks & Nightlife
Sandy Bell's is a very small pub, but has good traditional live music everyday.
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Sandy Bell's
25 Forrest RdSandy Bell's is a very small pub, but has good traditional live music everyday.
Lebowskis
18 Morrison StFor people who like white russians
Brauhaus
105 Lauriston PlHuge collection beers.
Dragonfly
52 West PortCocktails.
Nice pub, usually busy during the festival with live music during the day, lovely beer garden outside.
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The Peartree
38 W Nicolson StNice pub, usually busy during the festival with live music during the day, lovely beer garden outside.