Destination: Edinburgh
Eat & Drink
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Prices

Many Edinburgh restaurants are happy to serve a one- or two-course meal, which is often all you will want. Beer, wine and other alcoholic drinks are expensive in European terms and will increase the meal-cost considerably. Prices quoted are for a three-course meal for one without anything to drink.

Edinburgh Licensing Laws

In the 1980s, Edinburgh was one of the first cities in Britain to try all-day pub opening, a move which brought about an immediate drop in alcohol-related street disturbance. Pubs are generally open 11am-11pm from Monday to Saturday, and 12:30-11 on Sundays. Few Edinburgh pubs have any provision for children, though outside the city they will be welcome if you are planning a pub meal.

Pub Food

Edinburgh has such a wide choice of restaurants and cafés that many people stick to these, rather than heading for a pub to eat. City-centre pubs do serve food, usually of the ploughman's lunch, pie and chips, or haggis and neeps variety. On the whole, pub food in Scotland is not as imaginative as you may be used to finding in England. In remoter country areas, however, a pub may be your only choice.

The Fish Supper

Don't miss the chance to try a local fish and chip shop; Edinburgh fish suppers (always a 'supper' even if eaten at lunch time) are excellent, as are the other offerings which will include haggis, pies and black and white pudding, all deep-fried in batter. Edinburgh suppers are normally liberally dowsed with brown sauce; if you want vinegar, ask for it specifically.

What to Wear in Edinburgh

Clothes-wise, no matter what time of year you visit, be prepared for anything as Edinburgh's weather can change seemingly in the wink of an eye. Wear layers which you can shed and replace, always have a waterproof, and in winter make sure your outer layers are windproof; Edinburgh winds can have a knife-edge. Locals' outfits range from chic and fashionable to designed-for-comfort, so you needn't worry about sartorial elegance.

Quick Lunches

Lunch often seems a waste of time if you're packing in the sightseeing, and Edinburgh has plenty of quick options. The entire city is liberally sprinkled with excellent takeaway sandwich bars, though many have a few tables for sit-down eating. You'll find food courts in shopping malls, while many museums and attractions have their own restaurants and cafés.

High Tea

If you're exploring outside Edinburgh, you'll have the chance to sample high tea, still very much a Scots institution. This meal, eaten between 5 and 6:30 or so, comprises a main course, which can be anything from a groaning plate of fried goodies to a fresh salmon salad, followed by cakes, scones and biscuits, all washed down with tea. Home-baking often features in country places, giving you a chance to try specialities such as treacle and potato scones, pancakes eaten with butter and jam, and calorie-laden fruit cake, shortbread and meringues.

When to Eat

Outside Edinburgh, relatively few restaurants serve dinner much after 9:30, a point worth bearing in mind if you're on the road. Lunch service starts around 12:30 and often finishes by 2, though an increasing number of establishments in tourist areas will have something simple on the go throughout the day.

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