Discover the cosmopolitan food revolution taking place in the historic Scottish capital, on this half-day tour around the city's best restaurants, bars and delis. Forget deep-fried Mars bars and fish and chips and instead take to the streets with a knowledgeable local guide to uncover just why Edinburgh is being hailed as a sophisticated gourmet hub.
Sample national as well as local dishes and get to chat to chefs and shop owners while walking through the historic streets learning about the city's heritage along the way. Over the past decade Edinburgh has developed a thriving food scene with fresh, local ingredients, seasonal menus and the influence of long-held traditions creating a vibrant and innovative new chapter in city eating.
The tour begins at the Hotel du Vin in Edinburgh’s Old Town at the time of day of your choosing, where you meet your local guide and foodie for a three to three-and-a-half-hour walk around the city streets.
This is a small shared tour and as you walk your guide introduces you to Edinburgh's history, leading you through the medieval Old Town with its narrow laneways and 17th-century merchant houses as well as the New Town with its wide, graceful streets lined with neoclassical townhouses.
Visit five food stops along the way, tasting small plates of local, national and international food. Between them get an overview of Edinburgh’s fascinating history from its place as an ancient seat of defense at Edinburgh Castle to the cobbled Royal Mile and the Palace of Holyroodhouse, as well as the grand civic and domestic buildings constructed in the 18th century as the city became overcrowded.
Along the way you're rewarded with some fascinating stories about the city and taken to some unusual venues and try a variety of dishes as well as some local beer, gin, wine or malt whisky. Expect classic traditional dishes such as haggis or neeps and tatties (swede and potatoes) as well as locally distilled gin, artisan cheeses, handmade chocolates and organic produce.
Your hosts can elaborate on how much the food scene has matured in Edinburgh in recent years, how classic dishes have been given a contemporary spin and how international influences have had a huge effect on the local palate.
As you walk from venue to venue your guide will point other further places of interest to visit in your own time, offer discount cards for all the locations visited and then finish up in the heart of the city, where you're free to continue exploring the city and its food venues in your own time.
Start planning your tailor-made trip by contacting one of our Scotland specialists
These activities are designed to give you the most authentic experiences around where you're staying. We work with local guides, who use their knowledge and often a resident's eye to show you the main sights and more out-of-the-way attractions. Our specialists can suggest tours and activities that will introduce you to the local ways of life.
Castles and palaces of Edinburgh's surrounds
Explore some of the numerous historic monuments that litter the countryside around Edinburgh on a full-day tour of the region's most interesting castles, stately homes and palaces. Visit elaborate chapels, country manors and strategic defense positions as you learn about the region's history.
Ghosts and ghouls of Edinburgh's Old Town tour
Brave Edinburgh's darkest corners on a two-hour walking tour that leads you down narrow laneways and into underground vaults to hear stories of murder, mystery and intrigue and get an insight into the illicit goings-on in the medieval city.
Old and New Towns walking tour
Your expert guide leads a walking tour through Edinburgh’s historical districts. Stroll up the Royal Mile and down the narrow side streets, called closes or wynds. Then discover the stylish shopping and elegant architecture located on New Town’s Georgian boulevards.
You can enjoy this activity as part of the suggested tours below, or we can weave it into a trip shaped entirely around you.
