Expert: Willie Wallace - 7/12/2007

Question
Hi,

We'll be in Edinburgh in the end of July. Would you, please, recommend a couple of pubs and a few restaurants, that are not too touristic?

Thanks in advance,

Vera

Answer
Hi Vera,

Pubs and restaurants on the Royal Mile, Rose Street and Princes Street are touristy and can be missed out.

If you stand on Bernard Street bridge in the dock area of Edinburgh - Leith, there are over 50 pubs and restaurants within 400 yards radius.  From Mongolian to French, Italian to Mexican, meat to fish, bistro to wine bar, pub to emmm, well, pub, I suppose.  My favourites are Domenico's restaurant, Italian like Momma made it (and actually does in the kitchen, in back), The Waterside bistro and wine bar with excellent fish choices.  Skippers and Fishers Bistros are also good fish restaurants.  Martin Wishaw has a michelin star, which makes him very expensive.  As for pubs, The Carrier's Quarters are the oldest licenced premises in Leith. The Shore bar has good folk or traditional music, sometime something jazzy and sells good beer.  Don't bother with a meal, just have a plate of their fish soup in the lovely bar and it is a meal in itself. The Malt and Hops is friendly and serves at least eight different real ales at any time.  Finally, the Port of Leith has all the local colour and is the one place remaining which still has the flavour of the old dock pubs, without any of the dangers (or at least many of the dangers :o)

Your hotel concierge might try and say that Leith is dangerous and 20 years ago, he would have been right.  Now there are two separate taxi ranks.  Trust me, taxi ranks are not set up in dodgy areas.  They are there because people come from all over Edinburgh for a night out in Leith.  You won't be the ony tourist, but you will be far outnumbered by the locals!  The ships and the sailors have, sadly, mostly all gone to out of town container ports.

In town, the Half-way-house on Fleshamarket Stairs is one of the friendliest pubs in town and probably the smallest as well.  Stairs go down off the Royal Mile (starting as Fleshmarket Close) and it defies the touristy reputation of the Royal Mile.  Probably because nobody finds it.

Hope that all helps,

Willie Wallace
http://www.celticlegend.co.uk/car