Amid Edinburgh’s grand architecture and storied streets, a new wave of hotels and restaurants is sharpening the city’s culinary edge. Writer Maria Boyle and her daughter Daisy explore.
Stay: The Hoxton, Edinburgh
One of the city’s newest hotels, The Hoxton, Edinburgh is the brand’s first Scottish outpost and the 18th worldwide. Set across 11 elegant Georgian-style townhouses in Haymarket, it occupies a prime West End location just minutes from Haymarket station and within easy walking distance of Edinburgh Castle, Princes Street and the Old Town.
Inside, the hotel combines heritage and contemporary comfort. There are 214 rooms in total, including three ‘Houses’ — self-contained three-bedroom, three-bathroom apartments tucked within the hotel. Public spaces include interconnected lounge areas for working and socialising. There’s also a five-seat cinema room for private viewings. Its stylish bar doubles as a coffee spot by day and lively spot by night.
Our ‘Cosy Up’ room featured warm timber floors, tactile finishes and statement lighting. Thoughtful details included clever shelving, tea and coffee-making facilities, a fridge stocked with fresh milk, and a Roberts radio. The bed was seriously comfortable, with crisp white sheets and generously filled pillows. In the bathroom, there was a walk-in shower, piles of fluffy towels and a standalone bathtub (we requested this ahead of our visit as most rooms have a shower).
Dinner on our first night was at Patatino, the hotel’s Amalfi-inspired trattoria-style restaurant. A refreshing spritz and a well-judged house Negroni set the tone, followed by a series of beautifully flavoured dishes including sea bass fillet with smoked butter and a sourdough pizza topped with haggis and ’nduja – a distinctive Scottish Italian combination that proved a real talking point. It was confident, comforting cooking, delivered with excellent service, and set a benchmark for a weekend of culinary excellence.
Day Two: Royal History and dining by The Shore
After an excellent breakfast at the hotel, where the choice ranges from Eggs Royal and fluffy pancakes to a full Scottish complete with tatties and black pudding, we took the tram to Leith to follow in royal footsteps.
First stop was a visit to the Royal Yacht Britannia, the former royal residence of Queen Elizabeth II. We explored its new Visitor Centre before stepping aboard where a brilliant audio tour guided us across all five decks, revealing both the private and working lives of those who spent time on board. We finished the visit at the Royal Deck Tearoom, with a delicious traditional afternoon tea fit for a king and queen!
After some leisurely shopping along George Street and at St James Quarter, followed by a quick freshen up at the hotel, we returned to Leith for an aperitif aboard Fingal, Edinburgh’s luxury floating hotel, whose elegant nautical design makes a glamorous pre-dinner spot for cocktails.
Our evening’s destination was Barry Fish, located at The Shore in Leith. Just eight months after opening, the restaurant has already secured a place in the Michelin Guide for Great Britain and Ireland, making it one of only 37 Edinburgh restaurants to be recognised. Despite the accolades, the atmosphere remains relaxed and unpretentious. Chef Barry Bryson’s menu is straightforward and ingredient-led, with superb Scottish fish and shellfish sourced directly from trusted suppliers.
For starters we devoured succulent hand-dived scallops, Loch Fyne oysters and the restaurant’s signature sea trout pastrami with aioli, capers and dried grapes, delicately balanced and satisfying. For mains, we chose the shelled half lobster with smoked fish agnolotti, brown butter sauce and pickled fennel, a dish that has been on the menu since opening and remains a favourite with regulars. We couldn’t resist the desserts: kaffir lime leaf ice cream with shortbread was excellent, while a milk chocolate espresso délice was rich and precise. An excellent selection of pudding wines finished dinner in style. We left plotting our next visit.
Day Three: Neighbourhood Edinburgh
Our final day began with a brisk walk to Stockbridge, pottering around its elegant Georgian streets lined with independent shops, delis and cafés. From there, we continued to Bruntsfield, known for independent shops and vintage finds.
Lunch was at Leftfield, a neighbourhood bistro opened in 2017 and run by chef Phil White alongside Rachel Chisholm, who oversees front of house and a well-chosen wine list. Intimate yet relaxed, the restaurant seats 40 upstairs with a further eight downstairs — and boasts one of the city’s most quietly impressive views, looking directly towards Arthur’s Seat.
The menu is short, seasonal and shaped by what local small boats bring in each day, a philosophy that has earned Leftfield its own Michelin Guide listing. We began with silky oysters from Gigha and Cumbrae, charred baby gem with mint, pea and feta, plus sourdough and olives. Fresh sea trout with peas, broad beans and chorizo made an ideal main for me, while Daisy chose a roast cauliflower dish with spinach, feta and pumpkin purée which she declared ‘spectacular’. A shared side of crushed roast potatoes with Rainton Tomme and truffle accompanied both our dishes and worked perfectly.
Dessert was non-negotiable: Leftfield’s famous Basque cheesecake, made fresh every morning and known to sell out quickly. It was outstanding, and arguably one of the finest puddings of the weekend.
We meandered back to the hotel for a short rest ahead of the final dinner of our foodie weekend, at The Little Chartroom — a restaurant highly recommended by locals.
With an open kitchen and generous spacing between tables, the restaurant has relaxed, cool vibes. Head chef and owner Roberta Hall McCarron offers a weekly changing prix fixe menu, available as three or five courses, focusing on seasonality and careful sourcing.
For starters, I chose the Chalk Stream trout tartare with kohlrabi, kale and buckwheat cracker, which was fresh and flavoursome, while Daisy opted for Jerusalem artichoke custard with black garlic, caramelised onion, parsley and truffle which delivered depth without heaviness.
We both chose the ricotta and smoked garlic ravioli with maitake, sage and delica squash for main, a dish that balanced comfort with finesse. Dessert, a white chocolate mousse with Earl Grey, mandarin and buckwheat, was light and restrained, rounding off the meal and sealing Edinburgh’s reputation as one of the UK’s most exciting food cities.
Where to stay & travel
The Hoxton, Edinburgh: low-season rates from £150 per night.
British Airways flies from London to Edinburgh from £44 each way; from Dublin via London Heathrow from £80 each way, including taxes and fees.
For more information on Scotland, go to www.visitscotland.com.