Broughton Street
Broughton Street perhaps offers the most diversity in one street. We have the likes of L’Escargot Bleu, Pickles, the Riparian Rooms, Barony Bar, New Town Deli, Something Fishy, Crombie’s, Bonsai, the Basement Bar, Treacle, Burger Meats Bun, the Broughton Deli, Ox Bar, Smoke Stack and Artisan Roast. It’s an extremely impressive selection, for sure.
Royal Mile
Are you insane? The Royal Mile’s full of tourist traps and tat shops, isn’t it? Well, let’s look at the evidence. As long as we’re willing to include some of the adjoining closes and side streets, you have: Cucina at G&V, Contini Cannonball, Wildest Drams, Michael Neave, Dubh Prais, Angels with Bagpipes, the Edinburgh Larder, Blackfriars, Wedgwood, Cranachan & Crowdie, Devil’s Avocado, Civerino’s, Whiski Bar, Vinyasa, Kilderkin, and the Colonnades.
Fair enough, there are some dreadful shit-pits along the way, too, but anyone telling you to avoid it because there are no good places to eat is not to be believed.
The Shore
The only one of the candidate with a Michelin star to its name (and another very nearby), Restaurant Martin Wishart is the centrepiece of The Shore’s claim to the title. But we also have Mimi’s Bakehouse, the King’s Wark, Ship on the Shore, Shore Bar, Malmaison, the Shore Deli and Fishers doing impressively good work.
Thistle Street
I’m going to stick my neck out and say Thistle Street is my favourite street for overall quality dining in Edinburgh. The street includes Café Marlayne, breakfast offerings from the Thistle Sandwich Bar, El Cartel, Iris, Fishers in the City, the Bon Vivant, Café St Honore, Dusit, Henderson’s Bistro, and Lime. That’s enough quality and choice to keep you busy for quite a while.
