At 12.45pm on a weekday, the queue for the meal deal fridge in any city-centre supermarket stretches past the crisps. Nobody in it looks thrilled.
Lunch in Edinburgh doesn’t have to be a soggy sandwich at your desk, and it doesn’t have to cost £25 either. This guide covers how to eat properly at lunchtime on a budget, what to look for, and where to find a sit-down lunch for under £15 at the top of Leith Walk.
What makes a good lunch in Edinburgh?
A good lunch is a balance of four things: price, speed, quality and somewhere to sit. Most places manage two or three. The ones worth knowing manage all four.
- Price: under £15 for a filling meal is a fair benchmark in the city centre.
- Speed: if you’ve only got 45 minutes, you need food on the table within 10 to 15 minutes.
- Quality: fresh bread, real ingredients, something cooked to order.
- A seat: in an Edinburgh winter, eating on a bench in St Andrew Square loses its charm quickly.
Cheap eats in Edinburgh city centre: your options
The city centre has a lot of lunch options, and the right one depends on how much time and money you have.
Grab and go
Supermarkets, chain bakeries and sandwich shops are the cheapest, usually £4 to £7. They’re fast but rarely memorable, and you’ll need to find somewhere to eat.
Food halls and markets
Food halls, like the one in St James Quarter, give you plenty of choice and work well for groups. Prices vary, and they can get very busy at peak lunchtime.
Cafes
A good cafe often has the best balance of price and quality. You get a seat, table service or a quick counter, and food that’s cooked rather than reheated. This is where the best value is usually found.
Restaurant lunch menus
Some restaurants offer set lunch menus that are cheaper than dinner. They can be very good value but often need booking, and they can take longer than an hour.
Lunch at the top of Leith Walk
Taste of Italy, at 9 Baxter’s Place near Picardy Place, is an Italian cafe that’s built for lunch. It’s quick, it doesn’t take bookings, and most of the menu comes in well under £15. Here’s what you can get. Prices are from the current a la carte menu and may change.
Under £8: panini
All panini are made fresh in-house with toasted ciabatta or focaccia, and every one is £7.95.
- Roma: focaccia with melted mozzarella, vine tomatoes and basil pesto.
- Parma: focaccia with Parma ham, fresh mozzarella, vine tomatoes and pesto.
- Sant’Elia: Italian sausage, friarielli (a bitter southern Italian green) and scamorza.
- Modena: grilled chicken, bacon, romaine and Caesar dressing.
- Padova: breaded chicken with vine tomatoes and Italian leaves.
- Milano: chicken, pesto, rocket and mozzarella.
- Palermo: grilled courgette and aubergine, peppers, ricotta and provolone. The veggie favourite.
- Venice: tuna, mayo and provolone.
Under £11: panini and soup
Add a mug of soup to any panini for £3 more, and you get a hot, filling lunch for £10.95. On a grey Edinburgh day, that’s hard to beat. Ask your server what the soup of the day is.
Under £10: lighter plates
- Bruschetta (£7): toasted Italian bread with vine tomatoes, red onion, olive oil, basil and garlic.
- Caprese salad (£7.45): vine tomatoes, torn mozzarella, Maldon salt, olive oil and basil.
- Arancino di carne or vegetariano (£6.95): breaded rice balls, filled with tomato, mince and mozzarella or with spinach and ricotta, served with salad and Napoli sauce.
- Mushroom and gorgonzola bruschetta (£7.95): woodland and porcini mushrooms with warm gorgonzola and truffle oil on sourdough.
- Burgers from £9.45: a classic beef burger in a glazed brioche bun.
Under £15: pasta and pizza
If you’ve got a bit longer, a plate of pasta is a proper lunch.
- Penne pomodoro (£12): tomato sugo, olive oil and fresh basil. Simple and quick.
- Spaghetti bolognese (£12.95) or lasagna (£12.95).
- Spaghetti carbonara (£13.45): egg yolk, parmesan, black pepper and a touch of cream.
- Risotto ai funghi (£13.45): arborio rice with porcini and wild mushrooms.
The pasta comes from Gragnano near Naples and the sauces are made with double cream, not a béchamel shortcut.
A 12-inch Margherita pizza is £11.95, and it’s easy to share between two with a side salad (£4.45), which brings lunch for two to under £10 each.
How to eat out at lunch for less
A few tips that work anywhere in Edinburgh, not just at the top of Leith Walk.
- Share a pizza and a side. Splitting a 12-inch pizza and a salad is usually cheaper than two separate mains.
- Go for soup and a sandwich. Combos like a panini and soup offer the best value on most cafe menus.
- Skip the soft drinks. Tap water is free. If you want something, an espresso (£2.60) costs less than most fizzy drinks.
- Eat a bit earlier or later. Before 12.15pm or after 1.45pm, cafes are quieter and food comes out faster.
- Take it away. If the weather’s decent, takeaway saves time and you can eat in the gardens or on Calton Hill.
A quick lunch near your office or hotel
Taste of Italy is easy to reach from most of the east end of the city centre.
- St Andrew Square and the bus station: a few minutes’ walk.
- St James Quarter: a few minutes up Leith Street. Our guide to restaurants near St James Quarter and the Omni Centre has more.
- Waverley Station: roughly ten minutes on foot.
- Broughton Street and the New Town offices: a couple of minutes round the corner.
- Picardy Place tram stop: just across the road.
There’s no booking, so you can walk in whenever your lunch break starts.
Lunch for groups and teams
Organising lunch for a team or a group of friends is harder than it should be. Someone always has a dietary need, someone else only has 40 minutes, and nobody wants to be the one who booked the wrong place.
A cafe without bookings can make this easier. A few tips:
- Go before noon if there are more than four of you, so you can sit together.
- Order pizzas to share. Two or three 12-inch pizzas with a couple of sides is quick, simple and keeps the bill low.
- Mix and match. With panini, pasta, salads, burgers and breakfast all on the menu, nobody has to compromise.
- Order ahead. For an office lunch, a collection order saves everyone waiting.
Lunch in Edinburgh through the seasons
Lunch in Edinburgh changes with the calendar, and it’s worth planning around.
During the Festival and Fringe in August, the city centre is packed and lunchtime queues get long almost everywhere. Eating a little earlier, or ordering ahead, makes a real difference.
In winter, from the Christmas markets to the dark January weeks, a hot lunch matters more. A bowl of pasta or a panini with soup in a warm cafe is worth the short walk from the office. Spring and early summer are the months for a takeaway lunch on the grass in St Andrew Square or up on Calton Hill.
Takeaway lunch
Short on time? Most of the menu can be taken away. You can order ahead for collection so it’s ready when you arrive, or have lunch delivered through Deliveroo to the office.
Something sweet to finish
If there’s time left, the cakes are homemade and most are under £6. A cannolo siciliano is £5, a caramel shortbread £4, and a mini cannoli is £2 if you just want a bite. Or have an affogato, gelato with a shot of espresso poured over it, for £6.40. The full list is on the dessert and drinks menu.
Breakfast for lunch?
If you’re in before the breakfast menu finishes, eggs Benedict (£9.50) and scrambled eggs on toast (£6.50) both make a good, light lunch. Read our guide to the best breakfast in Edinburgh for more.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I get a cheap lunch in Edinburgh city centre?
Cafes usually offer the best value for a sit-down lunch. At Taste of Italy, at the top of Leith Walk, panini are £7.95 and a panini with soup is £10.95, with most pasta dishes between £12 and £14.50.
What’s the best lunch in Edinburgh for under £10?
At Taste of Italy, any panini is £7.95, the arancini are £6.95, and bruschetta is £7. Eggs Benedict from the breakfast menu is £9.50.
Do I need to book for lunch at Taste of Italy?
No. Taste of Italy doesn’t take reservations, so just walk in. It’s usually quieter before 12.15pm and after 1.45pm.
Can I get a quick lunch near Edinburgh Bus Station?
Yes. Taste of Italy is a few minutes’ walk from the bus station on Elder Street, and panini, soup and pasta come out quickly. Most of the menu is also available to take away.
Are there vegetarian lunch options?
Yes, including the Palermo panini, the arancino vegetariano, penne pomodoro, risotto ai funghi and the vegan pizza. Please tell staff about any allergies or dietary needs, as the kitchen uses nuts, flour and dairy.
Lunch sorted
Good lunch in Edinburgh doesn’t have to cost much. Next time you’re near Picardy Place, skip the meal deal queue, walk into Taste of Italy and order a Sant’Elia panini with a mug of soup. The full menus are online if you’d like a look first.