If you are looking for somewhere to have dinner in Edinburgh after 9pm, it may not be easy. Here are some of the best places that will still feed you, even late at night.
Search online and you’ll find plenty of restaurants in Edinburgh that stay open after 9pm, but many of them close their kitchens around that time and only stay open to serve drinks or wait for customers to finish.
So here is our list of seven places to eat in Edinburgh after 9pm.
1. OX184
184-186 Cowgate, Edinburgh EH1 1JJ
OX184 is one of the most useful places to eat late in Edinburgh, especially if you are around the Cowgate, South Bridge or the Royal Mile. It’s a bar, restaurant and late-night venue all in one, so it works well if you want something to eat and then stay on for a drink.
It’s great for meat lovers, although there are vegan options too. The menu is mostly classic comfort food, such as burgers, fish and chips and onion rings, but there are also more elaborate dishes.
There’s also a wide range of craft beers, whiskies and cocktails. One of its big advantages is that it’s one of the few places in the centre where you can get food really late, especially from Wednesday to Sunday.
A real treat in the colder months: you can warm up by the fireplace.
2. The Caley Picture House
31 Lothian Road, Edinburgh EH1 2DJ
The Caley Picture House is one of the most striking Wetherspoon pubs in Edinburgh. It’s in an early 20th-century cinema with Art Deco decor, which makes it far more interesting than an ordinary chain pub.
It’s a practical, central and cheap option, especially if you are around Princes Street, Lothian Road, the Grassmarket or the West End. The menu is long and simple: burgers, pizzas, fish and chips, curries, breakfasts, salads and pub classics.
Bear in mind that, although the pub may stay open late, food is usually served until around 11pm. So it’s a good choice for dinner after 9pm, but don’t leave it too late.
3. Pizza Paradise
16 South Bridge, Edinburgh EH1 1LL
Pizza Paradise is a very handy option if you want something quick, simple and cheap late at night in Edinburgh. It’s on South Bridge, very close to the Royal Mile and the Cowgate, so it’s especially convenient if you are in the Old Town or have just finished an evening tour.
It isn’t a place for a long, relaxed dinner, but rather an informal spot for pizza, kebabs, burgers or takeaway when other places have closed their kitchens. That’s exactly why it can be so useful if it’s late and you just want something easy before heading back to your hotel.
Especially at weekends, you can sit down to eat until very late.
4. The Standing Order
62-66 George Street, Edinburgh EH2 2LR
Without doubt one of Edinburgh’s most famous and original pubs, in a former bank on George Street, in what was once the city’s financial district.
If you are looking for somewhere to eat late in Edinburgh, the kitchen at The Standing Order is open until around 11pm.
Its affordable food and drink prices and huge selection of beers make it really popular with both visitors and locals.
5. Clam Shell
148 High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1QS
Clam Shell is a well-known spot right on the Royal Mile, especially if you want something quick and typical to eat late in central Edinburgh. It’s a simple fish and chip shop, perfect if you don’t need to sit down and just want something hot, easy and very central.
As well as classic fish and chips, it usually offers other typical Scottish fast food, such as burgers, battered sausages and chips. It isn’t sophisticated, but it can save your dinner if you are in the Old Town and the pubs have stopped serving food.
It’s very conveniently located on the Royal Mile, near South Bridge, and although hours can change depending on the day and the season, it’s usually open past midnight.
6. Dishoom Edinburgh
3a St Andrew Square, Edinburgh EH2 2BD
Dishoom is one of the most popular restaurants in the New Town and a great choice for a proper sit-down dinner late in the evening. Inspired by the old Irani cafés of Bombay, it serves grills, curries, biryanis and its famous black daal, with plenty of vegetarian options.
It usually stays open until 11pm from Sunday to Wednesday and until midnight from Thursday to Saturday, so you can still sit down to a full meal well after 9pm. It is very popular, so expect to queue at busy times, and check opening hours and booking options on their website before you go.
7. Kebab Mahal
7 Nicolson Square, Edinburgh EH8 9BH
Kebab Mahal has been an Edinburgh institution for decades, especially among University students. It serves Indian and Pakistani curries, kebabs and grills, generous and very affordable, in a simple, no-frills setting next to the Southside.
It is one of the places that stays open latest in the centre: usually until around midnight, and until 1am on Fridays and Saturdays. The food is halal and no alcohol is served. Check the current opening hours before you go.
Discover many more curiosities, tips and stories about the city on our Free Walking Tour of Edinburgh.