Makars Mash Bar
9-12 Bank St, Edinburgh EH1 2LN, UK
Best Restaurants in Edinburgh
Edinburgh’s dining scene blends historic charm with modern culinary ambition. This guide highlights 9 restaurants across Old Town, New Town and Leith where thoughtful wine lists — from cool-climate Pinot to artisan Scottish blends — complement seasonal Scottish produce.
9 venues
4.6 avg
Local Wines
Divino Enoteca Italian Restaurant & Wine Bar
5 Merchant St, Edinburgh EH1 2QD, UK
La Locanda
61 Cockburn St, Edinburgh EH1 1BS, UK
Luckenbooths
329 High St, Edinburgh EH1 1PN, UK
The Magnum
1 Albany St, Edinburgh EH1 3PY, UK
Twenty Princes Street
20 Princes St., Edinburgh EH2 2AN, UK
The Spence
39 St Andrew Sq, Edinburgh EH2 2AD, UK
Amarone
Capital Bldg, 12-13 St Andrew Sq, Edinburgh EH2 2AF, UK
Ecco Vino
19 Cockburn St, Edinburgh EH1 1BP, UK
Wine Culture in Edinburgh
Edinburgh has a long relationship with imported wines and the convivial tavern culture of Scotland’s capital. The city’s wine scene balances classic Old World bottles with a growing curiosity for cool-climate styles: Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from nearby regions, aromatic Rieslings, and emerging Scottish viticulture using varieties like Rondo, Solaris and Seyval Blanc. Historic trade through Leith brought fortified wines and Mediterranean staples, shaping menus and cellar lists found today.
In recent years sommeliers and independent wine bars have deepened local knowledge, pairing small-batch producers with seasonal, locally sourced food. You’ll find wine lists that lean toward lighter, food-friendly styles — think lower-alcohol Pinot and mineral whites — alongside Italian and Spanish options reflecting Edinburgh’s vibrant immigrant food culture. Whether tasting at a cozy Old Town bistro or a contemporary New Town wine bar, the emphasis is on freshness, provenance and thoughtful pairing with Scottish seafood, game and artisanal cheeses.
Where to dine with wine in Edinburgh
Neighborhoods shape the dining experience. In Old Town — around the Royal Mile and Grassmarket — you'll discover snug spots like Makars Mash Bar and Luckenbooths where local ales and curated wine lists accompany hearty Scottish fare. The New Town and Princes Street corridors host refined choices such as Twenty Princes Street and Ecco Vino, ideal for a leisurely glass with views of the gardens or Georgian streets. Leith, with its port history, offers seafood-led restaurants and edgy wine bars that highlight coastal pairings.
For Italianate wine lists and regional varietals, Divino Enoteca and La Locanda bring focused selections that complement traditional pastas and antipasti. The Magnum and The Spence are examples of places where inventive small plates meet approachable, by-the-glass options. Wander between neighborhoods—Stockbridge for relaxed brunches with wine, the New Town for elegant tasting menus, and Leith for seafood and experimental producers—and you’ll find nine great restaurants that showcase Edinburgh’s variety and its wine-forward hospitality.
What to Look For
When choosing a restaurant in Edinburgh, look beyond headline wines. A strong, well-curated list balances region, producer and bottle age; offers flexible by-the-glass options; and demonstrates an understanding of food pairing. Restaurants that rotate seasonal lists to match Scottish produce — shellfish, smoked salmon, game and root vegetables — tend to offer the most satisfying dining experiences. Ask for sommelier suggestions for regional matches, such as lighter-bodied Pinot Noir with roast game or mineral white wines with scallops.
Practical signs of a dependable wine destination include clear tasting notes on the menu, reasonable corkage policies, and staff who can explain origin and vintage. Many Edinburgh venues maintain strong relationships with independent UK and European importers, so expect interesting bottlings from cool-climate regions and boutique producers. Finally, consider ambiance and location: a New Town dining room suits celebratory evenings, while Old Town eateries offer atmosphere and history—both excellent contexts for exploring wine in Edinburgh.
When do wine restaurants in Edinburgh open and close?
9 of the 9 wine restaurants listed in Edinburgh publish their opening hours. The median one opens at 12 pm and closes at 10 pm on a typical trading day.
Sunday is the day that catches visitors out: 9 venues in Edinburgh (100% of those with published hours) trade on Sunday, against 8 on Monday. 8 open seven days a week.
6 addresses stay open past 10 pm, which matters if you are buying after dinner rather than before it. The Magnum closes latest, at 12 am.
At the other end of the day, Luckenbooths opens earliest, at 7 am.
These hours come from each venue's own Google Business Profile as read in March 2026. They are regular hours: public holidays, August closures and harvest-season changes are not reflected, so call ahead for a specific date.
What the ratings in Edinburgh actually say
The 9 rated wine restaurants in Edinburgh carry 20,871 reviews between them. The mean rating is 4.57 out of 5 and the median is 4.6, and 7 venues hold 4.5 or better — 78% of the list.
Makars Mash Bar carries the highest rating with a review base large enough to mean something: 4.8 from 9,420 reviews.
A five-star average is worth less than it looks on a venue with a dozen reviews, which is why the ranking above is sorted by rating and review volume together rather than by rating alone. The rating also measures the visit, not the cellar: service, queueing and the state of the room all land in the same number as the wine selection. It is a starting filter, not a verdict on what is on the shelf.
How much do wine restaurants in Edinburgh cost?
Price level is published for 8 of the 9 wine restaurants in Edinburgh, and it splits as follows: 7 moderate (88%), 1 upmarket (13%). Google's price level is a four-step band reported by the venue and by visitors, not a price list, so it says where an address sits relative to its neighbours rather than what a bottle costs.
The specialisations that recur most often in Edinburgh are Local Wines (1). Filtering the list above by one of those is usually a faster route to the right shop than sorting by rating.
Edinburgh compared with the rest of United Kingdom
Edinburgh accounts for 9 of the 139 wine restaurants we list across United Kingdom, spread over 10 cities.
Sunday trading is the clearest local difference: 100% of venues in Edinburgh open on Sunday against 81% nationally, 19 points higher.
Both columns are computed from the same rows that build these pages, so the national figure moves whenever a city's listing does.
| Measure | Edinburgh | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| Venues listed | 9 | 139 |
| Mean rating | 4.57 | 4.58 |
| Open on Sunday | 100% | 81% |
| Median closing time | 10 pm | 10:30 pm |
Where to look next from Edinburgh
This listing is short on purpose: Edinburgh has 9 wine restaurants that publish enough public information to describe honestly, and we would rather say that than pad the page. A short list usually means the trade here runs through supermarkets and restaurants rather than specialists, not that the city drinks badly.
Other wine venues in Edinburgh: 18 wine bars, 19 wine shops, 3 wineries and tasting rooms. In a city with a thin specialist trade, the restaurant list is often where the interesting bottles actually are.
The nearest larger listings in United Kingdom are Birmingham (19), Liverpool (17), Bradford (17), Glasgow (17), Bristol (14). Each is a separate page with its own hours, ratings and map.
Bottom line
Edinburgh has 9 wine restaurants on this list, averaging 4.57 out of 5 across 20,871 reviews. The median address opens at 12 pm and closes at 10 pm; 9 of the 9 with published hours open on Sunday.
If you only have time for one stop, Makars Mash Bar is the highest-rated address with a real review base (4.8 from 9,420).
Ratings, hours and price bands here come from public venue profiles read in March 2026; they describe how an address is reviewed, not how good its wine list is. Confirm hours before travelling for a specific bottle.
Buying wine in United Kingdom: age, tax and trading rules
Selling alcohol to anyone under 18 is an offence under the Licensing Act 2003 in England and Wales, and retailers operate Challenge 25 on top of it, so expect to be asked for ID well past 18.
The United Kingdom taxes wine harder than anywhere else in this directory, and it taxes it by strength. HMRC's rate from 1 February 2026 is £30.64 per litre of pure alcohol for wine between 8.5% and 22% ABV, which is £2.87 of duty on a 75 cl bottle at 12.5% ABV, before 20% VAT is added on top of the duty-inclusive price. On a £7 bottle that leaves very little for the wine.
The Sunday Trading Act 1994 caps shops over 280 m² in England and Wales at six continuous hours of Sunday trading between 10 am and 6 pm. Smaller independents are exempt and may open all day, which is why a specialist wine shop is often the only thing open on a Sunday evening. Scotland is outside the Act entirely.
Sources: HMRC — Alcohol Duty rates (GOV.UK) · Sunday Trading Act 1994 (legislation.gov.uk) · Licensing Act 2003 (legislation.gov.uk)
Local Tips
01
Book early for peak times
Reserve tables in advance for evenings, weekends and special dates (e.g., festivals). Many wine-friendly restaurants in Old Town and New Town fill quickly, especially those with tasting menus or scenic views.
02
Ask for wine pairings
Request sommelier recommendations or a pairing flight. Edinburgh chefs often match local seafood, game and cheeses to cool-climate whites, lighter Pinots and boutique European bottles.
03
Explore nearby neighborhoods on foot
Distances between Old Town, New Town and Leith are walkable. Enjoy a pre-dinner stroll through Princes Street Gardens or along the Water of Leith to work up an appetite—wear comfortable shoes for cobbles and hills.
04
Try Scottish producers
When offered, sample local wines—Scottish vineyards are small but experimental. Look for Solaris, Seyval and Rondo varietals or locally made sparkling wines that pair well with the city’s seafood dishes.
FAQ
This directory highlights 9 notable restaurants in Edinburgh, selected for their wine lists and dining experience. The city itself has hundreds of eateries across neighborhoods like Old Town, New Town and Leith, so these nine are curated starting points for wine-friendly dining.
Yes. Edinburgh has many wine bars and restaurants with thoughtful lists, from intimate wine-focused spots to hotel restaurants with extensive cellars. Venues such as Divino Enoteca, Ecco Vino and The Magnum are known for approachable by-the-glass selections and regional diversity.
Increasingly so. While much of Scotland’s wine production is small-scale, many restaurants feature bottles from Scottish producers—often experimental varietals like Solaris and Rondo—or include Scottish blends and low-yield boutique cuvées alongside imported European wines.
Old Town and Grassmarket offer historic charm and relaxed pubs; New Town and Princes Street provide refined dining and hotel restaurants; Leith focuses on seafood and contemporary cuisine. Stockbridge is ideal for casual, neighborhood meals with local wine lists.
Tipping is appreciated but not mandatory. A 10-15% tip is common for good service, or check whether a service charge is included on the bill. Many venues accept card tips, but cash is still welcome in smaller establishments.
Yes—especially on weekends or for popular spots like Twenty Princes Street or Makars Mash Bar. Bookings ensure preferred seating and allow restaurants to prepare tasting menus or special wine pairings. For same-day plans, call ahead to check availability.
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