Where to eat in Scotland on a Budget
- bochelley
- Jul 9, 2024
- 4 min read
Updated: Jul 15, 2024
So many Pubs, too little time! Eating on a budget in Scotland can be challenging.
There are so many options! Haggis anyone? Well, not for us, we pretty much stuck to the pubs and local restaurants but did not venture a try of the Haggis dish. We spent most of our time in Edinburgh, with day trips to Glasgow, Portobello Beach, and Leith. Since we were in Scotland for two weeks, we looked for budget friendly options when it came to eating out.
Here are the restaurants that we enjoyed:
Loudons Fountainbridge, Edinburgh
The staff was so friendly and attentive. The place was very popular and packed, we were lucky to get a table as we walked in. We ordered cappuccino coffees, the Brioche French Toast and The Beef Burger to share. We couldn’t decide if we wanted breakfast or lunch, it was our travel day and we hadn’t eaten and were very hungry. The food was so good and it was beautifully plated. We were so full that we didn’t have room for the wonderful cakes which also looked amazing.
POMO Pizzeria, Edinburgh
Yes we opted for pizza in Scotland! Only because we had been walking forever and were in search of a casual, budget friendly restaurant and this one was so cute inside. We ordered our drinks, and the staff was so accommodating. We decided on a pizza and caprese salad. The Capricciosa Pizza was so phenomenal with the ham, artichokes and mushrooms on top of all the melted cheese. What made this pizza great was the fresh tomato sauce and how they cooked it in the incredible pizza oven! We would definitely eat here again.
The NetherBow Port, Edinburgh
While this restaurant is on the crowded and touristy Royal Mile, it was quite a delight to find. We were there early when they first opened and it was not crowded. The food was super and the coffees definitely hit the spot! We had already walked a couple miles and were ready for some caffeine. We split the Pancake Paradise, and it was unbelievable. I did not expect such a perfectly plated pancake breakfast. We ended up here a second time for coffee and a treat. I would visit here again and again, oh wait we did go back one afternoon and it was packed!
The Hanging Bat Pub, Edinburgh
Couldn’t pass up a place called the Hanging Bat! We ducked in here to have a drink. This was a cute pub and the drinks were good and very reasonable prices. Unwind and relax in this quirky Pub. The bartenders were nice and recommended other places for us to check out during our stay.
Bennets Bar, Edinburgh
This Pub was a recommendation of a local, and also happened to be close to where we stayed.
This is a historic pub and has been serving drinks since 1839. The Victorian bar is beautiful and gives the place its old world atmosphere. They have whisky flights, with over 150 whiskies to choose from, and very good cider options. We shared a pizza and the Cauliflower bites which were both great options. With a mix of locals and tourists this is a great place to visit and relax with a drink and good conversation. They offer different specials such as a main entree and an appetizer for a set amount and two for one pizza on certain nights. They also have entertainment at night in the main dining room which was traditional Scottish music.
Crumbs of Portobello, Portobello Beach
On a whim we decided to take the bus from Edinburgh over to the beach. It turned out to be a perfect day in April and the beach was amazing. After walking up and down the large beach, we found a strip of little street vendors, one of which was Crumbs.
We ordered the chicken sandwich, it was great! Also, we grabbed the truffle fries from another stand called Civerinos. Not only were both delicious, but we split them and it was too much food for us. The fries also came with an aioli which was the perfect pairing!
The Beach House, Portobello Beach
On our second visit to Portobello Beach we ate at the Beach House. It was super windy so eating outside was not an option. The Beach House was such a fun, but very crowded restaurant. We were lucky to get a table after waiting only 15 minutes. The Beach House was such a fun, but very crowded restaurant. We were lucky to get a table after waiting only 15 minutes. We got the (whatever you guys ordered) and the Peri Peri chicken wrap. Both delicious options for a day at the beach!
BreadMeatsBread, Glasgow
Not sure how or why we chose this place but the burgers were very good and filling. They serve them with either fries or tots. We were here just for the day so we needed something good and quick. This budget friendly restaurant had a great lunch deal with the burger, fries, and drink at 12.95 quid. This was close to an American diner in our eyes. They had a full bar and milkshake options to go with your burgers and fries!
Toast, Water of Leith
This was a very cute, super trendy restaurant along the Water of Leith Walkway. It was lunch and we had walked many miles by this time so we were super hungry. Leith is a very quaint area and worth visiting for a walk around all the shops and cute cafes. We were able to get the only booth in the place and it was super comfortable after walking for so long. The food was wonderful and I would definitely eat here again. We ordered the club and tuna sandwiches along with the eggs benedict and they were amazing. We were hoping to grab something from their bakery, but we were so full we couldn’t even think about dessert after. Everything was wonderful and I would definitely eat here again.
So that wraps up our where to eat in Scotland on a budget, hope you enjoyed looking at all the food and please leave a comment below and let us know if you have some tips for eating in budget friendly places.
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