Best Lunch in Edinburgh

You'll find an interesting and eclectic menu on at Treacle on Broughton Street. Sandwiches, burgers, pies, and noodles, alongside sharing platters and small snacks, ensure that there's always something on offer to satisfy your craving. There are some irresistible desserts to finish off and the drinks menu includes a stunning array of delectable cocktails. It's a comfortable place with a lively atmosphere and fast and friendly service. It has a trendy feel but it's not exclusive and that makes it a nice place to hang out for drinks after you've eaten a yummy lunch. There's a great of choice of booze but you'll find some good teas and a decent cup of coffee on offer as well.

How about a Scottish hog roast? The wonderfully named Oink serves up freshly roasted and carved hogs from the Scottish borders. You can get a white or brown roll stuffed with delicious, melt-in-the-mouth, pulled pork and your choice of toppings – sage & onion, apple sauce, chilli relish or haggis. If you're lucky you'll get some crackling to go with it. These tasty treats come in three sizes – The Piglet, The Oink, and The Grunter. Cheap, simple and delicious, Oink is ideal for a quick bite on the go. You'll also find a selection of coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and soft drinks to wash down your hog.

Fancy a taste of history with a tasty menu in a country pub setting? The Sheep Heid Inn was first established in 1360 and it has been serving up food and drink for six centuries now so it's clearly doing something right. This traditional old pub is full of character and it's the ideal place to visit after climbing Arthur's Seat as it's located near Duddingston Loch. This is a warm, cozy bar with a fireplace and plenty of delicious and filling options on the menu including Scottish classics like haggis, neeps and tatties, fish and chips, and great pies and casseroles. If it's nice weather you can enjoy the beer garden and make sure you ask about the skittle alley.

Following on the success of their Hanover Street restaurant and the wonderful cafe in the values of St John's, comes a fully vegan restaurant situated in Thistle Street. This is Edinburgh's first fully vegan restaurant, and it looks to be a great success. The menu is brimming with luxurious flavourful dishes and there is certainly no sense that by eschewing meat and dairy diners are missing out. The cuisine is Scottish-European with an inventive flair, and the wine list fully organic. This restaurant really is a treat for the senses and well worth seeking out.

If you are after a spot of Mexican fast food, freshly prepared before your eyes, then Los Cardos on Leith Walk is well worth a visit. You'll find a typical Tex Mex menu with bargain prices. It is like a small cafe for sitting in and you also have the option to order takeaway. The nice thing about Los Cardos is the fact that you can order your food just the way you like it and watch it being put together. This is bargain dining guaranteed to satisfy hungry visitors. No frills, just good honest fresh food in a hurry.

Seasonal local produce is the name of the game at The Kitchin. Chef Patron Tom Kitchin is a well-known celebrity chef and he won a Michelin star just six months after opening The Kitchin in 2006. The restaurant has gone from strength to strength since then with a string of prestigious awards. This is the best of British cuisine influenced by French techniques and showcasing the finest Scottish ingredients. The service is nothing short of excellent and you'll find a top notch selection of wine to accompany your food. As you might expect, this is an expensive night out but lunches give you a taste of what it is all about on a lower budget.

This stylish city center bar is well known as a gourmet burger hot spot. You can choose beef, chicken or bean burgers in a wide range of styles including Cajun, Teriyaki and Aussie. The Aussie burger has bacon, pineapple, mature cheddar, beetroot, and a fried egg on it. All of the classic combos are on offer here as well and you can make your own creation if you prefer to choose toppings yourself. They also do a mean steak sandwich, a tasty Caesar salad, and a small, but perfectly formed, choice of desserts. Service is fast and efficient but space is limited and it gets very busy.

The union of Genius is Scotland's first soup cafe. If you think that sounds uninspiring, then you have not yet sampled their soups! Every day they offer six globally themed soups paired with a selection of locally produced artisan breads. These soups are so good they sell out fast, so go early to avoid disappointment. They also serve coffee from Artisan Roast, cakes by Love Crumbs and Love Pure Cakes. The interior is small, but warm and friendly. Takeaways are very popular, but if you sit in you can have their soup in its own bread bowl which is a must try treat. All of the packaging and utensils are bio-degradable and recycled and there's a recycling scheme which rewards customers for bringing utensils back.

Manna House is a wonderful bakery, caf� and patisserie in a rather unlikely spot, close to the top of Easter Road. That they have flourished despite their inauspicious location is entirely down to the high quality of the savouries and sweets on offer in this delightful treasure trove. They serve a wide variety of delicious breakfast and lunch dishes from wholesome soups to filled croissants, rich quiches and delicious salads and sandwiches. As good as their savoury offerings are, nothing compares to the cakes. Some look so beautiful it almost feels like a crime to eat them. There are only a few tables, and it can get a little crowded when busy, but it is well worth seeking out.

The Gardener's Cottage is a wonderfully convivial restaurant located within a charming Georgian cottage in Royal Terrace Gardens. Designed by William Playfair as the home of the gardener in charge of the beautiful grounds, the cottage has been tastefully renovated by owners Dale Mailley and Ed Murray. Diners sit on communal benches at large wooden tables wrapped in the aromas of the trees, plants and the vegetable garden, making for a decidedly rural atmosphere despite the city center location. The restaurant is dedicated to communal eating and seasonal produce. Dishes are simple and delicious, elegant yet unpretentious. As they grow many of their own herbs, fruits and vegetables the food is wonderfully fresh and bursting with flavor. How can you resist?