Cheap restaurants Edinburgh visitors should know about run from £6 hot rolls at Oink to £14.90 lunch deals at sit-in bistros. Edinburgh isn’t a cheap city for dining — central Royal Mile restaurants happily charge £25-£40 for mid-range mains — but a healthy independent ecosystem of student-quarter cafés, street-food kiosks, ethnic restaurants, and lunch-deal bistros means it’s entirely possible to eat well in Edinburgh on £15 a meal or less.
This guide covers more than 20 of the best cheap restaurants Edinburgh offers, organised by cuisine type and location. Information is current as of 2026 with notes on portion sizes, opening hours, and which venues offer the best value combinations.
How Cheap Is Cheap?
For this guide we use “under £15 per person” as the benchmark for “cheap restaurant Edinburgh” — comfortably within budget-traveller range and well below mid-range Royal Mile pricing. Different price tiers within that bracket:
Under £8: Street food, hog-roast rolls, takeaway curry, kebabs.
£8-£12: Casual sit-in cafés, lunch deals, basic ethnic restaurants.
£12-£15: Mid-range bistro lunches, budget Indian/Thai/Mexican mains, 2-course lunch menus.
Over £15: Outside the scope of this guide.
The Best Cheap Edinburgh Restaurants Under £8
1. Oink
The Edinburgh hog-roast institution. Soft white roll filled with roast pork, crackling, and choice of toppings — apple sauce, haggis, sage and onion stuffing. £6-£8 depending on size. Multiple Edinburgh branches; Royal Mile location is most convenient.
Pricing: £6-£8.
Address: Multiple branches; Royal Mile, Hanover Street, Victoria Street.
2. Mosque Kitchen
A South Side institution at Edinburgh University. Pakistani-Indian cooking served cafeteria-style. Tarka daal, biryanis, mixed grill, all at student prices. Opens early and serves until late.
Pricing: £6-£10.
Address: 31 Nicolson Square (main location); Newington site also.
3. Pakora Bar
Indian street food specialist. Pakoras in various flavours, dhals, wraps, curries. The haggis pakora wrap (Scottish-Indian fusion) at £10 is a local cult favourite.
Pricing: £8-£12.
Address: Various Edinburgh branches.
4. Various Royal Mile Sandwich Shops
Multiple Royal Mile cafés offer sandwiches and rolls at £4-£7. Quality varies; the Edinburgh Larder (just south on Blackfriars Street) is the gold standard.
The Best Cheap Edinburgh Restaurants £8-£12
5. Ting Thai Caravan
Thai street food specialists. Pad thai, green curry, larb, papaya salad — all at street-food pricing. Compact dining room in Teviot Place near the University.
Pricing: £8-£14.
Address: 8-9 Teviot Place.
6. Mowgli
Indian street food chain with one Edinburgh branch. Mid-budget pricing for high-quality regional Indian cooking.
Pricing: £7-£14 per dish.
Address: Hanover Street.
7. Paz Tacos
Mexican street food with tacos starting at £7.50 for pairs. Casual, busy, popular with locals.
Pricing: £7-£14.
Address: West End and Stockbridge.
8. Franco Manca Stockbridge
Authentic Neapolitan pizzas at fair prices. Sourdough crust, locally-sourced toppings, queue-based service. Mains £6.95-£13.25.
Pricing: £8-£13.
Address: Stockbridge.
9. Civerinos
An Italian-Edinburgh chain with multiple branches. Authentic Italian cooking at student-friendly prices. Pizza, pasta, antipasti.
Pricing: £8-£14.
Address: Hunter Square (Old Town), West Crosscauseway.
10. Henderson’s
One of Edinburgh’s longest-established vegetarian restaurants. Salads, soups, hot vegetable mains, all at sub-£15 prices.
Pricing: £9-£14.
Address: 94 Hanover Street.
11. Tigerlily
A George Street Asian-Pacific restaurant with surprisingly accessible pricing for the location. Lunch deals especially good.
Pricing: £10-£15.
Address: 125 George Street.
The Best Cheap Edinburgh Restaurants £12-£15
12. Chez Jules
A basement French bistro with a legendary three-course lunch menu for £12.90. Complimentary salad, bread, and pickles. The single best lunch deal in central Edinburgh.
Pricing: £12.90 lunch; £15-£20 dinner.
Address: 1 Craig Place; multiple branches.
13. Loudons (Fountainbridge)
An all-day café with strong Scottish brunch and lunch — Scottish smoked salmon and eggs Benedict for under £15. Long opening hours.
Pricing: £10-£15.
Address: 94B Fountainbridge.
14. Paradise Palms
Vegetarian-friendly café-restaurant on Lothian Street. Small plates from £2.50, with most main meals under £15. Quirky, lively atmosphere.
Pricing: £8-£14.
Address: 41 Lothian Street.
15. Various Asian Lunch Specials
Multiple Edinburgh Asian restaurants offer weekday lunch deals around £14-£15 — typically miso soup, rice, and 2 small main dishes. Worth seeking out by neighbourhood; particularly common in the New Town and University areas.
16. The Mosque Kitchen Annexe
The expanded sit-in version at the Newington branch. Same menu as the cafeteria, more comfortable seating.
Pricing: £8-£14.
17. Mums Edinburgh
Comfort-food café on Forrest Road. Hearty mains, big portions, friendly service. Famous for excellent vegetarian breakfasts.
Pricing: £10-£15.
Address: 4A Forrest Road.
Cheap Edinburgh Restaurants by Cuisine
Indian/Pakistani Budget
Mosque Kitchen, Pakora Bar, Mowgli. Plus various excellent local Indians (Punjabi Junction in Newington, Mother India’s Café on Infirmary Street).
Italian Budget
Franco Manca, Civerinos. For excellent pizza by the slice, look at Pizza Express’s lunch deals or Civerinos’ weekday specials.
Asian Budget
Ting Thai Caravan, Paz Tacos, various ramen places (Maki and Ramen near George Street).
French Budget
Chez Jules.
British / Scottish Budget
Edinburgh Larder (sandwiches and lunches), Loudons, Mums Edinburgh, Oink.
Vegetarian / Vegan Budget
Henderson’s, David Bann, Paradise Palms, Holy Cow Café (which is vegan-only).
Cheap Edinburgh Restaurants by Neighbourhood
Royal Mile / Old Town Cheap Eats
Oink (multiple branches), Edinburgh Larder, Henderson’s (Hanover Street), Pakora Bar Royal Mile, Civerinos Hunter Square.
New Town / George Street Cheap Eats
Tigerlily lunch deals, Mowgli (Hanover Street), Henderson’s (Hanover Street), various lunch deals.
South Side / University Cheap Eats
Mosque Kitchen, Ting Thai Caravan, Paradise Palms, various student-priced Indian and Pakistani restaurants.
West End Cheap Eats
Paz Tacos, Loudons, Chez Jules.
Stockbridge Cheap Eats
Franco Manca, Paz Tacos, the Stockbridge market on Sundays.
Leith Cheap Eats
Ocean Terminal food court, the Pier Place takeaway, various street-food vans.
Sample Edinburgh Day Under £30
Breakfast (8am): Pastry and coffee at the Milkman or Twelve Triangles. £5.
Lunch (1pm): Three-course lunch at Chez Jules. £12.90.
Afternoon snack (4pm): A pakora wrap from the Pakora Bar. £10.
Total: £27.90 for a day’s meals — and you’ve eaten well at three quite different venues.
Tips for Eating Cheaply in Edinburgh
Eat early. Lunch deals (£10-£15) are available at most non-budget restaurants from 12pm to 3pm. The same restaurants charge £25-£40 for the same dishes at dinner.
Order vegetarian. Vegetarian and vegan main courses are typically £2-£5 cheaper than meat equivalents.
Eat at the bar. Some Edinburgh restaurants serve smaller plates at the bar at lower prices than the main dining room.
Check pre-theatre menus. Most theatre-adjacent restaurants offer fixed-price pre-theatre menus (typically 5pm-7pm) at significant discounts.
Avoid the Royal Mile mid-day. Royal Mile sit-in restaurants charge premium prices. Walk one block off and prices drop 30-50%.
Use student-priced areas. The South Side and Tollcross areas have more budget options than the New Town or Old Town.
Self-catering helps. If you’re staying in apartment-style accommodation, breakfast at home and lunch out cuts daily costs in half.
For broader budget-Edinburgh advice see our Edinburgh on a budget pillar guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the cheapest restaurants in Edinburgh?
Mosque Kitchen (£6-£10) and Oink (£6-£8) are among Edinburgh’s cheapest sit-in restaurants. Multiple bakeries, sandwich shops, and takeaways offer meals under £8.
Where can I get a cheap meal under £15 in Edinburgh?
Chez Jules (£12.90 three-course lunch), Henderson’s, Civerinos, Franco Manca, Ting Thai Caravan, Paz Tacos, the Pakora Bar, Mowgli — all consistently deliver good meals under £15.
Is Edinburgh expensive for food?
Variable. Royal Mile sit-in restaurants are expensive (£25-£40 mid-range). Side-street and ethnic restaurants are reasonably priced (£8-£15). Budget chain options and street food are cheap (£5-£10). Edinburgh sits roughly between London and other UK cities for restaurant pricing.
What is the best cheap lunch deal in Edinburgh?
Chez Jules’ £12.90 three-course French bistro lunch is the most-recommended single deal. Multiple Asian restaurants offer £14-£15 weekday lunch sets. Most pre-theatre menus run £15-£25 for two courses.
Where do students eat cheaply in Edinburgh?
Mosque Kitchen, Ting Thai Caravan, Civerinos, Paradise Palms, the Pakora Bar — all student-priced. The South Side and Tollcross areas have the highest density of student-friendly cheap restaurants.
Are there cheap vegetarian restaurants in Edinburgh?
Yes. Henderson’s (Hanover Street), Holy Cow Café (vegan), David Bann (slightly more upmarket but still under £20), and Paradise Palms all serve vegetarian/vegan meals under £15.
What is Oink?
Oink is an Edinburgh hog-roast chain with multiple branches. They serve roasted pork in a soft white roll with apple sauce, haggis, or sage-and-onion stuffing — a satisfying meal for £6-£8. The Royal Mile branch is most convenient for tourists.
Where can I get cheap breakfast in Edinburgh?
Twelve Triangles (multiple branches), Edinburgh Larder, Loudons, Mums Edinburgh — all serve full breakfasts under £15. Pastry-and-coffee at any specialty café typically £4-£7.
Are Edinburgh’s cheap restaurants on the Royal Mile?
A few. Oink (Royal Mile branch), some Royal Mile sandwich shops, and the cheaper end of pub food. The best cheap restaurants are typically one block off the Mile — South Bridge, Bristo Place, Forrest Road, or in the Grassmarket.
Can I eat well in Edinburgh on £15 a day?
Tight but possible. Self-cater breakfast (£3-£5), eat lunch at a budget restaurant (£8-£12), have a takeaway snack for dinner (£2-£5). For more flexibility, budget £20-£25 per day for meals.
Final Thoughts
Cheap restaurants Edinburgh visitors find scattered through the South Side, Stockbridge, and the New Town backstreets — well off the Royal Mile and the high-priced tourist zones. Chez Jules for the best lunch deal. Mosque Kitchen for the cheapest cafeteria-style. Oink for the iconic roast roll. Franco Manca for pizza. Henderson’s for vegetarian. With a little planning, you can eat genuinely well in Edinburgh on a tight budget.
For more budget Edinburgh advice, see our Edinburgh on a budget pillar, our cafes on the Royal Mile piece, our cheap accommodation guide, and our pillar Edinburgh food guide.
