Edinburgh offers a lot of interesting eating experiences all year round. Because the weather’s temperate (never hot, never that cold) we also get markets all year round. This post is a quick round-up of places you can go to buy or eat food.
Sunhine on Leith Market.
The Pitt Market
Saturday 14.00-22.00 and Sunday 11.00-19.00 at 125 Pitt Street.
Open every weekend of the warmer half of the year, The Pitt is a street food and music venue. Go there with friends to hang out, eat good food, have a cocktail or two to the sound of local bands. The Pitt has expanded in the last year and now has a roofed seating section. Perfect for wet weekends. You can spend hours relaxing and grazing.
This weekend is a good time to go: they’re hosting the Scottish Street Food awards, supported by Hellman’s. Get tickets, go, eat, cast your vote.
A poke bowl of joy.
Stockbridge Market
Sunday 10.00-17.00 at Saunders Street.
A firm favourite with locals and people from further afield, Stockbridge Market gets busy. A mixture of street food and stands that sell food, ingredients or treats to take away, this is a fun and vibrant market. It takes over the square at Saunders Street and makes every Sunday a party. Go here for early lunch and to pick up something to enjoy later.
Edinburgh Farmer’s Market
Saturday 9.00-14.00 at Castle Terrace.
I have friends who go to Edinburgh’s Farmer’s Market every week for meat or vegetables. It’s a great place to source local, sustainable food, cheese and produce. There’s a coffee van but this is a market for shopping, not for grazing, so go with a re-usable bag (or two) and plan your week’s eating while you browse.
Leith Market
Saturday 10.00-16.00 at Dock Place.
A charming mixture of bread, cheese and soap, this bustling market has a large number or vegetarian and vegan friendly vendors. On a sunny day, it’s a fun and busy place to be. It’s positioned between Commercial Quay and the shore, perfectly situated between two areas of cafés and restaurants. This is a good place to stop and improve your environmental credentials on a leisurely afternoon walk.
Grassmarket Market
Saturday 10.00-17.00 on the central reservation of Grassmarket.
Markets don’t come much more central than this. The second Saturday market in the shadow of the castle, the Grassmarket hosts a market with a wide variety of traders. Here, you can pick up bread, cakes and candied nuts, fill your stomach with paella or arepas, or browse curiosities, books or records. Take visitors here to delight and surprise them, then continue with a more regular city showing-off.
Vegetarian gyoza – delicious consumed al fresco.
