Haggis, which consists of sheep’s or calf’s offal with suet, oatmeal, and seasoning, is a delicious, typically Scottish food. Here are the best places to enjoy it in Edinburgh.
Anyone who has been to Edinburgh has seen the Balmoral Hotel with its imposing grey stone façade, staring down on passers-by as they walk on Princes Street. If you have always wanted a chance to enter, Hadrian’s is the perfect opportunity, offering a relatively inexpensive experience despite being located in a five-star hotel. The traditional haggis, neeps (turnips), and tatties (potatoes) with whisky cream is good value for money. The experience as a whole may be more classy than traditional, but with an executive chef that has held a Michelin Star for 12 years, you know it will be delicious.
It would be impossible to talk about traditional Scottish food in Edinburgh without mentioning the Royal Mile, the area from Holyrood Palace to Edinburgh Castle crowded with all manner of Scottish stores and restaurants. Relatively new for Edinburgh pubs, the Royal McGregor has established itself over its ten years as a friendly, comfortable place to catch a meal. Its haggis options are particularly enticing. As a starter, there are haggis fritters with sweet chilli and honey dressing, and for a main course, you can try the Highland burger with haggis and whisky sauce.
Another pub on the Royal Mile, near the Royal McGregor, is the Whiski Bar. This warm and friendly pub is filled with live music every evening. Its mission is to be as Scottish as possible, something reflected in the local, fresh ingredients. The Whiski Bar offers a haggis stack as a starter and a haggis tower—the traditional haggis, neeps and tatties. Its slightly higher prices reflect a true dedication to quality. Complete your meal with a glass of whisky.
The Arcade Bar‘s specialities are Scotland’s most famous products: haggis and whisky. The perfect combination of the two is Robert Burn’s Famous Haggis, which is a delicious tower of haggis, neeps, and tatties drenched in a delectable whisky sauce. The haggis options do not end there, though: Princess Diana Style Haggis is the same as Robert Burn’s haggis, but with a specially made-to-order cream sauce that infused with tomatoes, onions, and Drambuie. If you happen to pop by at breakfast, not dinner, fear not: the Scottish breakfast option includes haggis, along with bacon, sausage, hash browns, mushrooms, beans, eggs, tomatoes, and crispy toasts.
Sir Walter Scott Tea Room is tucked away on the third floor of a Scottish gift shop called Romanes and Paterson’s. The staff displays an endearing Scottish friendliness (dressed all in tartan), the food is fresh and made-to-order, and there is a splendid view from the window of Princess St. Gardens and the Castle. Like everything else, the haggis in this lovely restaurant is fresh and delicious, and can be found in the Scottish breakfast as well as in the MacSween’s haggis with oatcakes.
Named after the last hanging to take place in the Grassmarket, The Last Drop is one of Edinburgh’s spookier pubs. It is known for the ghost dressed as a medieval girl that supposedly haunts the premises and for its excellent Scottish pub fare, all set in this now charming area. This pub is a haggis-lover’s paradise, offering haggis, neeps, and tatties as a starter, entrée , and even as a vegetarian option.
Bert’s Bar is one of the liveliest places to enjoy some Scottish fare. During sports season, especially rugby, it is bursting with people. The menu offers delicious haggis in creative ways such as haggis bites with mustard mayo and best of all, as part of one of Bert’s Bar’s famous pies. The pies are served with chips or mash, peas or beans, and gravy on the side.
This traditional pub is named after an Edinburgh Skye Terrier called Bobby, who spent 14 years faithfully watching over his master’s grave when his master died in 1858. The loyal pup was commemorated with a statue and this friendly pub. Greyfriars Bobby’s Bar’s dedication to high quality, excellent food is just as steadfast as the pup’s dedication to his master. Haggis can be found in the classic haggis, neeps, and tatties both as a starter and as an entrée, available for vegetarians too.
Winner of numerous awards and recognitions, Wedgwood the Restaurant has established itself as one of the best places for fine dining in Edinburgh. While its prices are on the higher end, they are quite reasonable considering the high quality dishes. The restaurant is known for using the finest, freshest, and often most unique ingredients. Haggis features in many different forms on the menu; you can try it as part of the venison dish, which has creamed leeks, beetroot, truffle jus, and basil pesto. Less of a traditional Scottish pub, Wedgwood the Restaurant offers you a fine dining experience without any pretentiousness.
The White Hart, a place where Oliver Cromwell, William Wordsworth, and Robert Burns have dined, is one of the liveliest and friendliest pubs in Edinburgh, with live music every night. Top quality haggis is served in a form to suit everyone’s taste, with vegetarian options available too.
The Balmoral Hotel © Lawrence Murray
