Where @itspippa’s Eating This Autumn: Her Top 5 Edinburgh Food Spots
Edinburgh’s Cosy Autumn Food Guide with @itspippa
As the nights get longer and the air turns crisp, Edinburgh’s food scene takes on a whole new charm. From candlelit dinners to flaky pastries by the water, autumn is the perfect excuse to explore the city’s restaurants and cafés. To help us curate this food guide, we teamed up with lifestyle and travel creator @itspippa, whose recommendations are always spot on!
I’m not one to wish the summer away, but I can’t deny I’ve been daydreaming about crisp walks, cardigans that double as coats, and the first excuse to put on stompy wet weather appropriate boots. As the nights begin to draw in, so does my appetite for meals that feel like a hug – flickering candles, deep flavours, and somewhere you could happily settle in for hours. There are so many places in Edinburgh I could recommend for this time of year, but I’ve whittled it down to five favourites that feel particularly perfect for autumn. Think comfort, warmth, and a little bit of magic. If you’re after more, you’ll find plenty over on my Instagram @itspippa – but this is a good place to start.
The Free Company
A proper farm-to-fork spot out in Balerno – and totally worth the trip. You can hop on the 44 bus and walk up the lane if you’re car-less, which somehow adds to the feeling that you’ve escaped the city for the day. It’s one of my favourite places to feel the seasons shift, with ingredients sourced straight from their fields and menus that reflect what’s at its best. I love coming here with a group for a long, lazy weekend lunch – ideally with a Pentlands walk before or after – and sharing everything. Top tip: double up on the smoked sourdough with whipped honey butter.
Tucked away in Balerno, The Free Company feels more like being welcomed to someone’s home than a typical restaurant. Guests are guided through six courses that start with nibbles in the garden before moving into their cosy converted milking byre for heartier plates. The atmosphere is relaxed and communal – perfect if you like chatting to fellow diners or asking the team about what’s on your plate. There’s also a small bar with sustainable wines, local beers, and even cocktails made with foraged ingredients.
Location: Balerno, 10 miles southwest of Edinburgh (reachable by bus 44)
Price range: Around £40–£50 per person (six-course menu)
Opening hours: Thu–Sun (lunch and dinner sittings; closed Mon–Wed)
Stockbridge Eating House
Tucked along St Stephen Street – which happens to be one of my all-time favourite streets in Edinburgh – this little restaurant feels like it was made for darker nights. Chalkboard menus, soft candlelight, beautifully cooked food, and that effortlessly chic-but-unfussy vibe that makes you want to stay for one more glass. Their set lunch during the week is a total steal at £14.95, but dinner’s where it really shines!
This neighbourhood spot is all about unfussy food done really well. Think hearty plates built around local ingredients, with a daily-changing menu that keeps things interesting (you’ll find the latest posted on their Instagram). Stockbridge Eating House has a mix of communal tables and smaller ones tucked away, with the front left open for walk-ins. Whether you’re dropping in for a simple weekday lunch or settling in with friends for supper and a bottle of wine, it has the kind of easy charm that makes you want to linger.
Location: St Stephen Street, Stockbridge
Price range: Lunch set menu from £14.95; dinner mains around £16–£24
Opening hours: Lunch Thu–Sat 12pm–2pm; Supper Wed–Sat 5pm–10pm; closed Sun–Tue
Bacco Wine
Part bottle shop, part wine bar – and now with some of the best fresh pasta in the city thanks to The Artisan Pasta Maker next door. You can sit in and mix and match between filled tortellini, ribbons of ragu-soaked tagliatelle, or whatever else they’ve got on that week. I’d strongly advise leaving room for dessert – their tiramisu is the best I’ve had in Edinburgh (and I don’t say that lightly).
On quiet Dundas Street, Bacco has the kind of glow that immediately draws you in on a dark evening. Inside, it’s cosy and candlelit, with shelves of bottles lining the walls and a friendly buzz that makes it as good for a solo glass as it is for a catch-up over pasta. The focus here is Italian wines, with the team always happy to recommend something new to try – whether that’s a crisp aperitivo or a bottle to share. Pair it with fresh pasta from their neighbour, The Artisan Pasta Maker, and you’ve got one of the city’s most comforting food-and-drink combos.
Location: 81 Dundas Street, New Town
Price range: Pasta £12–£18; wines by the glass from £6, bottles from £25+
Opening hours: Tue–Thu 5pm–12am; Fri 5pm–1am; Sat 12pm–1am; Sun 12pm–12am; closed Mon
Ardfern
This Leith spot is from Roberta Hall-McCarron (of The Little Chartroom and Eleanore fame) but has a much more casual feel – it’s become my go-to for everything from breakfast (do not skip the hash browns) to small plates and wine come evening. Their smash burger is a strong order, and the Sunday roast is high on my hit list. Perfect when you want brilliant food in a relaxed setting.
Ardfern is the third opening from Roberta Hall-McCarron and her team, but it’s by far the most laid-back. Part café, part bar, part bottle shop, it’s the sort of place that works just as well for a morning coffee and brunch as it does for evening cocktails or a Sunday roast. The wine list is huge (over 100 bottles, all available to drink in or take home), and the menu keeps things relaxed with brunch plates, bar snacks, and a casual evening menu. With dogs welcome, walk-ins encouraged, and shelves lined with wine to browse, it's a neighbourhood hangout you’ll keep returning to.
Location: Bonnington Road, Leith
Price range: Brunch £8–£17; evening meals around £10–£18; Sunday roast from £26
Opening hours (café & bar): Mon–Sat 9am–late; Sun 9am–7pm
Bottle shop: Mon–Sat 10am–10pm; Sun 10am–7pm
Dune Bakery
If your perfect autumn morning includes a coastal walk and a really good pastry, South Queensferry’s Dune is the place. Their laminated pastries are reason enough to make the trip – flaky, buttery, and exactly what you want in hand while strolling along the waterfront. There are a few seats inside, but I prefer to take mine to-go and soak up the views.
Perched on South Queensferry’s High Street, Dune has quickly earned a reputation for pastries that are as beautiful as they are indulgent – including their much-talked-about giant croissants. The counter is packed with flaky classics alongside plenty of plant-based options, but it’s best to get there early if you want the widest choice, as favourites often sell out before lunch. The space itself is small and bright, ideal for a quick coffee stop, but many people grab their pastries to go and enjoy them by the waterfront with views of the Forth bridges.
Location: High Street, South Queensferry
Opening hours: Mon, Thu–Sun 9am–3pm (closed Tue & Wed)
Good to know: Best selection between 9–10:30am; plenty of plant-based options available
That’s my cosy-weather shortlist – for now. Whether you’re after a bracing morning walk and a croissant, or a candlelit dinner with friends, I hope this gives you some inspiration for the season ahead. You can find more Edinburgh food guides and up-to-date recommendations over on Instagram @itspippa!
From a countryside escape in Balerno to pastries worth queuing for in South Queensferry, these five picks capture everything that makes autumn in Edinburgh feel special: warmth, comfort, and food that lingers in your memory. Whether you’re looking for a relaxed brunch, a wine-fuelled evening with friends, or a Sunday roast to round off the weekend, you’ll find it here. And if you’re hungry for more, make sure to follow @itspippa for her latest food finds and seasonal recommendations. Food Food Food Food Food Food Food Food Food Food Food Food Food Food Food Food Food Food Food Food
Pippa Perriam (@itspippa)
I’m an Edinburgh-based lifestyle and travel creator, sharing the best of restaurants, travel destinations and style to my audience of nearly 200,000 across Instagram, TikTok, and Substack. I connect with my audience through authentic recommendations, candid storytelling, and visually engaging content.
Click here for Pippa's website to learn more.
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