8 best restaurants with Edinburgh Castle views

Must-try dishes: Royal lamb massaman — £28.95; tamarind roasted duck — £29.45; steamed dumplings — £9.95.

For one of the clearest restaurant views of Edinburgh Castle, head up to Chaophraya Edinburgh on Castle Street. The restaurant occupies the fourth floor, high enough to look across the rooftops toward the castle and, in the other direction, as far as the Firth of Forth. Large windows make the panorama part of the experience even in Scotland's unpredictable weather, while the rooftop terrace is the place to aim for on a clear day. Ask for a castle-facing table when booking.

The glamorous interior takes its inspiration from Thailand, and so does the menu. Chaophraya offers familiar Thai classics as well as more elaborate signature dishes. Here, you can indulge in tom yum, red curry tacos, hand-crafted prawn dumplings, or pan-seared Scottish king scallops with garlic-ginger chili. You also can't go wrong with large plates of Royal lamb massaman, tamarind roasted duck, battered sea bass fillets, or pad Thai with rice noodles and grilled marinated chicken.

Restaurant Guru has also recognized Chaophraya for its views.

Must-try dishes: Haggis cannonballs — £10; Beef Wellington for two — £85 (advance order required); dark chocolate cannonball — £11.

Chances are you won’t find many places in Edinburgh that pair such a close castle view with traditional Scottish dishes as well as Cannonball Restaurant & Bar. The restaurant occupies a 17th-century townhouse at the very top of the Royal Mile, right next door to the castle. Head to the top-floor dining room, where the double-height space and large windows open up views of the castle and Edinburgh's historic center.

The menu relies heavily on small Scottish producers: fish and shellfish are landed in Scottish harbors, while the restaurant uses Scottish grass-fed beef and lamb, along with vegetables from East Lothian and its own kitchen garden. The restaurant’s signature haggis cannonballs are served with pickled turnip and Glengoyne 12 whisky cream, while confit pork belly comes with Stornoway black pudding. Even dessert continues the theme: the dark chocolate cannonball comes with stem ginger and Scottish crème fraîche. Other good picks include lamb rump, battered Peterhead haddock, beef Wellington, and brown crab-crusted cod.

The restaurant's location is particularly convenient if you are visiting the castle, as the restaurant is just steps from the castle esplanade. Booking ahead is a good idea; just make sure to request a table with a castle view.

Must-try dishes: Holyrood pizza with haggis and smoked bacon — £16; beer-battered fish & chips — £18.50; beef brisket loaded fries — £9.50.

Cold Town House puts you almost directly beneath the imposing Edinburgh Castle. The restaurant’s best feature is its rooftop terrace where the fortress rises strikingly above the surrounding Old Town buildings. The outdoor space got a major makeover in 2026, including a new retractable roof, so rain does not have to mean giving up the view. Select the Rooftop Terrace specifically when booking — a regular table elsewhere in the building does not give you the same experience.

Cold Town House is much more casual than a typical restaurant with a landmark view. On the menu, you’ll find Neapolitan-style pizzas made in a custom wood-fired oven, and many are named after Edinburgh neighborhoods and landmarks, including Morningside, Leith, Newhaven, Calton Hill, and Holyrood. Holyrood is the most Scottish of the bunch, with a peppercorn sauce base, haggis, smoked bacon, cheddar, and Fior di Latte. Pub classics on the menu include burgers, loaded fries, hot honey-glazed chicken, and fish and chips made with haddock fried in Cold Town Beer batter.

Cold Town House also has an on-site microbrewery, where its own beer is brewed and experimental small-batch brews are tested before some move into wider production. You can drink the beer fresh from the tanks, and the brewery has even experimented with unusual releases such as Japanese lager and clementine witbier.

Price: 2-course tasting menu — £29

Whisky and Edinburgh Castle naturally belong in the same picture, and at 1820 Rooftop Bar you can enjoy both. Located at the top of the Johnnie Walker Princes Street experience, the bar looks across Edinburgh's skyline and the historic Old Town toward the castle, bringing them together in one wide city panorama.

1820 Rooftop Bar is first and foremost a cocktail bar, but the menu includes both small and large plates. Options include trout tartare, pork belly skewers, sea bream crudo, and whipped cod roe. The kitchen is led by Scott Smith of Blank Plate Creative, with an ever-changing selection of sharing plates based on what is in season.

The cocktail menu naturally makes extensive use of Scotch whisky, including different Johnnie Walker expressions, but the bartenders also draw inspiration from places far beyond Scotland. The current Walk Around the World concept takes ideas from destinations ranging from Tokyo to Manila and combines them with Scottish ingredients and spirits. Booking ahead is recommended, and reservations can be made up to three months in advance. A £5 deposit per person confirms the booking and comes off the bill. If you want to sit outside, mention the terrace when booking, but keep in mind that outdoor tables cannot be guaranteed and are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis depending on the weather.

Must-try dishes: Cullen skink — £13; haggis, neeps & tatties — £11; 10 oz. ribeye steak — £38.

For the classic view of Edinburgh Castle, Twenty Princes Street is hard to beat. Located on the first floor of Hotel Indigo, opposite Waverley Station, the restaurant looks across the city toward the Old Town, with the castle rising prominently above it. Tall windows bring the Edinburgh skyline into the elegant dining room, so try to request a window table with a castle view when booking.

The menu has a strong Scottish identity, featuring Cullen skink, made with smoked haddock, venison carpaccio, and haggis, neeps & tatties, served here as a bonbon with mash and whisky sauce. Steaks are also one of the restaurant's specialties. The kitchen uses locally sourced, grass-fed Scottish beef, with cuts cooked over a Josper grill. Ribeye is a solid choice if you want to keep the meal simple, while seafood dishes like Cumbrae oysters, Scottish scallop and langoustine, and roast cod broaden the menu beyond meat.

Twenty Princes Street is also worth considering during the day. Its afternoon tea is served with views of Edinburgh Castle and currently costs £80 for two, while Sunday lunch includes classics such as roast beef striploin with all the trimmings.

Must-try dishes: Macsween haggis bon bons — £8.50; Scottish lamb croquette — £26; beer-battered haddock — £22.

One Square at the Sheraton Grand Hotel is another great place to enjoy Scottish food and a view of the castle. The best reason to come here is the lovely Taittinger Terrace. This refreshed outdoor space has the castle as its backdrop, with heaters and blankets for chillier evenings. When booking, ask specifically for a table overlooking Edinburgh Castle or for the Taittinger Terrace, as the view is not identical from every part of the restaurant.

The menus at One Square change throughout the year and have plenty of recognizably Scottish ingredients. Be sure to try Macsween haggis bon bons with smoked pear ketchup, duck and haggis hash, Scottish lamb croquette with rosemary jus, or beer-battered haddock. You also can’t go wrong with grill dishes: ribeye, rump, and fillet steaks and sauces such as whisky peppercorn cream. The dessert menu brings in more Scottish touches: crème brûlée is paired with Highland shortbread, and the sticky toffee pudding comes with clotted cream ice cream and treacle sauce.

Drinks have a particularly strong sense of place. The Four Corners of Scotland cocktail menu takes inspiration from different Scottish regions and makes extensive use of local spirits and flavors. One Square even has its own small-batch gin, produced with Pickering’s Gin at Edinburgh's Summerhall Distillery and made with more than 15 botanicals from around the world.

Must-try dishes: Catalan fish stew — £11.40; steak frites — £12.20; roast whole lobster — £38.70.

You might walk straight past The Outsider without guessing that its large rear windows frame an excellent view of Edinburgh Castle. The atmosphere here is informal and lively rather than luxurious, with high ceilings, simple interiors, and plenty of bustle when the restaurant fills up.

The Outsider also stands out for its prices, particularly at lunchtime. From 12 pm to 5 pm, the menu offers dishes such as steak frites, pan-fried coley, steamed mussels, and Catalan fish stew with coley, trout, mussels, saffron, toasted almonds, and squid-ink aioli at unusually reasonable prices for such a central Edinburgh location. At dinner, the selection expands to Scottish sea trout, steamed langoustines, mussels, or a whole roast lobster, while meat options range from pork loin to 35-day-aged Scottish steaks. Bookings are made by phone.

Must-try dishes: Samba Edinburgh roll — £24; moqueca mista — £35; black cod — £40.

If you aren’t set on pairing your Edinburgh Castle view with traditional Scottish fare, SUSHISAMBA Edinburgh offers a very different approach. Located on the 10th floor of W Edinburgh, the restaurant opens onto a wide panorama of the city, while offering a range of international dishes, mostly from Japanese, Brazilian, and Peruvian cuisines.

Sushi and seviche sit alongside options cooked over the Japanese robata grill and larger Brazilian-inspired plates. One dish made specifically for this location is Samba Edinburgh roll, with whisky-cured salmon, snow crab, avocado, oshinko, tempura flakes, and whisky mayo. Other tempting choices include moqueca mista, a Brazilian-style seafood stew packed with shrimp, squid, sea bass, mussels, and clams in coconut milk, and black cod with Peruvian asparagus and miso. Meat eaters have plenty to pick from too, including pork belly anticuchos, robata lamb chops, short ribs, and churrasco with ribeye, chorizo, and filet mignon.

The dining room itself is hard to miss, with SUSHISAMBA's signature tree sculpture, an open kitchen, and a fiery robata grill adding to the lively atmosphere. For the best combination of food and scenery, request a table with a castle view or ask about terrace seating when booking. Access is from level 4 of St James Quarter.

Still planning your time in the Scottish capital? Start the morning with our guide to traditional Scottish breakfasts, or explore classic local dishes beyond haggis. For more restaurant ideas, check out our selection of Bib Gourmand spots. And if you want to explore between meals, see our picks for things to do in Edinburgh or use our weekend itinerary to combine the city’s sights with good places to eat.