Lunch Just Off the Royal Mile: Why Stepping Away from the Crowds Is Worth It

By Edinburgh Larder – July 22, 2026

The Royal Mile is one of Edinburgh’s most famous streets — packed with history, stunning architecture, and thousands of visitors every day. It’s an essential part of any trip to the city. But when lunchtime arrives, the main thoroughfare can feel overwhelming. Long queues, busy restaurants, and limited tables often turn a simple meal into a stressful experience.

That’s why many people who know the city well choose to step just a short distance off the Royal Mile for lunch. A quieter street, a more relaxed atmosphere, and better food are often only a minute or two away.

The Royal Mile runs from Edinburgh Castle down to the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Along its length you’ll find plenty of places to eat, but many of them cater primarily to high volumes of tourists. This can mean:

• Long waiting times, especially between 12pm and 2pm
• Higher prices for average food
• Noisy, crowded dining rooms
• Limited focus on local or seasonal ingredients

While some excellent restaurants do exist on the Mile itself, the sheer number of people can make a relaxed lunch difficult.

The idea slowly gained popularity, first among the upper classes and later more widely. By the mid-20th century, brunch had become established in America and then returned to Britain in various forms. In Scotland, the concept took longer to take root as a distinct café culture, but when it did, it found particularly fertile ground.

Blackfriars Street sits only a short walk from the Royal Mile, right in the heart of the Old Town. It offers the same convenient location for sightseeing but without the constant foot traffic of the main street. This small change in setting makes a noticeable difference:

• Easier to get a table
• A calmer atmosphere
• More space to enjoy your meal
• A stronger focus on quality rather than volume

For anyone exploring Edinburgh Castle, the Old Town, or the lower Royal Mile, Blackfriars Street is still extremely central — yet it feels like a welcome break from the crowds.

Edinburgh Larder has been serving food on Blackfriars Street since 2009. The café is often described as a hidden gem precisely because it sits just off the main tourist route. Visitors can reach it in under 30 seconds from the Royal Mile, yet once inside they find a relaxed, independent café focused on Scottish ingredients and careful cooking.

Lunch is available from 12pm and includes a dedicated lunch menu as well as popular all-day dishes. Current lunch options include:

• Coronation chicken sandwich with pickled red onion and beefsteak tomato
• Belhaven cold-smoked sea trout sandwich with dill-pickled cucumber and lemon & herb cream cheese
• Roasted harissa aubergine sandwich with spring pea hummus and pickled red cabbage (vegetarian)
• Taste of Scotland plate featuring smoked sea trout, honey-roasted ham, Scottish cheeses, oatcakes and accompaniments
• Today’s soup served with bread, salad, or as a cup with a sandwich

Many of the café’s well-known all-day dishes — such as the Hash with smoked sea trout, Eggs Benedict, Eggs Royale, and the Full Scottish or Veggie Breakfast — are also available during lunch service.

Everything is cooked to order using ingredients from trusted Scottish suppliers. The result is food that tastes fresh and distinctly local, rather than designed purely for high tourist turnover.

Practical Tips for Lunch Near the Royal Mile

• Timing: Aim for just after 12pm or after 1:30pm if you want a quieter experience.
• Reservations: Edinburgh Larder accepts online bookings for 1-hour slots, which is especially useful at weekends.
• Walking distance: Blackfriars Street is only a short stroll from key points on the Royal Mile, making it easy to fit into a sightseeing day.
• Dietary needs: Vegetarian and vegan options are clearly available, and staff can advise on allergies.

Lunch on the Royal Mile doesn’t have to mean fighting through crowds or settling for average food. By stepping just a few metres off the main street onto Blackfriars Street, you can enjoy a calmer setting, better ingredients, and a more enjoyable meal — all while remaining right in the heart of Edinburgh’s historic centre.

Edinburgh Larder continues to offer exactly that combination: convenient location, quality Scottish food, and a relaxed atmosphere just off the Royal Mile.