The Doric

International reviewer: The Doric is a must do pub/restaurant in Edinburgh's old town. Just a short walk down from the castle, it's a great place for a meal during the day or in the evening after you've been seeing the sights. Great staff, food and drinks. You will need to book if you want a meal as it's popular for a reason. Cozy in winter, you can get a cute view from the second floor restaurant while you munch. Price wise it's all very reasonable, but be warned a main will be enough for most normal eaters (the starters are delicious but unless you're a big eater a main and a starter may be too much). This is important because the desert menu is delicious (see, sticky toffee pudding) and you'll want to have room for it. You have a great range of local and imported drinks - we appreciated the local ales they had available at the time. They can also fix you most spirits and even have a delicious cocktail range. Specials rotate daily so they're always worth a look. We'll be back on our next trip for sure.

+1

Hired the upstairs restaurant for a private corporate event. Staff were excellent, the food was delicious and despite us having 50 people there, the service was perfect. Thoroughly recommend this as a venue, and very handy for the station too!

We stopped here based on a recommendation from a friend. It was fantastic! The food was delicious and gave us a taste of Scottish food. The haggis had good flavors and was tasty. The Shepard's pie had a lot of meat and nice sauce. We made reservations and our table was ready on arrival. The restaurant is on the second floor with a bar on the ground level. I didn't see parking near by. There isn't a handicap accessible entrance. No elevator to the second floor. I wouldn't recommend it for people that can't walk up a flight of stairs. Otherwise it was a great dinner experience.

We booked online in a few minutes and arrived there the staff was very nice. They had found a place near the window for us and ask to the chef to divide into two one portion of Cullen Skink, thank you! Haggis and Fish and Chips completed our dinner, the fish was a little bit too oily but tasted good. The location is old style and I like it’s still there the original gastropub spirit.

I went in for an early dinner/late lunch. It was my first time trying haggis — it was alright. I also tried their sticky toffee pudding, which was delicious, though I’d suggest sharing it between two people as it’s quite a lot for one! I plan to come back again to try more dishes. Generous portions and lovely, attentive staff!

I found this charming tavern via a Google search for best shepherd's pie in Edinburgh which is exactly what my husband ordered. I had the heirloom tomato salad and salmon. The salad was hands down the best thing I have eaten this entire trip. The salmon was cooked perfectly with crispy skin! We ended our meal with a warm and very sticky and delicious toffee pudding. Service was very good and the atmosphere was quaint and warm. My husband and I agree that while we have had some fabulous meals in beautiful Edinburgh, this was definitely our favorite.

+3

The Doric has the most tastiest food. I have been blown away by a flavourful menu. I suggest you try their homemade lentil pie (marinatied lentils in red wine for over 12 hours) the burgers, done very beautifully, the Cullen skink chowder soup, haggis Bon Bons, too many others to suggest. Just well cooked beautifully seasoned tastiest food. I don’t say that often. A real gem of a find in Edinburgh, very near to Waverley Station. Come here on your visit, you won’t be disappointed by the friendly service from Staff too. Plus a substantial malt whiskey menu and array of wines and beer👌

A charming spot with a great local atmosphere. The fish & chips and haggis "bonbons" are definitely must-tries!

We had a few days in Edinburgh and were intentional about trying different places for each meal. We visited Doric twice! The duck dish was delicious, tender and a large portion of food. The cider on draft was delightful. Their cullen skink was one of my favorites!

Our favourite pub in Edinburgh. Just like everything you’d expect to have in a Scottish pub. And the dining room upstairs as a real treat!

Cozy pub with character, friendly service, and delicious food What a great find! This pub has real charm — a warm and cozy interior with authentic details that immediately set the mood. You can genuinely feel that you’re in the oldest gastro pub in the city, and in the best possible way — full of character and history. The staff were fantastic: super friendly, helpful, and everything was served quickly with a smile. You feel welcome right away. And the food… absolutely delicious! The shepherd’s pie was full of flavour and perfectly hearty. The haggis balls starter was a surprising highlight — definitely worth trying. And don’t miss the sticky toffee pudding for dessert — simply amazing. It’s a popular spot, so it’s definitely a good idea to book a table in advance. A place you’d happily come back to — for the atmosphere, the people, and the food. Highly recommended!

My parter and I really fancied good Sunday's rost. I ordered this amazing lentil pie. Worth checking out. Definitely coming back once we are again in the city.

such tasty tasty food!!! the mussels were the best I've ever had. seriously stunning. I would say the haggis was my least favourite, perhaps there are places that do it better but the pasta, sticky toffee pudding and the shepherd's pie were all absolutely amazing. can't stop thinking about those mussels, so fresh and perfectly seasoned. 😍

This is a fantastic restaurant in Edinburgh, easily accessible from the train station. My wife and I came here twice in four days! We tried the Cullen Skink, Sunday Roast, Duck, and fancy chips and thought they were all quite good (especially the Duck and Cullen Skink). There’s an extensive list of beer/whisky/wine available, which can make for a fun evening.

On our first evening in Edinburgh we were looking for a place to eat. We were quite early on a Friday evening so even though we had no reservations we were still able to get a table. The staff was super friendly and the service was quick. We had the Shepherd’s Pie and the Salmon as well as the Sticky Toffee Pudding and everything tasted amazing. Would definitely recommend this place

This was the highlight food experience of our London and Scotland trip in September. My boyfriend (now husband) recommended Doric because he had eaten the best Haggis and Sticky Toffee Pudding on his trip to Scotland a few years ago. I made a reservation for a weekend evening about a month in advance. We were seated immediately in a delightful little nook of the top floor of the restaurant. They were very clear that the food will take time because everything is made from scratch and fresh, but we were prepared for that. We ordered a wine and a whiskey and a cheese plate to go with that. The alcohols were great but the cheese plate was a little blah in comparison to the food that was forthcoming. For food, we ordered the Haggis (obviously), the Shepherd's pie and the Sticky Toffee Pudding. The Haggis was the star. The best Haggis I've had in my 3 days in Scotland (and I had Haggis everywhere I went). The meat was delicious, the turnips were scrumptious and the potatoes were so creamy! The icing on the cake was the sauce which blended everything together in a mouthwatering morsel that just got all my taste buds singing. The shepherd's pie was also very very very good!! In fact, when we ate leftovers a day later, the minced meat and peas from the shepherd's pie with the potato had accumulated even more flavor. The Sticky toffee pudding was perfect - sticky, not too sweet, warm and so comforting! This was an excellent meal and I will come back here every single time I am in Edinburgh!

+6

The food here was incredible. We had the lamb and the fish and chips, and finished with the sticky toffee pudding. Everything was delicious, perfectly cooked and beautifully plated.

A most excellent pub. Staying at the Market Street Hotel just down the street. I wandered in and had a delightful experience with a young serving staff from Australia. The delicious Cullen Skink and tasty side of veg--crispy and tasty broccoli, carrots, and green beans--was just the right portions to save room for the important stuff, what we in the U.S. call dessert but which I know from all my books by British authors and all the British telly I watch is known as pudding: Sticky Toffee Pudding. Will return!

Excellent experience! Nice and traditional atmosphere and great food. The mussels and haggis appetizers were delicious, the mains: Lamb dish, prawns and chorizo, fish and chips were wonderful and the service was fast and friendly! Highly recommended 😀

We enjoyed our meal and experience here! We didn’t have a booking but the staff managed to find us a table. Would recommend booking though as shortly after we arrived, people were turned away. Staff were very friendly and attentive. Has a nice cosy and traditional atmosphere to it. The chicken burger and vegetarian lentil pie were both delicious!

I was in Edinburgh over a year ago on my honeymoon and ended up here after getting caught in a torrential down pour. I have spent every day since dreaming of the Shepards pie and haggis chips. If I ever make it back to Scotland this place will be one of my first stops.

Short walk from our hotel. Exactly what we were looking for. Food was great. Had the fish and chips, mussels, and salad. Definitely want to make reservations ahead of time.

No need to wander far from the train station n airport bus stop, or the Royal Mile for that matter, for a real pub, a proper cask ale and a real bowl of Cullen Skink to start things off. Great food and great service in an authentic traditional pub setting. Edinburgh at its finest!

Best fish and chips in town! The staff’s super friendly, tje atmosphere is top and the wild mushrooms and the fish and chips is a MUST. I’ll pop in again for sure. A must go ehile in Edimburgh

Had my last meal of Edinburgh here. It’s worth the splurge if you want one great meal. That beef was so tender 😩👌 I don’t even like sweets but that Creme brûlée was so good, I could have licked my plate.

Would recommend booking on a weekend, we walked in and managed to get a table but had to wait half an hr, there's a bar downstairs your can wait in but it was full too. Food was nice and service was quick. Have a selection of Scottish food really enjoyed it

The best Cullen Skink - my husband and I’ve been obsessed with Cullen skink, we’ve been pub-hopping & tasted over eight Cullen skink in town and this is the best place ever believe me . And other Amazing food and service in Edinburgh ❤️❤️❤️

Great Shepherd’s pie and the sticky toffee is truly to die for! Staff is super friendly and their service is excellent. Next time I’m in Edinburgh I’ll come again.

We went here on the recommendation of having ‘Best Sticky Toffee Pudding in Edinburgh’ and to be fair, they were correct! It was amazing! The staff are so friendly, especially Kristina. I highly recommend this pub!

Waitresses were extremely helpful with our questions and requests. Food was so delicious and we enjoyed the environment very much. Thank you for the experience and helping us with our questions

I don't know why this restaurant only has a 4.4 star rating. It's great!!! We've rarely eaten so well. We would definitely recommend it.

Blue cheese burger was delicious and great value! Soup of the day was basil and tomato and you could tell it was home made. Really lovely place overall :)

Lovely restaurant, but put a little bit more attention to the food. The fries were overcooked The fish was good And I missed a little bit of decoration. Decorate the plates a little more excitingly. Friendly staff. That's why I haven't taken any photos of the food.

The Shepard’s pie was good! I personally wasn’t a huge fan of the Haggis Neeps and Tattis (flavor-wise and visually), but that was my first time trying that iconic dish so it’s likely not on the bar. This spot gets crowded, so get reservations if you can otherwise come early!

+3

Definitely a highlight of my edinburgh food experience. I enjoyed the cullen skink, I was very surprised by the delicous autumn salad- very good and I ate a scoop of gluten free apricot ice cream. I highly recommend this place if you are in town.

Expectations were overall maybe a bit too high but the salmon and especially its sauce really blew us away. Haggis balls also good.

A really nice dinner in one of the oldest pubs in Edinburgh. The haggis were super tasty, as the lentil pie. Great beer selection. Gluten free options.

We came in to try some traditional Scottish food and enjoyed the haggis and shepherd's pie. While the food was delicious, the service was quick, and the ambiance was pleasant, the 10% service charge for a party of two on top of higher-than-average prices left a bad taste for us.

The food is good but at that price point I expect a little better and also better service. The fish was good, great flavor, crunchy on top, but unfortunately very greasy and soggy on the bottom. First time trying haggis and I liked it. Shepherds pie was also good. Good thyme flavor. Service wasn't great. Our table of four ran out of water mid meal. Would have asked for more if our server had walked by. Not once did she even walk by our table after we received our food so I also wasn't able to ask for more tartar sauce or ketchup for my chips. Overall, it was just okay.

The food was good however the experience left a lot to be desired… I’m not sure why but they wanted to sit us in a separate area on the worst table/ spot when there were so many other tables with a lovely window view- and it was still very early in the evening so it wasn’t even busy? We had asked if we could sit in the other area where the people were and got moved to the “only other option” in the middle while all there were tables along the window without anyone sitting there until we left! Most places with bookings would say “You can sit here but we need it back by xx”. Also they lit a candle for every table except our table- it was just so weird! They also didn’t ask if we wanted dessert so after a long time my daughter asked if she could have her scoop of ice cream from the kids menu.. It was as though everyone else had paid more money for a better experience or something.!! Ultimately, it’s the small things that really make a dining experience and this was a total miss for us unfortunately- my daughter and I felt invisible!