EDINBURGH
- Becca Wilson
- Oct 23, 2017
- 5 min read
Morning! Sorry it's been quiet on the blog front, I have just got back from a week in Edinburgh. What a busy week - full of catching up with friends and family, and feeling very like a tourist. I loved pottering around the streets of Edinburgh again, soaking in the buzz. My week involved a visit to Edinburgh Zoo, a session at Urban Paintball, a wander down to the Stockbridge Market, a look around the National Museum and I even managed to fit in a Spa Day in Falkirk and a trip to Glasgow. I do love Edinburgh, especially in Autumn.
Now, food. As you may have seen in my last blog, I tried out a new recipe - baked leeks with a tarragon crumb. Have you tried it out? I promise it was easy to make and very memorable! I also had to make Red Pesto and Veggie Feijoada too as I'd mentioned it a couple times to my mum. As much as I love cooking, I was on holiday so I did want to enjoy a couple of lunches and dinners out. I briefly mentioned some of the places that I tried in my last blog, however, here is a more detailed lowdown on the places I went - some are new finds but some are my favourite places that I just had to revisit. I will share some of the GF veggie options that were available, but all of these places also have options for a more glutenous, carnivorous customer too. I hope my recommendations can help you if you find yourself in Edinburgh.
Las Iguanas, George Street - I have been here quite a few times. I have some fond memories at Las - I went there as part of my best friend's Hen party and also when I finished up with my last job. I started going there because I noticed they offered £3.29 cocktails - that's definitely going to pull customers in! Plus, there is a great buzz even if it's quiet. Their menu is unbelievable. They offer an additional Gluten Free menu and a Veggie menu. While deciding on a main, you can enjoy some crisp £3.25 tortilla chips with 3 types of salsa or you can create your own guacamole for £4.25 - I know, awesome eh?! I haven't tried their £3 brazilian cheese dough balls with chipotle butter yet but they sound inviting! They have 2 options for GF V taco planks - one halloumi based and one coconut based, one plank £7.95 and two planks £12.95. If you are in the mood for something a little more filling there is a coconut curry, a butternut squash or avocado salad, a veggie chilli or a cauliflower and corn quinoa risotto. I chose this dish both times I visited last week - the flavours are unreal and it is probably my favourite dish there to date. These dishes range from £8-£12 so very reasonable.
Salt Cafe, Morningside - I had visited Salt Cafe once before but just for some drinks. The cafe has such a warm, friendly atmosphere that I ended up eating there twice. The first time I enjoyed their goats cheese salad with radicchio, tomatoes, rocket and sunflower seeds for £9. You can opt to have it served on GF bread. They had a couple options and their daily soup tends to be veggie and GF. The second time I went, I shared a charcuterie and cheese board with my friends which was around a tenner. It was a fairly small board but it included 2 delicious cheeses, and they can usually give you GF bread.
Henris, Stockbridge - There are so many eateries in Stockbridge but I hadn't been to this little French spot before. They have a brilliant deli with a cheese counter and various French goods. In the cafe, you can order French cheeses and GF oatcakes. I had another salad with goats cheese because I just love the stuff. They have a few different salads for around £8 and they usually have a veggie GF soup. They had more meat options than veggie but the cosy atmosphere, the wines and the quality of the food is worth a visit.
Mimis Bakehouse, Corstorphine - I took a little trip to Corstorphine (where I lived for 10 years) for a coffee and cake refuel. Also, my mum and I needed a cake for a special occasion. They can create GF cakes and brownies for a party/wedding, ranging from £20-£70. When I visited, they had 2 GF brownies - bounty or raspberry. I tried their GF chocolate raspberry brownies. Now, one of my top bakes is this brownie so I was excited to compare. It was very light, moist and tasty - definitely on par with mine. Only £2.5 a slice aswell. They also have a range of GF breakfasts from £5-£7 including avocado toast or a breakfast toastie and lunches from £8-£10 including a chilli bowl or soup and sarnie. There is another Bakehouse in Leith.
Checkpoint, Bristo Place - I have been here twice. Both times I have tried one of their salads because their salads definitely shine on the menu. This time I ate their quinoa, roast butternut squash, walnuts and fried haloumi salad. It was very tasty but filling - I couldn't eat it all! There are 2 sizes available - a smaller portion for £4.5 or a larger portion for £7.5. You can choose from this combination or there is pineapple, avocado, cucumber, mint and chili, or watermelon, feta, basil and toasted seeds.
Origano, Leith Walk - I hadn't heard of this restaurant but was recommended by a friend. You can order a takeaway/delivery or book a table. I booked a table here for after a paintball session with my friends - pizza and wine was definitely needed! They had a 14" GF pizza base available for around £13 and plenty veggie topping options. I tried their 'Estiva' pizza which was topped with tomato, mozzarella, black olives, garlic, basil, rocket, santos tomatoes, baby mozzarella and pesto. It was really hard to choose which pizza to go for! The pizza was really tasty, however maybe I was unfortunate that night, but the pizza was a little hard to slice.
Three Birds, Viewforth - I hadn't heard of this place until my friend recommended that we go. It's a cute restaurant that may go unnoticed if you didn't know it was there. This restaurant definitely has a 'hygge' feel and the best thing about this place - dishes marked with a * can be made gluten free with minor adjustments but all other dishes are naturally gluten free unless stated! That is a first for me yay! There is always a veggie option as a special, however, I went for their roast summer squash with persian pistachio pesto, pomegranate, goats cheese, leek fritters and chive crème fraiche. It tasted like a Michelin star dish, yet the dish was only £12. They had a range of yummy desserts and you can also choose from a interesteing selection of Langshaw Farm ice creams - I just had to try their PB and J ice cream - wow!
Like I've said many a time, there are plenty GF veggie options out there now. It is rare if there isn't something I can eat and obviously when there are a few options it's even better! I hope that was helpful - if any of these places take your fancy, check out their menus to see what else they offer.
I will be cooking some more treats hopefully this week so keep posted.
Thanks x gf v x
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