Food
Best Cheap Eats in Edinburgh for Curries, Pizza and Big Sandwiches
Guide: Curries, Hot Rolls & Proper Budget Lunches
Edinburgh’s good-value food is strongest when it stays specific: Punjabi street food, Thai canteen cooking, hot roast rolls, Neapolitan pizza and locally sourced breakfast. These ten places balance price with real character and useful branch-level hours.
- TING THAI Teviot PlaceTING THAI grew from a 2012 festival pop-up into a busy canteen for Thai noodles, curries and small plates cooked fast by a largely Thai kitchen team. Expect a queue at peak times and close-set tables; turnover is brisk enough that waiting usually beats planning around it.
- Oink Victoria StreetOink does one thing plainly: rolls filled with hot Scottish hog roast, crackling, sauce and optional haggis stuffing. The Victoria Street counter is tiny and shuts when the day’s pork sells out, so it works best as an early lunch rather than a late-afternoon certainty.
- The Mosque KitchenThe Nicolson Square canteen serves substantial plates of curry, rice, kebabs and vegetable dishes with little ceremony and fast counter service. Portions and prices are the point; the dining room is functional, busy and much better suited to appetite than lingering.
- Snax CafeSnax is a no-frills breakfast café for filled rolls, fry-ups, baked potatoes and mugs of tea at prices that feel increasingly rare in central Edinburgh. The West Register Street branch opens early, fills quickly and favors speed over atmosphere.
- Pizza PostoPizza Posto turns slow-risen multicereal dough into blistered Neapolitan pies in a clay oven, keeping the menu direct and the pricing accessible. The large room suits groups better than many Old Town pizza counters, though pre-theatre periods can be hectic.
- Chez JulesChez Jules packs tables tightly for mussels, steak-frites, pâté and generous French set menus without polishing away the bustle. The weekday lunch deal is the value play; evenings are louder and more celebratory than romantic.
- Alby's LeithAlby’s builds oversized hot sandwiches around slow-cooked meat, fish, sharp pickles and sauces rather than deli convention. Portions are shareable for lighter appetites, and the Portland Place shop is most useful when you can sit down and let the fillings land hot.
- SabziSabzi changes its Punjabi street-food menu weekly, drawing on family cooking for curries, chaats and abundant vegan choices. The Ferry Road room is compact and neighborhood-focused; weekend brunch broadens the offer beyond the evening menu.
- Edinburgh LarderEdinburgh Larder serves Scottish breakfast, brunch and lunch built around named local suppliers rather than generic tartan branding. The Blackfriars Street café is small and popular, so booking or arriving early matters more on weekends.
- Urban AngelUrban Angel handles all-day brunch with proper attention to eggs, pancakes, coffee and dietary requests rather than treating them as afterthoughts. The basement room can feel close at peak times, while the weekday schedule is calmer and slightly longer.
Reviewed by RGuide EditorialVenue details checked