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Eat Out Edinburgh

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Eat Out Edinburgh Returns This March With New Restaurants Joining the Lineup

Edinburgh’s popular dining initiative Eat Out Edinburgh is set to return this March, bringing a fresh wave of restaurant offers across the city and welcoming several new venues to the programme.

The annual event encourages people to explore Edinburgh’s food scene through fixed-price menus and special dining deals, with restaurants from across the city taking part.

It has become a regular fixture in the local calendar, particularly popular with those looking to try new spots or revisit favourites at a reduced price.

New restaurants joining in March

This year’s line-up includes a number of restaurants and bars that are either new to the event or making a return after time away. Among those taking part are:

  • Brasserie Prince at The Balmoral, offering classic French-inspired dining in a landmark city setting
  • ASSAGGINI, known for its Italian comfort food and relaxed atmosphere
  • The Garden at Kimpton, a modern space focused on seasonal produce
  • The Caley Bar, a long-standing Edinburgh pub with a food-led menu
  • Wahaca, bringing its Mexican street-food flavours to the programme

Several of these venues are being added to the Edinburgh247 directory, with individual listings highlighting location details, opening hours, and what to expect if you’re visiting for the first time.

What is Eat Out Edinburgh?

Eat Out Edinburgh is designed to support local hospitality while giving diners a reason to explore different neighbourhoods and cuisines across the city. Participating venues typically offer set menus or special pricing during the event period, with availability varying by restaurant and day.

While exact offers differ from place to place, the event usually runs for several weeks in March, with advance booking recommended at busier venues.

Emily Campbell Johnston, Senior Manager of Marketing & Communications at Essential Edinburgh, said last year’s campaign “demonstrated the power of Eat Out Edinburgh, not just in driving bookings but in encouraging people to spend more time in the city centre,” with a reported 31% increase in bookings during the event.

She added that with a mix of returning favourites and new openings joining the campaign in 2026, the initiative aims to give locals, workers and visitors “even more reasons to explore and support the city’s hospitality sector.”

Why it matters for the city

For Edinburgh’s restaurant scene, events like Eat Out Edinburgh provide a timely boost at a traditionally quieter point in the year.

For locals, it’s a chance to try somewhere new without committing to a full à la carte menu, and for visitors, it offers an easy way to sample the city’s food culture beyond the usual tourist routes.

As more venues confirm their participation, Edinburgh247 will continue adding new restaurant listings and updating coverage throughout the month.

You can find full event details and participating venues via the official Eat Out Edinburgh organisers.

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George Street Edinburgh Revamp

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George Street Revamp to Be Funded by Edinburgh’s New Tourist Tax

After years of discussion, delays, and half-starts, plans to revamp George Street are finally moving forward — with funding set to come from Edinburgh’s new tourist tax.

The council has confirmed that revenue from the visitor levy will help fund major public realm improvements on George Street. These are expected to include wider pavements, better pedestrian space, more seating, improved cycling access, and an overall shift towards a quieter, people-first street.

It’s a project that’s been on and off the table for a long time. Rising costs and competing priorities have repeatedly pushed it back. The introduction of a dedicated tourism fund now appears to be the missing piece needed to get work started.

Council leaders say George Street is one of the flagship projects identified for early investment once the levy goes live, alongside other long-planned city improvements that have struggled to secure funding.

What Is the Tourist Tax?

Edinburgh’s tourist tax (officially known as the Visitor Levy) will apply to overnight stays in the city and is expected to come into force in 2026.

In simple terms, visitors staying in hotels, B&Bs, guesthouses, and short-term lets will pay a small additional charge per night. The money collected will be ring-fenced, meaning it must be spent on things that support the city and tourism infrastructure rather than general council budgets.

That includes:

  • Public realm upgrades
  • Transport and accessibility improvements
  • City centre maintenance
  • Facilities used heavily by visitors and residents alike

Accommodation providers will collect the levy as part of the booking or bill, then pass it on to the council. Similar schemes already operate in cities across Europe.

Why George Street?

George Street sits right at the heart of the city centre but has long felt like an awkward halfway house, not quite a pedestrian street, not quite a traffic route that really works.

Campaigners and local businesses have argued for years that it should be redesigned to prioritise people over vehicles, make better use of the space between buildings, and support events without constant temporary closures and barriers.

The council says the revamp will help:

  • Improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists
  • Make the street more flexible for events and outdoor use
  • Support nearby shops, bars, and restaurants
  • Create a greener, more welcoming city centre

Final designs and timelines haven’t yet been confirmed, but using tourist tax funding suggests the project is now being treated as a long-term investment rather than another stalled concept.

For a street that’s been promised change more times than most, this may finally be the moment when plans turn into reality.

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edinburgh christmas markets

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Edinburgh’s Christmas 2025 — What’s On & What to Know

Edinburgh’s winter lights are about to flicker back on — and the city centre is gearing up for one of its most magical times of year. From 15 November 2025 to 4 January 2026, Edinburgh’s Christmas returns, transforming Princes Street Gardens and George Street into a sparkling festive playground for locals and visitors alike.

🎁 What to Expect

If you’ve wandered through the Gardens before, you’ll know the atmosphere: the scent of cinnamon and bratwurst, music drifting from the stalls, and the sound of laughter rising from the Big Wheel.

This year brings:

  • Around 70 market stalls in East Princes Street Gardens packed with handmade gifts, local crafts, and festive food.
  • The LNER Big Wheel and Star Flyer offering unbeatable skyline views.
  • Hot drinks, crepes, waffles, and mulled wine to keep hands and hearts warm.

Entry’s free — though rides and the ice rink are ticketed.

⛸ Ice, Lights & a Dash of Local Magic

Over on George Street, the covered ice rink returns, perfect for all-weather skating. Look out for themed sessions, from relaxed toddler skates to evening sets with music and lights. Afterwards, step into the Polar Ice Bar, where even the glasses are carved from ice.

Locals get a little bonus too — if you’ve got an EH postcode, there’s usually 20% off ride and rink tickets when booked online.

🎠 Family Fun in the West Gardens

West Princes Street Gardens hosts the fairground rides, Santa’s Stories sessions, and a festive maze lit up with thousands of twinkling lights. Younger visitors can drop a wish in the Letter to Santa post box, then hunt for sweet treats among the stalls.

🕙 Opening Hours & Tips

  • Main market: 10 am – 10 pm daily
  • Most stalls and rides are card-only
  • Midweek mornings are quieter if you want space to explore
  • Wrap up warm! The Gardens get breezy once the sun sets

🪄 Why We Love It

There’s something timeless about standing under the Castle lights with a cup of mulled wine in hand. Whether you’re shopping, skating, or just strolling through, Edinburgh’s Christmas has that rare mix of buzz and calm that only this city pulls off.

Bring friends, bring family — or just bring yourself and take it all in.

📍Edinburgh’s Christmas 2025
15 November 2025 – 4 January 2026
East Princes Street Gardens | West Princes Street Gardens | George Street

Keep an eye on Edinburgh247 for more local highlights and hidden gems throughout the festive season.

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