New restaurants and cafes seem to pop up in Edinburgh every other week, which is great for keeping the city’s dining scene fresh and exciting.
Sadly, however, this also means we’ve had to wave goodbye to plenty of old favourites in order to make room for the newbies.
Although these Edinburgh eateries of days gone by are no longer with us, we won’t forget them any time soon.
Picture: TSPL
Renowned local chef Tony Singh’s restaurant Oloroso boasted a prime location on Castle Street, with rooftop views of Edinburgh Castle.
With fine dining dishes and unique cocktails which could be enjoyed on the terrace, this place was always a hit for special occasions.
After 10 years, Oloroso closed its doors for good in 2012, when the venue was taken over by new restaurant, Chaophraya.
Picture: TSPL
Former Michelin starred restaurant, The Plumed Horse, was known for its fantastic food and top-class service, making it one of the best gourmet eateries in Leith.
Unfortunately The Plumed Horse closed in 2016.
In its place, you’ll now find Norn, which focuses on seasonal and local produce.
Staff dressed as gangsters beside a stretch limousine to advertise the opening of Fat Sam's Chicago-style diner and bar on the site of the Edinburgh meat market at Fountainbridge in September 1986. Picture: TSPL
If you’re an Edinburgher of a certain age, Fat Sam’s will no doubt hold a special place in your heart.
This legendary Chicago gangster-themed restaurant opened in 1986, and served up both huge portions and unique entertainment for nearly two decades.
The building was demolished in 2007, and the iconic meat market arches were moved further down the road to make way for a new office development.
Owned by local personality Ignacio ‘Iggy’ Campos, Iggs Restaurant first opened in 1989 and was followed by sister venue Barioja in 2001.
Situated next door to each other on Jeffrey Street, the restaurant and tapas bar appeared on TV show The Restaurant Inspector in 2012.
Sadly, both premises closed just two years later, when Iggy retired.
Atrium (which opened in 1992) and its sister restaurant, Blue, were both popular eateries located above the Traverse Theatre.
It came as a bit of a surprise to locals when they closed their doors in 2011, but the husband and wife team behind the restaurants soon opened a new venture in 2012.
If you still miss Atrium’s amazing food with a focus on locally sourced produce, a visit to nearby Timberyard is definitely in order.
Excitement was high back in 2014 when news broke that popular Glasgow burger restaurant Burger Meats Bun was opening in the capital.
We enjoyed two years of delicious burgers and inventive sides, but sadly their Forth Street restaurant closed in the summer of 2016 so the Burger Meats Bun team could focus on pop-up events.
The Arcari family set up shop back in 1922, serving up delicious Italian ice cream to the people of Portobello.
Their shop remained an Edinburgh institution for over 80 years, and it was even rumoured that Arcari’s were the inventors of the famous 99 cone.
The shop eventually closed its doors in 2005.
Picture: TSPL
Another burger joint we had to say goodbye to in 2016 was Wannaburger.
Opened in 2007, this fast food style restaurant was the go-to place for cheap, tasty burgers.
No longer able to compete with the high number of gourmet burger restaurants in Edinburgh, Wannaburger put their premises up for sale.
Social enterprise restaurant, Home, now stands in its place.
Lawrence Boni (of Mr Boni's Ice Cream Parlour) with the ice cream cake which won him second prize in an undisclosed competition in February 1983. Picture: TSPL
It was the end of an era in 2002, when one of the city’s most famous ice cream parlours closed down.
Located on the corner of Gilmore Place, Mr Boni’s (which started life as the Empress Cafe in 1910) remained popular with Edinburghers for generations.
The family owned cafe was forced to close in 2002 due to a disagreement between brothers Stefano and Joseph Boni about the future of the business.
Picture: TSPL
Back in 1984, Tex Mex was the first Mexican restaurant to open in the whole of Scotland.
In 2007, the restaurant moved to new premises on Thistle Street, and renamed itself Tex Mex II.
Tex Mex II served up some of the best margaritas and Mexican food in Edinburgh for many years, before closing in 2014.
Never fear, as another popular Mexican restaurant, El Cartel, has opened in its place.
Picture: TSPL
After more than 25 years of trading, popular restaurant, The Vintners Rooms, closed in 2011.
Located on Giles Street near The Shore, the restaurant struggled to compete with the many other top restaurants which had set up shop in Leith.
Even a £40,000 refurbishment and the addition of a whisky lounge wasn’t enough to save The Vintners Rooms, and they closed less than a year later.
Offering up tapas-style dishes rather than sushi, YummyTori on Lothian Road brought something new to Edinburgh’s Japanese dining scene.
Sadly, it was only around for a few years before it closed in 2015 to make way for new restaurant, Bread Meats Bread.
Behind the counter at Brattisani's fish and chip shop in Newington Road Edinburgh in January 1971. Picture: TSPL
Who remembers being treated to some fish and chips from Brattisani’s on Newington Road after a day out at the Commonwealth Pool?
An Edinburgh institution, Brattisani’s served up traditional chip shop fayre for over 100 years from their five shops across the city.
They closed down in 2004, when no one in the family was in a position to keep the business going.
Picture: Susie's Diner Facebook
A favourite of vegetarians and vegans, Susie’s Wholefood Diner opened on West Nicolson Street in 1995, and for 15 years served up tasty, healthy vegetarian comfort food.
After closing the diner in 2010, the spirit of the diner lived on in the form of Susie’s Wholefood Wagon, which sadly also recently ceased trading.
Located on Buccleuch Street, Coyaba was Scotland’s first Jamaican restaurant when it opened in 2004.
With a Rastafarian ethos and traditional Caribbean cooking, Coyaba was a favourite amongst those looking for a relaxed, delicious meal.
After 10 years, the restaurant closed down in 2014.
