Edinburgh Festival: The best wheelchair accessible places for a bite to eat between shows

We asked the disabled access review website Euan's Guide to give us their recommendations of the places to eat and drink in Edinburgh that their users consider to have the easiest access for wheelchair users.

Published 1st Aug 2019
Updated 8 th Aug 2023

Edinburgh has so many places to choose from when it comes to places to eat, but
sometimes finding ones which are wheelchair accessible can be a bit more tricky.

We’ve put together a list of places which have received great reviews on Euan’s Guide from wheelchair users no matter what your budget.

For brunch

Southpour

(1-5 Newington Rd, EH9 1QR)

Edinburgh Festival wheelchair accessible

Southpour restaurant. Picture: Contributed

Southpour is a popular spot for brunch in Edinburgh’s lively student neighbourhood.

The restaurant has glittering string lights, exposed brick walls and wooden beams, and ‘Easy Access’ is literally painted on the wall.

The trickiest part is getting parked, but if you’re familiar with Edinburgh’s public transport there are more than enough buses passing through this part of town. It’s worth it – they have one of the best brunches in Edinburgh, and their Smashed Avocado with Sourdough is a must.

Read access reviews of  Southpour here

For an unusual spot for a coffee

Scottish Storytelling Centre

(43 - 45 High Street, EH1 1SR)

Edinburgh Festival wheelchair accessible

Picture: Euan's Guide

This vibrant arts venue is located centrally on Edinburgh’s historic Royal Mile.

There is a wide programme of events running all year round, but the Storytelling Café is a great place to visit to watch the hustle and bustle of the Royal Mile or soak in the atmosphere of the centre.

Staff are friendly and helpful, just make sure you don’t miss the wheelchair accessible entrance which is to the left of the main entrance.

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Read access reviews for the Scottish Storytelling Centre here

For pre or post theatre dining

Dine

(10 Cambridge Street, EH1 2ED)

Edinburgh Festival wheelchair accessible

Dine. Picture: contributed

Situated above the Traverse Theatre, next to the Usher Hall and only a one-minute walk from the Royal Lyceum Theatre, Dine offers you the opportunity to eat out in style between performances.

The brasserie serves locally sourced produce and there is a wide range of cocktails and mocktails on offer from the cocktail lounge.

This social spot is accessible via a lift with nearby parking and bus stops.

Read a disabled access review of Dine here

For a special occasion

The Ivy on the Square

(6 Saint Andrew Square, EH2 2BD)

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Edinburgh Festival wheelchair accessible

Picture: The Ivy on the Square, Facebook

This has been a popular spot in the city centre since it opened in 2017. The all-day brasserie serves a modern British cuisine as well as some international Ivy-inspired classics.

With a reputation for being an exclusive spot to eat, reviewers were pleasantly surprised with the price of food. They do however recommend that you book in advance requesting a ground floor table and letting them know in advance that you are a wheelchair user.

Read access reviews for The Ivy on the Square here

For Pizza

La Favorita

(331-325 Leith Walk, EH6 8SA)

Edinburgh Festival wheelchair accessible

La Favorita. Picture: Vittoria

Leithers will vouch for this modern pizzeria as being home to the best pizza in Edinburgh.

Don’t be put off by the fleet of La Favorita cars delivering pizzas around the city in fast food mode; the restaurant on Leith Walk continues to serve its famous crisp thin log fired pizzas in a large and spacious setting.

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Like Southpour, La Favorita is in a location that will spoil you for choice with the number of wheelchair accessible buses rolling by.

Read access reviews of La Favorita here

For groups

Hemma Bar

(73 Holyrood Rd, EH8 8AU)

Edinburgh Festival wheelchair accessible

Picture: Hemma Edinburgh, TSPL

Part of the Joseph Pearce Boda Bar chain, Hemma Bar means ‘At Home’ in Swedish – so expect lounge chairs, lampshades and books for the taking.

The restaurant is perfect for a party or large gathering as it’s housed over three stories in a spacious glass building.

There is very little to get in the way of wheelchair users, so pick your favourite spot!
If you like this, their sister bar Akva in Fountainbridge has a beer gardens overlooking Union Canal.

It’s equally as spacious and has a younger, more playful mood to it.

Browse disabled access reviews of  Hemma  and Akva 

For whisky lovers

Amber Restaurant

(354 Castlehill, EH1 2NE)

Edinburgh Festival wheelchair accessible

Amber Restaurant. Picture: Scotch Whisky Experience

Situated on the approach to Edinburgh Castle within The Scotch Whisky Experience, this restaurant is far from a tourist trap.

It provides Scottish cuisine and a vast array of Scotch whiskies in a casual-dining environment.

The knowledgeable staff are happy to assist and help answer any questions and the building is a fine example of a listed building that has been sympathetically adapted to make it more accessible for wheelchair users.

Read disabled access reviews for Amber Restaurant here

For escaping the city centre

Foresters Guild

(40 Portobello High St, EH15 1DA)

Edinburgh Festival wheelchair accessible

Guild of Foresters. Picture: TSPL

If the weather’s right, head to Porty for a spot of alfresco dining and drinks in the beach huts at Foresters Guild.

In summer, the beer garden is a hidden Edinburgh gem, and in winter you can take shelter inside beside the toasty log fire.

The food is gastropub at its best with brioche bun sandwiches, grilled dishes, classic fish ‘n’ chips, and not forgetting the ‘very sticky toffee pudding’.

Read disabled access reviews of Foresters Guild here

Euan’s Guide is home to thousands of reviews left by disabled people, their friends and families, helping make it easier to find accessible places to go.

The easy access restaurants winning over Edinburgh’s wheelchair users

Driven by a passion for all things drinks-related, Sean writes for The Scotsman extensively on the subject. He can also sometimes be found behind the bar at the world famous Potstill bar in Glasgow where he continues to enhance his whisky knowledge built up over 10 years advising customers from all over the world on the wonders of our national drink. Recently, his first book was published. Dubbed Gin Galore, it explores Scotland's best gins and the stories behind those that make them.
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