13 Best Food Tours in Edinburgh: Walking and Whisky Tours
IF YOU’RE LOOKING TO EXPLORE THE BEST FOOD TOURS IN EDINBURGH, YOU’RE IN FOR A TREAT!
I’ve had the chance to try just about everything the city of Edinburgh has to offer in the realm of food. From trying traditional haggis (really not that bad!) to tasting whisky all over Scotland, including the Scotch Whisky Experience, I’ve done it all.
Honestly, some of my favorite food in the world is from Edinburgh, and I don’t get why it gets a bad wrap!
In this guide, I’ll help you choose the perfect food tour, whether you’re a whisky fan or curious about traditional Scottish dishes like haggis. You’re bound to find a tour that suits your taste!
My Top 3 Picks
⭐ Best Foodie Tours in Edinburgh
1. Edinburgh Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours
Best Food Tours in Edinburgh
1. Edinburgh Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours
⭐ Rating: 5/5 | ⏰ Tour Length: 3 hours | 📍 Start Point: St Giles’ Cathedral | ✅ Book Now
Topping my list is the highly acclaimed Edinburgh Walking Food Tour with Secret Food Tours. On this tour, you’ll get to taste the very best of Scottish cuisine while wandering through the UNESCO-listed Old and New Towns.
On this Edinburgh Walking Food Tour, you try traditional dishes like haggis, neeps, and tatties, and other local delights such as Scottish cakes, local fudge, and a mysterious secret dish (no, I’m not giving it away!)!
The tour also features a taste of award-winning Lowland Single Malt Whisky and ends with a traditional dessert.
This small-group tour, capped at just 10 people, ensures a personalized experience as you explore some of Edinburgh’s most iconic landmarks including Edinburgh Castle and Arthur’s Seat.
2. Edinburgh Foodie Walking Tour
⭐ Rating: 5/5 | ⏰ Tour Length: 3 h | 📍 Start Point: 3 start locations in the city |
✅ Book Now
This small group tour is led by local experts who will take you through both the Old and New Towns, with several stops for tastings – enough to fill you up like a proper meal.
This tour also lets you enjoy paired drinks – alcoholic or non-alcoholic – at three of the stops.
Highlights of the Foodie Walking Tour include tasting local specialties and learning about Scotland’s food history and culture, making it perfect for anyone who loves food and wants to dive deep into what makes Edinburgh’s gastronomy unique.
3. The Edinburgh Cheese Crawl
⭐ Rating: 4.5/5 | ⏰ Tour Length: 2.5 hours |📍Start Point: St Stephen’s Church ✅ Book Now
Ya’ll…I love cheese. Is that weird? Hear me out…
This unique Edinburgh Cheese Walking Tour takes you through Edinburgh’s charming neighborhoods outside of the main city center, where you’ll get to experience some of the best cheesemongers in the city.
Your guide, who is full of fun facts about the area and the cheeses you’ll be tasting, meets you outside St. Stephen’s Comely Bank Church.
From there, expect to indulge in a variety of cheese tastings, each paired wonderfully with a glass of prosecco.
4. Edinburgh Chocolate Food Tour
⭐ Rating: 5/5 | ⏰ Tour Length: 1.5 hours | 📍 Start Point: 3 Cransto n St | ✅ Book Now
If you’re a chocolate lover, this is an absolute must. The Chocolate Tour is perfect for families or groups, especially if you’re looking for something to do on a rainy day.
You’ll start with a hands-on session where you create your own Scottish-themed chocolate bar – think haggis, chili, or gin-flavored chocolates.
After crafting your edible souvenir, you’ll head to the tasting room where you’ll get to indulge in a variety of chocolates from Scotland and beyond.
5. Private Edinburgh Food Tour
⭐ Rating: 5/5 | ⏰ Tour Length: 2-4 h |📍Start Point: Various points in the city
✅ Book Now
If you’re looking for a private food tour in Edinburgh, this is the one!
This exclusive and personalized tour lets you sample locally sourced dishes and drinks while wandering beyond the tourist-heavy Royal Mile.
It’s a great choice for foodies and those visiting Edinburgh for the first time. You’ll explore hidden gems in the West End, New Town, and the historic Old Town.
The Private Food tour includes food equivalent to a full meal, and drinks paired beautifully with your dishes.
You’ll also receive a handy map featuring all the stops you’ve made, complete with discounts, making it easy to return to your new favorite spots.
6. Edinburgh Delicious Donut Adventure & Walking Food Tour
⭐ Rating: 5/5 | ⏰ Tour Length: 2 hours |📍 Start Point: Kilted Donut | ✅ Book Now
This tour is perfect for anyone with a sweet tooth.
Starting near Edinburgh Castle, you’ll visit some of the best local doughnut shops, each serving up tasty freshly-made treats, from chocolate and jam-filled delights to traditional Scottish pastries.
On this Delicious Donut Tour you’ll stop at family-owned bakeries and even a specialty coffee shop while exploring iconic areas like Grassmarket, Victoria Street, and the Royal Mile.
7. Folk and Haggis: Scottish Dinner and Folk Music
⭐ Rating: 4.5/5 | ⏰ Tour Length: 3 hours | 📍 Start Point: 1 Chambers Street | ✅ Book Now
This experience was one of my favorite evenings the last time we visited Scotland! It is great if you’re looking for a themed evening to soak up some authentic Scottish culture- not your average Edinburgh food tour!
The night kicks off with a warm welcome from a Scottish bagpiper, setting the tone for an evening filled with traditional music and food.
At this Folk and Haggis Dinner you’ll be treated to a delicious two-course dinner with options like haggis, neeps ‘n’ tatties, and salmon, followed by scrumptious desserts like sticky toffee pudding.
As you dine, enjoy a live folk music concert that showcases Scotland’s distinctive musical heritage. You might just see the traditional “Address to a Haggis” as well!
8. Edinburgh: Old Town Walking Tour and Beer Tasting
⭐ Rating: 4.8/5 | ⏰ Tour Length: 2.5 h | 📍 Start Point: Bains Retro Sweets |
✅ Book Now
I am always trying to find the best brews in any town I visit. Edinburgh is no exception.
The Old Town Walking tour takes you through the historic streets of Old Town and Southside, where you’ll learn how beer has shaped the city from the 1100s to today’s craft beer boom.
Starting from the Royal Mile, you’ll explore sites that made Edinburgh a brewing powerhouse.
Along the way, enjoy tastings of some of Scotland’s finest beers, gaining insight into the ingredients and brewing processes that create them.
9. Edinburgh Christmas Food Tour (Only in Holiday Season)
⭐ Rating: new tour | ⏰ Tour Length: 2 hours | 📍 Start Point: Kilted Donut | ✅ Book Now
It’s time to get into the holiday season in Scotland, ya’ll!
This seasonal tour takes you through Edinburgh’s photogenic streets and its most famous Christmas markets.
You’ll visit some of the city’s best doughnut shops, including a historic shop known for its uniquely flavored doughnuts.
The Edinburgh Christmas Food walk includes scenic stops like Grassmarket and Victoria Street, leading to a family-owned bakery and a specialty coffee shop for more sweet treats.
Best Scotch Tours in Edinburgh
You haven’t hear of Scotland without hearing about whisky, amirite?
Scotland is known far and wide for its whisky. The best way to try some? A tasting tour! Here are a few of my favorites as far as whisky tours in Edinburgh go:
10. Edinburgh: Whisky Tasting with History and Storytelling
⭐ Rating: 5/5 | ⏰ Tour Length: 2 hours | 📍 Start Point: 15 Jeffrey St | ✅ Book Now
This is one of the best whiskyy tasting tours in Edinburgh. Held in the cozy Hot Toddy whisky lounge, created specifically for this experience, you’ll enjoy a guided tasting of four single-malt Scotch whiskies, each from a different whisky-producing region in Scotland.
Discover the unique characteristics between Highland and Lowland whiskies and learn the intricate details of Scotch whisky-making from your knowledgeable guide who is both an expert whisky enthusiast and a skilled storyteller.
This tour is perfect for anyone interested in an authentic Scottish experience.
11. Highlands Whisky Lovers Tour of Oldest and Highest Distilleries from Edinburgh
⭐ Rating: new tour | ⏰ Tour Length: 8 h |📍Start Point: Various pickup spots | ✅ Book Now
The Highlands Whisky Lovers private tour is tailored for whisky enthusiasts, taking you to the highlands where you’ll visit Scotland’s oldest distillery, Blair Athol, and its highest, Dalwhinnie.
Each stop includes a tour where you’ll learn about the distilling process and enjoy tastings of fine Scotch whiskies.
Along the way, you’ll also call in at the House of Bruar, the perfect spot for a lunch break and to pick up some Scottish souvenirs.
It’s the perfect tour for getting out of the city, trying some Scotch whisky, and getting a really authentic whisky experience.
12. Discover Malt Whisky Day Tour
⭐ Rating: 4.5/5 | ⏰ Tour Length: 9 hours | 📍 Start Point: Bus Station | ✅ Book Now
This full-day excursion takes you through the picturesque Scottish Lowlands to two historic distilleries: Glengoyne and Deanston.
Here, you’ll enjoy guided tours and tasting sessions, learning how master distillers craft the perfect dram and exploring warehouses filled with aging casks.
The Discover Malt Whisky Day tour also includes a scenic stop at the tranquil Loch Lomond, where you’ll have free time to enjoy lunch and take in the views.
13. The Scotch Whisky Experience Tour and Tasting
⭐ Rating: 4.7/5 | ⏰ Length: 50-75 min | 📍Start Point: The Scotch Whisky Experience ✅ Book Now
You’ve likely heard of this one! Right on the Royal Mile, the Scotch Whisky Experience is easily the most popular Edinburgh whisky tour.
Your tour takes you through Scotland’s five whisky-producing regions, from the floral Speyside malts to the smoky whiskies of Islay.
You’ll start by exploring the production and maturation process of single malt Scotch, followed by a session in the Blenders’ Sample Room where you learn the art of blending.
The Scotch Whisky Experience tour includes a guided walk through one of the world’s largest whisky collections, housed in a stunning glass and marble vault (It was SO massive!). If you choose the Gold Tour, you’ll also enjoy a tasting tray of four regional single malts in the relaxing McIntyre Gallery.
Plus, visitors over 18 receive a crystal-tasting glass as a keepsake!
FAQ: Top Edinburgh Food Tours
What is a Food Walk?
A food walk is a fun tour where you explore different places in a city by walking and trying various foods along the way.
There are so many things to do in Edinburgh, why not check it out on foot?
What is the Most Famous Food in Edinburgh?
The most famous food in Edinburgh is haggis, a traditional Scottish dish made from sheep’s organs mixed with oats, onions, and spices. It sounds disgusting (and many say it is), but I actually don’t think it’s all that bad!
Just….maybe don’t dwell on what’s in it. Ha!
No, in all seriousness, it’s a unique and hearty meal that’s definitely worth trying when you visit!
Best Edinburgh Food Tours: The Wrap-Up
I hope this guide helps you find the perfect food tour in Edinburgh!
Whether you’re craving sweet donuts, a firey whisky, or traditional Scottish dishes like haggis, there’s a tour for everyone!
Which of these food tours will you be trying?
