11 Reasons to Join a Secret Edinburgh Food Tour & Review!

Scotland’s capital city isn’t usually a place associated with great food but if you’re looking for information about local dishes, Scottish delicacies and the food and drink that form the culture in Scotland then read this article for learning about foods in Edinburgh.

Here is everything you need to know about one of the most unique food tours in Edinburgh Scotland!

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Edinburgh Tour Review

This is my review of the Edinburgh walking food tour with the Secret Tours company. I’ve listed the top reasons why I am recommending this food tour Edinburgh Scotland offers! Note: the places that you visit on the tour are not listed on this review – I can’t ruin the fun ;).

Click here to join the tour!

Directions for Where to Meet

To join the food tour you meet your guide outside the front of St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh old town. Your guide will be carrying a large, orange umbrella so you can’t miss them. What’s important is that the cathedral is huge and although it’s located on ‘West Parliament Square’ it’s so easy to get confused with the other side of the cathedral/square.

Meeting point: St Giles’ Cathedral, High Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1RE

To get there, head toward the Royal Mile and type in St Giles Cathedral to your maps which will likely take you to the wrong side of the square. If you’re looking up towards Edinburgh Castle, the cathedral is on your left and the area has a statue in the centre. Across the road is the French Consulate.

Although the address says High Street, please note that this is also called the Royal Mile and can get confusing. Here is a picture of the meeting point:

It’s important to get here 10 minutes earlier so you can find your guide and start on time.

Not Staying in Edinburgh?

This food tour is accessible even if you’re coming from out of town as Secret Food Tours have tours running in the afternoon with some starting at 4pm! Sample plans for getting to Edinburgh from elsewhere:

• Search Trainline for trains within Scotland (just 1 hour from Glasgow and 1.5 hours from Dundee)
• Get the bus from Leeds to Edinburgh in 4 hours
• Take a road trip to Edinburgh from Newcastle
• Fly for just an hour from Cardiff
• Come overnight from London via Flixbus

About Secret Tours

Secret Tours are now running tours in over 50 cities across the globe! They want to showcase the cultural roots, history, stories and best food of the city you’re exploring. Learn more about them via their website.

11 Reasons to Join a Secret Food Tour Edinburgh

Taste Authentic Scottish Food

Of course the main reason for joining any food tour is to taste the local dishes but when you join a Secret Food Tour you get the opportunity to try Scottish food in Edinburgh you might not usually try (or know what to go for).

In addition, our wonderful guide, Skye, talks you through each of the foods, where they originated and lots of advice about other Scottish snacks to try in the city!

…And Fusions That Shape Scottish Cuisine

One thing I love about the UK is the diverse and multi-cultural cities like Cardiff, Birmingham, London and Edinburgh. And from the diversity, comes the deliciously-fused food! For example, Bangladeshi curries are part of British Culture, Chicken Tikka Masala was said to be invented in Scotland and ta-da, it’s a fusion cuisine. It makes me so proud!

Other food tours Edinburgh Scotland are known for don’t usually promote foods like this but Secret Food Tours takes you to places for Haggis Pakoras. This reason alone is enough to join on I think!

Eat Haggis!

If you go on an Edinburgh food tour and they don’t include Haggis, demand your money back immediately because this is a staple Scottish food Edinburgh and every other place in the country showcases and can be proud of.

On the Secret Edinburgh Food Tour, you get to sample a homemade meal of Haggis, Neeps (turnips) and Tatties (potatoes) with Gravy. Wow, it’s warm and homely food to make you adore Scotland!

Please try Haggis, it’s nothing like the bad reputation it’s been given, it’s actually so tasty!

Read Next: The Traditional Food of Wales, UK!

Discover Haunted Edinburgh

Not only do you taste and learn about the food in Edinburgh Scotland, you also discover the history of the city that matches the architecture and style by visiting the local graveyard, hearing ghost stories from the informed guide, given a top recommendation for the best ghost tour in town and told your hotel is definitely haunted (Skye told me that every hotel is haunted)!!

Explore A Scottish Market

We visited the new indoor food court called Bonnie and Wild which was a fantastic experience on the tour where we got to explore each of the stalls (and decided where to come back ourselves). Every food sold here is authentically Scottish using all local products and ingredients. Very cool and every decent Edinburgh food guide needs to add this place to the must-see list. Thanks for this great experience Skye!

This place reminded me of Goodsheds in Wales where you take a seat and can order/go up to each of the stalls to order whatever you fancy be it pancake stacks or fine dining!

Say Cheers The Scottish Way!

When in Scotland, toast your drink (but not water) and say the word ‘Slainte‘.

As well as learning the way to toast ‘cheers’ in Scotland, also learn Scottish ways to say things like ‘nae’ and ‘oot’!

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Learn How to Drink and Order Whiskey like a Scot

Whiskey is synonymous with Scotland so learning a few facts surrounding the culture will help you integrate and drink Scotch like a local.

The best things we learned included how not to order (as you won’t be served a Whiskey and Coke), why water is served with Whiskey, what makes it ‘Scotch’ and that every person executed in Edinburgh in the olden days would be given a last drum of Whiskey because it’s THAT important here.

This is one of those Edinburgh food and drink tours that highlights how the drinks are part of the cuisine and culture as well as the food. And the Scottish culture is drenched in drinking (the word ‘Whiskey’ is the Anglicised version for water in Gaelic after all).

Note: You can also choose to add the drinks package on to your Secret Edinburgh food tours!

Get Recommendations for Other Places to Eat in Edinburgh

The guide gave us lots of recommendations for other eateries and independent establishments in the city which was great to hear and go back to later / next time. Every time we walked past a local bar or stall, our guide advised us of the best Edinburgh street food or drink to try and where. It is definitely a tour about the food culture, the city and Scottish enthusiasm.

Hear Stories and Legends of Edinburgh

As well as the haunted side of the city, on the Edinburgh walking tour you learn so much about the history, stories and people such as:

• We discovered an unusual place where locals go to hang out, have picnics, socialise, eat their lunch, and even do yoga! Join the tour to find out where this place is.
• The guide also told us stories behind certain pub names and stories of Edinburgh ancestors like Half Hangit Maggie and Deacon Brodie.
• We were told the meanings behind street names and area names like Cowgate, Grassmarket and ‘close’.

Links Between Edinburgh and Harry Potter

Walking the streets of the city, it’s hard to miss the huge phenomenon that is Harry Potter as a lot of the books were written here by J.K Rowling so you get some tips and insider knowledge about the links to JK and the best locations in Edinburgh to do with Harry Potter.

There’s a Secret Food Included!

The company is the Secret Food Tours and their speciality across 50 cities is that they contain a secret food that is not mentioned on their website or tour booking pages.

This is a link to the tour I did:

Final Thoughts on Secret Tours

My biggest advice is to book the food tour for the beginning of your trip so you can use the knowledge and recommendations for the rest of your time. I’d also double check the tickets for the start time and meeting spot.

I enjoyed my time on this 3.5/4 hour Edinburgh food and drink tour and can personally recommend it if you want all of the above plus a good chance to meet other travellers, locals in the bars/restaurants and the guides who ooze love for Edinburgh!

How to Book an Edinburgh Secret Food Tour

Ready to book? Reserve a food tour Edinburgh spot for yourself.

In addition, take a look at the other Secret Food Tours you can join in Dublin, London, and Barcelona:

Do any of these 11 reasons make you want to book the Secret Food Tours Edinburgh?

Europe Food Tour Reviews

• Munich Food Guide & Tour Review, Germany
• Review of the Zadar Food Tour in Croatia
• Should You Join a Food Tour in Amsterdam?
• What I Learned On a Bucharest Food Tour in Romania
• Plus More On Edinburgh: How to Find Dean Village!

Please note: As is common in the travel industry, I received a complimentary tour from Secret Food Tours. The opinions, passion and words in this review, however, are all mine!

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