Eating on a Budget in Edinburgh: Meal Deals, Bakeries

Edinburgh can be expensive—a proper sit-down meal costs £15-30 per person, which adds up quickly on a longer trip. But there are genuinely good budget options if you know where to look.

The Supermarket Meal Deal Strategy

All major UK supermarkets offer meal deals: £3-5 for a sandwich, drink, and snack. You'll find these at Tesco, Sainsbury's, M&S, and Boots. They're genuinely good value and reasonably tasty.

How it works: Pick a sandwich (usually 4-5 options daily), a drink (soft drink, juice, coffee, etc.), and a snack (crisps, fruit, dessert). Total cost: £3.50-5 depending on the supermarket and what you choose.

Quality varies: M&S meal deals are better quality but pricier (£5+). Tesco deals are cheaper (£3.50) and still decent. Sainsbury's is in the middle.

Where to find them: Every city-centre supermarket. There's usually a Tesco, Sainsbury's, or M&S within 5 minutes of any tourist area.

Pro tip: Use these for lunch and save restaurant money for dinner. A decent lunch costs £3-5. Dinner still costs money but you've saved the midday expense.

Bakery Eating: The Best Budget Option

Scottish bakeries are genuinely excellent and absurdly cheap. You can eat very well for £2-5.

What to get:

Bridies: Meat-filled pastries. £2-3. Genuinely delicious.
Scotch pies: Meat pies. £2-4. Excellent hot or cold.
Tablet: Fudge-like sweet. £2-4 per bar. Addictive.
Sausage rolls: £1.50-2. Simple and tasty.
Croissants and pastries: £1.50-3. Good for breakfast.
Sandwiches: Usually £4-6, decent quality.

Where to find them: Every neighborhood has at least one bakery. Look for Scottish names (lots of family bakeries), or chain names like Greggs (ubiquitous, cheap, decent quality).

Pro strategy: Start your day with a bakery pastry (£1.50-2). Grab a supermarket meal deal for lunch (£3.50). Have a proper dinner once per day (£12-18). Total daily food cost: £17-24 instead of £30-45 for three restaurant meals.

The Greggs Strategy

Greggs is a UK-wide bakery chain that's genuinely beloved. They're in almost every Edinburgh neighborhood. Prices are rock-bottom (everything under £4), quality is consistent, and they're legitimately good.

What to get at Greggs:

Bridies, sausage rolls, Scotch pies: £1.50-2.50
Sandwiches: £3-5
Pastries and doughnuts: £1-2
Coffee: £1-2 (mediocre but cheap)

You can absolutely eat at Greggs three times a day and spend £8-12. It's not fancy but it's genuinely functional and tastes decent.

Pub Food: The Underrated Budget Option

Many pubs offer cheap lunch specials: fish and chips, haggis, stews, for £8-12. This is way cheaper than dedicated restaurants and often better quality.

Look for pub lunch menus posted outside. They're specifically designed for working people, not tourists, so prices are genuine.

Best strategy: Have pub lunch (£8-12 including a drink), then snack or skip dinner. You'll save money and eat well.

Ethnic Restaurants and Takeaways

Edinburgh has excellent Chinese, Indian, Thai, and other cuisines, often at lower prices than Scottish restaurants because of competition.

Average costs:

Chinese takeaway: £5-7 per meal
Indian curry with rice: £7-10
Thai: £7-12
Kebabs: £5-7

Quality varies, but there are genuinely good options. Ask locals or check reviews rather than wandering in blindly.

The Supermarket Strategy Beyond Meal Deals

Beyond meal deals, supermarkets have cheap ready-made food:

Tesco's meal sections: Pre-made meals (lasagna, curry, etc.) for £3-5. They're microwaveable if you have a kettle in your accommodation.

Sandwich sections: Generic sandwiches (not meal deals) for £2-4.

Rotisserie chicken: £4-6 whole chicken. Sounds cheap but it's a solid meal if you buy some sides.

Canned goods: If you're staying in a hostel with a kitchen, buying canned soup (50p) and bread (£1) beats restaurant eating.

The Realistic Daily Budget

If you're genuinely budget-conscious:

Breakfast: Greggs pastry or bakery croissant (£1.50)
Lunch: Supermarket meal deal (£3.50)
Dinner: Pub lunch special or ethnic takeaway (£8-10)

Daily food total: £13-15

That's genuinely eating properly without spending restaurant money. Add a coffee (£2-3) and you're at £16-18 per day.

For comparison, three restaurant meals would cost £30-50 per day.

Where NOT to Eat

Tourist restaurants on the Royal Mile: Prices are 50% higher, food quality is 50% lower. Avoid.

Chain restaurants (Nando's, etc.): You can get these anywhere. Edinburgh has better cheap options.

Obvious tourist cafes: The ones with laminated menus and queues of tour groups. Always worse food, always higher prices.

Alcohol Budget

Scottish pubs serve pints for £4-6, which is reasonable for Edinburgh. If you want to drink without breaking budget, pubs in residential neighborhoods (away from the city centre) are slightly cheaper.

Supermarket beer is cheaper: £1-2 per can/bottle. If you're in a hostel with other travelers, buying supermarket beer and drinking communally is a viable strategy.