100 Accessible Edinburgh: A Festival Guide Eating 101
walls are densely scribbled with Potter-related graffiti, and you
can barely move for tourists taking selfies. Still, it serves excel-
lent coffee and tasty, homemade food at reasonable prices. It’s
listed as wheelchair-accessible on Yelp, but we have no first-hand
testimonial.
Maxie’s Bistro
0131-226 7770; http://www.maxiesbistro.com; 5b Johnston Tce; mains
£9-22; 11am-11pm; buses 23, 27, 41, 42
This candlelit bistro, with its cushion-lined nooks set amid stone
walls and wooden beams, is a pleasant setting for a cosy dinner,
but at summer lunchtimes people queue for the outdoor tables
on the terrace overlooking Victoria St. The food is dependable,
ranging from pastas, steaks and stir-fries to seafood platters
and daily specials. Best to book, especially in summer. It’s list-
ed as wheelchair-accessible on Yelp, but we have no first-hand
testimonial.
Mother India’s Cafe
0131-524 9801; http://www.motherindia.co.uk; 3-5 Infirmary St; dishes
£4-6; noon-2pm & 5-10.30pm Mon-Wed, noon-11pm Thu-Sun; all
South Bridge buses
A simple concept pioneered in Glasgow has captured hearts and
minds – and stomachs – here in Edinburgh: Indian food served
in tapas-size portions, so that you can sample a greater variety
of deliciously different dishes without busting a gut. It’s hugely
popular, so book a table to avoid disappointment. It’s wheelchair-
accessible, but the toilets are downstairs and therefore not ac-
cessible for wheelchair users.
Mums
0131-260 9806; http://www.monstermashcafe.co.uk; 4a Forrest Rd;
mains £8-11; 9am-10pm Mon-Sat, 10am-10pm Sun; buses 23, 27,
41, 42
This nostalgia-fuelled cafe serves up classic British comfort
food that wouldn’t look out of place on a 1950s menu – bacon
and eggs, bangers and mash, shepherd’s pie, fish and chips. But
there’s a twist – the food is all top-quality nosh freshly prepared
from local produce. There’s also a good selection of bottled
craft beers and Scottish-brewed cider. It’s listed as wheelchair-
accessible on Yelp, but we have no first-hand testimonial.
Museum Brasserie
0131-225 4040; http://www.benugo.com/restaurants/museum-bras-
serie; Chambers St; mains £7-11; 10am-5pm; buses 2, 23, 27, 41,
42, 45The restaurant in the stone-vaulted basement of the Victorian
part of the National Museum of Scotland serves tasty light lunch-
es, including Scottish beef burger, fish and chips, and specials
such as venison sausages with red onion gravy. Being part of the
National Museum, it’s fully wheelchair-accessible.Ondine
0131-226 1888; http://www.ondinerestaurant.co.uk; 2 George IV Bridge;
mains £17-40, 2-/3-course lunch £25/30; noon-3pm & 5.30-
10pm Mon-Sat; buses 23, 27, 41, 42Ondine is one of Edinburgh’s finest seafood restaurants, with
a menu based on sustainably sourced fish. Take a seat at the
curved Oyster Bar and tuck into oysters Kilpatrick, smoked
haddock chowder, lobster thermidor, a roast shellfish platter or
just good old haddock and chips (with minted pea purée, just to
keep things posh). It’s wheelchair-accessible, with an accessible
toilet, but you have to go through a heavy door from the street
and then in a lift.Pancho Villa’s
0131-557 4416; http://www.panchovillas.co.uk; 240 Canongate; mains
£9-12; noon-10pm Mon-Sat, 5-10pm SunWith a Mexican-born owner and lots of Latin American and
Spanish staff, it’s not surprising that this colourful and lively
restaurant is one of the most authentic-feeling Mexican places in
town. The dinner menu includes delicious steak fajitas and great
vegetarian spinach enchiladas. It’s often busy, so book ahead. It’s
wheelchair-accessible and there’s an accessible toilet, but power
wheelchair users will need to use the side entrance to access the
toilet.Petit Paris
0131-226 2442; http://www.petitparis-restaurant.co.uk; 38-40 Grass-
market; mains £14-19; noon-3pm & 5.30-10pm; bus 2Like the name says, this is a little piece of Paris, complete with
chequered tablecloths, friendly waiters and good-value grub- the moules-frites (mussels and chips) are excellent. There’s
a lunch/pre-theatre deal (noon to 3pm and 5.30pm to 7pm)