I’ve lived in Edinburgh for over ten years, and I still book food and drink tours, usually when friends or family come to visit me. It’s an easy way to show them the city and try Scottish food and drinks together. And the guides know the stories and history much better than I do, so we all learn something new. One of my favourite moments was making my own unicorn chocolate bar at the Chocolatarium!
I’ve grouped my favourites by area, so you can plan them into your day: first the city centre, then Leith, then the food tours and tastings.
City centre
Johnnie Walker Experience
A 90-minute whisky tour in a big building at the west end of Princes Street. Before your visit, you take a short quiz about the flavours you like, and the tour is planned around your answers. Along the way, there are light shows and live performances, and you get three cocktails made to match your taste. You don’t need to like whisky to enjoy it.
Good to know: it’s perfect even if you aren’t a whisky lover, as non-alcoholic drinks are available. You can bring your family as well, children aged 8 and over can join when accompanied by an adult. The 1820 rooftop bar is not included in the tour, so book a table separately if you want to enjoy some stunning castle views (it’s in the same building).
The Lost Close
A small-group whisky tasting under Parliament Square, in the Old Town. A close is a narrow old lane, and this one was buried after the Great Fire of 1824 and only found again in 2019. You taste four whiskies, one from each main whisky region of Scotland, while the guide tells stories about whisky and Edinburgh. It’s best for small groups and anyone who loves an old, atmospheric setting.
Good to know: adults only (18+). Not suitable for wheelchairs. You meet outside John’s Coffee House & Tavern.
Holyrood Distillery
A small whisky and gin distillery right in the city, on the south side of the Old Town. A guide shows you how they make their own single malt whisky and gin, then you taste some of their drinks and learn how to pick out different flavours. It’s an easy one to fit in if you don’t have time to travel outside Edinburgh, and it’s indoors, so it works on rainy days.
Good to know: you can buy a bottle in their shop after the tour.
Leith
Port of Leith Distillery
Scotland’s first vertical distillery: instead of spreading out across one site, the whisky is made over nine floors of one tall building on the Leith waterfront. On the tour, you walk through it floor by floor, fill your own bottle of spirit, and end with a tasting that shows how whisky changes as it’s made. There is also a shorter tour without the full tasting, if you have less time.
Good to know: children aged 7 and over can join. The rooftop bar has great views over the sea (the Firth of Forth), but it’s not included in the tour, so book a table separately.
Lind & Lime Gin Distillery
A tour of a working gin distillery in Leith, near the waterfront. You start with a gin and tonic, hear how the gin is made, and smell the plants used to flavour it. Then you fill and label your own small bottle to take home, and finish by making a Gimlet, a simple gin and lime cocktail.
Good to know: adults only (18+).
Make a day of it in Leith
Both distilleries are in Leith, so you can add a visit to the Royal Yacht Britannia, the Queen’s former ship. Stop for tea and scones in the Royal Deck Tearoom on board, where the Royal Family used to relax. You need a Britannia ticket to visit the tearoom, as it’s part of the tour. If you’d like a full afternoon tea, Fingal, Britannia’s sister ship, serves one too.
Food tours and tastings
Edinburgh Food Tour by Secret Food Tours
A three-hour walking tour through the Old and New Towns with a local guide. You try haggis with neeps and tatties (mashed turnip and potato), Scottish cheese, a Scottish whisky, cakes with tea, and one secret dish they don’t reveal before the tour. It’s a good choice if you’re curious about haggis but don’t want to order a whole plate.
Good to know: you walk between stops, so wear comfortable shoes.
Edinburgh Premium Food and Drink Tour with EatWalk Tours
A small-group walking tour through the Old and New Towns, with a guide who tells you about Scottish history and food along the way. You stop at several places and try food with drinks such as whisky and wine. By the end, it adds up to a full meal, so don’t book dinner straight after.
Good to know: they can cater for allergies and special diets if you tell them when you book.
The Chocolatarium
A 90-minute chocolate workshop just off the Royal Mile. You learn how chocolate is made, taste lots of different kinds, and then choose your toppings to design your own Scottish-themed chocolate bar to take home.
Good to know: great for families and for rainy days.
Department of Magic
A magic-themed bar in the Old Town, perfect for fantasy fans. Brew your own bubbling, smoking potion cocktails in a secret magic-themed tavern (there’s a non-alcoholic version too). They also serve a magical afternoon tea. Very popular, so book early!
Good to know: it’s very popular and often fully booked, so if you’re interested, book well in advance.
Before you book
- Book ahead in busy months. Small-group tours fill up fast in summer and in December.
- Check the age limit. Several of these tours are for adults only (18+).
- Tell them about allergies or special diets when you book, not on the day.
- Don’t plan a big meal straight after a food tour. You’ll be full.
- Check opening days over Christmas and New Year, as they often change.
Want to explore on your own?
If you’d rather find good food without a guide, my Edinburgh food guide has over 100 places I’d send a friend to, sorted by area and occasion, with a map you can use on your phone.
Get my Edinburgh Food Guide here.
- My Favourite Food & Drink Tours in Edinburgh (From a Local)
- Where to Eat in Edinburgh on Christmas Day 2026
- The Best Edinburgh Tours for First-Time Visitors (2026 Local Guide)
- Inside the Spellbound Suite: Virgin Hotels Edinburgh Review
- Top 12 Best Things to Do in Edinburgh
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