Tolbooth Tavern is a traditional Scottish pub and restaurant at 167 Canongate on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile. Established in 1820, it occupies part of the historic Canongate Tolbooth and combines a compact street frontage with a bar and mezzanine dining area inside. The old stone setting gives the venue plenty of character without preventing it from functioning as an everyday place to eat and drink.
The food concentrates on hearty Scottish pub cooking made with locally sourced produce. Cullen skink, haggis with neeps and tatties, Scottish fish and chips, burgers and the Tolbooth steak and sausage pie are among the house favourites. These dishes give visitors a useful introduction to recognisable Scottish flavours while still providing familiar choices for a mixed group.
A separate gluten free menu includes adaptations of Cullen skink, fish and chips, steaks and salads, while vegetarian and vegan needs can also be accommodated. Late in the evening, a smaller menu offers choices such as mini fish and chips, chicken tenders and haggis croquettes. The kitchen handles allergenic ingredients without a separate allergen free area or dedicated fryers, so guests should state dietary requirements clearly when ordering.
Draught beer, cider, wine, gin and premium spirits make the drinks list substantial, with malt whisky a particular focus. A curated whisky flight provides a simple way to compare several expressions. Tolbooth Tavern suits a casual Royal Mile lunch, a full Scottish dinner or a stop for food and whisky in one of the Canongate’s most distinctive historic buildings.
Address: 167 Canongate, Edinburgh EH8 8BN, United Kingdom
Tolbooth Tavern Menu
Starters
Cullen Skink
Traditional smoked haddock soup, with potato, onion & cream. Served with a freshly baked roll
Soup of the Day
Served with a freshly baked roll
Stornoway Black Pudding Croquettes
Served with a spicy tomato relish
Chicken Liver Pâté
Served with Scottish oatcakes, butter & onion marmalade
Mushrooms on Toasted Bloomer
In a garlic & cream sauce with shaved Grana Padano
Haggis, Neeps & Tatties
Macsween’s haggis, neeps & tatties with a whisky cream sauce (Vegetarian option also available)
Smoked Scottish Salmon
Served with oatcakes & dill crème fraiche
Haggis Croquettes
With a whisky cream sauce
Red Pepper & Goat’s Cheese Croquettes
With sweet chilli sauce
Main Courses
Freshly Landed Scottish Fish & Chips
Hand battered Peterhead haddock fillet served with thick-cut chips & tartare sauce
Steak & Sausage Pie
Served with thick cut chips & seasonal vegetables
Traditional Crofter’s Pie
Scotch minced beef & Macsween’s haggis in a rich gravy, topped with puff pastry. Served with creamy mash & seasonal vegetables
Sausage & Mash
Fresh Scottish pork sausages served with creamy mash & seasonal vegetables in a rich gravy
Chicken Balmoral
Haggis-stuffed chicken breast wrapped in pancetta & served with creamy mash, whisky cream sauce & seasonal vegetables
Haggis, Neeps & Tatties
Macsween’s haggis with creamy mash, crushed neeps & a whisky cream sauce (Vegetarian option also available)
Goat’s Cheese, Avocado & Roasted Red Pepper Salad
With mixed leaves, red onion, & cherry tomato in a Dijon & balsamic vinaigrette dressing
Casserole of Root Vegetables
Served with puff pastry & traditional Rumbledethumps
Perthshire Venison Stew
Served with bloomer bread
Fresh Scottish Salmon Fillet
Served in a lemon butter sauce with herb mash & seasonal vegetables
Burgers
All served in a brioche bun with house sauce, lettuce, tomato & pickle. Served with fries.
6 oz Bacon Cheeseburger
Haggis Burger
Panko Chicken Burger
Spicy Bean Burger
Sides
Fries
Thick-Cut Chips
Onion Rings
Mixed Salad
Seasonal Vegetables
Highlander Fries
French fries topped with haggis, whisky cream sauce & crispy shallots
Garlic Bread
Steaks
Prime Scotch beef served with chunky chips, roasted cherry tomatoes, rocket & Grana Padano salad & a sauce of your choice. Choose from pepper, whisky cream or garlic butter.
8 oz Sirloin
10 oz Ribeye
Desserts
Sticky Toffee Pudding
Served with vanilla ice cream
Apple Pie
Served with vanilla ice cream
Chocolate Brownie
Served with whisky cream
Cranachan
Scottish raspberries, whisky, cream & oats
Selection of Scottish Ice-creams
choose 3 scoops from today’s flavours
Millionaire Cheesecake
Served with toffee sauce
Light Bites
Mini Fish ‘n Chips
Served with tartare sauce
Chicken Tenders
Served with a choice of ranch, sweet chilli or BBQ dip
Haggis Croquettes
Served with whisky cream sauce
Goats Cheese Croquettes
Served with sweet chilli dip (V)
Highlander Haggis Loaded Fries
Fries
(V)
Thick Cut Chips
(V)
Onion Rings
(V)
Gluten Free Menu
These dishes are made from ingredients that do not contain meat or fish. However we do not have a dedicated preparation or cooking area for vegetarian food. (V denotes vegetarian dishes. VE denotes vegan dishes.) If you suffer from a food allergy or intolerance, please speak to our staff about the ingredients in your meal when making your order. Every care is taken to avoid any cross contamination when processing a specific allergen free order. We do however work in a kitchen that processes allergenic ingredients and does not have a specific allergen free zone or separate dedicated fryers. Dishes may contain nut/nut derivatives. A discretionary service charge of 10% will be added to your bill.
Homemade Soup of the Day
Served with a freshly baked GF bread roll
Smoked Salmon
Served with gluten free oatcakes
Chicken Liver Pâté
Served with gluten free oatcakes
Traditional Cullen Skink
Smoked haddock, potato & onion cream soup, served with a freshly baked GF bread roll
Bacon Cheeseburger
Prime Scottish steak burger topped with Scottish bacon & cheddar in a GF brioche bun with house sauce, tomato & chopped lettuce. Served with fries
Goat’s Cheese, Avocado and Red Pepper Salad
With mixed leaves, tomato and a citrus dressing
Grilled Chicken, Avocado & Red Pepper Salad
With mixed leaves, tomato and a citrus dressing
8 oz Sirloin or 10 oz Ribeye Steaks
Two 30 day dry aged prime Scottish cuts of beef (10oz Ribeye, 8oz Sirloin). Accompanied by thick cut chips, roasted vine tomatoes & garlic butter sauce. With mixed leaves, tomato and a citrus dressing.
Baked Fish & Chips
Served with thick cut chips and tartare sauce
Selection of Scottish Ice Cream
Ask our team for today’s flavours
Cranachan
Scottish raspberries, whisky, cream
Homemade Soup of the Day
Served with a freshly baked GF bread roll (VE)
Goat’s Cheese, Avocado and Red Pepper Salad
With mixed leaves, tomato and a citrus dressing (V)
Grilled Chicken, Avocado & Red Pepper Salad
With mixed leaves, tomato and a citrus dressing (V)
Cranachan
Scottish raspberries, whisky, cream (GF oats)
Draught
½ Pint / Pint
Souter Johnnie Lager
Amstel
Belhaven Best
Birra Moretti
Guest Cask Ale
Maltsmiths IPA
Murphys
Neck Oil Session IPA
Strongbow
Bottled Beers and Ciders
Tiger
330ml
Estrella
330ml
Heineken
330ml
Bulmers
500ml
Old Mout Flavoured Ciders
500ml
Heineken 0%
330ml
Guinness 0.0
538ml
Vodka, Rum, Brandy
Smirnoff
Grey Goose
Bacardi Blanca
Morgans Spiced
Reaper’s Rum
Kraken
Courvoisier
Whiskies – Campbeltown
Glen Scotia 12
Sea breeze, orchard fruit, creamy oak. CASK: Bourbon
Glen Scotia Double Cask
Toffee, spiced fruit, chocolate. CASK: Pedro Ximénez
Blends, Bourbon, Irish
Dewar’s 12
Monkey Shoulder
Johnnie Walker Black Label
Famous Grouse
Jack Daniels
Buffalo Trace
Woodford Reserve
Jameson
Hot Drinks
Americano
Double Espresso
Cappuccino
Flat White
Latte
Hot Chocolate
Tea
Breakfast / Earl Grey / Camomile / Mint
Baileys Latte
Gaelic Coffee
Hot Toddy
Wines
White, Red, Rose: 175ml / 250ml / Bottle. Prosecco: 125ml / Bottle.
Pinot Grigio
Italy (Terre d’Abruzzo)
Chardonnay
Australia
Sauvignon Blanc
Chile (Valle Central)
Shiraz
Australia
Gin
Ben Lomond
Ben Lomond Raspberry & Elderflower
Ben Lomond Orange & Pink Grapefruit
Ben Lomond Blackberry & Gooseberry
Whiskies – Highlands
Aberfeldy 12
Fresh cut grass, green apples, honey, nutmeg. CASK: Bourbon, Some Sherry
Aberfeldy 16
Honey, vanilla, dark chocolate, spicy fruitcake. CASK: Sherry finish
Aberfeldy 21
Macadamia nuts, orange, dried fruit, toasted coconut, wisp of smoke. CASK: Bourbon, Sherry
Aberfeldy 24
Roasted nuts, dried citrus peel, honeyed malt. CASK: Sherry
Whiskies – Islay
Ardbeg 10
Peat smoke, lemon, menthol, black pepper, seaspray. CASK: Bourbon
Ardbeg Corryvreckan
Dark chocolate, waxy, muscovado. CASK: French Oak, Bourbon
Ardnahoe Infinite Loch
Sea spray, Islay peat, dark chocolate. CASK: Bourbon, Sherry
Bowmore 12
Floral, heathery smoke, bergamot, orange blossom. CASK: Bourbon
Whiskies – Speyside
Aberlour 12
Syrup, red apple, figs, apricot. CASK: Sherry finish
Balvenie 12
Dried fruits, nuts, cinnamon. CASK: Sherry finish
Balvenie 14 Caribbean Cask
Creamy toffee, banana, honey, oak spices, black pepper. CASK: Rum finish
Craigellachie 13
Oily, honey-glazed cured meat, toasted almonds. CASK: Bourbon, sherry finish
Whiskies – Islands
Arran 10
Honey, malt, citrus, soft vanilla. CASK: Bourbon, sherry
Highland Park 12
Sweet, heathery smoke, toffee, spices. CASK: Sherry
Hearach Olorose
Cinnamon, cloves, walnuts, dried orange. CASK: Oloroso
Scapa 10
Pineapple, mango, banana, crème brûlée. CASK: Bourbon
Whisky Flights
Peat Ladder
Highland Park 12, Talisker 10, Ardbeg Corryvreckan
Trip Around Scotland
Glenkinchie 12, Aberfeldy 12, Balvenie 12, Bowmore 12
Island Hopper
Tobermory 12, Arran 10, Highland Park 12, Talisker 10
Soft Drinks
Coca-Cola Bottle
330ml
Coca-Cola Zero Bottle
330ml
Diet Coke Bottle
330ml