Edinburgh crowned 'most exciting food destination' in UK for 2025

A Scottish city has been crowned the "most exciting food destination" in the UK for 2025.

The annual Good Food Guide Awards will take place on February 3, celebrating the best food and drink venues across the nation. Ahead of the prestigious ceremony, The Good Food Guide has announced Edinburgh as the winner of its Most Exciting Food Destination prize.

Lyla is shortlisted for Best New Restaurant

The Scottish capital was praised by judges for being the site of "a series of high-quality new openings building energy and momentum to outpace any other British city". Edinburgh was also applauded for its "great restaurants at every level", from gastropubs to fine-dining establishments.

Many of the nominees at the upcoming Good Food Guide Awards are situated in the city, including Lyla on Royal Terrace. Nominated for the Best New Restaurant prize, the seafood restaurant has been described by judges as a "symphonic masterclass".

Elsewhere, The Palmerston is on the shortlist for the Best Value Set Menu award. The Good Food Guide named the café and bar as one of Edinburgh's "cool, casual restaurants at mid-level".

Also in the running for a trophy at the Good Food Guide Awards 2025 are Timberyard and Montrose, which together are nominated for Drinks List of the Year. Applauded for their "brilliantly leftfield drinks program", the restaurants serve up a wide variety of wines, beers, spirits, and cocktails.

Meanwhile, The Good Food Guide also praised Avery and Cardinal in Edinburgh's Stockbridge neighbourhood. The former was described as "top end", while judges called Cardinal "an ambitious follow up" to chef Tomás Gormley's other Edinburgh restaurant Skua.

Other eateries in the city that were highlighted by the experts include Stockbridge Eating House, Sotto, Little Capo, and Ardfern. The former in particular was called "a pure palate cleanser of a restaurant".