Pre-Theatre Dining Guide
Planning dinner before a show at the Edinburgh Playhouse? Choosing somewhere close to the theatre means you can enjoy your meal without spending the whole evening watching the clock.
The Playhouse is at the top of Leith Walk, close to Picardy Place and the St James Quarter, with plenty of restaurants, cafés and bars within easy walking distance.
Whether you’re looking for a quick bite before the show, a family-friendly restaurant, a dedicated pre-theatre menu or somewhere for a more leisurely dinner, you’ll find plenty of options nearby.
This guide brings together some of the best restaurants near Edinburgh Playhouse, along with practical tips to help you choose where to eat and plan your meal around your performance.
Quick Guide to Eating Near Edinburgh Playhouse
If you’re short on time, start with the area immediately surrounding the theatre.
- Closest options: Greenside Place, Antigua Street and Union Place
- More choice: Broughton Street, Elm Row and St James Quarter
- For a wider city-centre selection: St Andrew Square and the New Town
For most theatre visits, we’d recommend choosing somewhere you can comfortably walk from after dinner. That removes the need to rely on taxis or public transport when you have a fixed performance start time.
Best Restaurants Near Edinburgh Playhouse
There are plenty of places to eat around the Playhouse, but some are particularly convenient for theatre visitors. Here are some options to consider:
Mamma Roma
📍 Antigua Street, Edinburgh
🚶 Around a 2–3 minute walk
🍝 Italian
⭐ Best for: Pre-theatre menus, couples and families
If convenience is your priority, Mamma Roma is one of the most obvious choices near Edinburgh Playhouse. The family-run Italian restaurant is just around the corner from the theatre and serves pasta, pizza, seafood and other traditional Italian dishes.
Most importantly for theatre visitors, Mamma Roma offers a dedicated pre-theatre menu before Edinburgh Playhouse performances. That makes it particularly easy to plan your meal around the show. A children’s menu is also available, making it worth considering if you’re taking the family to a musical.
Its location means you won’t have far to walk when you’ve finished dinner, but that convenience can also make it popular on performance days. Booking ahead is sensible.
Giuliano’s
📍 Union Place, Edinburgh
🚶 Around a 2–3 minute walk
🍕 Italian
⭐ Best for: Traditional Italian food and staying close to the theatre
Giuliano’s is another Italian option extremely close to Edinburgh Playhouse, on Union Place. Its location opposite the Playhouse area makes it particularly convenient if you want to minimise the distance between dinner and the theatre.
The restaurant serves a range of Italian favourites, including pizza and pasta, and offers pre-theatre dining options. For visitors who simply want somewhere close, straightforward and convenient before a performance, Giuliano’s is well worth considering.
Shezan
📍 Union Place, Edinburgh
🚶 Around a 2–3 minute walk
🍛 Indian and Punjabi
⭐ Best for: Indian food, groups and an alternative to Italian dining
If you’d prefer Indian food before your show, Shezan is another option within very easy walking distance of the Playhouse. Located on Union Place, the family-run restaurant specialises in Indian and Punjabi dishes and has been established in Edinburgh for many years.
Its menu includes pre-theatre options, which makes it particularly relevant for Playhouse visitors. The close location also means you won’t need to leave a large amount of time to get from the restaurant to the theatre once you’ve finished eating.
Slug & Lettuce
📍 Omni Centre, Greenside Place
🚶 Next to Edinburgh Playhouse
🍔 Bar and casual dining
⭐ Best for: Casual meals, drinks and groups
If proximity matters more than anything else, Slug & Lettuce at the Omni Centre is right beside the Playhouse. It offers casual food and drinks, making it an option for groups or visitors who aren’t looking for a formal pre-theatre dinner.
Its biggest advantage is location. You can eat or have a drink practically next door to the theatre, which can be useful if you’re short on time. As with other busy city-centre venues, check availability and consider booking ahead when a major show is running.
Valvona & Crolla Caffè Bar
📍 Elm Row, Edinburgh
🚶 A short walk from Edinburgh Playhouse
🍝 Italian café and restaurant
⭐ Best for: A relaxed lunch, matinee visits and early dining
Valvona & Crolla has been part of Edinburgh’s food scene since 1934, and its Caffè Bar is tucked away behind the Italian delicatessen on Elm Row. The menu focuses on traditional Italian cooking using a mixture of Scottish and Italian ingredients.
It’s particularly worth considering for lunch before a matinee or an earlier meal. However, opening hours can finish earlier than many traditional evening restaurants, so check the current hours carefully if you’re attending an evening performance.
Dishoom Edinburgh
📍 St Andrew Square, Edinburgh
🚶 Around a 10-minute walk
🍛 Bombay-inspired Indian food
⭐ Best for: Sharing dishes, groups and making more of the evening
If you don’t mind walking a little further, Dishoom on St Andrew Square gives you another option. Its Bombay-inspired menu is designed well for sharing, which can make it a good choice for couples or groups heading to a show together.
Dishoom is further from the theatre than restaurants around Antigua Street and Union Place, so build the walk into your plans rather than leaving immediately before curtain time. It’s also a popular city-centre restaurant, so plan ahead if you’re visiting at a busy time.
Closest Restaurants to Edinburgh Playhouse
If your main priority is staying as close to the theatre as possible, concentrate on Greenside Place, Antigua Street and Union Place. Mamma Roma, Giuliano’s and Shezan are all within the immediate Playhouse area, while the Omni Centre sits beside the theatre and provides additional casual dining and drinking options. Choosing somewhere this close can be particularly useful if:
- You’re attending an early performance
- You’re travelling with children
- Someone in your group has limited mobility
- You don’t know Edinburgh well
- You want plenty of time to get seated before the show
- The weather isn’t particularly inviting!
Just remember that the restaurants closest to a theatre can also become busy when a popular production is running.
Best Pre-Theatre Menus Near Edinburgh Playhouse
A dedicated pre-theatre menu can make planning dinner much easier because it is designed with performance times in mind. Mamma Roma offers a specific pre-theatre menu before Edinburgh Playhouse performances, while other restaurants around Union Place also promote pre-theatre dining options. Menus, prices and serving times can change, so always check the restaurant’s current website when booking rather than relying on an old menu you’ve found online.
Family-Friendly Restaurants Near Edinburgh Playhouse
A family trip to a musical often means finding somewhere that’s relaxed, convenient and suitable for children. Italian restaurants can work particularly well because pizza and pasta provide plenty of familiar choices, while casual restaurants around the Omni Centre offer another option. Mamma Roma provides a children’s menu alongside its pre-theatre offering. When you’re attending with younger children, we’d recommend prioritising convenience over travelling across Edinburgh for a particular restaurant. Staying close to the Playhouse makes it much easier to finish dinner and get everyone into the theatre without rushing.
Where to Eat Before a Matinee
Pre-theatre dining doesn’t always mean dinner. If you’re attending an afternoon performance, you could have lunch before the show instead. This can give you more flexibility than an evening performance because cafés and restaurants that close earlier in the day become realistic options. Valvona & Crolla is one possibility for a daytime visit, while the Playhouse’s city-centre location gives you plenty of other lunch choices around Leith Walk, St James Quarter and the New Town. Check the start time of your matinee before making a reservation and allow enough time to walk to the theatre afterwards.
Where to Eat After an Edinburgh Playhouse Show
Sometimes it’s easier to eat after the performance rather than before it. This can work particularly well after a matinee, when you’ll have plenty of evening dining options available. Eating after an evening performance requires a little more planning. Musicals can finish relatively late, and restaurant kitchens may stop serving before the venue itself closes. If you’re planning dinner after an evening show, check the expected running time of your musical and the restaurant’s latest food-ordering time before making plans.
Check out our guide of How Long Is a Typical Musical? What to Expect for more hints and tips.
How Much Time Should You Allow for Dinner?
For a relaxed sit-down meal, allowing around 90 minutes is a useful starting point. You may need less time for casual dining or a quick meal, while several courses or a special-occasion dinner may need considerably longer. Also remember that your dinner reservation isn’t your theatre arrival time. You’ll still need to:
- Pay the bill
- Leave the restaurant
- Walk to Edinburgh Playhouse
- Enter the theatre
- Find your seats
Aim to arrive at the Playhouse around 30 minutes before your performance begins rather than planning to walk through the doors as the show starts.
Tips for Booking a Restaurant Near Edinburgh Playhouse
Restaurants around the Playhouse can become busy when a major touring musical, concert or comedy show is taking place. Booking ahead is particularly worthwhile for Friday evenings, Saturdays and popular productions. When making your reservation, tell the restaurant if you’re attending the theatre afterwards. Restaurants accustomed to serving Playhouse audiences may be able to advise whether your booking time gives you enough time to eat comfortably. It’s also worth checking the walking route before your visit. A restaurant may look close on a map but Edinburgh’s hills, road crossings and busy streets can add time to the journey.
FAQ
Planning where to eat before a show can raise a few questions, especially if you’re visiting Edinburgh for the first time. These quick answers should help you organise your meal around your performance.
Seeing a Show at Edinburgh Playhouse?
Dinner is only one part of your theatre visit. Our complete Edinburgh Playhouse visitor guide covers what’s on, getting to the theatre, parking, accommodation, accessibility and other useful information to help you plan your visit. Edinburgh Playhouse What’s On & Visitor Guide
Looking for restaurants around another Edinburgh theatre? Best Pre-Theatre Restaurants Near Edinburgh Theatres
And if you’re still deciding what to see: Browse Edinburgh Musicals