Please your palate over five servings during this 3.5-hour secret food tour. Food featured in the experience includes local cheese, venison chorizo, and scones with jam and butter, the latter a big part of British afternoon tea.
First-time visitors also get the chance to sample haggis, the famous Scottish delicacy of sheep offal minced with onion, suet, spices and oatmeal, served with neeps and tatties. A secret serving is revealed at the end of the tour, and you will need a nip to wash it all down in the form of a Lowland single malt. Reviews love the mix of food and history, and say the portions are filling enough to be worth the value of the tour.
What to Expect
The tour runs for around three and a half hours and moves on foot between a handful of Old Town stops, so you get history and street context between courses rather than sitting in one room. Guides talk you through why each dish matters to Edinburgh and Scotland as you eat.
You work through five servings plus a secret final course. Expect local cheese, venison chorizo and scones early on, haggis as the headline Scottish taste, and a Lowland single malt to finish.
What Is Included
Five food servings plus one secret course are included, along with a measure of Lowland single malt. Tastings are designed to be filling rather than token samples.
- Local Scottish cheese
- Venison chorizo
- Scones with jam and butter
- Haggis with neeps and tatties
- A secret final serving
- A Lowland single malt
Who It Suits
This is a strong pick for first-time visitors who want to try the classic Scottish plates in one go while learning the stories behind them. There is a fair bit of walking between stops, so it suits people happy to be on their feet for a few hours. If you would rather stay seated, the Tolbooth Tavern haggis and whisky tasting covers similar flavours without the walking.
Practical Tips
- Arrive hungry: five servings plus a secret course add up to a meal
- Wear comfortable shoes for walking between Old Town stops
- Flag any dietary needs when you book
- Allow the full 3.5 hours in your day plan
- Book ahead, as small-group food tours sell out in peak season
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is the Edinburgh Secret Food Tour?
It runs for about three and a half hours, with walking between several Old Town stops as you work through five servings and a secret final course.
Does the tour include haggis?
Yes. Haggis with neeps and tatties is one of the five servings, alongside local cheese, venison chorizo and scones, finished with a Lowland single malt.