While the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August draws crowds, the city's year-round gastronomic offerings make the Scottish capital a must-see. The following establishments deserve a round of applause:

CannonBall

It would be impolite to leave Cannonball, a restaurant stocked solely by Scottish suppliers with views of the castle, to your itinerary while in Edinburgh. The restaurant, housed in the former keeper's lodge, offers breathtaking views of the city's most recognizable landmark and a menu featuring dishes that highlight the best of Scotland.

Ingredients ranging from the mint used in the Mojitos to the lavender used to decorate the tables are grown in the restaurant's one-acre kitchen garden. The pickled turnip and Glengoyne whisky cream complement the trademark haggis cannonballs well.

You have to try the red mullet, served atop quenelles of baby zucchini, saffron aioli, and a flower of courgette deep fried till it tastes like a carnival doughnut.

At The Pompadour, Dean Banks

You can't have supper until you're sitting next to a boat, to quote Julia Roberts from Notting Hill. The Waldorf Astoria, where MasterChef finalist Dean Banks prepares some of Edinburgh's most intriguing cuisine, is located upstairs, and guests are greeted by a miniature ship.

Oysters served in fog, and curried butter that tastes like Pot Noodles are only the beginning of the outlandish experiences that await you. The gochujang beef served with black garlic puree, black sesame sauce, and half a dozen preparations of wild garlic is a dish not to be missed.

Contini

Whether you dine on its beautiful George Street terrace or in the main restaurant's vaulted, fresco-lined corridors, Contini stands out among Edinburgh's excellent Italian dining options.

Here you'll find an abundance of fresh, locally sourced ingredients, many of which have traveled from Italy to be used in the kitchens. The spinach and ricotta ravioli give their exquisite calamari fritti a run for its money as the menu's highlight.

The burrata with Puglian watermelon will make you question why feta typically gets the lady. Their Saturn peaches on ice and their tiramisu are culinary masterworks.

Mini Chart Room

This lovely Leith café, in contrast to the tourist traps of George and Princes Street, is packed with residents. At only £19 for three courses, the set lunch menu is a value. Dishes like cucumber gazpacho with white asparagus, apple, and grapes, followed by stuffed lamb saddle with smoked yogurt and almonds, are just a few of the highlights. You may also stop for Sunday brunch and orange curd doughnuts are on the menu. 1

Fhior

When award-winning chef Scott Smith announced the closing of his restaurant Norn in 2018, it sent shockwaves across Edinburgh's dining community. His most recent endeavor, Fhior, has exceeded all expectations with its creative, seasonally driven meals and cozy, Nordic-inspired decor.

The focus is, of course, on Scottish ingredients, such as the fish served with gooseberry, radish, and yogurt or the dessert made with hedgerow strawberries, bay leaves, and mint.

Borough

Leith has some of Edinburgh's most intense restaurant rivalries, with new and exciting independent eateries opening on almost every block. Borough, a casual cafe with inventive four-course meals, is a must-see. Pick the cured Loch Etive sea fish and the white asparagus with Strathearn cheese and buckwheat if you're visiting in August.

Dozen Triangles

Since opening its doors in 2015, Twelve Triangles has been filling the streets of Leith with wafts of freshly baked bread and pastries. You may find its lemon and cardamom buns and tahini chocolate croissants at its permanent locations in Portobello and Duke Street, much to Edinburgh's citizens' and tourists' joy.

Lookout

The Lookout, located atop Calton Hill, lives up to its name by providing breathtaking 360-degree panoramas of the city's steeples, cobblestone streets, and Firth of Forth. Features Gigha oysters with apple and smoked aubergine, among other dishes, on a rotating menu that Robbie Burns himself would be proud of. Only the highest quality fruits, vegetables, meats, and seafood from nearby farms and seas are used to prepare meals.

Civerinos

Team Civerinos's first Scottish location in Hunter Square was so successful that they expanded to include a by-slice bar and late-night hangout called The High Dive. As if the popularity of the ménage à trois weren't proof enough, a trip to Edinburgh isn't complete without a piece of Civs (or one of its signature Aperol slushies, for that matter).