People in Edinburgh looking for an authentic taste of Scotland should look no further as a hidden gem is squirrelled away on the Royal Mile which is earning rave reviews with tourists and influencers alike thanks to its incredible haggis.
The Haggis Box, which is found within the Scottish Storytelling Centre, offers a delicious street-food style twist on Scotland’s classic national dish, that has seen it catapult up the ranks of the capital's top restaurants on review site Tripadvisor and saw travel bloggers rave about it on Youtube.
Offering freshly made, locally sourced haggis, neeps and tatties, and a choice of rich sauces, the little eatery offers a mouthwatering experience (at a great price) for both people who have never tried this flavoursome dish and those looking for a regular haggis hit.
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Not only that, the small team are happy to offer vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free options, meaning they can cater for most people's requirements.
Owners and cousins Laura and Peter Sutherland, and their team, are part of the charm that makes this place so special, with people not only delighted by the food, and the prices, but also the welcome they receive be it via the Storytelling Centre cafe or out and about at events with their bright green Haggis Box Trailer.
Speaking about their offering, Laura stated that they began in a police box in the Grassmarket in November 2018 wanting to offer people a "true taste of Scotland".
"We offered haggis, neeps and tatties as street food to make it as accessible to visitors to Edinburgh as possible.
"We hope to provide people with as good an experience of trying haggis as they can get so that even if the taste isn't for them, we still added to their Scotland trip and they can leave knowing that they gave it a try."
The pair have since made a name for themselves with not only their traditional haggis but also their vegetarian and vegan haggis which even meat eaters have been known to enjoy.
And the haggis, which they source from an award-winning local butcher in Portobello named Finlays, is lovingly complemented by either the whisky and mustard (made using the triple distilled Auchentoshan single malt) or the red wine sauce.
Laura said: "It's a really well-balanced haggis and they also do a great vegan haggis. The tatties are from East Lothian and the neeps (which we peel & chop ourselves) are mainly from Perthshire."
And though they've moved about the city before finding a permanent spot in the Storytelling Centre, they have an army of fans and admirers who regularly post glowing reviews about their small but perfectly formed menu, with options including Scotch eggs, quiche, soup and bacon rolls – and Laura states they have some good coffee and cakes too.
With nearly 120 reviews (only one of which is below four stars) people have been taking to Tripadvisor to rave about their newly discovered gem.
One five star reviewing fan posted: "The vegan haggis is beautiful, the vegan whisky and mustard sauce is absolutely spectacular and the server was absolutely lovely."
While another, who described it as the "Best Haggis in Edinburgh" added: "We were so lucky to find The Haggis Box and that it was still open. We shared Haggis with neeps and tatties. It was delicious! Highly recommend! You must try Haggis."
Laura and Peter seem to take this all in their stride, adding that it's been great to see locals rediscover this incredible dish.
"When we started we always hoped that, with hard work, we could make something that people enjoy," explained Laura. "Although it started with just the two of us, we have been lucky to have great staff who have been kind and enthusiastic with the customers to provide them with an enjoyable experience.
"It's likely our business is quite different to how it would have been if there had been no Covid. We went from about 15 per cent locals to 100 per cent locals 'overnight' and it was validating to know that people who eat haggis more often were still enjoying our offering. As the tourists have come back, it's been great to see visitors to Edinburgh seeking us out for their haggis fix.
"Being in the cafe at the Scottish Storytelling Centre is also an opportunity that presented itself due to Covid - it's definitely warmer than the police box. It's a lovely space to have a cafe in and there are loads of great shows happening in the Netherbow theatre under the Centre. The spaces in the centre can also be hired for meetings and events."
The duo also have their two trailers which they hire out for private parties.
Laura said: "During Lockdown, we were able to take The Haggis Box 'roaming' to towns in the Borders, a lot of which don't have takeaways - we definitely had people happy to see us as they got a break from cooking.
"Although we don't do this as often, we still get out and about every month to a few towns. When we do, we post up where we will be on our Facebook."
Open daily, 10 am to 5 pm (for eat in or take-away), you can find the Haggis Box at the Scottish Storytelling Centre or out and about at events with their wee green trailer in the Borders.
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