We love Edinburgh's restaurant scene as it's one of the most varied and interesting you'll find anywhere in the UK.
From top gastropubs and bistros to fine dining restaurants and laid-back cafés, the capital is home to some of the country's best.
And it seems that Hollywood stars, celebrities and sports stars agree, as many of them are happy to check them out whenever they are in the city.
From Scottish icons like Ian Stirling and Martin Compston to international stars like Whoopi Goldberg and George Clooney; many of these big stars have popped into venues across Edinburgh to enjoy our top-notch venues.
With that in mind, we've taken a look at the Edinburgh restaurants that celebrities have visited and the haunts that stars keep coming back to.
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Café Royal, West Register Street
This much-loved traditional bar and restaurant is an Edinburgh favourite and it seems Ghost and Sister Act star Whoopi Goldberg wanted to see what all the fuss was about.
She popped in for lunch earlier this year, while filming the Amazon series Anansi Boys in Leith. The delighted star was even happy to pose for photos with staff after enjoying her meal.
Rose Street Garden, Rose Street
The summer destination is always popular when the weather is good and it seems Line of Duty's leading man Martin Compston agrees, as he celebrated his 37th birthday in May last year there.
Since the night out, the Rose Street Gardens team have even named a cocktail after the Scottish superstar, called the 'Compston-politan' - complete with a photo of him on top.
The popular city centre spot has also welcomed the likes of boxer Josh Taylor.
The Kitchin, Leith
Pretty much the celebrity hotspot in the city, everyone from the cast and crew of Avengers: Infinity War to other celebrity chefs like Gordon Ramsay has dined here.
Marvel star Elizabeth Olsen was pictured enjoying a meal here, while Former England superstar David Beckham and Comedian Alan Carr have also enjoyed the patronage of the owner and top Scottish chef Tom Kitchin.
And when Outlander star Sam Heughan and Graham McTavish were filming their hit series Men in Kilts in the city, there was of course only one place they wanted to head when it came to dining.
Six By Nico, Hanover Street
The fine dining on a budget and story-telling experts at Six By Nico have been making waves in the city ever since they arrived from Glasgow in 2018.
And it seems Love Island hosts Laura Whitmore and Iain Stirling couldn't wait to try the innovative restaurant when they visited Ian's home city and were spotted happily tucking the restaurant's famous 'Chippie 2.0' menu.
The Fishmarket in Newhaven
Foodie BBC show Remarkable Places To Eat paid a visit to Edinburgh in 2019 and First Dates host Fred Sirieix tagged along to check out the Newhaven chippy.
In the show, chef Tom Kerridge and his partner in crime Fred met head chef Ishu, who is responsible for delivering up to 700 portions of cooked-to-order, perfect fish and chips in a night – and both clearly had a good time tucking into their suppers.
The Guildford Arms, city centre
The family-run real ale emporium welcomed High School Musical star Vanessa Hudgens back in 2019.
Soaking up Scottish culture, the actor enjoyed a festive pint while in town to film for the Netflix sequel The Princess Switch: Switched Again – and she seemed delighted with her experience posting about it on social media.
Social Bite Rose Street Coffee Shop
Perhaps one of the most famous visits came in 2015 when George Clooney threw his weight behind one of the city's most successful social enterprises with a visit to their Rose Street Coffee shop in 2015.
Happily posing staff, George was quick to praise the team for the work they do.
Johnnie Walker Princes Street
Christina Hendricks has clearly developed a taste for Scotch after her role in Mad Men, with the Hollywood actress being spotted visiting Johnnie Walker Princes Street in Edinburgh.
The Good Girls and Firefly star enjoyed the journey of flavour tour and a visit to the rooftop 1820 bar at the Diageo-run tourist attraction on the city's popular shopping street last year, becoming the latest in a string of celebs who’ve enjoyed the experience, including Scottish actor Martin Compston and Phoebe Waller-Bridge.
Down the Hatch, South Queensferry
One of the city's top takeaways has a famous supporter - Obi Wan Kenobi. That's right, Scotland's very own Jedi, Ewan McGregor was spotted popping in for a coffee at the original Down the Hatch in South Queensferry, and even had the time to stop and take some pictures with some of the staff.
Sneaky Pete’s, the Cowgate
Singer Lewis Capaldi was spotted partying in the capital's nightlife in January 2022. The West Lothian star took photographs with fans outside Sneaky Pete’s in the Cowgate, and had a great night out while recording his second album.
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