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Diners at Leftfield on a spring evening, at tables by big corner windows looking out over the green of Bruntsfield Links.
Edinburgh

Leftfield

A neighbourhood bistro on Barclay Terrace looking over Bruntsfield Links, with a short seasonal menu built around Scottish seafood and minimal intervention wines.

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Welcome

There's nothing quite like a good local bistro, and Leftfield, on the corner of Barclay Terrace in Bruntsfield, is one of Edinburgh's best.

Its big windows look out over Bruntsfield Links, and the menu is short, seasonal and built around Scottish seafood, with a wine list that leans towards minimal intervention bottles. The Michelin Guide lists it, and in 2026 the Good Food Guide named it one of Britain's best local restaurants. Dinner is served from 5pm, with the last table at 8.45pm, and lunch from noon at the end of the week, with the last table at 1.30pm. It's a small room, so book ahead through its own site. Children over 13 are welcome at dinner and younger ones at lunch, though there's no room for buggies or prams. Afterwards, a stroll across the Links towards the Meadows is a lovely way to end the evening.

Round the cornerHarajuku KitchenA Japanese restaurant on Gillespie Place in Bruntsfield, where chef Kaori Simpson cooks family recipes, holder of an AA Rosette.1 min by roadSee itWooden tables and benches beneath a blue artwork on a stone wall
Before you go

Dinner from 5pm and lunch from noon at the end of the week.

It is a small room, so book through its own site.

Where
12 Barclay Terrace, Bruntsfield, Edinburgh, EH10 4HP.
Dinner
Thursday to Monday from 5pm; last table 8.45pm.
Lunch
Friday to Sunday from 12 noon; last table 1.30pm.
Booking
Through its own site. Cancel 24 hours ahead for up to four, 48 hours for five to eight; larger groups by email.
Children
Over 13 at dinner; younger children welcome at lunch, with no children's menu, highchairs or room for buggies.
Dogs
No.
Access
Google's record gives a wheelchair-accessible entrance and seating.
Phone
0131 563 1792

Opening hours

Their website
Monday
5pm–9pm
Tuesday
Closed
Wednesday
Closed
Thursday
5pm–9pm
Friday
noon–2pm, 5pm–9pm
Saturday
noon–2pm, 5pm–9pm
Sunday
noon–2pm, 5pm–9pm

Eaten here? Tell others what to order and when to go, and the best go on this page with your name.

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Where it is

On the corner of Barclay Terrace in Bruntsfield, facing Bruntsfield Links, EH10 4HP.

Close byBruntsfield, Tollcross and the Meadows.
  1. Castello CoffeeCastello CoffeeA speciality coffee house on Barclay Terrace in Bruntsfield, looking out over the Links, with Allpress espresso and a mezzanine.Under a mile 1 min by road
  2. HendersonsHendersonsA vegetarian and vegan restaurant beside Bruntsfield Links, opened in 2021 by the grandson of Janet Henderson, who founded the first Hendersons in 1962.Under a mile 1 min by road
  3. King's TheatreKing's TheatreEdinburgh's Edwardian theatre on Leven Street, open since 1906 and reopened in August 2026 after four years' rebuilding, now step-free from street to seat.Under a mile 1 min by road
  4. BeatnikBeatnikA laptop-free specialty coffee shop in Tollcross, opened in 2022, pouring a house espresso and guest beans from roasters across Europe.Under a mile 2 min by road
  5. Metal tables and chairs outside Montpeliers Bruntsfield, with potted olive treesMontpeliersA bar and restaurant on Bruntsfield Place since 1992, known to locals as Monties, serving breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner every day.Under a mile 1 min by road
  6. Wooden shelf of books in a dimly lit café interiorThe Edinburgh BookshopAn independent bookshop on Bruntsfield Place since 2007, five times Scottish Independent Bookshop of the Year, with storytime for the under-fives.Under a mile 2 min by road
  7. Cyclists pass beneath autumn trees as low sun casts long shadows across the parkThe MeadowsThe great park on the south side of the Old Town, once the Burgh Loch, crossed by tree-lined walks and a path through a whale's jawbones.Under a mile 3 min by road
Directions
Wooden tables and benches beneath a blue artwork on a stone wallRestaurantsHarajuku KitchenA step away
Yamato restaurant frontage with panelled door and slatted wooden claddingRestaurantsYamato0.3 miles
The navy front of Greek Artisan Pastries on Bread Street, under a striped awning, with yellow cafe tables and chairs outside on the pavement.CafeGreek Artisan Pastries0.4 miles
The blue front of Hey Palu on Bread Street in the sun, with its red sign, wooden slatted windows and the words Modern Italian Bar on the glass.BarsHey Palu0.4 miles
The dark front of the Source Coffee Roasters at 4 Spittal Street, with a caffeine molecule drawn on the window and benches along the pavement.CafeThe Source0.4 miles
Inside Lovecrumbs on West Port: a plywood counter with a pink coffee machine, shelves of cups and coffee, plants, and old iron pillars.CafeLovecrumbs0.5 miles
A breakfast roll with fried egg and cheese and two scones with jam and butter on a table at Preacher's Patisserie.CafePreacher's Patisserie0.5 miles
The counter at Jeannie's Bakery, with muffins, blueberry and cardamom buns and a glazed cinnamon bun on brown paper above their labels.CafeJeannie's Bakery0.6 miles
A bowl of ramen at Nishiki, with slices of chashu pork, a soft-boiled egg, spring onion and a swirl of dark oil, on a pale wooden table.RestaurantsNishiki0.6 miles

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