My Scottish friend proclaims this dish mouth-watering, but most people find haggis to be an acquired taste at best. Deacon Brodies, The Tass and The Ensign Ewart on the Royal Mile are all older, atmospheric taverns that serve local beers and ales, as well as mixed drinks. The Royal Oak on Infirmary Street and Sandy Bell's Bar on Forest Road are great places to go at night if you're interested in socializing with locals and listening to live traditional folk music. One of the most compact and interesting areas of town is Grassmarket. The first written record of a market being at the site was in 1477.
Buildings rise on all sides, enclosing a large open area overlooked by the towering castle.
It's full of quirky shops and historic buildings. You can have lunch at the White Hart Inn where poet Burns lodged in 1791. The pub is so named because of its proximity to the gallows - convicts could have a last drink before being hanged. Two offbeat shops are The Cook's Bookshop and Mr. Wood's Fossils. The bookshop is run by television celebrity cook Clarissa Dickson Wright, one half of the Two Fat Ladies cooking team.