Edinburgh, Scotland - Makar's Mash Bar - August 2024

We interrupt our regularly-scheduled travel photos to share with you our lunch spot right after St. Giles. This is a glorious, delicious, wonderful spot that everyone must visit if they go to Edinburgh.

Makar's Mash Bar is a TripAdvisor "Best of the Best" restaurant, the #1 casual eat in the UK and #9 in the world for the past seven years running. And it's for a great reason - it's a locally-sourced mashed potato restaurant. They specialize in all kinds of different mashed potatoes and Scottish specialties. Neither A nor I can turn down a potato, so we were in line when it opened right away!

I could not have been more ready for mash.

I got the smoked bacon & spring onion and a bowl of soup because it was cold. A got the classic Scottish dairy butter. Both were incredible.

The walls were all covered with quotes from famous Scots. The main level had more of a bar vibe.

Proof we were there, that we heard of them first!

A also ordered a half-size of haggis. For those unfamiliar, haggis is the national dish of Scotland. A mixture of minced sheep's heart, liver, and lungs, along with oatmeal, suet, onion, and spices. Traditionally it's then stuffed into a sheep's stomach and boiled, but these days it's more likely to be artificial casings. I didn't ask which this was.

That's my tomato basil soup in the foreground, and you'll notice A is about half through her haggis. I was so freaking proud of her.

A teased me - this server and I got along incredibly well, she said he loved me. We teased each other, and then he gave me a Makar's umbrella for free because it was pouring outside - he's the main server, I think part of the family. He was just incredibly kind and had the best accent.

Proof that my daughter is a rock star - this is her first bite of haggis, and wasn't the last! The part she liked the least were the turnips on top.

I also tried it - it really wasn't bad! Sort of like wet pot roast? I'm a fairly finnicky eater, so I was shocked that it was just fine!