Redcoat cafe

If you’re spending the day at the castle, you’re probably going to need something to eat. There are two restaurant/​café locations on the grounds (and you aren’t allowed re-​entry on your tickets… we checked).
We chose the Redcoat Café because they had several items on offer, and it seemed more casual than the table-​service restaurant across the compound. As you walk in, you’re face-​to-​face with several different options, but directly in front of the door sits the sweets bar. Devious placement on their part, and it totally worked on me. I went in seeking savory nourishment, and walked to my table with a piece of cake added on. Figures.
The café offers both grab-​and-​go cold sandwich offerings and hot entrées. We went with the hot entrée — a haggis, neeps and tatties pie, which was served with fries and potatoes (overload on starch, lemme tell ya!)
The dining area is quite large, so we had no issues finding a table. At that time, though, all the «good» tables — the ones with the spectacular views of the city — were all taken.
Oh — tip! If you want water with your meal, and don’t mind tap, don’t buy bottled. They have a pitcher of tap water and a bucket of ice on a table near the silverware, which you can get for free.
The food was pretty good, though very filling. I wasn’t kidding when I said the meal we decided on was starch overload — we had potatoes three ways. But, it was filling, it stuck to our ribs and it gave us energy to finish out the day at the castle.

Teribble service, kids running about everywhere (owners kids) bought a scone and was handed a used butter pot. Not a good way of representing the capitial atall!

My favourite part of the castle was finding a few local bottled beers at this cafeteria like venue, within the walls of the monument. I had to relieve myself of the little cash that the entrance fee hadn’t already mugged me of to get one though. From inside at the back there is a view over Edinburgh, or you can sit out in the courtyard and drink it all in! Wonderful beer, wonderful location, hideously overpriced.

Second place based up on the Castle where you can go for a meal (and in comparison to the Queen Anne Café) enjoy some stunning views of the city as one of the hughe windows goes out on the Princess Street and Newtown). The place composed of two rooms — both spacious with lots of places to sit. As for the café itself it’s not ‘mind-​blowing’ as for décor but the food makes up for it. As for such interestingly based place be prepared for high prices. The range of meals is wide (as so is the drinks list) and should satisfy anyone.
Worth of checking out while touring the Castle (even for a coffee or a sandwich — every meal is fresh and daily made!)