Thanksgiving dinner: Burgers & Donuts in Edinburgh
From mountains of chicken wings to cupcakes shaped like turkeys, we take a look at a range of Edinburgh's best US-inspired eateries to check out this Thanksgiving
Ahead of Thanksgiving, the annual American holiday devoted to heavy eating, high-impact professional sport and furious shopping, we reckon it's time to celebrate some of the best American food on offer in Scotland's biggest cities. Here are our pick of some of the best US food venues in Glasgow – read on for some of Edinburgh's best American and US-inspired food and drink venues to head towards this Thanksgiving, on Thursday 24 November.
Fried Chicken, Burgers and Wings
Let's start with burgers, and while Edinburgh can't match Glasgow for the sheer volume on offer, the quality is more than up to scratch. Bread Meats Bread on Lothian Road is our pick of the bunch, with their mustard-fried Cali Burger a particular favourite, but perennial street food faves Jones & Son give them a run for their money with their new residency at Salt Horse on Blackfriars Street. Both spots also offer up top notch fried chicken burgers, so if you aren't into red meat you can still get in the spirit of things.
BURGER on Shandwick Place will also serve you well, as will US joint Frontier in Bruntsfield, while if you want to get a bit 'festive', head to The Cambridge Bar on Young St for some tasty ales with your gourmet burgers. Other venues to try out for an American food experience this Thanksgiving include Wings just off the Royal Mile – where the humble chicken wing is elevated to pole position on the menu, with dozens of rubs, sauces and marinades to choose from – and the endearing American diner charm of The City Cafe on Blair Street and Bell's Diner on St Stephen's Street.
Donuts!
Baba Budan at the Waverley Arches specialise in doughnuts (as is evidenced by the enormous lettering above the door describing the cafe as a 'donutterie') and it shows. Delicious spongy dough stuffed with fillings from Pumpkin & Cinnamon to Chocolate Custard; go early, eat many, waddle home.
Elsewhere, Marchmont's Deadly Donuts offer a host of freshly-baked doughnuts every day, while we can say from experience that the doughnuts from Twelve Triangles on Brunswick Street don't last long once Edinburgh's cake fans find out what's on the menu. Keep your ears to the ground (or turn on all your Instagram notifications) for news of the day's choices.
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