3 Meze Platter
£17.90Three meze of your choice with warm bread & a fresh green salad.
Empires Cafe Bistro24 St Mary's Street, Edinburgh EH1 1SU07864 103700Mon, Fri & Sun 16:30–22:30 · Sat until 23:00 · Closed Tue–Thu
Turkish & Mediterranean Meze · Edinburgh Old Town
Small Plates. Long Evenings.One Table off the Royal Mile.
Nineteen mezes, hot and cold. Pick three, pick five, or let the party menu keep coming. Warm bread, fresh salad, baklava and Turkish coffee to finish. Alcohol-free — bring your own bottle.
Hoş Geldiniz · Welcome
A small house on the Royal Mile with a long memory of the Bosphorus.
A Turkish and Mediterranean meze restaurant a few steps from Edinburgh's Royal Mile, we cook the way our grandmothers did — with patience, with butter, beneath the same blue-and-burgundy tiles that watched empires come and go. Twenty seats. One open kitchen. Plenty for vegetarians and vegans, plenty for the meat eaters sitting beside them. Choose your mezes, share the bread, stay for the coffee — or take it away with you.
The Sofra
Mezes
All platters served with warm bread & a fresh herb salad
Special 5 Meze Platter
£21.90Five meze of your choice with warm bread & a fresh herb salad.
Special Party Menu
£28.904 or more people. An “all you can eat” selection of 12 hot & cold meze with warm bread & green salad, includes dessert.
Humus
GFVGClassic dip of chickpeas, garlic, lemon & tahini
Cacik
GFVStrained yoghurt with cucumber, garlic, virgin olive oil & mint
Acili
VGToasted walnuts crushed with tomato, chilli, garlic & spices
Haydari
GFVDip of chargrilled aubergines combined with garlic, virgin olive oil & yoghurt
Zeytin
GFVGBlack & green olives, matured in an herb & lemon dressing
Ezme
GFVGDelicious vine tomatoes with garlic, toasted cumin, chilli & parsley
Enginar
GFVGArtichoke hearts in a light vinegar, oregano & olive oil
Fasulye
GFVGGreen beans cooked tomato in lemon, dill, onion & olive oil
Dolma
GFVGVine leaves stuffed with spice, rice & everything nice
Falafel
GFVGChickpeas, white beans, garlic, celery & sesame seed patties
Feta Peppers
GFVSliced bell peppers grilled with feta cheese, herb & spice filling
Patlican
GFVGAubergine cooked in tomato sauce with onion & hint of cinnamon
Muska Borek
VSpinach, feta & onion in lightly baked filo pastry
Grilled Hellim
GFVSlow grilled real Cypriot goat's milk halloumi cheese
Musakka
VSucculent layers of aubergine, courgette, tomato & potato; in a creamy white sauce, sprinkled with cheese
Sucuk
GFDelicious air-dried Turkish garlic sausage
Chicken Shish
GFCubes of special marinated & grilled chicken in lemon & olive oil
Kiremit Kofte
Sumptuous beef meatballs; oven-baked in a rich tomato sauce
Lamb Musakka
Succulent layers of aubergine, courgette, tomato & potato, with lamb mince covered in a creamy white sauce; sprinkled with cheese
GF Gluten free V Vegetarian VG Vegan
Before placing your order, please inform your server if a person in your party has any allergies or special dietary requirements.
To Finish · Refreshment
Desserts, Coffee & Drinks
Desserts
Baklava
£4.95A selection of traditional Turkish sweets made with layers of filo pastry, nuts and syrup
Lokum
£4.00Delicious cubes of mixed Turkish Delight
Coffee & Tea
Kahve
£4.00Traditional Turkish coffee served black
Mint Tea
£4.00Pot of freshly brewed mint leaves
Apple Tea
£4.00With cinnamon and hibiscus brewed tea
Herbal Teas
£4.00Camomile, peppermint, lemon ginger
Drinks
Fruit Juice
£4.50Pomegranate, peach, sour cherry, apple juices
Soft Drinks
£3.50Coke, Coke Zero, Sprite, Fanta
Still or Sparkling Water
£2.50BYOB Policy
Bring Your Own Bottle
While we are an alcohol-free establishment, we invite you to complement your meal with your own favorite drinks. A small corkage fee applies: £4 per bottle of wine & £0.50 per beer (bottle or can).
December at Empires
Office Christmas Lunches & Dinners
Our bistro is now officially taking reservations for office Christmas lunch and dinner parties. Celebrate the end of the year with your team in a warm, festive atmosphere with delicious seasonal food.
What We Offer
Lunch & Dinner Bookings: Flexible time slots available throughout December for teams of all sizes.
Private and Group Options: Customized seating or set menus tailored to your office party needs.
Opening Hours
Linger Long. Sip Slowly.
Open
Mon, Fri & Sun · 16:30 — 22:30
Saturday until 23:00 · Closed Tue — Thu
Seating
Twenty Seats
Walk-ins welcome · reservations recommended for evenings
Find Us
24 St Mary's Street
Just off the Royal Mile, Old Town
Beyond the Bistro
Outside Catering
We cater outside the bistro across Edinburgh — meze platters, party menus and hot Turkish dishes for gatherings, offices and private events. Every order is tailored: call us on 07864 103700 and we build the menu around your headcount, your budget and the dietary needs at your table — vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free included.
Ask about cateringFind Us & Reservations · İletişim
Contact & Reservations
Walk-ins are always warmly welcomed. Reserve your table in advance or contact us for any inquiries by phone or email.
Reservations & Enquiries
Get in Touch
For bookings, please call or send us an email.
Location
Address
24 St Mary's StreetEdinburgh, EH1 1SU
United Kingdom
Located just off the Royal Mile in Edinburgh's historic Old Town.
24 St Mary's Street · Edinburgh
Directions