Edinburgh Adventure – Dinner & Skittle at Historic Sheep Heid Inn
Culinary adventures in Scotland usually focus around one topic – did you try haggis? Yes, but haggis was far from the highlight of our trip when it came to dining in Edinburgh. That honor is reserved for the evening we spent at The Sheep Heid Inn Edinburgh, which provided us a memorable meal and a family bonding opportunity thanks to this unique spot.
The Sheep Heid Inn
The Inn offers a warm and friendly vibe, and has done so for nearly 700 years. The establishment dates back to 1360, making it the oldest pub in Scotland. Because of its history, tourists like us make their way to this establishment. But on the evening we were there, it was filled with local regulars which was a nice change of pace from the restaurants and pubs in Old Town and New Town in Edinburgh. We were able to sit down and have a relaxed pub meal, and take a try at the local game of skittle, a form of bowling.
The pub is located in Duddingston which is located next to Holyrood Park, a part of Holyrood Palace the official royal palace for the King during his visits to Scotland. Because of that location, Sheep Heid Inn has been visited by royalty over the centuries including by Mary, Queen of Scots and Queen Elizabeth II. Queen Elizabeth’s visit occurred in the summer of 2016. By one account, Queen Elizabeth strolled in unannounced for a pint on her walk around Holyrood.
Other famous patrons include the original Prince Charles with his troops encamped near by prior to the Battle of Prestonpans in 1745. Literary giants Robert Burns and Sir Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson have also been past guests.
The Sheep Heid Inn is so much more than being an old establishment. The Sheep Heid Inn food and atmosphere are great, and that is not just our opinion. They are a past recipient of Scottish Pub of the Year, awarded by the Automobile Association.
Beyond the awards and general fanfare for The Sheep Heid Inn is because of their food menu. They go well beyond basic pub food, serving up everything from steaks, lamb, seafood, risotto and more. They update their menu according to availability of seasonal items, placing an emphasis on high quality and fresh produce.
If you’re looking for less gourmet, they have you covered there as well with burgers, fish and chips and stonebaked pizzas. The wide variety available on their menu worked well for us. We were able to try the king prawn, crab and ortiz chorizo over linguine with scallops, made with white wine, tomato with a garlic and chili sauce, and provide a very good cheese pizza for less adventurous diners.
Like nearly all UK pubs, they offer a Sunday roast and special menu. Sheep Heid Inn also has a special vegan menu, a children’s menu and of course special desert menu featuring a fresh baked brownie, a “chocolate bomb’ which is toffee sponge cake, caramelised banana, Bourbon vanilla ice cream, whipped cream with a warm dulce de leche sauce, and sticky toffee pudding.
The Sheep Heid Inn had a very local vibe to it, especially compared to other Edinburgh pubs we tried on and around the Royal Mile in town. The bartender and the wait staff were very friendly, creating a relaxed atmosphere.
We sat in the main dining area for our meal. Just off the main dining room was the bar area, which had several regulars in there for their evening pint and a meal.
The entire evening for us was one of the more memorable things we did on this vacation. The food was very good, and the entertainment afterwards was even better playing skittle.
Skittle is a game from which modern bowling evolved from, and the Sheep Heid Inn has its own skittle lanes available for rental. In our case, we made this our after dinner activity though you can order food and drinks while you bowl.
The skittle alley at Sheep Heid Inn dates back to around 1880, and you can trace the history of these lanes through photos on the wall. Prior to these alleys being constructed, there were earlier versions including an outdoor skittle alley in the courtyard. As for the game itself, skittles can be traced back to the ancient Egyptians. In the mid 19th century throughout the UK, small clubs and organizations started forming around the sport which created alleys such as this working antique at the pub.
We were shocked that the skittle lanes were not packed. It was so much fun, and a chance to relax, laugh and experience a very unique feature of pub dining in the UK. It is also an inexpensive activity. You need reservations for skittle in advance since they only have two lanes available, so plan ahead. You can reserve a lane for a set time, and for us an hour was more than enough to enjoy.
Sheep Heid Inn is located in Duddingston, which is a small village on the Eastern side of Edinburgh. It is too far to walk for most people from downtown and not located near public transportation. It is an inexpensive cab ride or Uber trip over, and while that isn’t convenient we believe it is worth it. For our trip back to the hotel, the bartender was very helpful in getting us a cab back, and it took only a few minutes.
Reservations for dinner and for skittle are available, and always recommended. On our visit to Sheep Heid Inn, we were running late because of our previous tour going long. They were very understanding and accommodating. They are open seven days a week for lunch and dinner, starting at 12PM.
When we were looking for a meal, the Sheep Heid Inn came to our attention because they were the oldest pub in Scotland. But the appeal of this establishment goes well beyond the longevity of it. The atmosphere, the food, the skittle alleys and the history make it a highly recommended stop during an Edinburgh vacation.
