24 St Mary’s Street

Edinburgh EH1 1SU

Tel:  0131 466 0100

reservations@empirescafe.co.uk

Opening Hours:

Mon - Thurs:  5pm – 11pm

Fri – Sun:  midday – 11pm 

We are unable to accept card payments -

cash and cheques only please

Tucked away in a corner of Edinburgh’s historic Old Town, just minutes from the hustle & bustle of the Royal Mile,  our family run restaurant and tea shop is open daily, from midday to 11pm serving delicious, traditional, home cooked Turkish food and drinks. 

Empires philosophy is to provide you with a relaxed & memorable dining experience that’s based on fresh, home cooked food and informal, high quality customer service.   Our menu is inspired by the Turkish tradition of meze; a selection of small dishes similar to Spanish tapas and we serve a large selection of vegetarian and vegan dishes as well as meat and seafood.

At Empires we don’t serve alcohol but you’re welcome to bring your own wine or beer for which we charge a small corkage fee.

Our authentic, bohemian atmosphere is unique in Edinburgh and at weekends we host intimate live performances from some very talented and progressive local musicians.  The music on offer ranges from traditional Greek, Turkish & Flamenco to more experimental Folk & acoustic. 

Booking a table in advance is recommended to avoid disappointment – especially at the weekend when we’re usually full.  The mezzanine floor makes a great party venue and you can hire the space for private gatherings of up to 16 people.  Give us a call, pop in for a coffee or email us to make a reservation.  We look forward to seeing you soon!