The Nile Valley Cafe, Edinburgh

Delicious food, good service and relaxed atmosphere. What more could you ask for :-)

I am a huge fan of the Nile Valley! I have been going for years, but now that I am working nearby I have to go at least once a week - nowhere else seems to compare to this Sudanese delight.

I love having a great value sit down lunch for no extra cost to a take away, with a warm friendly welcome, relaxed unpretentious atmosphere and upbeat afro-salsa beats. It does get busy at lunch time so opt for getting there early or late lunch if you want to eat in or avoid the queues.

Delicious mango, guava, and hibiscus drinks transports you on a mini holiday. The array of lunchtime khobz wrap fillings are mouthwatering... Tasty guacamole, spicy feta, babaganoush, marinaded aubergine, yoghurt and dill sauce...

The falafels deserve a special mention. They are not only the best in Edinburgh, but I would go so far as to say, the BEST IN THE WORLD! Simply to die for... I am salivating just thinking about them!

For afters, a sudanese tea or coffee, spiced with cardomon, cinnamon & cloves is a real treat and served best with a piece of their wonderful baklava.
Evening meals are also delicious and satisfying. No alcohol served here, but you're welcome to BYOB at no extra charge.

I go to The Nile Valley again and again... It never disappoints and I always leave with a smile :)

This is an incredible place. I have to say that it's not that often when I am completely stunned and totally destroyed (in a positive way :) by the quality of food and friendliness of the staff, but this is how I feel after visiting Nile Valley Cafe for the first time.

Food was just amazing (we've tried vegetarian options), and prices were very good, too (although not cheap - but trust me, no objections, considering the quality!). Staff are nice, helpful and chatty.

Absolutely fantastic restaurant, I will be coming back.

Great wee place. Super for veggies, babaganoush is worth the visit alone. Byob too :)

For a vegetarian, this is a great alternative to the rather uninspiring sandwich shops that have proliferated in this part of town. I almost always get the falafel and houmus wrap. It's tasty, filling and excellent value.

We have been to the nile valley cafe a few times now. The food is great and its bring your own bottle so it works out to be a relatively cheap night. Great for both vegetarians and meat eaters alike. Really quirky inside and the staff are great. The clientel are a mix of locals, students and tourists, a very friendly atmosphere.

The staff here are always friendly and the food is always spot on. They do a massive tasty fish dish that is worth each boney prick with its subtle Nile spices. The place is cheerful, not as cheap as it used to be, but still well priced.
I often take visitors there and order a great spread of kibbe, homous, mezze, kibz, babaganoush… as a starter. Nothing quite like sharing dishes in an authentic place like this.

This is the Edinburgh restaurant I have visited more than any other - evening and lunchtime.

I recommend the Kibdeh (lamb’s liver). The mixed grill is great if you are a meat eater but it’s also a great place for vegetarians because there are lots of genuine vegetarian dishes.

They serve a delicious peanut-chilli sauce with some of the dishes. It would be worthwhile to ask the waiter or waitress which dishes come with the peanut sauce.

Any of the curry style dishes are good and the lime and peanut butter soup is excellent.

Nile Valley's one of those places that come one o'clock on a weekday has a queue running outside full of students waiting to get their fill of a toasted wrap. That in itself to me says quite a fair amount - cheap, quality, quick and friendly.

And the wraps are delicious - my personal favourite is a mix of baba ghanoush, aubergine and falafel - but then again i like to go overboard with my aubergines, so maybe you might prefer it with their freshly-made hummus?

That's for a quick lunch, either on the go, or sitting in listening to the warm music of various parts of Africa - they don't seem too discerning, but it's all great. In the evening the place and food is an entirely different matter, and you can get some of the most unusually tasty dishes you'll come across, sitting downstairs in the cosy eating area. Fresh-water fish cooked slowly with apricots and almonds - who could ask for more?

If you've only ever been at lunch-time, go in the evening. If you've only ever been in the evening, go get a wrap. And if you've never been; well, you'll just have to spend all day there, get one of the papers they have and sip a freshly-made coffee till you've had your fill of both.

This restaurant is a hidden gem. The decor is plain and evidently done on a budget, which some people might consider an off-putting factor, but those of you out there who are after a more exotic menu and mouth-watering, endlessly marinated and juicy food will do well to persist with the Nile Valley. There are only a handful of tables upstairs, but the basement can accommodate larger groups. But its the food that makes this restaurant stand out- the highlights of the North African cuisine being Couscous, marinated chicken, grilled lamb chops and river fish, all oozing with flavours and spices, served by friendly if a bit inefficient staff. And did I mention the starters? Well worth getting at least one to share, with falafel, cheeses, fresh produce and flavour, flavour, flavour. If you are open-minded, patient, and ready for a meal unlike any you have previously had then the Nile Valley is the place for you.