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If you’re in Edinburgh for a few days, chances are you’re going to Old Town, and you’ll walk by the number of tourist gift shops that are around. They have some lovely options (like Shortbread House of Edinburgh), but if you’re looking for something local to bring back home, we recommend something you won’t find in Old Town. We’ve narrowed it down to 5 brands and shops to check out while you’re in Edinburgh. This also gives you the opportunity to see more of Edinburgh than just the city center!

COCO Chocolate

COCO Chocolate is an Edinburgh-based chocolate shop found in Bruntsfield. They offer a variety of flavours like salted caramel, Colombian coffee, Haggis spiced, gin and tonic, and more. They also have vegan options. You can buy their chocolate in a variety of stores including their own shop, where you can also enroll in chocolate school! They also offer chocolate tastings in the evening.

Leith Walk Police Box

Back in the day, a police box was a public telephone kiosk for members of the public to contact the police. You should see a few of them in Edinburgh. Some of them are being re-purposed like the one on Leith Walk. Leith Walk Police Box is now a pop-up shop that features local vendors. They offer something different every day! To see what they had in the past, check out their Instagram page.

Edinburgh Honey Co.

A family-run business, their tradition of beekeeping goes back 60 years in Poland. They specialize in rare, high-quality raw honey, that is hand-packed with sustainable packaging. You can find them in a few locations in Edinburgh, including their shop. If you can’t bring honey back home, they also have a selection of hand soaps and beeswax candles.

Bonnie Sauce Co.

When people hear Scotland, they don’t usually think of hot sauce. But don’t let that fool you! Bonnie hot sauce is a favourite among some of our staff at Highland Experience. In case you didn’t know, ‘bonnie’ in Scotland means pretty. The company was inspired after working years in the Scot-Mex industry. You can buy their sauce online or at some of the sustainable grocery shops in Edinburgh like Weigh To Go.

Tunnock’s

Tunnock’s tea cakes are a classic in Scotland. It’s been around since 1890 and was originally a family-run bakery. It’s now one of the most popular brands in Scotland. You’ll be able to find these in any news agency or grocery store. If tea cakes aren’t your thing, they also have caramel wafer cookies.