FREE & LOW COST FOOD LIST
Cyrenians’ Pantries
Community Pantries offer a unique, low cost way to access a variety of foods, including chilled and fresh produce, and ambient cupboard staples.
Membership at one of the Cyrenians’ pantries costs £1 to join and then £2.50 per visit. They have locations in Lochend, Newington, Dalry and Gilmerton with different opening times that can be found through the link below.
Phone: 0131 554 3900
Empty Kitchens Full Hearts
For those who are unable to collect food, Empty Kitchens Full Hearts provides meal packs which they can deliver to your home in EH1-EH17. Meal packs are accessed by self-referral via website or by calling; the service provides SHORT TERM provision for up to 10-12 weeks only.
Phone: 07895 347 157
Email: hello@emptykitchens.co.uk
City-Wide
Food Services
EDinburgh Town Centre- EH1-EH3, EH8-EH10
Grassmarket Community Project
A sit in eatery with free, 2 course meals available every Wednesday from 5pm to 6pm.
Address: 86 Candlemaker Row, EH1 2QA
Phone: 0131 225 3626
Email: info@grassmarket.org
Ps & Gs Church
Opens every Saturday from 5pm – 6pm, for a free sit-down meal.
Address: 46 York Place, EH1 3HP
Phone: 0131 556 1335
Email: office@psandgs.org.uk
Steps to Hope
Offers free meals for those facing homelessness and/or addictions. Munchies every Monday from 6pm and supper every Sunday from 5pm.
Address: St. Cuthbert’s Church, 5 Lothian Road, EH1 2EP
Phone: 07949 838 666
Email: info@stepstohope.co.uk
Breakfast Bothy
Offers hot meals every Monday to Friday 9am – 1pm. Takeaway available
Address: 100 Melville Drive, EH9 9EX
Phone: 0131 335 3184
Email:keith.taylor@carlowriecastle.co.uk
Carrubers Christian Centre
Provides sit in and takeaway Breakfast every Sunday from 9am.
Address: 65 High Street, EH1 1SR
Phone: 0131 556 2626
Email: officeadmin@carrubbers.org
Social Bite
Takeaway food Monday – Friday. Breakfast: 8am – 9:30am and hot meal: 4pm – 4:45pm.
Address: 131 Rose Street, EH2 3DT
Phone: 0131 353 0250
Lunchtime Care Van
Care vans providing free hot food and drinks, run by Bethany Christian Trust
Phone: 0131 561 8930
Email: carevan@bethanychristiantrust.com
Locations:
- Grassmarket – Mon, Wed, Thu, Sat & Sun – 1:20pm
- Market Street – Mon, Wed, Thu, Sat & Sun – 12:30pm
- Kings Stables Road – Mon, Wed, Thu, Sat & Sun – 1pm
Evening Care Vans
Care vans providing free hot food and drinks, run by Edinburgh City Mission.
Phone: 0131 225 9445
Email: carevan@edinburghcitymission.org.uk
Locations:
- Waverley Bridge – Every evening (except NYE) 9pm
- Kings Stables Road – Every evening (except NYE) 9:50pm
- Grassmarket – Every evening (except NYE) 10pm
- North Bridge – Every evening (except NYE) 10:30pm
Salvation Army
Salvation Army serves free breakfast and lunch from Monday to Friday at 9:45am – 1:30pm. Other services are provided in the same building such as health and wellbeing classes, laundry & shower facilities, movie showings and social events.
Phone: 0131 523 1060
Address: Salvation Army, 25 Niddry Street, EH1 1LG
Old Saint Paul's Church
The church serves warm community lunch every Monday from 12:30pm – 2pm.
Address: 39 Jeffrey Street, EH1 1DH
Email: office@osp.org.uk
Shrub Coop Pantry
Open Tuesday to Saturday from 11am – 6pm, and pay as you feel.
Phone: 0131 281 0583
Address: 22 Bread Street, EH3 9AF
Soul Food
Soul Food provides hot meals across a variety of locations.
Email: hello@soulfoodedinburgh.org
Locations:
- Walpole Hall, St Marys Episcopal Cathedral (EH3 7EN) (for individuals over 60 years old) — Tuesdays at 12:30pm
- Central Church, Central Hall West Tollcross (EH3 9BP) — Sundays at 2pm
- City of Edinburgh Methodist Church, 25 Nicholson Square (EH8 9BX) — Mondays 5:30pm
- Life Church, 2 Davie Street (EH8 9EB) — Sundays 5:30pm
Youth Support -
Food Services
Rock Trust
Rock Trust offers food support to 16-25 years olds, alongside support with housing, employment and money advice.
Address: 55 Albany Street, EH1 3QY
- Breakfast: Fri 09:30am – 11:30am
- Long-life pantry staples: Mon-Thu 9am – 5pm; Fri 9am – 4pm
6VT
The 6VT café serves hot meals open to 12-21 year olds as well as cat and dog food for pets of attendees. The service is run on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 5pm to 9pm.
Address: 11-15 Vennel, EH1 2HU
Phone: 0131 229 1797
Email: contact@6vt.info
Edinburgh North - EH4 - EH5
Granton Goes Greener
The organisation offers free bread & bakery products open to all on Fridays from 11:30am – 1pm and hosts a lunch club costing £1 per course with 3 courses available on Wednesdays at 12pm
Address: 55 Boswall Parkway, EH5 2DA
Phone: 0131 552 3033
Fresh Start Pantry
Open Monday, Tuesday, Friday 9am-12:30pm
Wednesday 2:30-5pm, for residents of Pilton, Muirhouse, Drylaw and Granton. The service is only available with membership and once registered, each visit costs £5.
Address: 28-30 Ferry Road Drive, EH4 4BR
Phone: 0131 476 7741
Lift
A free, outdoor sharing shelf stocked with surplus food. They also have an indoor sharing shelf (open Monday – Thursday, 9am – 2pm) that can be accessed with membership.
Address: 7 Muirhouse Medway, EH4 4RW
Phone: 0131 467 3578
Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre
Open every Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays from 10am to 11am offering cooking staples and other donated food items.
Address: 67B Groathill Road North, EH4 2SA
Phone: 0131 315 4989
Pilton Equalities Project
The organisation has a free food sharing shelf Monday to Friday, from 8am to 3:30pm outside their office.
Address: 3 West Pilton Park, EH4 4EL
Phone: 0131 315 4466
Fresh Start
They serve hot soup with a filled roll every Tuesday from 12pm to 1:30pm, and 2 course meals available every Friday from 12pm to 1:30pm.
Address: 28-30 Ferry Road Drive, EH4 4BR
Phone: 0131 476 7741
Granton Parish Church Coffee Morning
Coffee and cake are served to anyone every Thursday morning from 10am – 11:30am. Please note it is open to all but there is a limit to numbers. The Church also hosts Men’s Breakfasts every 2nd Saturday of the month that can be booked by calling the number below.
Address: 55 Boswall Parkway Edinburgh, EH5 2DA
Phone: 0131 210 0540
Salvation Army Community Cafe
This community cafe is open Mondays, and Wednesdays 10am to 2pm. They provide low-cost cake and coffee for all.
Address: 36 Wardieburn Drive, Granton, Edinburgh, EH5 1BZ
Phone: 0131 551 6820
Pilton CHP
Pilton Community Health Project serves free lunch every Wednesday at 2pm.
Address: 10 Wardieburn Road, Edinburgh, EH5 1LY
Phone: 07518 756 330
Email: sallyfindlay@pchp.org.uk
Empty Kitchens Full Hearts
They serve hot soup with a roll every Friday from 1pm – 2pm.
Address: 3-11 West Granton Road, EH5 1HG
Phone: 0789 534 7157
Salvation Army Granton
This is a sharing shelf open every Friday from 11am – 1pm, with free donated surplus and out of date goods.
Address: 36 Wardieburn Drive, Granton, Edinburgh, EH5 1BZ
Phone: 0131 315 4989
Granton Parish Lunch Club
Wednesday Lunch is open to all, every week from
12pm, and provides a 3-course meal for £3.
Address: 55 Boswall Parkway, EH5 2DA
Phone: 0131 210 0540
LifeCare
LifeCare is a charity supporting those over 50 years of age and hosts Saturday Socials every week with free tea, coffee, soup and sandwiches from 12:30pm to 3:30pm. They also run Meals On Wheels, delivering two-course lunches, twice a week to those over 50 who are eligible for Pension Credit or Universal Credit.
Address: 2 Cheyne Street, EH4 1JB
Phone: 0131 343 0940
Drylaw Rainbow Club
Lunch clubs and day services for people over 65 including people with dementia
Address: Drylaw Parish Church, Groathill Road North, EH4 2RG
Phone: 0131 343 6643
North East Edinburgh - EH6-EH7
South Leith Parish Church
Serves a takeaway breakfast every Sunday from 9:30am to 10:30am, and packed evening meals every Thursday from 5:30pm to 6pm.
Address: 6 Henderson Street, EH6 6BS
Phone: 0131 554 2578
Soul Food
The service provides hot meals across different locations.
Contact: hello@soulfoodedinburgh.org
Dinner is provided on Thursdays at 5:30pm at Grace Church Leith, 3 Shrubhill Walk, EH7 4RB
Heart of Newhaven
Serving nutritious 2 course meal, this lunch club runs weekly every Monday 12:30pm – 2pm at the Heart of Newhaven. Free and open to all.
Address: 4-6 Main Street, Edinburgh, EH6 4HY
Phone: 0131 554 3900
Email: amykarp@cyrenians.scot
The Ripple Lunch Club
The club runs Monday to Friday with lunch served at 11:30am. Freshly cooked and nutritious 2 course meal for a set price of £5 a day, for people aged 65 and over.
Address: 198 Restalrig Road South, Edinburgh, EH7 6DZ
Phone: 0131 554 0422
SOUTH WEST & SOUTH EAST- EH11, EH13 - EH14, Eh16 - EH17
Score Scotland Community Fridges
The project shares donated food and runs from Whale Arts Centre on Mondays and St Nicolas Church on Thursdays.
Address 1: St. Nicholas Church, 124 Sighthill Loan, EH11 4NT (10:30am – 11:30am with tickets given at 10am)
Address 2: Whale Arts Agency, 30 Westburn Grove, EH14 2SA (12pm – 1pm with tickets given from 11:30am)
Phone: 0131 442 2341
Broomhouse Pantry
The Broomhouse Pantry is open 10am – 2pm Tuesday to Thursday and 9:30am – 11:30am on Fridays. The Pantry operates on a membership basis.
Address: 3 Broomhouse Market, EH11 3UU
Phone: 0131 443 6223
Email: broomhousepantry@gmail.com
Community One Stop Shop
Our foodbank operates on a non-referral basis, meaning that anyone is in financial crisis is welcome to make use of the service. Our offices are open between 9:30am-2:30pm Monday to Thursday, and 9:30am -11:30am on Fridays.
Address: 3 Broomhouse Market, EH11 3UU
Phone: 0131 443 6223
Email: info@coss-broomhouse.org.uk
Holy Trinity Wester Hailes
Foodbank opens every Tuesday from 2pm to 3pm and operates with no referral system.
The Church also have a café open Wed – Fri, 10am-1:30pm offering both free and low cost food. Options include soup with bread, breakfast, lunches, fresh fruit, main meals, cakes and drinks.
Address: Holy Trinity Wester Hailes Church, 2 Hailesland Place, EH14 2SL.
Phone: 0131 442 3304
Space Kitchen Café
The cafe is opened to everyone Monday – Friday, 9am – 2:30pm. They serve daily hot meal for £6
- Breakfast: 9am – 11 am.
- Lunch: 12pm – 2pm.
- Free meal for children during term holidays.
Address: 79-89 Broomhouse Crescent
Edinburgh EH11 3RH
Contact: 0131 455 7731
Community Renewal Pantry
Community Renewal (Hays Community Pantry) has a pantry at Places for People open every Wednesday from 11am – 2pm. Join with a one-off membership price of £1
Address: 3 Hay Avenue, EH16 4QR
Email: thepantry@communityrenewal.org.uk
Phone: 07738 760 601
WHALE Arts - Cafe
A low cost café open every Tuesday from 11am – 2pm, serving hot drinks, baked goods and lunches.
Address: 30 Westburn Grove, EH14 2SA
Phone: 0131 458 3267
WHALE Arts Community Meal
WHALE hosts a free hot lunch on Fridays at 1pm for the local community. The lunch is not available on public holidays.
Address: 30 Westburn Grove, EH14 2SA
Phone: 0131 458 3267
Currie Community Centre
The centre offers a community meal on Fridays. Hot lunches are served Fridays 12pm – 1pm for people age 60 and over.
The café at the centre serves variety of beverages and cakes. Open on Saturdays during term time from 9am – 12pm at a fee.
Address: 280 Lanark Rd W, Edinburgh EH14 5RU
Phone: 07861 688 439
Soul Food
Soul Food offers free lunches on Thursdays at 12pm and free dinners on Sundays at 5pm
Address: The Hub, 230b Oxgangs Road North, EH13 9BQ
Contact: hello@soulfoodedinburgh.org
Tasting Change
For £4.50 a week, local residents can join up as members and access a range of benefits. You will be able to choose a guaranteed 10 items from a variety of groceries, fresh fruit and veg and all of the usual store cupboard favourites.
Address: 30 Harvesters Way, Edinburgh, EH14 3JF
Contact: 0131 453 9400
SOUTH QUEENSFERRY
The Ferry Fridge
A community fridge allowing locals to access free surplus food items. The type of food varies but might include things like fruit, veg, store cupboard, fridge and frozen food.
Opening times:
- Monday 10:00am –12:00pm (along with Connections Cafe)
- Tuesday 6:15pm – 7:15pm
- Wednesday 10:00am –12:00pm (along with Connections Cafe)
- Thursday 6:15pm –7:15pm
Address: Queensferry Parish Church, The Loan, South Queensferry, EH30 9NS
Contact: 0131 331 1100