Alby's in Edinburgh, City of

If you're in the Leith area this place is definitely worth travelling to. Great service and great food. I would also go out of my way to go here just for the coffee. I'm a big meat eater so I was a bit hesitant when I saw the menu. I got the jalapeño popper + nduja and I was blown away. Side note: also had a lovely glass of white wine and I thought the wine glass it was served in was elegant and well thought out for the style of venue.

One of the best sandwiches I’ve ever had. Glad I went out of my way for this, just a shame they aren’t in the centre.

Delicious sandwiches & really good coffee. Staff very friendly.

Best hot sandwiches in town. 1 sandwich can fill 2 people. Huge portions and super tasty!

Another great place to eat just 5 minutes away

Best quick bite I've had in quite a while. One for the records. Tried the pork souvlaki.

Can't believe I havent rated my favourite place yet. You must go to Alby's.

No joke, one of if not the best sandwich I've ever had. Been dreaming of that bread for the last week.

Delicious focaccia, with an option for meat, pescatarian and veggie. Super cute aesthetic. We went for a night time take away just before closing, and it was exactly what was needed.

Very nice surprise! Very pleasant restaurant, a warm welcome accompanied by particularly friendly service. The sandwich bread is very tasty (focaccia), and the filling is balanced and very tasty. The rhubarb lemonade was delicious! I highly recommend for all sandwich lovers.

Tasty sandwiches of epic proportions, had the cauliflower cheese n nduja focaccia toastie, delicious and filling!

Excellent sandwiches. Great wee shop friendly service.

So much more than a sandwich. Every ingredient pulled its own weight - the focaccia? Unbelievable. The crispy battered haddock? Unbelievable. Curried mayo? Unbelievable. Can’t believe it’s taken us so long to try. Will be returning.

Best sangers around. But bring back the Korean chicken please!

It is one of the best sandwiches places in Edinburgh. Staff are extremely nice. And the sandwiches are to die for

Cracking sarnies. The focaccia is great, the fillings are great, the size is great. Absolutely recommend.

Absolutely fantastic food. Service a little ‘relaxed’. Acoustics could be improved - a nearby large group drowned our conversation out a little. Would definitely return though as the food was to die for.

Great little place tucked away. The food was really good, of course not many options though. The seats could have been a little better, the one by the window meant my friend was sat quite high up.

Sandwichs Copieux, produits frais, poisson excellent…Et un accueil top et chaleureux… Parfait pour les végétariens On conseille le chai latte

Such tasty focaccia sandwiches, very filling and descent prices, can't wait to go back!

Great sandwiches, struggled to finish it, but was so good I persevered. However, you can get a doggy bag to take home if needed.

Tomé el sándwich de pollo, y hasta el último elemento de él fue cocinado a la perfección. Hermosa salsa fresca y picante, la focaccia era exquisita, la ensalada le dio a todo un crujiente muy agradable, y el pollo se derritió - en - la boca. ¡No estoy seguro de necesitar cenar esta noche!

Best sandwich i've had in my life. Absolute must if you are in the area.

Lovely staff! Food was excellent quality and delicious. Highly recommend!

Best sandwich ever!! (I don’t say that lightly 😅) Also friendly and cosy. Thank you! ☺️ P.s would you consider doing half size sandwiches? I would buy them 😋

Wow. I came by here on the recommendation of a Time Out article and I am so glad I did! I got the caponata sandwich which I took with me to eat by the Water of Leith. It was an absolute delight and probably one of the best sandwiches I’ve ever had - perfectly seasoned, perfect amount of greens and perfect type of bread. It is indeed a “big” sandwich which makes it great value! The restaurant is super cute and pretty accessible from city center.

Cute little place with a limited but excellent and unusual selection of sandwiches on delicious fluffy and salt-sprinkled bread. Cappuccinos were strong and smooth.

Absolutely phenomenal sandwiches.

This is a fantastic sandwich!! I've never had such a delicious sandwich. I found it from google maps, many people said very good, so I decided to try it. I came here about 3pm, it’s not busy time. I really hope everyone to try it

We both enjoyed our coley sandwiches

Sandwiches were incredible. We had the ham hock with pea fritters and a toastie with pancetta, Brie, and figs. The bread was fresh and crisp, the fillings were top notch. The vibe is cute and laid back, service was friendly and unpretentious.

Incredible. Easily one of the top 5 sandwiches I’ve ever eaten.

Mucho delicious. Nice Music and good vibes

Este fue un sándwich excelente. Perfecto equilibrio de ingredientes. Es relativamente fácil comer para una porción tan grande. Tenía el cerdo Souvlaki, y estaba absolutamente delicioso. Recomendaría a cualquiera que vaya aquí si un sándwich satisfactorio es lo que estás buscando.

Last minute booking (got lucky). Never been before, would 100% be coming back. Unbelievably good homemade sandwich, massive too! Absolute belter of a lunch

I was honestly not expecting much when we walked in this place. The location is a bit underwhelming... You walk down a small set of very steep stairs and duck to enter. Once you're inside there are a few tables to sit at and a small counter. The sign in the window promises just one thing: Big Hot Sandwiches. It's not a lie. We were offered a seat and the server came over to offer us some water and a menu. The menu is quite small, with a few sandwich options, and a large drinks selection of mostly beer and soft drinks. I was a little skeptical as I ordered the Toastie, and Rosemary Fries - my experience with focaccia is usually not great... When the sandwiches arrived, my skepticism soon turned to extreme enthusiasm... The sandwich was amazing, and the bread was a huge part of that. The contrast between the pillowy-softness of the bread and the slight crunch imparted by toasting the whole thing matched so well with the gooey cheeses, and the slight kick from the jalapenos. The fries (thought they called them "chips" here?) were also delicious, and perfectly cooked to be nice and crisp on the outside, but soft and slightly chewy on the inside. The rosemary flavor was strong and really meshed with the saltiness. The server was very friendly and efficient and the price was definitely right. If this place existed back home, I'd be there all the time!

Legendary sandwiches and awesome team, keep up the great work!

What a wonderful restaurant. The food was delicious and the staff was kind and personable.

A great idea to serve your sandwiches on focaccia bread. This place has a limited menu but they do it well. A nice little restaurant and a great place to stop if you are visiting the Royal Yacht Britannia. The prices are also really good as the sandwiches provide a very good portion. My one issue is with the packaging. Even when you eat in, everything is wrapped and served in throw away material. The fries come in an aluminum container and each sandwich is wrapped, I'm not sure why they don't provide everything on reusable plates as the salad did come in a plate. Sadly this would prevent me from really recommending it or returning. A small change would easily change this rating.

Amazing and friendly staff. Sandwiches have a good variety of veggie options and the fried were exquisite. Honestly loved it and will definitely be going back there soon

Lovely service, great music, and the sandwiches are really delicious! I recommend without hesitation 😊

Amazing sandwiches, huge portions and a cosy feel when dining in.

Great sandwiches, very friendly staff and amazing arancini, highly recommend!

Popped in for a quick food grab to take away around 3pm, place was empty. New food menu every 4 weeks and they have another place that has different menu, so wasn't able to order what I saw on Google review photos. Menu had 4 sandwiches (1 curry chicken tight focaccia, 1 hallumi, 1 sardines and 1 vegan). Ordered 2 chicken ones and had 2 irn bru, paid £31 for all, waiting time less than 10min. Food was very good, juicy, lots of salad, tasty chicken, sauce, focaccia very good,great flavour combo. Would I come back? Not sure, as a bit expensive for a sandwich (£13 each, others were cheaper, around £11), but it tasted great. Also note, no buggy or wheelchair accessible, about 4 or 5 steps down the main road.

Los sándwiches son absolutamente masivos! Deliciosa. Cambiar de menú limitado significa siempre algo nuevo que probar. No puedo esperar a volver

Exceptional spot for sandwiches. Really big and really tasty. The fries and caesar salads are good too. Alby’s is a fine place for a quick meal.

Awesome comfort food. One of the best places to dine in Edinburgh. Excellent spot for lunch. Extremely courteous and friendly staff. Love dining at Alby’s.

And oh what a sandwich it was! My partner had the halloumi and I had the sardine sandwich. It was hands down the best sandwich I have had in Edinburgh - posh and plentiful enough for dinner, yet flavorful and down-to-earth. Service was brisk and friendly.

Highest of quality , kind staff and one of the best chicken sangas I’ve ever had!

Amazing place for big hot sandwiches. Really like the chicken pakora & garlic pickle sandwich, sardine melt sandwich and halloumi & baba ganoush sandwich. The arancini and shaved fennel salad are delicious too.

Large and delicious sandwiches. Relaxed atmosphere. Great service.

El personal era servicial y amable. Grandes sarnies con porciones de relleno. Las papas fritas con aloli estaban muy buenas. Las preguntas turísticas sobre las conexiones de transporte fueron atendidas de manera útil.

This place is just really freaking good.

Genuinely the best sandwich I've ever had!

OMG - WOW! The best toastie/sandwich I've possibly ever had. Limited menu, but I think this is the key to amazing food - keep it small and be amazing at what you have to offer. I had the broccoli and cheese/garlic etc toastie (sounds awful but really worked) - we had it with chips and aioli sauce. My husband had the meat one and was super impressed too. Seating is a bit awkward/uncomfortable - there was 2 chairs to our table, and then a bench that was under the window - the bench was too high for the table but wasn't an issue as there was only 2 of us. Fairly limited seating but they do take-out too. If you're in the area, you must try!

Sandwiches so great you almost forget you just paid £12 for a sandwich. 🥪🔥💵

This sandwich is the best thing I’ve ever eaten. I was really hungry and ambitious, but still had to ask for a takeaway bag for half of the sandwich. Truly life changing.

Loved the cauliflower sandwich!

Went out of our way when on holiday to head to Alby’s. Really easy to get to, brilliant service (book if you can, we didn’t realise but luckily got a table) and the sandwiches. Wow. Fried chicken to die for. One’s probably enough to share unless you’re starving, and the fried pickle platter was great. Licensed too which is fun. Brilliant.

Best sandwiches in Edinburgh, no question.

Fill your stomach and the stomach in your hat with this amazing line of sandwiches, some of which fit in a hat to take home to eat. I have to go, my wife wants me... Zoltán

Have passed a number of times, liked the look of the place. Eventually tried out today and was not disappointed. Not a big bread fan so opted for two of the light sides. Amazing flavours and had to take at least 1/2 home with me for later. I'll definitely be back. Would love to see Soup(s) on the menu but that's just my preference.

Excellent food and better service.

Delicious sandwiches and great atmosphere! Wonderful veggie and vegan options. A perfect lunch spot if you find yourself in Leith.

Been wanting to visit in person for ages. As amazing as I expected! Place is bigger than it looks from the outside, decor is fab. But the important part - the food😍 I was just on a quick work lunch break by myself so just grabbed a sandwich and an apple juice. Service was lovely, place was busy but the girl was super kind and the food didn’t take long at all. Bread was incredible, all fillings were 10/10. Couldn’t recommend it more!

10/10. Great sandwhiches. Cauliflower Mac n cheese croquettes side was phenomenal. Surprisingly good coffee too. First time here but not the last.

Lovely atmosphere and friendly service. The sandwiches were nice enough but definitely not worth £13. It’s a similar vibe to Max’s Sandwich Shop in London, but unfortunately the sandwiches are nowhere near as good and still more expensive.

Fab place to grab a muckle, huge, sarnie. So fresh & delish & don't forget the chips too

A nice sandwich shop located close to the Yacht Britannia in Leith. Worth a visit if you're in the area. Sandwich prices are a tad on the high side considering that they don't come with a side - £13 for a chicken sandwich.

The sandwiches were really delicious, and the person who brought us our order was really nice and friendly!

Super friendly little place that makes the best sandwiches! The staff were lovely, I highly recommend coming here.

Muckle sarnies, recommend sharing one between two and defo have the chippies too👌🏼

A friend recommended this place and he was bang on. Probably the tastiest sandwich I've had in Edinburgh.

Great place for a weekend lunch. The courgette frittes is the best.

Super nice and attentive service. The sandwich, great. The fries, great! E

my favourite sandwich shop in Edinburgh, tash and matt (owners) are so lovely and the food is always bangin✨

Staff all very friendly, incredibly chill environment and fantastic sandwiches.

OMG the Nashville hot chicken is outstanding. Never had sandwiches so good and so fresh. I also had the prawn toast! It really was incredible. 10/10

The sandwich I got was incredible. I got the pulled beef short rib sandwich. Possibly the single best sandwich I’ve ever eaten!

**Edited 5 stars down to 4. 2 years ago this was my 5 star review: "Delicious!" The sandwiches were HUGE and deep filled (see pic) back then. I've been a regular at Alby's ever since. Unfortunately I've started to notice that in recent months, their foccacia has got thinner and fillings are more sparing. The sandwiches are still good but no longer amazing, like they used to be. Please please please, Alby's, put the BIG back into your "big hot sandwiches" slogan 🫰🫰

Best sandwiches ever! I've been here a couple of times and they have the best sandwiches. The selection changes regularly and they are filling big sandwiches! Coffee is good too, as is the service! Good veggie options. They do take away too.

Stopped in with my little boy earlier today, what a find. The holy grail of amazing service, coffee & food all in one place. We both loved it 👌

Possibly the tastiest shop sandwich 🥪 I have ever tasted ... We shared the vegan option ... The sandwiches are huge. So delicious with top quality focaccia and ingredients, with real thought put into texture too. Can't wait to return. Lovely service too. Thank you 😊

One of the best sandwiches I’ve ever eaten- huge portions and excellent quality, I’ll be dreaming about the smoky, crunchy, sweet and sour flavours of the hispi cabbage for a while! Friendly service and a great atmosphere, I can’t wait to return and try their other sandwiches.

Super Sandwiches und sehr freundlicher Service. Die Musik ist auch nice.

Great sandwich - horrific service, felt very unwelcome

What an astounding little find this was. Beautiful food , Quirky, Friendly and made to feel so welcome. A full tummy all the way back to Yorkshire! Thanks Guys. You deserve all the very best with your business. Long may you continue because we'll be back on our next visit up North!

Super accueil et très bon sandwich

We just stumbled upon this place.it was 3pm and we needed something to eat. No fuss made. Very friendly waitress. Best sandwiches we had in a long time. Original and tasty. Huge portions. Chips had a lovely coating of spices. Very good value. Do stop for lunch.

You need to eat here. The sandwiches are incredible. Decor is beautiful. Music was spot on. Got chatting to the owner too who is lovely. The whole place is a vibe!

The service was great, the sandwiches were even great. Would really recommend the buttermilk chicken sandwich with the pesto. Mwah (chefs kiss) I'll be back again however the latte was average, considering the price point here, a wee bit of latte art would've added to the great experience

Fantastic food, absolutely massive sandwiches and friendly staff who helped us with some alternative food options without any fuss! 10/10 would sandwich again

The sandwiches are amazing and creative, the service is always amazing, and their choice of music is perfect. You have to try it to understand why everyone loves it so much!

Delicious and generous sandwiches made from varied ingredients, perfect for all tastes. They also offer veggie and vegan options !

Great sandwiches. Had the Chicken Ceasar and it was one of the best sandwiches I've had in a while. Focaccia style bread is super tasty and the size is big, good value for money in my opinion. Will def go back to try some more fillings!

This is a temple dedicated to sandwich gastronomy. Alby’s has been taking the focaccia sandwich to higher levels for a few years now out of a little basement joint in Leith. Each sandwich creation is a carefully crafted hymn of praise for true sandwich worshippers, always with the perfect combination of taste, texture and ingredients. Make your pilgrimage soon.

Wonderful sandwiches, highly recommend.

Amazing sandwiches, absolutely huge and definitely enough for two

We went to Alby’s based off a few recommendations from friends who said they’d really enjoyed it. We didn’t book a table and just turned up. Unfortunately there wasn’t a table but the waitress asked us if we’d be happy sharing a table with other people. We were happy with this and so were the other people at the table (it was quite large so we didn’t feel close to them) We ordered the battered chicken thigh focaccia sandwich and it was so good! It was really flavoursome and the focaccia was very soft. Would definitely recommend this sandwich if it’s on the menu on the day you visit. The sandwiches are very large so they’re a bit more pricey than a regular sandwich shop but they’re worth every penny. The service was really welcoming and quick. Definitely worth a visit!

Delicious chicken sandwich and great rosemary chips. Very generous portions. The flavour combinations are just great. The breaded chicken was crispy and piping hot. The slaw was spicy and a perfect combo with the chicken. It’s not often I rave about a sandwich but this one was really excellent.