Mustafa's Dera in Edinburgh, City of

Fantastic authentic tasting food. Best onion bhaji we have ever had and the lamb in the Karahi curry was so tender! All round great meal & service! BYOB, another bonus & amazing value for money! Will be returning for sure and highly recommend!

Had booked the restaurant before going to see a film at Cineworld which is across the road. Mustapha Dera is a Scottish Pakistani restaurant and a place where we spoke to the owner a couple of weeks previously when my girlfriend and I had been for a walk. Surprisingly we were only two in. We had the table at the window. We brought a bottle of wine and beer and there was a small charge. It was the cheery owner who served us (owns the shop next door) and were brought poppadoms with onion/mango chutney. As a starter he suggested the Gol Gappy (hollow crispy balls filled with potatoes, chickpeas, mint and spices) which we shared and was lovey and unusual. I asked about Lamb and Potato Handi a slow cooked curry but he suggested the Lamb Masaledar (Tangy sauce with Punjabi spices and green capsicums chill peppers) which was marvelous. My girlfriend had a Chicken Balti which was fabulous (both with rice and we shared a huge peshwari naan). Glad other people came to sit in and for takeaways. Bonus is that it is just along the road from my house as we will definitely be back. No room for a dessert so we finished with Espresso and Americano with milk. It was very very reasonable, the music was great and we loved the decor and vibe.

Outstanding cuisine at reasonable prices. Chef catered for both lactose and gluten free dinners. Took our own bottle as the restaurant doesn’t serve alcohol. The owner Umer Ali was an excellent host. Thank you for such a wonderful meal 👍

Great food, lovely staff and amazing decor! Some of the best Pakistani food I've had in Edinburgh. Brilliant student deals too. Highly recommended!

Absolutely delicious. We came here with family who are visiting and the whole experience was great. Beautifully decorated little restaurant with really friendly staff. The food was absolutely delicious and portion sizes were great. Both meat and vegetarian dishes were some of the best we’ve tasted and the garlic naan was fluffy, crispy and enormous. Everything was really reasonably priced. A great new neighbourhood gem, we’ll definitely be back.

Went for dinner with friends - food was so delicious, generous portions but still very reasonably priced ! I got the veggie korma which was delicious & we got the garlic Nan bread to share which was insanely good! Will be going back!

A wee gem. Delicious and affordable. We had 3 curries (comes with small rice) 2 naans and 3 of the absolutely delicious mocktails and it was under £50. They are super friendly. Nice atmosphere. Excellent well made food. Child friendly and they have games.

We had delicious home cooked lamb curries, one with pickle which was particularly good. The cauliflower curry and dhal excellent. With homemade chapattis and amazing mocktails including punjabi lemonade! BYOB. All beautifully presented in a cheerful cafe style restaurant on Dundee street. We are delighted to have this new restaurant in our neighbourhood. Good luck Mustafa!

If you want to try flavours you’ve never tried before with both a Pakistani and in parts a Scottish twist then Mustafa’s Dera in Fountainbridge, which opened in June 2023 is a hidden gem. We had a few starters to try the different flavours, tapas style and everyone was tasty and moreish that we ordered more. The owner was knowledgeable and couldn’t do enough for us as were the very friendly staff. The pakoras, the bhajis, the sauce of the Handi and the delicate profiterole that was the Mars Bar pakora put a huge smile on my face as we were both delighted and surprised at each new flavour. If you want standard masalas, bhoonas or baltis piled with tomatoes, onions and oil, then this is definitely not for you. If you want the chef to explain the meaning and flavours of each dish, go to Mustaphas Dera. It’s a new, hidden gem and we will be back again, and again and again.

Since opening near my home, I have visited Mustafa's several times in the last few weeks. The family-run restaurant offers authentic Pakistani cuisine at extremely reasonable prices without cutting corners on taste. The achari, handi, karahi, and chaat have all been delicious. They brew nice coffees and teas, while also serving up tasty desserts. The atmosphere is very friendly and comfortable, perfect for a relaxed meal. Rice and chapati are both served in quite generous portions - great for sharing. There are also student specials available for young people on a budget.

Lovely staff and delicious authentic breakfast. Reasonably priced and very centrally located. Would visit again soon