Living in Korea for a year was filled with a balance of ups and downs. Although Jeju is undeniably a peaceful paradise, I was craving a European winter. After a rainy road trip around Ireland, my early flight touched down in surprisingly sunny Edinburgh. I’d never been to Scotland before, but had always heard of the perpetual gray backdrop positioned behind its dark green landscapes. What I was met with was only partially true to my preconceptions- the landscape was fairly dark, but it was late November, after all.

We set off to go meet our Danish friend, Patrick- one of our fellow pirates who took the rap when we got arrested in Budapest. He had come to Edinburgh to work for a while, and gave us the address of the cozy eatery he’d been working at in the city center: The Baked Potato Shop on Cockburn Street.As an avid potato enthusiast- he schooled me on potato nutrition for 16 solid days whilst on the river– this place seemed to be the perfect fit for him. Usually, potatoes get a bit of a bad rep for being bland and boring; not here. The Baked Potato Shop offers hungry guests a plethora of both hot and cold toppings (100% vegetarian and vegan!) to make their loaded baked potato truly loaded, in every sense of the word. It’s also completely affordable for traveler’s on a tight budget- prices range from £4.70 to £5.70, depending on the size and, trust me, you will not leave hungry. My personal favorite was the vegan haggis; when in Scotland, right?

Be sure to check it out- and say hello to my curly-headed giant of a friend while you’re there.