OMNi Centre Edinburgh: Things to Do

Summary

If you’re looking for a one-stop destination for entertainment and dining, then the Omni Centre in Edinburgh is the perfect place to visit.

Located in the heart of the city, this multi-purpose complex offers a variety of activities for visitors of all ages, from catching the latest blockbuster movies to indulging in dishes from a variety of restaurants.

In this article, you’ll discover the top reasons why you should visit the OMNi Centre as well as similar places to visit in the area that will make your trip to Edinburgh unforgettable.

The highlights

1: The OMNi Centre is a one-stop shop for leisure in Edinburgh. In addition to the cinema, bars and restaurants, the Edinburgh Playhouse theatre is next door and the enormous St. James Quarter shopping Centre is opposite.

2: The restaurant options are pretty good and varied enough that you’re bound to find something to eat whether you’re looking for a budget meal and a pint in Wetherspoons or an all-you-can-eat buffet at Cosmo.

Visiting tips

1: The car park at the OMNi Centre is handy but it’s quite expensive so if you’d like to save money take the bus instead. There are bus stops close to the entrance of the centre at York Place (#10 and 11) and on Leith Street (#4, 15, 16, 19, 22). See the Lothian Buses website for details.

2: There are Amazon lockers at the OMNi Centre where you can have deliveries sent. Just select ‘locker’ as the delivery option during checkout and use postcode EH1 3AA.

3: If you’d like to visit Calton Hill before or after a visit to the OMNi Centre, the fastest route is Calton Hill street which links Regent Road and Leith Street. You’ll find it next to the Calton Hill steps on Regent Road and 200 metres along Leith Street from the OMNi Centre. Just be aware it’s quite steep so it isn’t suitable for wheelchairs.

Overview

The OMNi Centre is a leisure complex located in the heart of Edinburgh, to the immediate east of its recently built and much larger cousin the St. James Quarter.

While the new shopping centre is the go-to destination for shopping, the OMNi Centre is more geared towards light entertainment thanks to a number of restaurants, bars, a cinema, and a highly-rated gym.

It’s easy to find the centre from the east end of Princes Street as you just need to take the turning to Leith Street (opposite the Balmoral Hotel) and walk past the St. James Quarter complex till you arrive a couple of minutes later at the glass-fronted OMNi.

The building has entrance doors at the front on Leith Street as well as the pedestrianized Greenside Place on its southern side. The northern side joins onto the up-market The Glasshouse hotel while the rear faces Greenside Row which has the entrance to the Q-Park car park.

Starting with OMNi Centre restaurants, visitors will find a good range of eateries including a Wetherspoons pub near the main entrance as well as other big-name chains including Tony Macaroni, Nandos, and Slug and Lettuce.

For those visitors not acquainted with these places, Wetherspoons is a value-oriented pub/restaurant that serves traditional meals and a wide selection of beers and spirits. The prices are very competitive so they’re almost always busy, but midweek you shouldn’t have any problem finding a table.

As you might have guessed, Tony Macaroni is an Italian restaurant, Nandos serves spicy chicken dishes and burgers, and Slug and Lettuce is aimed at families and couples with a menu that features up-market burgers, pizzas, and wraps.

Most venues serve alcohol but if you’re just after a drink you should probably head to Wetherspoons as they stock the largest selection of spirits and you’ll have the option of either grabbing a table or standing at the bar.

If the ‘spoons doesn’t take your fancy you’ll find a number of other pubs and bars in the immediate area, the pick of the bunch being the iconic The Conan Doyle pub on the Junction of York Place and Cathedral Lane.

The other main reason to visit the OMNi Centre is to head upstairs to the VUE cinema which is one of the best multi-screen venues in Edinburgh. Tickets for Vue movies are amongst the cheapest in the UK and you can pre-book them for as little as a fiver for adults and under three quid for children.

For those visitors heading to the cinema who’d like to save money, I recommend mid-morning screenings at the weekend which is when you’ll get the cheapest tickets. Alternatively, take advantage of the Meerkat Movies deal which gives 2-for-1 tickets every Tuesday and Wednesday.

To become a Meerkat Movies member, simply register on their website and purchase any insurance policy (even a cheap 1-day policy will do) to be eligible for 12 months of movie deals.

The OMNi also has a superb gymnasium courtesy of Nuffield Health. The gym has a wide range of exercise machines, a good-sized swimming pool, sauna and steam rooms, and regular fitness classes for anyone needing a little encouragement during a workout.

Finally, if you’ve ever stood on top of Calton Hill and looked down you’ll have no doubt noticed a large garden on the roof of the OMNi Centre which is, in fact, part of the exclusive The Glasshouse hotel.

This is one of the city’s top-tier hotels thanks to a range of lavishly decorated suites and an uber-exclusive lounge and restaurant. Prices start at around £250 and soar to £500 per night (and that’s out of season), but it’s without a doubt one of the most unique hotels in Edinburgh.

There are a few other businesses operating at the OMNi Centre in addition to the ones mentioned above so if you’d like to see what else is currently available take a look at the official website.

---

Things to do nearby

The Scott Monument. E. Princes St Gardens, Edinburgh EH2 2EJ. 9-minute walk.
A Gothic-style monument with a staircase and lookout platforms. The Scott Monument is the world’s largest monument dedicated to a writer. It is located in Princes Street Gardens.

Calton Hill. Edinburgh EH7 5AA. 8-minute walk.
A prominent hill in Edinburgh that offers panoramic views of the city and is the location of the city planetarium, the National Monument, and the Nelson Monument.

Edinburgh Playhouse. 18-22 Greenside Pl, Edinburgh EH1 3AA. 1-minute walk.
The Edinburgh Playhouse is the second-largest theatre in the UK with more than 3,000 seats. The theatre hosts shows throughout the year from independent dramas to internationally famous musicals.

Scottish National Portrait Gallery. 1 Queen St, Edinburgh EH2 1JD. 8-minute walk.
An art gallery dedicated to influential Scottish portrait artists. The gallery is situated in a very grand red sandstone building facing Queen Street. Facilities include a shop and a café.

Scottish National Gallery. The Mound, Edinburgh EH2 2EL. 11-minute walk.
An art gallery housing a varied collection of the nation’s masterpieces. Seasonal exhibitions are held throughout the year. Facilities include a café and a gift shop.

---

Frequently asked questions