This Edinburgh restaurant guide lists architect-designed restaurants & cafes. These restaurants are mostly contemporary. The key classics, such as The Balmoral Hotel and Fishers, are inserted to give depth. Most restaurants are reviewed for surroundings, food & service.
Edinburgh restaurant recommendations:
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Restaurant recommendations: service + interior + food & wine *** excellent ** good * fair ^ unreviewed
This restaurant page is updated at least monthly
Edinburgh Restaurants listed by area, starting with the best reviews in each area
Latest Edinburgh Restaurant added photo : T Cheung Taste Good Restaurant - Interior Design : a+j burridge. 8 Feb 2011
Latest Restaurant Review
Rock's, Dunbar, East Lothian Driving along the Dunbar coastal road in the dark The Rocks stands out as a welcoming beacon. The warm glow pulls you in. The friendly staff have all been at The Rocks for the past six and a half years, quite unusual in the fast-moving world of catering. Rock's restaurant review. 15 Oct 2010
Latest East Lothian Restaurant Review
Donald's at Aberlady, East Lothian "Malcolm Duck’s sprawling whitewashed Inn located on Aberlady High Street is as charming and welcoming as Malcolm himself. A great place to either while away the hours on a rainy afternoon or a dark wintery night - either in the well stocked bar or sampling some of the tasty offerings on the menu." Donald's Aberlady restaurant review. 9 Oct 2010
Latest Edinburgh Restaurant Review
Candle’s restaurant, 21 Candlemakers Row, Old Town, Edinburgh "The service was overly attentive to the point of being smothering; we were unable to have a conversation over dinner without being interrupted every few minutes. Meals were bland and simple. One meal was different to the menu description. Meals were accompanied by a cheap iceberg lettuce salad and tomato wedges, which looked as if it had come straight out of a bag from the local supermarket. I am unsure if a qualified chef is employed at this restaurant because the meals were so poor in quality. Do yourself a favour and cook a meal at home instead." 8 Sep 2010
Fruitmarket the Cafeteria
45 Market St., adj. Waverley Station
+44 (0)131 226 1843
Fruitmarket café (bijou Edinburgh art restaurant) attached to Edinburgh's leading independent modern art gallery and art bookshop, by Richard Murphy Architects.
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The Tower Restaurant
Museum of Scotland, Chambers St
+44 (0)131 225 3003
The Tower restaurant has views from the Terrace to the Castle and from the restaurant to the Old Town roofscape. Pricey but great terrace when it's calm and the sun shines.
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The Witchery by the Castle
incl. The Secret Garden
352 Castlehill
+44 (0)131 225 5613
Borough Hotel - Restaurant
72-80 Causewayside
+44 (0)131 668 225
The Borough Hotel is by Ben Kelly Architects, designers of Manchester's Dry 201 and Hacienda Nightclub: for Callison Eaton, the owner of the trendy City Cafe in Blair Street.
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Mills Mount Café
The Castle, Edinburgh
+44 (0)131 225 9746
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Roti Restaurant in former rogues restaurant premises
- cool interior concealed behind office block exterior, part of Scottish Widows building
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agua restaurant
Apex City Hotel, 61 Grassmarket, Edinburgh
agua hotel by Ian Springford Architects, as Apex Hotel & Metro above. agua restaurant was created by converting the former Bank of Scotland's Uberior House office building into a four-star hotel. Above the restaurant are 119 bedrooms including 3 suites, meeting facilities and bar.
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Point Hotel Restaurant
Bread St, Edinburgh.
+44 (0)131 221 5555
An Edinburgh Restaurant with real atmosphere. Vibrant planes of colour and wonderfully-clean modern lines.
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Monboddo’s Bar
Bread St, Edinburgh
+44 (0)131 221 5555
Architects’ hang-out at the Point Hotel also by Andy Doolan: stong colours lots of flush black linings and cool oval bar. Point Conference Centre next door.
This Edinburgh restaurant, by Terry Farrell & Partners, on the ground floor of the Sheraton Health Club, rather pedestrian compared to spa above. Quite expensive, high-quality Italian food but poor views. Includes a cheaper cafe.
Metro Edinburgh - triple-height modern white-painted timber-floored basement restaurant with street-level bar by Ian Springford Architects, opened 2000. One of two restaurants at Metro, the other being at the top of the building with good views of the Castle.
The Traverse is reputedly the longest bar in Edinburgh - downstairs, by Nicholas Groves-Raines Architects. More a theatre bar than fine dining.
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The Atrium
10 Cambridge St., Edinburgh
+44 (0)131 228 8882
The Atrium is an expensive, but excellent restaurant. Owner Andrew Radford won The Macallan Taste of Scotland Award 1994.
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blue
10 Cambridge St, Edinburgh
+44 (0)131 221 1222
blue restaurant is a sedate, restrained contemporary interior with limited cream-coloured palette set-off with blue. blue is by Andrea Faed Architects. Up the stairs on left of the Traverse entrance; unusual views of internal courtyard by others. blue is one of a number of Andrew Radford restaurants, including The Atrium.
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Edinburgh City Travel Inn
1 Morrison Link
+44 (0)131 228 9819
Another Doolan product - bar/restaurant. Edinburgh City Travel Inn is a sister hotel of the Point Hotel.
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Hilton Caledonian Hotel
Princes St, Edinburgh
+44 (0)131 222 8888
The Pompadour Restaurant
Exclusive former railway terminus hotel with restaurants and bars. The Caledonian Hotel is one half of the Victorian double-act with the Balmoral Hotel, Edinburgh's class stalwarts. Edinburgh's Hilton has four bar / restaurants.
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Oloroso Restaurant designed by Richard Murphy Architects. Superb restaurant and pleinair terrace with views across to Fife. At the heart of the design is the Cocktail Bar with real flame fire. Lounge with views to Arthurs Seat, Private Dining Room with views to the Castle.
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The Voodoo Rooms
West Register St
+44 (0)131 556 7060
Voodoo Rooms : Restaurant review 25 May 2009 Recommended for an informal evening out rather than sporting diamonds and tiara
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Harvey Nichols Forth Floor Restaurant, Brasserie & Bar
11-13 South St Andrew St
+44 (0)131 524 8350
The raison d’ etre of the Harvey Nichols restaurant is the view. Just like Oloroso restaurant, the aspect enlivens the space and is the key force in the overall dynamic
rick's eat:drink:sleep
55a Frederick St, Edinburgh
+44 (0)131 622 7800
New Town restaurant & bar - sensitive refurbishment by Malcolm Fraser Architects: ricks edinburgh has a lovely central lightwell, great materials + architect-designed furniture
Compact wee café - Cafe Newton - under towering Paolozzi sculpture on ground floor of the Dean Gallery: the interior of this unusual Edinburgh restaurant was designed by architect Terry Farrell
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No.27 Restaurant
27 Charlotte Sq, Edinburgh
+44 (0)131 243 9339
Experience fine Scottish cuisine in orginal Georgian dining room. Restaurant located at Charlotte Square. Now sold.
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The Scottish Cafe & Restaurant at the National Gallery
Gallery Restaurant & Bar, run by Victor and Carina Contini
+44 (0)131 624 6580
The Scottish Cafe & Restaurant has good views out to Princes Street Gardens. Gallery café opens during gallery hours, serving coffee + snacks
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No.1
downstairs at The Balmoral Hotel, 1 Princes St
+44 (0)131 556 2414
Expensive quality dining in Balmoral Hotel basement restaurant by chef Jeff Bland
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Hadrian’s
The Balmoral Hotel, 2 North Bridge
+44 (0)131 557 5000
Stylish restaurant from 1999
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Darkly atmospheric pub with celebrated food - under former 17thC Signal Tower. Fisher's Restaurant is a Leith institution, one of the famous Edinburgh restaurants. Booking advised
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Martin Wishart
54 The Shore, Leith: best to book +44 (0)131 553 3557
Opened in 2000 in small, discreet premises: sumptuous food in calm surroundings, excellent sensitive service: a rare Michelin-starred Edinburgh restaurant
Quiet traditional seafood restaurant. Skipper's restaurant is tucked away near Waterfront Bistro, cosy, good service. Included due to great reputation, but pricey
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Malmaison Hotel
The Shore, Leith
+44 (0)131 468 5000
Former Seaman's Mission, restored to form well known Edinburgh restaurant and hotel: Malmaison Edinburgh + restaurant review
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