Edinburgh restaurants, Scottish Capital eating out reviews, Lothian dining recommendations
Edinburgh Restaurants Guide
Lothian Dining in Contemporary Buildings – East of Scotland Eating Out Information
post updated 30 June 2023
Edinburgh Restaurants Reviews
e-architect are seeking interesting reviews of contemporary restaurants and hotels, with a focus on the interior design but comments re food and service also welcome.
In the past we undertook dining reviews but alas are too busy for that currently!
Edinburgh New Town Building near Charlotte Square – Hudson Hotel:
Edinburgh Restaurants
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E-mail: info(at)edinburgharchitecture.co.uk
Address: e-architect limited, Scotland, UK
Restaurants + Cafes + Hotels + Bistros + Brasseries + Inns
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: [email protected]
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
Restaurant Reviews
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
Recent Lothian Restaurant Reviews
Waterside Bistro Haddington. 5 + 7 Aug 2010
National Galleries of Scotland Restaurant review. 1 Aug 2010
Ducks at Aberlady restaurant review. 29 Mar 2010
Linton Hotel, East Linton. 20 Mar 2010
Edinburgh Restaurants Reviews – selection below:
Goblin Ha’ hotel + Osteria
Centotre Restaurant – Centotre Restaurant Review
Edinburgh Restaurant Review – Goblin Ha Hotel, 11 Oct 2009
Edinburgh Restaurant added, 13 Jul 2009:
Cafe Fish
photo © Keith Hunter
The Vintage bar transformed from tired traditional pub into sleek Cafe Fish
Old Town Restaurants
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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.
* *
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.
* *
The Witchery by the Castle
incl. The Secret Garden
352 Castlehill
+44 (0)131 225 5613
Witchery Edinburgh restaurant review
*
Pizza Express Restaurant
23 North Bridge, Edinburgh
+44 (0)131 557 6411
Typical quality chain restaurant interior, but with daylight to rear – by Malcolm Fraser Architects.
*
Café Hub
The Hub, Castlehill (top of Royal Mile)
+44 (0)131 473 2067
The Hub – informal space, but not one of the cosiest restaurants in town
*
The Tun Bar & Cafe
Holyrood Rd, Edinburgh
+44 (0)131 557 9297
The Tun restaurant or for general interest Edinburgh old town
^
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.
^
Mills Mount Café
The Castle, Edinburgh
+44 (0)131 225 9746
see Edinburgh Castle
^
Beluga
30a Chambers St, opposite Museum of Scotland
+44 (0)131 624 4545
Have you visited one of the above Edinburgh Restaurants?
Please mail your review to: Restaurants Edinburgh
Edinburgh Old Town Restaurants in more detail
Lothian Road Restaurants
* * *
Roti
73 Morrison St, Edinburgh
+44 (0)131 221 9998
Roti Restaurant in former rogues restaurant premises
– cool interior concealed behind office block exterior, part of Scottish Widows building
* *
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.
* *
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.
* *
Monboddo’s Bar
Bread St, Edinburgh
+44 (0)131 221 5555
Architects’ hang-out at the Point Hotel Edinburgh also by Andy Doolan: strong colours lots of flush black linings and cool oval bar.Point Conference Centre next door.
*
Santini
8, Conference Square, off Lothian Road, Edinburgh
+44 (0)131 221 7789
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 Restaurant
Apex Hotel, 31-35 Grassmarket, Edinburgh
+44 (0)131 474 3466
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.
–
Traverse Theatre: Café Bar
10 Cambridge St, Edinburgh
+44 (0)131 228 5383
The Traverse is reputedly the longest bar in Edinburgh – downstairs, by Nicholas Groves-Raines Architects. More a theatre bar than fine dining.
^
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.
[email protected]
^
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.
^
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.
^
Hilton Caledonian Hotel
Princes St, Edinburgh
+44 (0)131 222 8888
The Pompadour Restaurant
Exclusiveformer 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.
Have you visited one of the above Edinburgh Restaurants? Please mail your review
Lothian Road Restaurants in more detail
New Town Restaurants
* * *
Oloroso
33 Castle St, Edinburgh
+44 (0)131 226 7614
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.
* * *
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
* * *
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 Dining is the view. Just like Oloroso restaurant, the aspect enlivens the space and is the key force in the overall dynamic
Harvey Nichols Store opening times
* * *
Zanzero
14-16 North West Circus Place, Edinburgh
+44 (0)131 220 0333
Zanzero Restaurant + dining review
* *
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
* *
The Bonham
35 Drumsheugh Gdns
+44 (0)131 226 6050
Traditional Edinburgh restaurant: Bonham Hotel
reservations +44 (0)131 623 6060
*
Centotre
103 George Street, Edinburgh
+44 (0)131 225 1550
Centotre Restaurant + dining reviews
^
Dean Gallery: Cafe
73 Belford Rd., Edinburgh
+44 (0)131 624 6200
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
^
No.27 Restaurant
27 Charlotte Sq, Edinburgh
+44 (0)131 243 9339
Experience fine Scottish cuisine in original Georgian dining room. Restaurant located at Charlotte Square. Now sold.
^
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
^
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
^
Hadrian’s
The Balmoral Hotel, 2 North Bridge
+44 (0)131 557 5000
Stylish restaurant from 1999
Have you visited one of the above Edinburgh Restaurants? Please mail your review
Edinburgh New Town Restaurants in more detail
Leith Restaurants
* * *
Fisher’s
1 The Shore, Leith, Edinburgh: needs prior booking
+44 (0)131 554 5666
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
* * *
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
* *
Skipper’s
1a Dock Pl, Leith: needs prior booking
+44 (0)131 554 1018
Quiettraditional seafood restaurant. Skipper’srestaurantis tucked away near Waterfront Bistro, cosy, good service. Included due to great reputation, but pricey
* *
Malmaison Hotel
The Shore, Leith
+44 (0)131 468 5000
Former Seaman’s Mission, restoredto formwell known Edinburgh restaurant and hotel: Malmaison Hotel Edinburgh Review + restaurant review
Cafe Bar / Brasserie – bookings
brasserie +44 (0)131 468 5002
restaurant reservations +44 (0)131 468 5003
*
Raj Restaurant
87-91 Henderson St, Leith
+44 (0)131 553 3980
Great view down Water of Leith; quality Curry House, adj. Allan Murray Architects’ Coalhill Housing. Ordinary interior, authentic North Indian cuisine
Have you visited one of the above Edinburgh Restaurants? Please mail your review
Leith Restaurants in more detail
Environs: Edinburgh Restaurants in the Suburbs
Rhubarb, Prestonfield House Hotel’s restaurant
Priestfield Rd, Edinburgh
+44 (0)131 225 1333
Rhubarb Restaurant
[email protected]
* * *
Have you visited the above Edinburgh area restaurant? Please mail your review
Edinburgh Area Restaurants : Edinburgh suburbs in more detail
Have you visited one of these Edinburgh Restaurants? Reviews to [email protected]
Restaurants Edinburgh: Recommendations welcome
Comments on / Reviews of Edinburgh Restaurants: [email protected]
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Balmoral Hotel
image © Adrian Welch
Balmoral Hotel
Apex Hotel Edinburgh
picture from the hotel
Apex Hotel Edinburgh
Caledonian Hotel
image © Adrian Welch
Caledonian Hotel
Scottish Parliament entrance:
Comments for the Edinburgh Restaurants page welcome