1 Princes Street, Edinburgh, EH2 2EQ
Harden's survey result
Summary
The soft furnishings… the acoustics… all create a calm, quiet ambience” at the premier dining room of the Scottish capital’s landmark hotel, which is extremely stylish and opulent for somewhere that’s entirely underground. Fans say that – under chef Mathew Sherry, who arrived in 2021 – “it’s a must-visit when in Edinburgh, everything is perfection from the minute you enter the dining room”, although some advise you “skip the seven-course tasting menu and go for the three-course option, which is better value and with plenty enough to eat”. Other features include an excellent wine selection (over 350 bins) and the newly introduced private dining room (a 10-seater, to which The Scotsman’s Gaby Soutar awarded 17/20 in her September 2023 review).
Summary
“A must visit when in town” – chef Mathew Sherry delivers a “high-class tasting menu with ingredients to match” (seven courses for £115 per person) at this famous dining room – a “beautiful” and “club-like” space in the basement of one of Scotland’s most famous hotels. It’s an all-round experience too that’s “very comfortable” (and business-friendly) with “professional and friendly service”. “The wine list is not cheap but some good bins are to be found”.
Summary
Chef Matthew Sherry has now had a year at the flagship dining room of this Edinburgh landmark, which manages to be “incredibly grand and imposing” for somewhere in a windowless basement (“the tables are all so far away from each other!)”. Long known as one of Scotland’s foremost restaurants, ratings here haven’t skipped a beat despite Michelin having removed its star on the retirement of Jeff Bland. Service still “runs like clockwork”; and on the basis of the high-quality reports we receive (one such: “we have been for dinner twice in the last six months and had the seven-course set menu with matched wines both times… expensive but worth it”) the Tyre Man owes them their star back some time soon.
Summary
“One of Scotland's finest” – the “super club-like” basement of this landmark hotel has long been one of the city’s main culinary attractions, providing a splendid mix of sophisticated decor (especially given that it’s subterranean), alongside “excellent service, luxurious tasting menus and high-quality wines”. Former Northcote head chef Matthew Sherry took over at the stoves in 2021 and devised new three- and seven-course menus focused on Scottish produce.
For 33 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
Have you eaten at Number One, Balmoral Hotel?
Owner's description
The Balmoral's 4 AA Rosette restaurant Number One offers modern dining coupled with world class Scottish hospitality.
Step into Number One's glamorous dining room and sink into one of the dove grey wool banquettes. Contemporary art abounds on the lacquered red walls, from pieces lent by London's Royal College of Art, to Adam Ellis' stunning Scottish oak triptych.
The menus here are fashioned using seasonal ingredients carefully sourced from an exceptional list of trusted suppliers. Head Chef Mathew Sherry and his team have developed a menu with dishes inspired by Scotland and flavoured by the team's international travels.
Prices
| Availability | 2 courses | 3 courses |  |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dinner | £99.00 |  |
|
|
| Cost | Availability | Courses | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Menu1 | 125.00 | Dinner only | 7 |
| Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £70.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £6.50 |
| Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Bread | £8.00 |
| Service | 12.50% |
Restaurant details
1 Princes Street, Edinburgh, EH2 2EQ
Opening hours
| Monday | 6 pm‑9:30 pm |
| Tuesday | CLOSED |
| Wednesday | CLOSED |
| Thursday | 6 pm‑9:30 pm |
| Friday | 6 pm‑9:30 pm |
| Saturday | 6 pm‑9:30 pm |
| Sunday | 6 pm‑9:30 pm |
