Edinburgh, British, Modern Restaurant Guide

2021 Review: Owned by the Crolla family (who started Valvona & Crolla, Scotland’s oldest deli and Italian wine merchant – see also), this sixteenth century fine dining spot is a beacon on the otherwise touristy Royal Mile owing to its “well-cooked and well-seasoned” Scottish fare and “good value Sunday lunch”; for a truly intimate dining experience, try ‘Halo’, upstairs, which seats just four.

“Spectacular views over Edinburgh” and “subtly flavoured” modern bistro fare are twin incentives to visit this eye-catching cantilevered structure, partially suspended over Carlton Hill – “a must for any visitor to this beautiful city!”.

2021 Review: “Get the best seats in the place” (at the back, which offers “beautiful views” of the castle) to make the most of a visit to this city-centre staple, also turning out “enjoyable” cuisine of a modern European bent.

Chef-owner Stuart Ralston's diner-esque follow-up to Aizle, inspired by his time in NYC, and named after his roommate there, food snapper Bob Noto. A “great city-centre location”, bang in the heart of New Town, and “outstanding” small plates with a strong Asian slant complete the picture.

“Intriguing, inventive flavour combinations and presentation” has long been the hallmark of Paul Kitching’s cuisine and continues to win high ratings for this Georgian townhouse, which he runs with partner, Katie O’Brien. “Delightful warm service” and “wonderful decor” make for a very good “overall experience” that ranks amongst the city’s best.

2018 Review: Craig & Vikki Wood’s yearling (a follow-up to the decade-old original of the same name), is “a real gem of an addition to the New Town” (and “saves a trip across the Forth to North Queensferry” to their other gaff). Between the “first-class food and service” (the former from ex-El Celler de Can Roca chef Michael Innes) it’s “difficult to fault”.

2021 Review: This “real gem” on the road to Leith – “family-run with flair and passion” – “uses unusual cuts of locally sourced meats and seasonal produce to keep the cost of lunch to £10”. It’s “intimate and cosy, but on a hot summer’s day, sitting outside sipping wine and eating the amazing fresh food the kitchen sends out is a real treat”.

The Radford family’s Scandi-influenced converted Victorian warehouse is “a delight for anyone looking to stray away from the beaten track” – not just for the cooking, but for its “interesting, natural and small-batch wines”. Regulars should expect significant changes, though, following the appointment late last year of head chef James Murray (ex-Lyles, Manoir aux Quat’Saisons and Nur in Hong Kong) and head pastry chef Richard Phillips (ex-L’Enclume and Waterside Inn). Chef Ben Radford, who runs the show with his brother Jo and sister Abi, is moving to a different role in the business.

Chef Dean Banks is the latest name to take the reins of this august and spacious dining room, first opened in 1925 – about 20 years after the grand hotel that contains it – and run in recent years by The Galvin brothers (and then briefly by Dan Ashmore). At dinner (lunch is simpler), it presents two tasting menus for £85 and £125 per head in a similar culinary vein to his St Andrews venture, Haar (see also).

The “wonderful food” at chef Paul Gunning’s “very small” basement in Georgian Stockbridge is extremely “good value” – notably a “seven-course tasting menu with a succession of excellent dishes” for £65.

“In the Caledonian Hotel (Waldorf Astoria)” for the past couple of years, in a space previously occupied by the Galvin brothers, Mark Greenaway's hyped modern English and Scottish venture may be a little ill-named (it's less about sharing plates than heftier options) but receives feedback that’s notably sound, including for the “fab” puds and “well-presented” Sunday lunch.

“Good all round” – this popular and well-priced Marchmont venue keeps a local crowd happy with the French-accented dishes sent out by its owner-chefs, a Sicilian/Canadian couple who live nearby. A proper two-course lunch costs under £20, which adds to the appeal.

A surprise tasting menu by chef Conor Toomey is the format at this contemporary and relatively small (six tables) venue. Having nabbed a hard-to-gain 5/5 for its cuisine last year, it suffered from a dearth of feedback in this year’s survey, but was blessed with a star by the tyre men in January 2021.

In September 2021, Great British Menu chef Roberta Hall-McCarron and FOH husband Shaun relaunched their French/British-inspired venture in larger, more polished premises on Bonnington Road. We’ve maintained ratings in anticipation of a more ambitious spin on their menu, foraged from the wilds and waters of the Scottish landscape (now with three options for each course, plus in-house sourdough). (Eleanore, a restaurant and wine bar for counter-style dining on Scottish small plates, is due to succeed this venture in the ex-Little Chartroom premises in late 2021).

Opening, along with several other big-name London restaurants, in the new St James development in November 2022.