Edinburgh Restaurant Guide

“An absolute triumph from start to finish!” The plush basement of this famous luxury hotel continues to do justice to its name, and the “fantastic quality and presentation” of Jeff Bland’s “extraordinary” cuisine matched with “faultless service” means it arguably deserves an even higher reputation than it already enjoys. “I would fly to Edinburgh again just to eat here!”

“Halfway down the Royal Mile – a charming little restaurant” (much of it in the cellar), which is many locals “go-to destination for a celebration meal” thanks to its “charming” style, “faultless service” and “excellent value and original Scottish fare”: “it’s so hard deciding what NOT to have for dinner!”

“A fab experience from start to finish”; “so plush and warming” (“both genteel and relaxed”) and with log fires crackling in its “highly decorated and historic rooms”, this Georgian country pile certainly enjoys “memorable surroundings”. Food is, mercifully, also “excellent” – not least an afternoon tea that “surpasses all others” (haggis bonbons, anyone?).

This year-old relaunch of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s dining room on the first floor of its Georgian townhouse HQ was named AA Scottish Restaurant of the Year in September 2017. Our survey feedback is limited but extremely positive praising “consistently imaginative tasty food and great value for money”. There’s a short à la carte here of which the most impressive feature is the cheeseboard, or a £75 taster menu (including a wine or whisky match at each stage).

A three-year-old neo-bistro “with no fixed menu but a larder of seasonal ingredients that the chef plays with each night”; notwithstanding one bad trip reported, all other feedback on this five-course experience is of the ‘rave review’ variety.