Scottish restaurants in Edinburgh
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A
Kitchin
Fresh, seasonal, locally sourced Scottish produce is the philosophy that has won a Michelin star for this elegant but unpretentious restaurant. The menu moves with the seasons, of course, so expect fresh salads in summer and game in winter, and shellfish dishes such as seared scallops with endive tarte tatin when there’s an ‘r’ in the month.
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Blue
Set above the foyer of the Traverse Theatre, this is a cool white minimalist space with polished oak and Danish designer furniture. The food is simple but skilfully cooked and presented. Choices include Crombie’s sausages with mash and onion gravy, and ribeye steak with bearnaise and chunky chips. Two courses costs £16 between 5.30pm and 7.30pm.
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Rhubarb
Set in the splendid 17th-century Prestonfield House, Rhubarb is a feast for the eyes as well as the tastebuds. The over-the-top decor of rich reds set off with black and gold and the sensuous surfaces – damask, brocade, marble, gilded leather – that make you want to touch everything are matched by the intense flavours and rich textures of the food. Take your postprandial coffee and brandy upstairs to the sumptuous fireside sofas in the Tapestry and Leather rooms. A two-course lunch menu is available for £17. There is no public transport here.
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North Bridge Brasserie
This stylish brasserie inhabits the former lobby of the Scotsman newspaper building (now the Scotsman Hotel), a huge airy hall with four massive marble columns. Book a table up on the balcony, where you can admire the gilded capitals or gaze down on the street through the arched windows. The menu takes its inspiration from hearty Scots fare, ranging from hot buttered crab on sourdough toast to roast rump of lamb with haggis and mashed potato.
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E
Mckirdy’s Steakhouse
The McKirdy brothers – owners of a local butcher’s business established in 1895 – have cut out the middleman and now run one of Edinburgh’s best steakhouses. The friendly staff here serve up starters – such as haggis with Drambuie sauce – and juicy, perfectly cooked steaks from rump to T-bone, accompanied by mustard mash or crispy fries. There’s a kids’ menu, and you can get a two-course early dinner (until 6.30pm) for £13.
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Amber
You've got to love a place where the waiter greets you with the words, 'My name is Craig, and I'll be your whisky adviser for this evening'. Located in the Scotch Whisky Experience, this whisky-themed restaurant manages to avoid the tourist clichés and creates genuinely interesting and flavoursome dishes such as mussels in a cream, leek and Islay whisky sauce, and sirloin steak with thyme-roasted potatoes and whisky butter.
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Oloroso
Oloroso is one of Edinburgh's most stylish restaurants, perched on a glass-encased New Town rooftop with views across a Mary Poppins' chimney-scape to the Firth of Forth and Fife hills. Swathed in sophisticated cream linen and charcoal upholstery enlivened with splashes of deep yellow, the dining room serves top-notch Scottish produce with Asian and Mediterranean touches. Two-course lunch £18.50.
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A Room in Leith
This restaurant (and its companion bar, Teuchters Landing) inhabits a warren of nooks and crannies in a red-brick building (once a waiting room for ferries across the Firth of Forth), with a bright conservatory and outdoor tables on a floating terrace in the dock. The Scottish-flavoured menu includes haggis with mustard-and-thyme cream sauce, and roast venison with red onion tart and port gravy.
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Point Restaurant
The Point Restaurant’s lunch and dinner menus offer exceptional value – delicious Scottish/international cuisine served by attentive, smartly clad staff in an elegant room with dark-wood furniture, proper linen napkins and art deco chandeliers. With a three-course dinner at £22 and house wine at £15 a bottle, reservations are strongly recommended.
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Sweet Melindas
With ingredients sourced from the fishmonger next door and the vegetable market around the corner, and everything from the bread to the chocolate truffles handmade in the kitchen, Sweet Melindas offers a true taste of Scottish home cooking. The ambience is chilled and the menu concentrates on seafood, with at least one vegetarian starter and main.
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K
Tower
Chic and sleek, with a great view of the castle, Tower is perched in a turret atop the National Museum of Scotland building. A star-studded guest list of celebrities has enjoyed its menu of quality Scottish food, simply prepared – try half a dozen oysters followed by roast partridge with chestnut stuffing. A two-/three-course pretheatre menu (£16/22) is available from 5pm to 6.30pm, and afternoon tea (£16) is served from 3pm to 5pm.
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Number One
This is the stylish and sophisticated chatelaine of Edinburgh’s city-centre restaurants, all gold-and-velvet elegance with a Michelin star sparkling on her crown. The food is top-notch modern Scottish (choose from a three-course dinner for £59, or a six-course tasting menu for £65) and the service is just on the right side of fawning.
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Forth Floor Restaurant & Brasserie
The in-store restaurant at Harvey Nichols has floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking St Andrew Sq, making it a great place to enjoy sunset views. The food has as much designer chic as the surroundings, while the less formal brasserie offers simpler dishes, and also serves Sunday brunch (11am to 5pm).
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N
Stac Polly
Named after a mountain in northwestern Scotland, this rustic cellar restaurant adds sophisticated twists to fresh Highland produce. Dishes such as haggis in filo parcels with plum sauce might have Robert Burns spinning in his grave, but keep satisfied customers coming back for more. Orkney Brewery beers available.
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Doric Tavern
One of Edinburgh’s favourite eateries, this 1st-floor bistro (entrance stairs to the right of the Doric Bar) is handy for both Princes St and the Royal Mile. Wooden floors, warm ochre walls and window tables with views of the Scott Monument complement a menu of fresh Scottish produce.
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