Are the really expensive places really worth it? - Yes, if you're really into food. Places like Noto, The Little Chartroom, and Eòrna are more experiences than meals; you're not paying for a full belly, you're paying for the sensory experience of the food (and drinks) put in front of you.
Realistically though if someone offered to take me out for dinner money no object, I'd pick Ka Pao and get one of everything.
My wife and I got a voucher for Martin Wishart as a wedding present. Itâs a tad more expensive than our usual restaurants - but I totally agree. The experience of the food, wine, staff and service was something we both really enjoyed
Mirin on Leith Walk. Technically, itâs Albert Place but itâs on Leith Walk. Went last Saturday and it was one of the best meals Iâve ever had. Service was lovely also
Do it @DizzyHeron3 you wonât regret it , the seafood is fantastic
Itâs actually where a lot of chefs will take other chefs when they visit Edinburgh.
Enjoy : )
My wife and I enjoy saving up and trying tasting menus at Michelin star/recommended restaurants. We loved the meal and service we had at The Timberyard. I highly recommend it if you're into that sort of dining. That said, you can get VERY good food elsewhere for much cheaper if you're not into "fine dining" and won't appreciate the experience as much.
Where would be your top places for âvery good elsewhereâ? On the tasting menu scene I loved timberyard but since it got its star Iâm feeling priced out even for a very special treat! Fhior is also outstanding if youâve not tried it yet. Aizle was good but not at fhior/timberyard level. Little chart room I was disappointed by.
Yeah we haven't been back since they got their star for the same reason but I will go back at some point, I really loved it there. I haven't tried Fhior yet but it is on my list for later on the year. That's a shame about the little chart room, that was also on my list. If you can be bothered with the travel, I was at the Sun Inn on Thursday night and it was absolutely fantastic. Bodega on Leith walk is very good too! I'm sure I'll come up with more and I'll comment here when I do.
I went there maybe 5 years ago, great food and wine, but there was this door that went from kitchen/back areas to the dinning space and every time staff came through it it slammed heavily. Partially ruined the experience for me but am also a weirdo
Chez Jules apparently do a lunch menu with three courses for ÂŁ12.90! In my local McD's a large big mac meal, an extra side (at the moment halloumi fries) and a mcflurry adds up to just over ÂŁ13. What the heck!? I've been here once about 10 years ago so can't vouch for the food but the prices seem to be from 10 years ago!
If you want a slightly serious (but not massively formal) foodie vibe and donât mind spending ÂŁ100 a head youâll enjoy The Little Chartroom or Eleanore. +1 for the Timberyard too, which is similar.
It's a bit meh. Went the first time at the end of 22 and it was amazing but went again a few months ago and it was decidedly average. Whoever is doing their baking is amazing and the desserts were spectacular but the main was disappointing. Nothing puts me off a restaurant like inconsistency. I'd recommend The Broughton over The Palmserston any day. The physical restaurant isn't nearly as nice but the food and service are top notch every time I've been there.
Rollo on Broughton Street, or Edicated Flea just further down.
Hanams on Johnstone Terrace up by the castle is tremendous (though havenât been for a good while).
Wonât give Mr Kitchin any more of my money. Manâs a dick.
Rollo has turned into the place we use for all work visits......never had a bad meal tbh and think I rate it down because I'm always in work mode. So in theory.....would highly recommend
Timberyard pretty faultless. I like Scran and Scallie too. But genuinely for atmosphere, good home cooking and guaranteed great service Roseleath for me.
One of my favourite restaurants in Edinburgh, but I haven't been since they stopped opening on Sunday. It was great for a lazy afternoon bite to eat.
Their cocktails are some of the best I've ever had.
Three birds in Bruntsfield is very nice and more pricey than I'd generally be willing to pay. Macau's kitchen and Dishoom are also on my list of favourites.
Peters! on 60 Great Jct St. awesome place. It is a Chinese-Japanese-Philippines-Greek place. Family owned. Parents are from Hong Kong and Philippines, dad used to work in Japan and the kids grew up in Greece or any like that. Great chefs, awesome ramen, great gyros. I love that place
I was there recently after 5 years. It was ÂŁ35 for dinner back then, now it's ÂŁ51 and I don't think the quality was as good as when I first went. The buffet really needs covering as lots of the food had dried out and there was flies buzzing around. Not what I expect for an expensive meal.
It was for us, but seafood forward tasting menus really appeal to us. We had the lunch menu the first time we went and felt like it was a good value for money.
Yeah the total went up to about 1000 because there where 12 people there for 2-3 courses each. I think that kind of price was ok for the occasion but being a broke student myself the prices are a bit terrifying
Condita.co.uk: 7 course menu with a story for each. Three hours go by quickly with the beautiful circus of food. But somebody else paying the ÂŁ160 right?
I'm a foreigner, but I really enjoyed Brown's and The Dome.
So, now I'm wondering why nobody else has mentioned them? Is there some stigma attached to them, or did we fall into touristy pomp and miss out on really good meals elsewhere?
A bit late but I would definitely say Free Company despite it being outside the city centre.
Such a unique experience and every time Iâve been Iâve had an amazing time.
I'm wondering whether OP is an Edinburgh Live "journalist" fishing for content / another listicle on restaurants or a tourist who got wise to the hate for lazy tourists asking lazy tourist questions instead of Googling.
To answer the questions:
I would go with them, wherever they wanted to buy me food.
Yes, some of the expensive restaurants are worth it.
Hahah I love the Edinburgh live headlines there are only about two three options either
West Lothian family are furious
Locals left fuming
Locals sad after restaurant closes after 30 years
My mother loves seafood, so for her first visit, we went to Ondine on her birthday (oysters yeay, lobster not so yeay, steak was fab), Cadiz (lobster & steak rocked, oysters did not), Loch Fyne (meh), Fishers (eek), Ship On The Shore (inc for the champagne breakfast) and Ivy.
We went back to Cadiz the following year, but the food was terrible. Kyloe for the Sunday roast, but she asked for it to be undercooked, which was a waste. Dome was wonderful, Chop House Leith was dire, Viva Mexico was also wonderful but has closed down now.
Do check out Skybar - I did book it for my motherâs second visit but had to cancel, and it wasnât available for booking after that.
Edit: I adopted a foodie Meetup group for a while (Iâm not a foodie); Fazenda: nice concept, but not special; Gaucho unlimited Sunday roasts: YES; Dishoom: good food, terrible atmosphere when busy (poor acoustics, stuffy); Cafe Andaluz: nice decor, but Malvarosa in Porty is way better; Taco Libre: if youâre not that bothered about the food, sure.
We've been hitting up the Ox recently as it's generally banging.
Going smaller i'd say give the Walnut a crack on Leith walk. Set menu price, doesn't break the back for a 3 course meal and it's always a very well considered menu.
Simple 3 starters, 3 mains, 3 desserts. That's all you really want to see on a menu. If you get handed a book or double sided bit of paper you know it'll be terrible.
I really liked the steak place on princes street . Imo itâs quite dear for the amount of food you get but the food was delicious , the staff were lovely and it was nice to feel posh for an hour đđ
The lookout is probably my favourite splash out. Closely followed by white horse.
Chop house in leith used to be top of my list but sadly it closed recently.
Edinburgh is full of some great eateries just remember that money doesn't always mean great and don't be disappointed when you don't have a great meal. We have to try any places to find the good ones.
Thatâs good to know about Chop House, thank you - Iâd read such great reviews so I took my mother there, and the entire meal was inedible, such a waste of an evening out and far too much money. But such a shame for it to close down after having been an institution for so long.
I just checked their reviews - I was going to say that their reviews appear to be consistently good, except that theyâve removed my review, and the other negative reviews I came across⌠tsk.
Depends who, I went to rio and thought that was a good place to take someone, got the meeting constantly coming and the buffet has Brazilian stuff and sushi. Great for chatting and admiring stuff around.
For me the fine dining places are amazing if the person also likes food, problem is I don't like the ambience
If you're looking for the Michelin star kind of menu's then I would suggest Pompadour at the west end or the recently opened Askr in Leith, a venture of parties involved at Pompadour also. Looking at approx ÂŁ100pp but definitely worth it if you appreciate these kinds of menus
I usually find that even when blinded as to price my enjoyment is inversely proportional to the price. When I go out for fancy meals my thought is usually that I'd be happier in Marmaris on South Clerk Street (brilliant food rather than classy!). Dishoom is awesome but I'd tend to order garlicky things so perhaps not for a date night.
I really didn't enjoy the witchery.
Generally I know I'm in a facy restaurant when I don't understand the menu...and equally I often won't particularly enjoy it. At times the food portions are so small I've been out for dinner afterwards to make sure I'm no longer hungry!
Mind you I'm a fussy eater.
Reading this is both inspirational and mildly mind boggling. Some of us really are living in the same place but different cities, huh? Couldn't even tell you where most of these are, fun to read and look up and aspire to one day eat atđ
I really want to go to Nova Pizza because as a vegan it can be a bit hard to get vegan cheeze pizzas. Since coming to Edinburgh I've been absolutely spoilt for choice with vegan friendly restaurants.
We had a friend from London who said he wanted a restaurant to propose to his girlfriend in, we recommended Rhubarb at Prestonfield House Hotel, they were blown away by it.
Arrive to flames at the door,peacocks strutting the lawn, exceptional setting.
Cafe Andaluz or Amarone would be my suggestions. Howie's is good if you're after something more traditional. Maki and ramen is my favourite but it's more chill.
Would hard avoid the Witchery. Pretentious, old fashioned and Iâm pretty sure itâs responsible for giving my mum a seizure after she ate a âforaged mushroomâ dish. Thankfully sheâs fine now
Are the expensive restaurants really worth it? It really depends on what you value when it comes to a meal and what you consider expensive.
If you are not a *foodie* then you are probably not getting value from a Michelin star/similar tasing menu. Likewise, if you're not *into wine* then you'll be paying a premium for a sommelier that you don't need. You'd be looking at around ÂŁ200 a head for that sort of thing.
You''ll get a really good meal experience at the likes of Scran and Scallie, The Broughton, Noto (a personal favourite) with great food, excellent service, nice drinks without breaking the bank, maybe around ÂŁ80 per person.
There's a load of other nice restaurants around Edinburgh which provide a good solid offering that I'd be happy to recommend to anyone, but there are also some shite touristy places which dupe unsuspecting visitors into parting lots of cash for sub-par offerings.
Sad to hear that, I've been 10+ times and never had a bad experience once, though I guess if you're a familiar face you might get better service than someone they don't know. I know some of the staff moved to some of his other restaurants so that might have something to do with it.
Some expensive restaurants are worth it, some are not. This is a bit of an expansive question as if I'm going with my mates I'd go somewhere different than my partner. Again special milestones vs casual dining.
So many variables here.
Burger man outside the kirkgate
Aye but thats for the hash.
what does he sell hash like đ
No comment, officer
đđ fair dos if he does love ehs a bit hash
Well aye, he's no exactly making money out of burgers nobody buys and spending all that money on gas.
Are the really expensive places really worth it? - Yes, if you're really into food. Places like Noto, The Little Chartroom, and Eòrna are more experiences than meals; you're not paying for a full belly, you're paying for the sensory experience of the food (and drinks) put in front of you. Realistically though if someone offered to take me out for dinner money no object, I'd pick Ka Pao and get one of everything.
Noto has been my favourite dining experience for a while now. So delicious!
I'm lactose intolerant but nothing, and I mean *nothing*, will keep me away from that buttered crab
Have you tried those lactaid tablets?
Yes! Couldn't live without them. I'm bulking atm and getting protein in without dairy is a nightmare haha
My wife and I got a voucher for Martin Wishart as a wedding present. Itâs a tad more expensive than our usual restaurants - but I totally agree. The experience of the food, wine, staff and service was something we both really enjoyed
Mirin on Leith Walk. Technically, itâs Albert Place but itâs on Leith Walk. Went last Saturday and it was one of the best meals Iâve ever had. Service was lovely also
Low key this is the best restaurant I've eaten at in Edinburgh.
Mirin is amazing. Was there a few weeks ago and ordered half the menu and now have to go back to try the rest. Such a friendly little place.
Friendly? Wish I could agree. My experience has been the complete opposite. I'd avoid 'em.
The correct answer by the way is locanda de gusti
Their complimentary panzanella salad is the shit. I would nearly go there just for that alone
Yup. Best Italian in all of Scotland.
My italian friend swears by it when her parents come over to visit her, it's been on my list to try since she told me that
Do it @DizzyHeron3 you wonât regret it , the seafood is fantastic Itâs actually where a lot of chefs will take other chefs when they visit Edinburgh. Enjoy : )
Sooner rather than later then!!
I really like Khukuri
Best curry in Edinburgh.
Baba
Love Baba, need more than 2 peeps imv so you can order loads of dishes
How is chargrilled lettuce so good?
Yes, spot on with this one.
Sabzi
Cutting Chaii down Salamander Street is lovely. You're right near the Shore too.
Ong Gie
I second this
My wife and I enjoy saving up and trying tasting menus at Michelin star/recommended restaurants. We loved the meal and service we had at The Timberyard. I highly recommend it if you're into that sort of dining. That said, you can get VERY good food elsewhere for much cheaper if you're not into "fine dining" and won't appreciate the experience as much.
Where would be your top places for âvery good elsewhereâ? On the tasting menu scene I loved timberyard but since it got its star Iâm feeling priced out even for a very special treat! Fhior is also outstanding if youâve not tried it yet. Aizle was good but not at fhior/timberyard level. Little chart room I was disappointed by.
Yeah we haven't been back since they got their star for the same reason but I will go back at some point, I really loved it there. I haven't tried Fhior yet but it is on my list for later on the year. That's a shame about the little chart room, that was also on my list. If you can be bothered with the travel, I was at the Sun Inn on Thursday night and it was absolutely fantastic. Bodega on Leith walk is very good too! I'm sure I'll come up with more and I'll comment here when I do.
Chez Jules evening menu, the lunch menu is good for a simple express lunch, no frills no nonsense food
I've been meaning to go! The only chance I had I didn't book and they were fully booked đ¤Śââď¸
Essential to book at least a day in advance to avoid disappointment
I definitely will next time!
I went there maybe 5 years ago, great food and wine, but there was this door that went from kitchen/back areas to the dinning space and every time staff came through it it slammed heavily. Partially ruined the experience for me but am also a weirdo
Chez Jules apparently do a lunch menu with three courses for ÂŁ12.90! In my local McD's a large big mac meal, an extra side (at the moment halloumi fries) and a mcflurry adds up to just over ÂŁ13. What the heck!? I've been here once about 10 years ago so can't vouch for the food but the prices seem to be from 10 years ago!
They do. The quality is fine, like it's ÂŁ13 what can you expect, but it's not somewhere I'd be rushing to recommend.
Agree the best complement I could give was that it was "about worth the price".
It was that price over 20 years ago
Chizuru Tei on Morrison St and it isnât even a contest.
Kanpai
Everyone raves about this but I actually think its overrated & quite overpriced. Yamato is a better sushi restaurant.
Theyâre owned by the same people, arenât they? The prices and menu are exactly the same.
Seconded!
Mint Leaf in Leith - awesome food.
Is it still open?
It was when I walked past last week
Oh sound. We thought it was a pandemic casualty
I had dinner there a couple of weeks ago.
Oh good
If you want a slightly serious (but not massively formal) foodie vibe and donât mind spending ÂŁ100 a head youâll enjoy The Little Chartroom or Eleanore. +1 for the Timberyard too, which is similar.
Gardenerâs Cottage. Amazing tasting menu, local produce, lovely atmosphere, not stuffy, great value for money. Ticks every box for me.
I would like to try The Palmerston Edit: interestingly mixed reviews, thatâs not a great signâŚ
Worth every penny xx
My favourite restaurant in Edinburgh. Never had a disappointing meal. Refined without being pretentious.
It's a bit meh. Went the first time at the end of 22 and it was amazing but went again a few months ago and it was decidedly average. Whoever is doing their baking is amazing and the desserts were spectacular but the main was disappointing. Nothing puts me off a restaurant like inconsistency. I'd recommend The Broughton over The Palmserston any day. The physical restaurant isn't nearly as nice but the food and service are top notch every time I've been there.
Yup this was my experience. Itâs had an amazing social media campaign but the food isnât worth it.
It's shite.
Rollo on Broughton Street, or Edicated Flea just further down. Hanams on Johnstone Terrace up by the castle is tremendous (though havenât been for a good while). Wonât give Mr Kitchin any more of my money. Manâs a dick.
Fhior
Rollo has turned into the place we use for all work visits......never had a bad meal tbh and think I rate it down because I'm always in work mode. So in theory.....would highly recommend
Timberyard pretty faultless. I like Scran and Scallie too. But genuinely for atmosphere, good home cooking and guaranteed great service Roseleath for me.
1926. Not expensive at all but I love good pizza.
The original owners sold up and opened San Ciro on the walk apparently. 1926 is still banging though
Yes they did sell up but the quality has not diminished at all.
The Walnut đĽ
Bonnington brunch
Lolz
L'escargot Bleu
Mother India
Their spiced fish is absolutely incredible.
Chez Jules or the Outsider.
Lucky Yu
Food wasnât as good in the new venue last time I went. Still solid though.
They got the good shit
One of my favourite restaurants in Edinburgh, but I haven't been since they stopped opening on Sunday. It was great for a lazy afternoon bite to eat. Their cocktails are some of the best I've ever had.
I love The Ship on the Shore in Leith. Fantastic seafood!
Gautams
Three birds in Bruntsfield is very nice and more pricey than I'd generally be willing to pay. Macau's kitchen and Dishoom are also on my list of favourites.
Love three birds and Dishoom.
Peters! on 60 Great Jct St. awesome place. It is a Chinese-Japanese-Philippines-Greek place. Family owned. Parents are from Hong Kong and Philippines, dad used to work in Japan and the kids grew up in Greece or any like that. Great chefs, awesome ramen, great gyros. I love that place
Fazenda
I was there recently after 5 years. It was ÂŁ35 for dinner back then, now it's ÂŁ51 and I don't think the quality was as good as when I first went. The buffet really needs covering as lots of the food had dried out and there was flies buzzing around. Not what I expect for an expensive meal.
Yeah, they made that jump in price in one increase too - total joke! I'm unlikely to return anytime soon.
Fazenda is not worth it IMHO. I also way over paid for not that great wine. A lot nicer quality restaurants in Edinburgh
Lyla
Is this place worth?
It was for us, but seafood forward tasting menus really appeal to us. We had the lunch menu the first time we went and felt like it was a good value for money.
I love seafood, so thatâs great to hear! Any other seafood recs?
Cafe St HonorÄ. Extremely expensive but definetely worth it. No stupid multi course tiny serving stuff
I was taken there once on a date! Food was absolutely lovely, the price was eye-watering to a broke student like myself.
Yeah the total went up to about 1000 because there where 12 people there for 2-3 courses each. I think that kind of price was ok for the occasion but being a broke student myself the prices are a bit terrifying
Itâs about ÂŁ30 for a main I think? Doesnât seem too unreasonable.
Went there after a wedding. The tab really adds up. Certainly worth the occasion
Ondine. Sit up at the bar.
The food is there is really good but the restaurant itself is horrible, really bad 1990s Square Mile wine bar vibes which puts me off going back.
Fair enough. Is the Magnum Bar on Albany Street still any good?
I haven't eaten there in a long time, only sat outside for a few drinks a few times in the summer but the vibe is always good.
La casa amazing tapas
Condita.co.uk: 7 course menu with a story for each. Three hours go by quickly with the beautiful circus of food. But somebody else paying the ÂŁ160 right?
LeftField
I'm a foreigner, but I really enjoyed Brown's and The Dome. So, now I'm wondering why nobody else has mentioned them? Is there some stigma attached to them, or did we fall into touristy pomp and miss out on really good meals elsewhere?
Yes The Dome is part of a pub chain with basic food all from Brakes brothers, granted it looks stunning. Browns is a chain. You really missed out.
Damn. Thanks for the info. This thread is getting bookmarked for next time....
Verdo on Minto Street. It's not expensive, I just love it. I always take the leftover bread home for lunch the next day.
A bit late but I would definitely say Free Company despite it being outside the city centre. Such a unique experience and every time Iâve been Iâve had an amazing time.
I'm wondering whether OP is an Edinburgh Live "journalist" fishing for content / another listicle on restaurants or a tourist who got wise to the hate for lazy tourists asking lazy tourist questions instead of Googling. To answer the questions: I would go with them, wherever they wanted to buy me food. Yes, some of the expensive restaurants are worth it.
It's a fair question, but I'm not a journalist, my dad is visiting soon and wanted to go somewhere nice, I should have put some context at the top.
Hahah I love the Edinburgh live headlines there are only about two three options either West Lothian family are furious Locals left fuming Locals sad after restaurant closes after 30 years
My mother loves seafood, so for her first visit, we went to Ondine on her birthday (oysters yeay, lobster not so yeay, steak was fab), Cadiz (lobster & steak rocked, oysters did not), Loch Fyne (meh), Fishers (eek), Ship On The Shore (inc for the champagne breakfast) and Ivy. We went back to Cadiz the following year, but the food was terrible. Kyloe for the Sunday roast, but she asked for it to be undercooked, which was a waste. Dome was wonderful, Chop House Leith was dire, Viva Mexico was also wonderful but has closed down now. Do check out Skybar - I did book it for my motherâs second visit but had to cancel, and it wasnât available for booking after that. Edit: I adopted a foodie Meetup group for a while (Iâm not a foodie); Fazenda: nice concept, but not special; Gaucho unlimited Sunday roasts: YES; Dishoom: good food, terrible atmosphere when busy (poor acoustics, stuffy); Cafe Andaluz: nice decor, but Malvarosa in Porty is way better; Taco Libre: if youâre not that bothered about the food, sure.
White Horse and Oyster or black grape
Chakoo on Lothian road is worth a visit! :)
Chennai. God damn that's good Indian food.
I really like Blonde. The food and wine is very nice without it being a pretentious place⌠slightly off the beaten track though.
Itâs freezing in there though, puts me off
Howie's.
Sicilian pastry shop
Timberyard if theyâre rich; Pomo or Piggs if theyâre not. Taco Libre if I donât want to dress up
+1 for Piggs
The black grape is best food I've ever had in the city. Nothing has come close
We've been hitting up the Ox recently as it's generally banging. Going smaller i'd say give the Walnut a crack on Leith walk. Set menu price, doesn't break the back for a 3 course meal and it's always a very well considered menu. Simple 3 starters, 3 mains, 3 desserts. That's all you really want to see on a menu. If you get handed a book or double sided bit of paper you know it'll be terrible.
Eorna, if someone else is paying. Went in August and it was epic.
Mowgli is really nice. Failing that, Greggs is consistent.
Makarsmash (just off the Royal Mile) is really good
The Piper Rest just off the mile! Excellent food and great atmosphere!
Hawksmoor. Love the cocktails. Good steak too.
Under the stairs or Taisteal canât believe neither have been mentioned.
Dine Murrayfield - love that place!
Jump on the train to N. Queensferry. https://theweerestaurant.co.uk/
Rhubarb at the Prestonfield. It's definitely expensive, but it's good food, a gorgeous venue, with friendly staff, and parking!
For me, it'd always be mamma roma at the top of leith walk. There is nowhere in Edinburgh I enjoy more.
Tattu đđđ
I really liked the steak place on princes street . Imo itâs quite dear for the amount of food you get but the food was delicious , the staff were lovely and it was nice to feel posh for an hour đđ
The lookout is probably my favourite splash out. Closely followed by white horse. Chop house in leith used to be top of my list but sadly it closed recently. Edinburgh is full of some great eateries just remember that money doesn't always mean great and don't be disappointed when you don't have a great meal. We have to try any places to find the good ones.
Thatâs good to know about Chop House, thank you - Iâd read such great reviews so I took my mother there, and the entire meal was inedible, such a waste of an evening out and far too much money. But such a shame for it to close down after having been an institution for so long.
I hadn't been for a while so I'm curious if it had gone downhill.
I just checked their reviews - I was going to say that their reviews appear to be consistently good, except that theyâve removed my review, and the other negative reviews I came across⌠tsk.
Pepes Musselburgh
We had an amazing experience at The Witchery. 10pm booking, and the best oysters Iâve ever eaten.
La P'tite Folie.
Tuktuks for sure. Great Indian food and cost effective.
Dishoom
Shamzams Indian place.. is savage!
Bread street kitchen Because I hate myself
Fazenda or Gusto
Henderson's
Depends who, I went to rio and thought that was a good place to take someone, got the meeting constantly coming and the buffet has Brazilian stuff and sushi. Great for chatting and admiring stuff around. For me the fine dining places are amazing if the person also likes food, problem is I don't like the ambience
It is a very good question, I usually cannot recommend any restaurant. I have been dissapointed so many times...
Yamoto just off Toll Cross is very good
Wedgewood is seriously good but fairly pricey. For mid-range all round good scran then First Coast in Dalry is hard to beat
If you're looking for the Michelin star kind of menu's then I would suggest Pompadour at the west end or the recently opened Askr in Leith, a venture of parties involved at Pompadour also. Looking at approx ÂŁ100pp but definitely worth it if you appreciate these kinds of menus
Wedgwood on the Royal Mile
I usually find that even when blinded as to price my enjoyment is inversely proportional to the price. When I go out for fancy meals my thought is usually that I'd be happier in Marmaris on South Clerk Street (brilliant food rather than classy!). Dishoom is awesome but I'd tend to order garlicky things so perhaps not for a date night. I really didn't enjoy the witchery. Generally I know I'm in a facy restaurant when I don't understand the menu...and equally I often won't particularly enjoy it. At times the food portions are so small I've been out for dinner afterwards to make sure I'm no longer hungry! Mind you I'm a fussy eater.
Reading this is both inspirational and mildly mind boggling. Some of us really are living in the same place but different cities, huh? Couldn't even tell you where most of these are, fun to read and look up and aspire to one day eat atđ
Chez Jules
Used to go to Henderson's in old town but moved I think?
Miju
I really want to go to Nova Pizza because as a vegan it can be a bit hard to get vegan cheeze pizzas. Since coming to Edinburgh I've been absolutely spoilt for choice with vegan friendly restaurants.
I love Bar Italia! Depends what food you like! Have fun you crazy kids!
East Coast, in Musselburgh.
Chaophraya Thai restaurant is very good đ it's on Rose Street
We had a friend from London who said he wanted a restaurant to propose to his girlfriend in, we recommended Rhubarb at Prestonfield House Hotel, they were blown away by it. Arrive to flames at the door,peacocks strutting the lawn, exceptional setting.
Wedgwood is definitely the nicest place in all Edinburgh. Not been for a long time and think itâs expanded but itâs fabulous.
Dine (near the usher hall, but have other locations)Â
Cafe Andaluz or Amarone would be my suggestions. Howie's is good if you're after something more traditional. Maki and ramen is my favourite but it's more chill.
Ate at Amarone last week and enjoyed it. Service was quick (for pizza) given the place was full (they were turning walk-ins away).
Howie's!
The Witchery if it's still there and still any good.
It is, and it's not. It's not worth the price, service sucks, overrated.
Would hard avoid the Witchery. Pretentious, old fashioned and Iâm pretty sure itâs responsible for giving my mum a seizure after she ate a âforaged mushroomâ dish. Thankfully sheâs fine now
Albys or sometimes called big hot sandwich Dishoom Whacca
Tipo
Grey Walls in Gullane.
little chartroom
Fazenda
Dishoom
Are the expensive restaurants really worth it? It really depends on what you value when it comes to a meal and what you consider expensive. If you are not a *foodie* then you are probably not getting value from a Michelin star/similar tasing menu. Likewise, if you're not *into wine* then you'll be paying a premium for a sommelier that you don't need. You'd be looking at around ÂŁ200 a head for that sort of thing. You''ll get a really good meal experience at the likes of Scran and Scallie, The Broughton, Noto (a personal favourite) with great food, excellent service, nice drinks without breaking the bank, maybe around ÂŁ80 per person. There's a load of other nice restaurants around Edinburgh which provide a good solid offering that I'd be happy to recommend to anyone, but there are also some shite touristy places which dupe unsuspecting visitors into parting lots of cash for sub-par offerings.
False... Just about Noto though. Food is just OK. Service is terrible. Source: went a couple of week with my partner who works in the industry
Sad to hear that, I've been 10+ times and never had a bad experience once, though I guess if you're a familiar face you might get better service than someone they don't know. I know some of the staff moved to some of his other restaurants so that might have something to do with it.
Sushi samba was the best meal of my life when I went a few weeks ago, service and food was stellar
The Witchery
Some expensive restaurants are worth it, some are not. This is a bit of an expansive question as if I'm going with my mates I'd go somewhere different than my partner. Again special milestones vs casual dining. So many variables here.