Edinburgh is a city with two very different faces. The crowded, gaudy, noisy summer season, where the streets of central Edinburgh are thronged with tourists and comedy fans on pilgrimages to the world famous Fringe festival. Everywhere is busy, streets are plastered with posters and bars spill out onto the streets into the wee hours. For the rest of the year, however, the city can be stunningly peaceful, and affords travellers the opportunity to get to know its restaurants and museums without the crowds. It’s a city that is always welcoming, warm (even when it’s freezing cold) and endlessly beautiful. Edinburgh is fast becoming a destination for food lovers and chefs alike. Long-time Michelin-starred stalwarts like Restaurant Martin Wishart and The Kitchin are showing no signs of budging from the Leith waterfront, and young chefs are opening new places every year. So, we've compiled the best of Edinburgh’s culinary scene for you to enjoy once lockdown eases. For intimate fine dining - The Little Chartroom On the main road down from the centre of Edinburgh to Leith, sits an unassuming little restaurant - The Little Chartroom. It’s run by Roberta Hall-McCarron - named Breakthrough Chef of the Year by Food and Travel in 2019 - and she is clearly going places. If dining alone, try and grab a seat at the counter, so you can watch the young chefs plate dishes in front of you - the presentation is sublime and the process intricate. The menu is pared back, but make sure you go in for all three courses - you won’t want to miss out on anything. The menu is seasonal, local produce, and it’s all perfect. We had duck, venison, and a rice pudding so beautiful it could have been art. It’s a relaxed, unassuming place with a laid back atmosphere, but it serves food that would be at home in the hush and starched linens of the Michelin-starred places down the road. If you can score a table, you won’t regret it - this may be the best restaurant in Edinburgh at the moment. thelittlechartroom.com 30-31 Albert Place, EH7 5HN For a quick lunch - Bross Bagels There are six locations of this cult bagel bar, spread across the city all the way down to Leith and Portobello. Their original Montreal-style bagels (the real deal - forget New York bagels) are packed with classic and original fillings, making it the perfect pit-stop for lunch. Picking up a ‘Porty’ - hot smoked salmon, lemon, dill and black pepper - or a ‘Porkin Chick’ - chicken, chorizo, smoked applewood cheese and pickles - from the Portobello branch and finding a spot on the expansive seafront to watch the windsurfers zip up and down the bay is one of the better ways of spending a breezy afternoon in Edinburgh. brossbagels.com 186 Portobello High Street EH15 1EX For a meal with a view - The Lookout by Gardeners Cottage If you’re looking for a restaurant with sweeping views of the city, there aren’t that many to choose from. However, The Lookout, from the team behind the Gardener’s Cottage, is perched atop Calton Hill, and it’s huge panoramic windows give an amazing view of the city skyline. They use only the freshest local ingredients, and serve a pared back, Scandinavian-inspired menu. Go for breakfast (or brunch if the idea of an early walk up the hill isn’t appealing). There’s only one thing on the menu - breakfast. It’s a set meal, and a smorgasbord of delights; cured meats, boiled eggs, fresh fruit, yoghurt, smoked salmon, sourdough… lingering here with a cup of coffee and watching the skyline is something special. They also do lunch and dinner - the offering is light, fresh and local, and there’s plenty of vegetarian and vegan options. There’s an almost spa-like atmosphere to this place - take your time to drink it all in before heading back down the hill. thelookoutedinburgh.co The Collective Calton Hill For a lazy weekend afternoon - The Scran and Scallie
The neighbourhood of Stockbridge is nestled down by the river, away from the hustle and bustle of Princes Street and the Royal Mile, and it’s full of good food. Chief among the myriad cafes, delicatessens and pubs is the Scran and Scallie. It’s warm and spacious, with an extensive wine list and the atmosphere, with dark blue walls, plenty of leather banquettes and tweed cushions, could almost be the perfect template for an upmarket Scottish pub. The menu is the product of a collaboration between two of Edinburgh’s top chefs - Tom Kitchin and Dominic Jack, and is full of upgraded pub classics. If it wasn’t already clear from the menu - entitled ‘Oor Menu: sit ye doon yer welcome’ - they are keen to showcase the very best of Scottish produce. The jewel in the crown is the steak pie - glossy, perfectly crisp pastry, with a whole hollow bone protruding from the top. Don’t perry, it’s not grisly at all - it allows the juicy bone marrow to slide down into the pie and add to the richness. Combined with a side of creamy mashed potato and a large glass of red, it’s the perfect cosy Sunday lunch. Make sure to book a table - it gets busy! scranandscallie.com 1 Comely Bank Road EH4 1DR With so many amazing places to choose from, Edinburgh's food scene is fighting for recognition - and winning. Emily Dean
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Gaucho, Edinburgh is an Argentine restaurant centrally located in the buzzing, cosmopolitan, St Andrews Square. It is the ideal spot for lunch after a morning of battering the credit cards in the fabulous shops that Edinburgh has to offer. The vibe This is Gaucho’s flagship restaurant and bar in Scotland, and hopefully will be the first of many. Located over two levels, it is easy to forget what time of day it is, as the windowless restaurant is situated in the basement. We arrived after a wonderful morning of hitting the shops and were there to celebrate a milestone birthday. On the ground level entry there is an elegant cocktail bar with an extensive drinks menu. We were shown downstairs to the main dining area and it really is like going into a zone, where time is of no consequence. We emerged quite merrily, full to the brim more than a few hours later, to find it was completely pitch dark outside. The definition of Gaucho is “a cowboy from the South American pampas”, which explains the décor. Cowhide fabrics adorn the furnishings, and there is a large tree as the centrepiece. There is also a glass walled private dining space, which is perfect for special occasions or entertaining clients. The food Gaucho is a meat lover’s paradise. The menu consists of the best free-to-roam, grass-fed Aberdeen Angus beef cooked with big Latin flavours. There were two of us dining, me, (a pescetarian) and my girlfriend who would eat steak for breakfast, lunch and dinner given a chance. I was interested to see what this meat-centric restaurant had to offer for a non-meat eater and I have to say, it didn't disappoint. Of course all great steaks need an an amazing wine and you're certain to find one here as the extensive wine list includes more than 200 exclusive Argentinian wines, some of which are produced in the restaurant’s own vineyard in Mendoza. For starters I opted for the Cured Patagonian red prawn Tiradito, served with pickled cucumber salsa verde and whipped crème fraiche. Tiradito is a typically Peruvian dish of raw fish cut in the shape of sashimi, which reflects the influence of Japanese immigrants on Peruvian cuisine - a real fusion of both cuisines. It is often referred to as ceviche’s lesser-known sibling, and it also tastes delicious. My girlfriend selected the sausage board, which consists of a generous amount of pinchos, chorizo and morcilla served with romensco sauce. For the mains, surprise, surprise the birthday girl opted for a steak. The raw steaks arrive on a wooden board, and the waiter talks you through each cut, size and weight, which gives you a real visual of what to expect - no surprises in store. The steaks come from premium Black Angus cattle, bred in Argentina farms, where they graze on 17 different types of grass from the Pampas provinces of Argentina. The cows enjoy a lush, free-range lifestyle in an area famed for its fertile soil. The Cuadril, which is the rump steak, is the leanest cut and has a pure, distinctive flavour and was cooked in a peppercorn sauce and was served with a side of thyme salted chips. I continued the fish theme and settled for the Grilled Swordfish, which comes with a side of mixed bean cassoulet, palourde clams and grilled lemon to garnish. Despite being pretty stuffed, it wouldn’t be a proper birthday without cake. The lemon tart and the affogato all but finished us off! The verdict The atmosphere in the restaurant is relaxed and warm. The staff are friendly and attentive, not pushy or overbearing. and overall the service was outstanding. This fresh, modern, sophisticated addition to the Edinburgh dining scene is certainly welcome, and we are already looking forward to our next visit. Top tip: Arrive early and sample the legendary cocktails at the lovely bar.
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Bon Appetit!There's nothing more delicious in life than indulging in a sensational meal. |