6 of the best restaurants in Edinburgh

The foodie revolution took a while to make its way north from London but with Edinburgh now having more restaurants per head of population than any other city in the UK, there’s never been a better time to visit. From Michelin-starred restaurants to restaurants without a menu in the conventional sense, here are the some of the best restaurants in Edinburgh that you shouldn’t miss. The Kitchin Opened in 2009 on Edinburgh’s Leith waterfront in a chic converted whisky warehouse, The Kitchin received a Michelin star only six months after opening, and its chef and owner Tom Kitchin the youngest ever winner of the accolade. The Michelin star was shortly followed by other prestigious awards including ‘Best UK Restaurant’ and ‘Best Restaurant in Scotland‘, putting the restaurant firmly onto the UK’s food map. Tom’s menu is unashamedly Scottish, merging seasonal Scottish produce with French cooking techniques, sending diners to new culinary heights. An ‘Oldie but a Goodie’, The Kitchin is the perfect place for a special occasion. Wedgwood Crowned Restaurant of the Year at the Scottish Licensed Trade New Awards and featured in the Sunday Times Top Ten Foodie Destinations in Scotland, Wedgwood is a perfect night out. Whether it is for an anniversary, birthday or other special occasion that is best celebrated with a meal out, Wedgwood will not disappoint. The menu offers innovative takes on classic combinations and dishes such as lobster thermidor crème brulée, sesame and soy glazed sea trout and wild foraged salad leaves never fail to impress a foodie. As an added bonus, the restaurant is great for coeliacs! Aizle Considered ‘Scotland’s first neo-bistro’, Aizle is named after an old Scots word for ‘spark’. And it will definitely spark your taste buds. Instead of offering a traditional menu, the restaurant provides diners with a five-course menu. Based around the restaurant’s monthly “Harvest”, the menu takes diners on a journey through seasonal tastes which truly makes for a memorable experience. It’s the perfect restaurant for all those who are having a bit of a difficult time deciding what to order and want to be surprised. Timberyard Close to Edinburgh Castle, Timberyard is set in an authentic warehouse with a south facing yard for sunny days and a wood burning stove for colder nights. The expansive restaurant with high ceilings, and décor that wittily references its industrial origins will make you want to linger; whether it’s only for a couple of drinks – do try the apple-pear cocktail with fir, vermouth and cider – or something more substantial. And although the menu – a list of ingredients, without any description – can seem a bit confusing at first it’s definitely worth putting your trust in the chefs at Edinburgh’s most atmospheric restaurant. The Table There are all sorts of exciting restaurants in Edinburgh but The Table might just be the most daring. Hailed as ‘ten seats, two chefs, one table’, The Table provides a unique dining experience: guests take their seat at the table overlooking an open-plan kitchen and watch each course being prepared and cooked. They are also able to interact with the chefs and ask questions while each dish is brought to life. It is quite an unusual concept and is bound to wow even the most demanding gourmand. A note of caution though, the restaurant is booked for Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays until next year, so booking well in advance is a must. Norn Named after an old Scottish dialect, Norn is the latest addition to Edinburgh’s restaurant scene. It only opened in April but already has taken the Edinburgh restaurant scene by storm. As with fellow Edinburgh restaurant Aizle, there is no menu; guests can choose to eat either a fixed menu of four or seven courses with matching drinks as an option for dinner. Chef Scott Smith – a protégé of Geoffrey Smeddle, award-winning chef and owner of The Peat Inn near St Andrews – artfully combines seasonal ingredients and foraged produce showcasing Scotland’s larder. The dining space is minimalistic yet cosy – clearly influenced by Scandinavian design – and the clean calming environment make for a great place to just kick back and enjoy phenomenal food. Uniquely, the person serving your food is also the one who has cooked it, as it is the chefs who bring each dish to the table. It’s really not just deep fried Mars bars and haggis! Edinburgh is successfully staking a claim to becoming the foodie capital of Great Britain and there is no reason why you shouldn’t indulge in a nice meal on your next visit. Douglas Walker is Chair of Unique Venues of Edinburgh. If you would like to be a guest blogger on A Luxury Travel Blog in order to raise your profile, please contact us.