Edinburgh/St. Andrews - Restaurant Help Please
 

My husband and I will be in Edinburgh and St. Andrews in early March to visit our son who is studying (a semester abroad) at St. Andrews. While we are visiting we would love to have some fabulous meals, but I need some restaurant assistance please. We will be in Edinburgh for only three nights, a Monday, Tuesday, and Sunday, and it looks as though many good restaurants are closed on Mondays and Sundays! So right now we are thinking of dinner on Monday night at Oloroso, Tuesday at Martin Wishart, and Sunday at either Number 1. but I have recently read on this site that a number of people do not think very higly of either Oloroso or Number 1 - would The Tower or Stac Polly be a better choice? We had wanted to eat at Kitchin, but it is closed on Mondays and Sundays.

And for St. Andrews, we have only gotten one recomendation so far and that is for The Seafood Restaurant. We are staying at The Old Course Hotel and our room rate includes one dinner, but we will be there for 4 nights and are looking for suggestions.
Thanks! Susan

Will you have a car in St Andrews?

If so - check out the Peat Inn -- in Peat Inn (that is the actual name of the hamlet)

The Cellar in Anstruther, or the The Seafood Restaurant in St Monans would also be great.

The Tower in Edinburgh has a good view to Edinburgh Castle but the food is not that great and for what you are served - is overpriced.
No1 at the Balmoral www.thebalmoralhotel.com/dining has attained the One Michelin star.
It is a pity that Kitchin is closed when you are in Edinburgh.
Have a look at Ducks at le Marche Noir- Michelin Bib gourmand award for great food at good prices.
Also look at Abstract Restaurant in Castle Terrace www.abstractrestaurant.com

We have eaten at the Number One and were not overwhelmed. Food was good and solid, but traditional French, not a hint of Scottish cuisine.

And to be frank: In France, this restaurant would not have been awarded a Michelin star. We enjoyed much more the food at Cameron House (Loch Lomond), where Number One's chef was trained.

In Edinburgh, we liked Off the Wall for good, innovative cuisine with a regional twist. To be sure, they do not play in the highest culinary league, but we liked it more than Number One.

I agree that the Tower is overpriced (and overhyped!). We had a very disappointing lunch there - I wouldn't go back.

One of my favourite Edinburgh restaurants is the Grain Store on Victoria Street. Lovely atmosphere and great menu with focus on good quality Scottish produce. Not sure whether it's open on Sundays/Mondays, however. www.grainstore-restaurant.co.uk

I haven't eaten at Ducks at le Marché Noir, but they did do the catering for my wedding and the food was absolutely fantastic, so I can imagine the restaurant would certainly be worth a try.

We are going to Edinburgh in April. I checked out their website and the menu seems excellent and very reasonably priced. A three course lunch for 13.5 pounds. Amazing.

Well it looks as if The Tower is now off my list. And I am not sure about Number 1 but it probably is as well. Martin Wishart is still on. What about Oloroso? Any comments? I am having difficulty finding places bedause I am looking for restaurants that are open on a Monday and a Sunday. Ducks looks good but I can't find the hours on the website. Any other suggestions?

You are spot on in that Martin Wishart and the Kitchin are the best, but are closed on Sundays & Mondays. Since you can only do one of those two, it has to be Martin Wishart - and have the tasting menu ! I was abasolutely gobsmacked they didn't get a second Michelin star this time - on each of our last few visits they seem to have raised their game a bit further, and our last meal there (end of Dec) was certainly comparable to other 2 stars we've visited.

So for your other 2 nights...

There's nothing else approaching the same standard as MW and the Kitchin, but among the best of the rest IMO are the Atrium and La Garrigue (which is however regional French - not fancy but very nice) - both open Monday but not Sunday.

I would recommend you try Abstract, although admittedly I haven't been yet. But the menu looks fabulous & it got good reviews when it opened. It is also closed on Sunday, though.

Or you could try Rhubarb at Prestonfield House which gets good reviews and is perhaps open on Sunday since it's in a hotel.

I would have recommended the Vintner's Rooms but they are closed on Sunday & Monday.

I'd also agree with avoiding Oloroso, which is all hype (and I suspect the Balmoral Hotel's concierges are on a heftly kickback to send all their guests there).

I've not been very impressed with Number 1 on either of the 2 occasions I've dined there.

I would not recommend Duck's.

I haven't heard of anywhere good in St Andrew's other than the Seafood Restaurant, but would agree that the Peat Inn is good if you don't mind driving or forking out for a taxi. And the restaurant at Balbirnie House has been getting amazing reviews recently - it's been on my list since I read this (originally in the Sunday Herald) http://www.balbirnie.co.uk/the-hotel...ry-2008.htm#10.

Can't you change your schedule so you are in St Andrew on Sunday & Monday ? Or just stay in Edinburgh longer :-)

Caroline,
I really wish that we could change our schedule, but it just doesn't work anyother way. We arrive in Edinburgh on a Monday and I thought we would stay immediately go to St. Andrews to visit our son, then return to Edinburgh for the weekend prior to our departure the next Monday. But I did not count on a very important Rugby game being held on that Saturday night! So no hotel rooms in Edinburgh! That is why we decided to visit Edinburgh when we first arrive on Monday, and Tuesday, then head to St. Andrews on WEdnesday. Stay in St. Andrews (with day trips to the area) through Saturday night (thereby missing the rugby game in Edinburgh) and heading back to Edinburgh for Sunday afternoon and night before our early flight home on Monday.

So, for restaurants, I already have a reservation at MW for Tuesday and I am going to try for Atrium on Monday. That leaves Sunday to figure out. I think that the Grain Store is open on Sunday and it does sound good.

Ah, a Six Nations match. I booked our hotel in Cardiff for early March over a year ago, in case it turned out to be a Six Nations weekend !

But why not stay in Edinburgh Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday, and Thu-Sun in St Andrew's ?

Caroline,
I thought of that, but my husband and I were concerned about getting from St. Andrews to the airport for the flight. We have a 10:40 am flight out of Edinburgh. How long woud it take for us to get to the airport on a Monday morning? do you think we would have a hard time getting there? Maybe we are being silly about this.

About an hour and a half - so if it was me, I'd set off at 6.30 to allow some contingency.

P.S. Assuming this is for a transatlantic flight & you want to get to the airport 2 hours in advance ?

Caroline,
Actually this flight is not transatlantic. It is our flight from Edinburgh to London. Will there be a lot of traffic in the morning? I know that if I was trying to head to NY airports on a MOnday morning I would be hitting a lot of commuter traffic heading to work.

Susan

the commute tends to be later in the a.m. than we are used to in the States. So leaving at 6:30 or even 7-ish would probably be fine. But Caroline will be able to give you more details.

The more I think about it, the more I think that Caroline is right about our trip - and not just becuase of the restuarants. It makes more sense to change cities just once and not waste vacation time traveling back to Edinburgh. So now here is the plan:

Monday am - arrive Edinburgh
Tuesday and Wednesday Edinburgh
Thursday pick up rental car and drive to St. Andrews (to see our son)
Monday morning head to Edinburgh airport for flight home.

And, this will allow us to eat at Kitchin as well!

Thank you Caroline~!

Yes, the morning traffic doesn't really start getting busy until after 7.30-7.45. And for a flight to London, I wouldn't bother getting to the airport until an hour before, Who are you flying with (BA, bmi ?) - you can probably check in online, can't you ?

I didn't check before, but will you have a hire car at this point ? If so, allowing for a bit of contingency and dropping the car off, I would set off between 7 and 7.30.

That is better, isn't it ? You will like the Kitchin !

Caroline,
Yes we are picking up a rental car in Edinburgh (just before we leave town) and driving to St. Andrews. While we are there visiting our son we plan on taking some day trips while he is in classes or otherwise busy. We are flying BA and I will see about checking in on line.

Also with this change in plans I decided that we would stay our first two nights in Edinburgh at the Balmoral and then for the third night we will move to the Scotsman. That third night was going to cost a forune at the Balmoral. I guess the rate jump is for the rugby game!
But I am pleased because I could not choose between the hotels and now I get to try out both!
Thanks again for all of your help,
Susan

Sounds good ! With BA you can check in online 24 hours beforehand, then just drop your bags when you get to the airport. There are things I don't like about BA, but at the moment I do find them the easiest in that area.

Have you booked the Kitchin, then ? :-)

P.S. Susan & Janis, what time does the rush hour start where you are ?!?

Going back to Fife, I'd suggest you consider the Ostler's Close in Cupar, which I've not visited for ages, but which was very good.

The Cellar at Anstruther is also very good.

Sangster's in Elie was getting grest reviews a wee while ago, too.

These are all,with the exception of the Ostler's Close, fishy.

caroline_edinburgh: &quot;<i>what time does the rush hour start where you are ?!?</i>&quot; You don't want to know :)

In my mid-sized city west coast city w/ vast suburban sprawl, if you don't live in the center of town you need to be out the door by 0600 or you'll be stuck in really bad traffic. The commuter buses start running at 0500 or 0515. The main commute here runs from about 0600/0615 to about 0900-ish. And in major metropolitan regions like LA or SF, it can be even worse.

But then, many of our civil servants/office workers that aren't in &quot;public contact&quot; jobs start work at 0700.

Caroline,
I just had the Scotsman make a reservation for me at Kitchin for that Wednesday night. So my dinners are set.

But while I have your assistance - let me ask you about car rental as well. I need a car to get to from Edinburgh to St. Andrews and then while we are in St. Andrews and then we will drive back to the Edinburgh airport to leave for home. I am now thinking that I should just rent from the airport and then I can return there as well and save some money. If I rent in town and then return to the airport I think I will be hit up with extra costs. And from what I gather, it is not a big deal to get out to the airport to pick up the car. Or does it just make sense to rent in town and return to the airport? What do you think?

I've rented in Edinburgh many times. There really aren't any major drop off fees - usually it costs the same to pick up and drop off at different locations.

I'd just check AutoEurope and try both options. Getting out of central Edinburgh in the morning won't be too bad since you'd be going against the commute. Getting out to EDI is on the airport bus is easy too.

So there really isn't much advantage to either choice. The main thing is to find a convenient pick up location w/ a good rate.

If you find a good rate from a rental location near your hotel - that would be my choice. But just slightly . . . .

bookmark

Thank Janis,

I just checked EuropeCar and the rates are great. But can you tell me which location is closest to the Scotsman hotel? 24 East London Street or 39 Roseburn Street? Or I could just do the airport for drop off and pick up I guess.

And Caroline,
Rush hour in my area is the same as Janis reports. I take the train to work in the city and trains are packed from 6:30 until 7:30. You are lucky to get seats!

Of those two, East London Street is closest.

Have you tried AutoEurope? It is a broker that handles all the major international rental firms and may have a location even closer to the Scotsman.

I &quot;mis wrote&quot; it was your suggestion, AutoEurope that I tried. And these are the locations they listed. Would the airport be closer?

East London Street is not very far from the hotel - walking distance if you were out for a lengthy stroll but much too far w/ luggage. It would be a short cab ride though.

Go into mappy.com and plug in 24 East London Street and you'll see it is not at all far from the Scotsman on North Bridge.

I just realized that AutoEurope has an office listed at the Waverly Train Station - that would be very close to the hotel - right?

Uh - yes :) Very close . . .

Yes, the Scotsman is actually on top of Waverley station !!

Re your rush hours - quelle horrer !!! I find it bad enough trying to get out of the door by 7.45, although this week is easier as the schools are off.

Susan where are you eating on Monday night - or will you just play it by ear ? I think I mentioned before that the Atrium is open &amp; it's quite nice. Or try one of the Stac Polly (Scottish) restaurants - they have 3 of which the newest, on St Mary Street, is very near the Scotsman.

Also, I don't know if you've looked, but the Scotsman has 2 restaurants. The North Bridge Brasserie is the cheaper, cafe-bar style one (also part is a cocktail bar) - I haven't eaten there for a while but when I did, it was quite nice in a non-fancy way. The posh one is Vermilion which I've not been to and have read very little about - and curiously, now I look at the hotel's website, it doesn't seem to be mentioned - so not sure if it's closed ?

Just as a note, Anthony Bourdain visited The Kitchin while he was in Edinburgh on a recent episode - the food looked great :) However, it had the typical nouvelle cuisine plating, i.e. small portions artistically arranged with colorful sauces drizzled in patterns, that sort of thing.

However, the food looked soooo yummy! And not so tiny that I would go away hungry.

Caroline,
I followed your earlier suggestion and made a reservation at Atrium for Monday night. So I am set and looking forward to what should be wonderful meals!

Now I just have to rent the car and I am finished. I am thinking that I will most likely not make advance reservations for dinner at St. Andrews because I don't know my sons plans and I would assume that we will be taking him and assorted friends to dinner every night. I do want to try The Seafood Restaurant, but other than that, I think we will just take it day by day.

As for the commute, this is going to sound really crazy, but I leave my house between 5:30 and 5:45 each morning. I am a figure skater and I get in lessons and ice time before work! So I am really crazy.

Susan, wow ! Not sure whether to be impressed or what !! So glad you are all fixed up. It sounds like a good plan to play St Andrew's by ear, when you see what your son wants to do. Possibly he will want to eat in pubs every night ! And for a week night at least, I shouldn't think the Seafood Restaurant will get booked up far in advance; although if you want to go on Fri/Sat, maybe it would be worth booking a week or two ahead.

GreenDragon, the portions at the Kitchin do look small - the cheap lunch portions look minute ! - but we find the flavours are so intense, and there's such a combination in each dish, that they do fill us up.

It DID look like it was worth it :) The food looked incredibly tasty! French techniques on local Scottish ingredients.

Excluding Haggis what is tradional Scottish fare like?

Think...oats.

Great game (especially venison), beef, lamb &amp; seafood. Here's a link to the Scottish association of farmers' markets - http://www.scottishfarmersmarkets.co...bers/index.htm

The Kitchin actually does have a signature starter of haggies, neeps &amp; tatties - with foie gras :-)

Pardon my ignorance but what are neeps?