Now, we know that not everyone has the budget to go to a Michelin-starred restaurant every week, or even every month. But, once in a blue moon, if you can put the money aside for it and if you happen to be in Edinburgh, perhaps because you’re picking up a motorhome hire from us at Ariescape, dining in a Michelin Star restaurant is an experience like no other.
And it is an experience. The exclusivity of it all, even if it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience, is something we’d recommend everyone has on their wishlist.
Think dedicated waiters ready to refill your wine glass before you’ve taken your last sip, small dishes bursting with exquisite flavours that you simply can’t comprehend until you try them, and the creativity that you can imagine that comes with dining at a Michelin-starred restaurant.
Edinburgh has 35 Michelin-recognised restaurants, including 7 one-star restaurants, 5 Bib Gourmands, and 23 Michelin Selected (The Plate). Read on for the ones we think you should put on your wishlist.
Michelin Star restaurants in Edinburgh (1-Star)
Anything with a Michelin accreditation is worth visiting, but we might as well start strong with the stars of the show (pun intended), and the one-star awarded restaurants we recommend that you visit.
The Kitchin (Leith) — “From Nature to Plate”
Michelin: 1 Star
What you eat: Seasonal Scottish produce through a refined, modern lens. Michelin notes the “Prestige surprise menu” as the fullest experience.
Menu and pricing: Commonly booked around a “surprise/tasting” format. Expect to pay £135 for the tasting menu and additional costs if you want to pair it with wine (or any drink).
Customer reviews: Tripadvisor: 4.7/5 (4,500+ reviews). Customers praise the service and the quality of the ingredients.
Timberyard — Ingredient-Led Tasting in a Warehouse Setting
Michelin: 1 Star
What you eat: Modern British and contemporary, with one of the highlights of the menu being the focus on its farm-to-table feel.
Menu and pricing: You can see the menu on the website, but it doesn’t list the price. Multiple reputable dining guides quote the tasting menu at £125 per person, but that varies by season. We’d budget £160 per person as a precaution and to cover the cost of drinks.
Customer reviews: Tripadvisor: 4.2/5 (1,100+ reviews). Customers love the creativity and the ingredients.
AVERY — Scottish Ingredients with Californian Technique
Michelin: 1 Star
What you eat: This one is unique because it’s a Michelin-star restaurant that relocated from San Francisco under the chef Rodney Wages. He’s managed to bring creative cooking to the table that combines local, fresh Scottish ingredients with hints of Californian flair.
Menu and pricing: You can get the set/tasting experience for around £150, but again, you can’t see the price of the menu on their website, so this is going off dining guides we’ve found online. We’d definitely recommend budgeting more than that for the entire experience.
Customer reviews: Tripadvisor: 4.2/5 (small review count so far). Customers love the precision and originality of the menu, but it is still a new restaurant to the area, with some growing pains that we’re sure will be ironed out soon.
Condita — Intimate, Modern Tasting
Michelin: 1 Star (Edinburgh has 7 one-stars; Condita is listed among them).
What you eat: The small room dining experience you get is like no other that we’ve mentioned so far. It feels so exclusive, and every mouthful of food feels like it was made specifically for you. The single, chef-led experience in a small room is one we know everyone will enjoy.
Menu and pricing: Condita actually shares the price of their menu. For the menu, without drinks, you’ll need £160 per person. With drinks and any other supplements, we’d budget £180-£200 per person.
Customer reviews: Tripadvisor: 4.8/5. Customers love the imagination and the feeling that every course matters. It truly is a unique experience at Condita.
Bib Gourmand in Edinburgh (Great Value, Michelin-Approved)
If you want the Michelin star experience, or at least to feel like you’re eating the quality of food that you can’t find at a normal restaurant, and you don’t want to sell a kidney for it, a Bib Gourmand is the next best thing.
It’s still more expensive than Nando’s or Zizzi, but you’re not looking at £100+ per person.
Edinburgh has 5 Bib Gourmands:
- Tipo: Italian. The bigoli cacio e pepe is highly recommended.
- Noto: Asian cuisine and influences.
- The Scran & Scallie: Scottish pub with classics like haggis, neeps & tatties, and a seafood-heavy fish pie.
- Skua: Modern British sharing plates and a natural wine focus.
- Ardfern: International bistro.
Yes, the menus are expensive, but as we said, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience, or at least a once-a-year experience that we highly recommend you consider if you’re visiting Edinburgh soon. Which one would you like to visit?