Top Best French Restaurants in Gowkshill

"Restaurant Martin Wishart, Edinburgh|Courtesy of Restaurant Martin Wishart. The first of Edinburgh’s restaurants to be granted a hallowed Michelin star, Leith’s Restaurant Martin Wishart could take credit for turning what was once a forgotten corner of the city into one of its most exciting culinary scenes. The chef’s tasting menus are legendary – classic French cooking meets Scottish-caught lobsters and langoustines – and the elegant setting and crisp linen tablecloths in the pristine dining room add to the refined experience."

"This is elegant, decadent dining at its best, with Scottish ingredients laying the foundation for both traditional and modern French cuisine.The menus change with the seasons, but the lunch, à la carte and various tasting menus are always available. Each is a cornucopia of flavours and surprises, from playful amuse bouches through to robust, intricate mains and artful, mouth-watering desserts. The matched wine package is a necessary, if costly delight."

"Paul Kitching’s 21212 is predominantly known as a high-class restaurant which is renowned for its exquisite cuisine, but the four, beautifully appointed spacious bedrooms above offer guests the chance to immerse themselves in luxury during a stay in Edinburgh. With commanding views over the city or the rear gardens, the tasteful rooms offer all the features you’d expect, including a stylish en-suite bathroom, smart TV, Bluetooth speaker, luxury toiletries, bathrobes, and complimentary WiFi. The Grade A listed building is situated in the elegant New Town, only five minutes from Edinburgh Waverley station, at the foot of Calton Hill."

"Maverick chef Paul Kitching’s 21212 opened in 2009 and has been winning accolades ever since, including one Michelin star. Situated in an elegant Georgian townhouse in Royal Terrace, the restaurant serves up cooking that’s contemporary French in style, but that description doesn’t begin to do justice to Kitching’s Willy Wonka-style ability to coax the most unlikely flavour combinations. In theory these should create merry mayhem – who would have thought that brandy snaps, black pudding and chicken could be transformed into a sublime dish?"

"Paul Kitching’s 21212 opened in May 2009 and was awarded a Michelin star in 2010. Located in a Georgian townhouse, lunch time is the best to visit as a two-course weekday lunch starts at just £20 per person – and the menu changes every week. If you fancy staying, they also have four luxury bedrooms to rest your head in."

"L’Escargot Bleu is a slice of France in the heart of Edinburgh, complete with French staff, French decor, and an oh-so-very French menu. Open since 2009, this smart restaurant has award-winning chef Fred Berkmiller running the show, and he’s a stickler for provenance. This means only the finest Scottish, seasonal ingredients, all sourced from a host of top local suppliers, make it into the kitchen and onto the plate."

"Located in New Town, Fleur de Sel is a trendy but friendly restaurant that specialises in authentic French crêpes. Batter is made with buckwheat imported from Brittany, and the majority of toppings, such as salted caramel, lemon curd or coconut ice cream, are homemade. Crepe Créole (banana, dried grape marinated with rum, vanilla ice cream, and flambé with rum) is a standout dish."

"Cream wooden clad walls make The Little Chart Room feel almost nautical, and with little else to distract you the focus falls fully to the food. Expect cheffy creations like rainbow carrots, goat’s cheese, cumin, buckwheat, hazelnuts and alexanders, and lamb rump, sweetbreads, labneh, anchovies, sweetheart cabbage and pink fir apple potatoes. Maximum capacity: 14 Cuisine: European Cost indicator: Room charge of £200, mains from £20"

"Opened last year by husband-wife duo Roberta Hall-McCarron (formerly Castle Terrace and The Kitchin) and Shaun McCarron, The Little Chartroom is a lovely neighbourhood restaurant located in the up-and-coming area of Leith. Interiors are cosy, food is creative and flavoursome, and it’s perfectly located for Fringe events at the top of Edinburgh’s Leith Walk. Heading to Edinburgh for the weekend?"

"It might look like a cosy local, but with an ex-Castle Terrace chef in the kitchen, you can be sure the food here punches well above its location. Short seasonal menus guarantee freshness and thoughtfulness, while staff are friendly."

"This friendly and casual bistro in New Town serves up French classics like coq au vin and escargots, as well as fun, modern delights such as the ‘macaroni cheese with ‘un twist’. Accompany your meal with a French wine from the extensive wine list, or stay true to Scottish roots with a Caledonian ale."

"Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account. Jules remember that Mother’s Day is coming!. We are getting ready to make all mums feel special and happy!"

"The Pompadou offers one of Edinburgh’s prettiest dining rooms|Courtesy of The Pompadour. One of Edinburgh’s prettiest dining rooms, the Pompadour is decked out in the softest sugar-almond shades of blues and greys, with hand-painted birds and flowers adorning the walls. Tables are set with snowy-white linen, weighty crystal glasses and polished silverware, while the food is more than a match for this lavish room, with every dish a serious contender in the looks department."

"You want your proposal to be special, so forget about following your regular dinner date night routine and choose a more upscale eatery for the event. The Pompadour by Galvin is a Michelin star restaurant that won’t disappoint; it’s got an absolutely gorgeous interior, offers amazing castle views and is equipped with a drool-worthy menu. If you’re down to splurge even more, book a private room to make it a touch more intimate."

"Dubbed Edinburgh's ‘finest French restaurant’, it is located in the grand Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh. Chris and Jeff Galvin are the brothers behind the restaurant that offers a number of sample menus. Enjoy the seasonal menus while you admire the views of the iconic Edinburgh Castle."

"La Garrigue – Creme Brûlée flavored with lavender|© Caitriana Nicholson/Flickr. With rustic, country cooking inspired by owner Jean Michel Gauffre’s home of the Languedoc region in Southern France, this charming restaurant claims the title of celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay’s favorite French bistro and offers views through the windows of Calton Hill."

"A post shared by La Garrigue (@la_garrigue) on Jun 24, 2018 at 11:43am PDT. La Garrigue is located near the famous Royal Mile and a short walk from Waverley Station. The cuisine here is inspired by southern France’s rural Languedoc region."

"La Garrigue – Creme Brûlée flavored with lavender|© Caitriana Nicholson/Flickr. No one does ‘romantic’ better than the French. Take a leaf out of those with the language of love and make way for La Garrigue, a personable little bistro."

"As its name suggests, Edinburgh Food Studio, located on a nondescript road a short cab ride from central Edinburgh, is the city's apex for gastronomes. Although it's a bona fide restaurant, EFS has the hum, chatter, and excitement of a pop-up. James Murray, the chef, and Ben Reade and Sashana Souza Zanella, the young, supremely knowledgable founders, sometimes appear to chat about ingredients and dishes."

"Far from the city centre throng, Edinburgh Food Studio is a tiny unassuming restaurant and ‘food research hub’ dishing up some of the most creative, nerdy and – fear not – delicious cuisine in the capital."

"Opened in 2009 with Head Chef Mattia Camorani at the helm, award-winning restaurant Cucina is the vibrant, bustling soul of Radisson Collection Royal Mile Hotel Edinburgh located on the city’s historic Royal Mile. The restaurant offers fresh and authentic Italian dishes, perfectly matched to the season, all year round. The menus and atmosphere created at Cucina are based on the enjoyment of good food, genuine Italian hospitality and a concept of sharing with friends and family."

"Set in the thick of all the fun on George IV Bridge, Cucina is a firecracker of a restaurant. The hypnotic palette of colours of the fashion-forward furnishings are just as mesmerising as the impeccable menu. Thoughtful, perfectly constructed dishes play host to classic Italian recipes with contemporary flair, resulting in a gastronomic adventure."

"Borough has open its doors for the first time in the foodie neighbourhood of Leith. A modern European menu of bold, precise flavours is spearheaded by Head Chef Darren Murray, formerly of award-winning restaurant, Norn. Dishes include appetisers, such as charcuterie, and a selection of savoury and sweet plates such as Courgette Tart with Nasturtium and Mackerel Tartare with Green Strawberry and Elderflower."

"This modern bistro, which has chef Darren Murray at the helm, places a focus on sustainable and environmentally responsible food. This, coupled with Borough’s chilled-out atmosphere and expertly sourced local produce, makes the four-course set menu all the more special. Expect dishes like cured Borders lamb and roast North Sea hake, plus a fantastic selection of wines."

"Established way back in 1962, this affordable veggie restaurant sits pretty on a sloping New Town terrace, a stroll away from Princes Street. Diners queue to have their plates piled high with salads, quiche, vegetarian haggis, crepes and more, followed by surprisingly indulgent puddings. Hendersons runs a deli upstairs from the basement restaurant, as well as a couple of vegan offshoots elsewhere in town, but – especially when there’s live jazz on a Friday night – the homey cosy vibe makes the Salad Table in particular an Edinburgh stand-out."

"Henderson's is a well-known and very popular vegetarian restaurant on Hanover Street but they also have a presence in the west end under St. John's church on the corner of Lothian Road and Princes Street. This fantastic location caters for up to 80 people in an atmospheric, barrel-vaulted dining room. Whether you want a light snack and a coffee, soup and a sandwich, or a tasty veggie lunch with a glass of wine, you can find it here."

"Fourth on our list of the best vegetarian restaurants in Edinburgh has to be family run business, Hendersons Salad Table. Here, you will find beautiful organic, local vegetarian food including soups, hot dishes and over a dozen salads to choose from. Up and running since the 1960s, Hendersons of Edinburgh was ahead of its time and has since gained an ‘institutional’ reputation for serving fine free-from food."

"A post shared by Taste Edinburgh (@edinburghtaste) on Feb 20, 2018 at 1:27pm PST. Hendersons is known and respected for establishing Britain’s longest running Vegetarian restaurant. Since 1962 Hendersons has led the way in introducing the pleasures of vegetarian and vegan dining to the people of Edinburgh."

"Make it a point to visit Hendersons of Edinburgh, a pleasant vegan restaurant, which you can find on Thistle Street and two other locations. Here, you get to taste healthy and tasty food preparations made using organic ingredients. This vegan food establishment is opened since July 2015."

"We happened across The Boozy Cow with some friends a few years ago, but I decided to rediscover it for this collab. From starting off this list with a vegetarian place, I now give you the extremely anti-vegan Boozy Cow, which is essentially set up to look like an abbatoir. While it’s not for the faint-hearted, it is a really cool bar set right off Princes Street (there’s also an entrance on Rose Street) so it’s about as central as you can get in the New Town of Edinburgh."

"For brunch at any time of day, while you roam the many streets of the Old Town, head to The City Cafe. This fun, vibrant, American style diner will provide you with delicious food all day long, and you can head back again in the evenings if you feel like getting a few drinks. You can find all the classics on their brunch menu, whether you want sweet or savoury, and you’ll find Scottish ingredients, like haggis, alongside American classics, such as pancake stacks or poached eggs and hollandaise."

"Be transported to another time with City Cafe's diner setting and huge fluffy pancake stacks. A local favourite since 1980, you can find the portal to 1920s America on Blair St. Sit next to the jukebox and go for a classic bacon and syrup combo (teamed with an ice-cream shake of course) for the ultimate quintessential American experience."

"Step into your dream, cheesy, American teen drama (*cough* Riverdale *cough*) in Edinburgh’s very own traditional late night diner just along from your Cowgate favourites such as Subway and Sneaky Pete’s. A blissful combination. Truly the platonic ideal for a stack of pancakes, sometimes simple really is the best."

"The lunch menu at Bell’s Diner has barely changed in 40 years, but why change a winning formula?. This cute little diner on the corner of St Stephen Street has been serving up gourmet burgers long before the likes of Byron got in on the act. Its steaks are also excellent and come with a choice of five sauces (go for the garlic butter), while the large hot fudge sundae pancakes are legendary in these parts."