Booked my wife's birthday dinner a couple months ahead. The staff was amazingly helpful coordinating with me by email ahead of time while I was still in the states. Working around one of our family members diet restrictions and allergies was surprisingly easy. On arrival, the ambience was classy and we felt instantly immersed. The wait staff and sommelier were great at describing each course and wine pairing. The canapés were each wonderfully tasty and uniquely presented. The Caesar salad looked like a tiny pastry with a splash of flavor tucked inside. The salted cod was flaky and delicious inside a crisp wafer. The salmon sushi was deconstructed and the soy sauce transformed in to small flavor packed cubes. This dish was a treat! My favorite came next which was an Orkney scallop perfectly seared with a curry sauce. Dessert was a raspberry parfait on a macaroon paired smartly with a pink moscato. It was the first wine my daughter actually finished completely! Best meal I've had so far in the UK! read more

Roe deer, rabbit, partridge, grouse. Yes, we ate Disney's Bambi and it was delicious! All joking aside, Castle Terrace, a Michelin one star and part of the Paul Kitchin family of restaurants, delivers. Where the Kitchin focused on the sea, Castle Terrace is about the land. Outstanding sourcing of ingredients prepared with great respect to elevate their natural flavors. A charming ambiance and friendly, proper service round out a near perfect dining experience. The menu is seasonal. Two prestarters whet the palette. A trio of amuse deceptions (they look nothing like they are supposed to be). The best being a liquefied Caesar salad. Like the liquefied olive, this one filled with the essence of romaine, egg, anchovies, sitting atop a crouton of parmesan. Popped in the mouth the flavor of a true Caesar salad burst forth. The second prestarter, an intense, acidic roasted tomato soup with a crisp olive stick. A refreshing start to the meal to come. The starters; a stunning ravioli of partridge atop seared foie, caramelized pear, braised celery in a partridge consume. Mind blowing.. The distinct rich, mineral flavor of the foie brings out the game flavor of the partridge and harmonizes it perfectly with the sweetness of the tender pear. Balance beyond belief in a simple dish. Not to be out shown, a simple broccoli volute with goat cheese ravioli. The clean vegetal flavor punched up by tangy, creamy goat cheese pillows and walnuts. Perfect. For mains, the grouse with chanterelles, bread sauce and watercress puree, simply outstanding. Very gamy, lean, and fork tender grouse pairs perfectly with all accompaniments. The watercress puree adds a green vibrancy that brightens the palate between bites. The legs are plated separately. Cooked in the bird with the innards, it has a pronounced game flavor. Outstanding. The roasted north sea cod presented topped with finely diced mushrooms and basil atop root veg, mushrooms and a "pasta sheet" of broccoli stems a harmonious blend of texture and flavor. Perfectly cooked, the essence of cod elevated by the use of root veg once again. Finally, a barbecued and braised shoulder of Ayrshire pork. Barbecue equals Asian flavors. A crispy piece of belly, a playful interpretation of a pulled pork sandwich in a chickpea bun. All told, the deep, sweet porky flavor explodes in this dish. Dessert is not to be missed. The caramel soufflé with popcorn ice cream, decadently rich. Distinct caramel aroma. Caramel coated popcorn adds a good textural foil, the distinct popcorn flavored ice cream, the perfect foil to reduce the sweetness of the caramel. Great selection of cheeses with an emphasis on Scottish producers from the cart. Quince jelly a nice touch. Very good wine list although lacking vintage depth. Heavy focus on old world producers. Fair pricing with average bottle £100. Service is unhurried, friendly, knowledgeable, and very professional. Somewhat of a splurge, dinner for three £650. Three month advance booking required. Credit card to warranty reservation. Well worth the effort. read more

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Service was quite slow between courses. Although the staff were friendly I am not sure why the gap between courses was so long. In one case I think we waited over 20 minutes before an amuse bouche came out. The polypore was perfect with just the right balance of ingredients and wonderful flavors. I was not too keen on the cod or the cannelloni. The cod lacked flavor and the cannelloni was odd in both taste and texture. Giant Polypore- Locally foraged, pan-fried polypore mushrooms served with cod cheeks, pork collar, and persillade Ravioli of Dexter beef from Blackford Farm with majoram, orange confit, and mooli Cod-Poached fillet of North Sea cod, with squid cannelloni, garlic and parsley Venison read more

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My husband surprised me on my birthday with a trip to Scotland and a six course dinner with wine pairing at the wonderful Castle Terrace. We arrived with a party of 8 at 6pm and were amazed at how beautiful the restaurant was. The service was impeccable. We had a complementary starter of Champagne as well as two appetizers before the courses started. Everything about this meal was delicious and beautifully prepared. I highly recommend the surprise tasting. The wine pairings complimented the dishes perfectly. The sommelier came and described each of the wines before we tasted. This will probably be the best meal on my two week vacation and believe me we had some wonderful meals on this trip but this is by far the best. Thank you for such hospitality and for your wonderful dishes tonight Castle Terrace, you made my birthday unforgettable. read more

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Wow. What can I say about Castle Terrace? Just Wow. Now, I have only ever eaten at one other Michelin starred venue in my life and that was so long ago I don't even remember what I had. I'm pretty sure I will remember my meal at Castle Terrace forever. We had opted for the "Chef's Land And Sea Surprise" 7 course menu with the bolt on of the wine tasting package. Now, this isn't cheap and the two together will set you back around £130 per person for the whole experience. That being said, it's not the kind of place you would just "pop out for dinner" too, so is best suited for a grand celebration or a really special treat. We were greeted as soon as we walked to the door and shown our table. Whilst we waited for the rest of our party to arrive, we indulged in a cocktail each. I went for the Penicillin (whisky based) which wasn't cheap at £12.75, but it was a masterpiece of flavour. Served with a little silver duck as a decoration, I felt it was worth paying for. Every dish we ate was a marvel. From the tiny burger in the appetiser course right to the mousse for dessert; all the food was gorgeously presented and delicious. The wines were expertly paired and I enjoyed hearing about the history, background and flavour matching of each one as we went along. Now, our table was pretty noisy (that's what happens when you get a group of overexcited CM's together), but the staff were gracious when they very fairly asked us to keep it down and the service we experienced was amazing. This wasn't a cheap dining experience, but it certainly was an experience. A feast for the eyes and palate, I would love to do this again sometime (but I'll definitely be saving my pennies first)! read more

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Castle Terrace isn't normally the kind of place we would choose to frequent. We love great food but Michelin stars often mean something which is a bit beyond our price range and level of enjoyment. Fortunately Castle Terrace's three course lunch is actually therefore quite a bargain (for what it is), coming in at just under £30/head. On arrival we received three canapes which I'm actually seeing in someone else's picture - a deep fried ravioli, a mini burger and a "Cesar salad" in a bite. All good, but slightly more interesting and small than actually truly tasty. I'm also a bit surprised that they seem to have been serving the same canapes since at least the end of 2013. Following the canapes, we were treated with a "cheesy baked potato" amuse bouche, which was absolutely brilliant. Give me a vat of that. Our starters were both lovely - The Man opted for the Gurnard tartare and I had the crispy Ayrshire pork, though admittedly mine was a bit on the tough/dry side. The taste was great, though. Our mains were the highlight. I had the Hake on Thai style veggies which was absolutely phenomenal except for the old, hard broad beans which could have been easily left out. The Man fell in love with his squid cannelloni and thought the spelt risotto was the best he'd ever had. Following the bites, the amuse bouche, the gorgeous warm sourdough (which I forgot to mention), starters and mains, we were pretty stuffed. But, it's a three course set menu so might as well get desserts, right? We also fancied coffees, so each ordered a creme brulee and an espresso. The espresso arrived with three little petit fours which were certainly a nice touch but at that stage were incredibly overboard. Especially considering they, like the canapes, were rather nicer looking than they were tasting. We were, therefore, rather put off by the fact that we were ultimately charged for these petit fours that we didn't order. Our bill noted that our espressos were something like £5 each, which included the petit fours. I found this quite cheeky considering we only ordered coffee and goodness sake, £5 for an espresso? I think not. Overall it was a very enjoyable experience. The service was attentive without being oppressive, and professional without being cold. The food was very good, but I just slightly felt overall that creativity was slightly lacking. Maybe the lunch menu is affordable for a reason and the true stars are the full price dishes, but I don't imagine I'll ever find out. read more

Absolutely loved our experience! My husband and I celebrated an early 22-year wedding anniversary in this wonderful establishment. We did have to reserve our Saturday evening dinner months in advance, and credit card was required to reserve the table. I also wrote a note to let them know we were celebrating our anniversary and requested a corner table. Fast forward 3 months later, and 2 lovely young ladies greeted us warmly. One took our jackets, and the other took us to our corner table. Once we were situated, I noticed a card was waiting for us to be opened. It was an anniversary note from Chef Dominic Jack and the team at Castle Terrace. The evening certainly felt extra special from the start. We opted to do the Chef's Land & Sea Surprise Tasting Menu with wine pairings. It consisted of 9 courses and 7 wine, the first one we chose was a lovely Royale Reserve Champagne. Thereafter, it was a continuous glass of one great wine after another. Unfortunately, this woman had to give her last glass of wine to hubby if she was to walk unwobbly back to the flat. It would be impossible for me to describe all 9 courses. I suppose I could, but then this review would read like a War & Peace novel, all 1300 pages of it. I do have to say that the Caesar salad was unbelievable because we had never tasted anything like it, or seen anything like it either. It looked like a green gum drop to me. To finish the evening, someone brought out a dessert with Happy Anniversary written on it. That made it into a 10 course meal, and needless to say, we were stuffed to the gills. Service was beyond excellent. Each wine was described by a French gentleman with such vividness that we had images of New Zealand, Morrocco, and Bulgaria in our heads. Our experience lasted 3 hours and it was simply exquisite. It was an evening we will always cherish and grateful we had the opportunity to do it. To say we had a wonderful wedding anniversary would simply be an understatement..... read more

As I read a torrent of rave reviews here on Yelp and also on Tripadvisor, I am feeling like a bit of a neanderthal for being fairly ambivalent about Castle Terrace. My wife certainly knows all about spending a few quid on "nice things" (she claims it is a genetic defect) but even she reckoned most things on the menu were a tad overpriced. While some reviewers may describe the staffing as "attentive" I would call it "overbearing", as we were served by at least 4 different members of staff during our visit - personally I didn't enjoy that variety. I also found it quite odd that on a Saturday night there was no music playing or "atmosphere" of any particular note. Far from wanting to linger and soak up the ambiance we were actually quite keen to move on. There was also a wee debate at the table behind us when the diners refused to vacate their table and drink their coffee/whisky outwith the dining area. My dishes (truffles to start and then lamb) were admittedly delicious while my wife enjoyed the scallops but wasn't so taken by the chicken. I think for the prices on the menu you are entitled to expect the overall experience to be "wow", whereas it was definitely more "A-OK". read more

Sister restaurant with The Kitchin, but would rate Castle Terrace slightly ahead of The Kitchin, but both excellent.

To sum it up: Decent food, terrible service, not worth it. Our appetizers (spelt risotto and curry scallops) were good, but nothing to write home about. Boyfriend got the lamb dish for entree while I got the seasonal salmon dish. The lamb was excellent, but the salmon left something to be desired. Again, nothing to write home about. Dessert was beautiful, delicate, and possibly the best part of the meal. Service started off great but the server disappeared in the middle of the meal and was nowhere to be found. In the end, we had to wait close to 30 min for the check despite asking multiple people. A different server finally gave us our check and there was no acknowledgement or apologies for the long wait. Never again. read more

Absolutely splendid place for dinner. The staff is magnificent, the food delicious, and the platings artful. Definitely a place for a special meal, and it's worth every cent. My wife & I had the first dinner of our honeymoon here, kicking off two weeks in Scotland, and it could not have been a better way to begin that journey. Highly recommended. read more

My wife and I recently spent our Honeymoon in Edinburgh and our dining experience at Castle Terrace was hands down the best dining experience we have EVER had. The service was impeccable and the food was amazing. We had ordered the food tasting with the wine pairing. It was out of this world! We were in the restaurant for over 4 hours we were having such a good time! I can not recommend this restaurant enough if you are looking to splurge and celebrate. read more

Waitstaff stuffy and unable or unwilling to answer simple, direct questions regarding portion size. Unfortunately, after being blown off and made to feel uncomfortable while asking about how large the main courses are, we ended up with too much food and were not allowed to take it with us. An entire dish was wasted. The waiter's response was, "I don't know what you want me to say". Obviously, I wanted you to answer my questions regarding portion size that were dismissed while ordering. The food was good, however I would recommend their more casual sister restaurant in Stockbridge. There is a reason this restaurant does not have a Michelin Star. My husband and I are no strangers to fine dining. This experience fell below the mark. read more

Brilliant food. Did the surprise tasting menu and everything was delicious. The beef with spelt risotto might be one of my favorite ever dishes. Service was excellent. Friendly and unobtrusive. The wine flight had some excellent choices. Highly recommend it. Hope they get the Michelin star back. read more

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Castle Terrace was good. Actually it was probably great. Once checked in we were told that our table was ready and we could sit straight down to eat. We went to the bar/lounge and had some canapés and a cocktail. The canapés rocked. They had a little gooey caesar salad which I was little to rough with and it burst open all over my shirt (not a great start to my night). There was also a beetroot and goats cheese biscuit. Which was a phenomenal accompaniment to my cocktail. After being seated what happened next was amazing. The Amuse Bouche was an Arbroath Smokie Panna Cotta that was disguised as a boiled egg. It was followed by a salmon dish. Served sushi style w/ Wasabi ice cream. Not one to be missed. Then we had the scallop curry. Served with a little nan bread and potato puree. The final big bang was a beautiful pea soup with ham rock ravioli. So about 80 minutes in we had 4 beautiful courses that were filled with imagination. Then the what followed was just depressing. I was on such a high saying how much better Castle Terrace was compared to The Kitchin. Even potentially better than my new favourite place The Table. The following dish was Hake which cooked perfectly but just a little boring. It didn't have the wow factor of the dishes that came before it. Then the meat dish - a risotto of spelt with beef - apparently a signature dish of Chef Jack was just a little boring. Again it tasted great. But there was absolutely no wow factor. The bar was set so high earlier on in the meal that the two mains were just average in comparison. Service is spot on, the staff are super cool and really do know there stuff. We got the matching wine package which I think is better than getting a bottle. read more

From the minute you walk in through the front door, you can tell your evening will be special. Now, for starters, the price is very high. But, if you know that going in, expect to be impressed and you will be. I did the chef's tasting and wine pairing. I was not disappointed as each course was perfectly cooked, seasoned and paired. The wine selection was amped up to meet the food. Plenty of "i love this one" was heard by many guests. I will recommend going here at least once to treat yourself or a friend to a amazing evening and food. read more

The service was great except main dish a bit salty. It is very convenient to visit Castle. Moreover, drinks are fantastic. I will recommend this restaurant to my friend. read more

Castle Terrace - British Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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Recently awarded its first Michelin star, Castle Terrace is one of the hottest restaurant tickets in town, at the moment. We'd heartily recommend that you sample their set menu lunch, which at £24 for three courses represents excellent value. Overall, we said: "please join the queue to go and sample Dominic Jack's exceptional food. It's an absolute joy to behold and to savour. They are highly skilled in the kitchen and it is obvious in the quality of the dishes." read more

My short weekend jaunt to Edinburgh commenced with a lunch at Castle Terrace, a restaurant which was awarded a Michelin "Rising Star" in January 2011. Having read many glowing reviews of the restaurant, I came in with high expectations, and somehow, my dining experience exceeded these expectations. Chef Dominic Jack and his staff treated me to a fantastic meal, and I came away thoroughly impressed with the food, service, and overall experience offered by Castle Terrace. Arriving for the 12 pm lunch seating on a rainy Saturday afternoon, I opted for the three course, £20 lunch prix fixe menu. Shortly after being seated, I was served an array of canapés which included crisp bread sticks, assorted cheese crackers, squid ink and basil pastas, and a tomato/olive cracker. The savory flavors permeating most of these small bites was a nice welcoming gesture. After placing my orders, I received an amuse bouche of tomato and basil salad with crumbled olives. Light and refreshing, this dish was aesthetically appealing as well, as the black olive crumbles, resembling finely crushed Oreo cookies, gave the appearance of fresh soil on the ground. Also, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the fantastic breads served with the meal. Given five choices - white, granary, three seed, onion, and spelt - the breads were all delicious, particularly the onion, which I had at least three pieces of. For my first course, I opted for the Pork dish. Described as "Braised and seared Ayrshire pork belly, served with black pudding and apple," this dish was just as delicious as it was visually appealing. The pork belly had a nice char to it and was complemented nicely by the apple and jus on the plate. My second course was the Rabbit option, and it consisted of a "Pithivier of braised rabbit from Roxburghshire, served with peas and carrots." With the pastry containing only rabbit meat and with the carrot and pea sauces smeared on the plate, the dish was sort of like a partly deconstructed pot pie. The pastry was nice and flaky, and the rabbit was nicely seasoned, albeit a bit too heavily with the salt. I ended the meal with the Chocolate course, which was described as "Chocolate panna cotta and rice pudding, served with apricot sorbet." The pairing of chocolate with the apricot sorbet was a bit unusual, but the creamy panna cotta and rice puddings were both thoroughly enjoyable. A nice finish to the meal. Service at Castle Terrace was impeccable, as I was treated well throughout the meal and was never made to feel rushed. In summary, the food, service, and atmosphere of Castle Terrace are first-class, and the lunch prix fixe is definitely a bargain. I actually had a more enjoyable meal here than at more well-known restaurants with more awards, and I fully expect Castle Terrace to land a Michelin star or two in the not-so-distant future. read more

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Ummmm, WOW! Dominic Jack is amazing. Service: was flawless. The service was so amazing that we never actually needed anything throughout the meal. It was like they could read our thoughts. LOL. The waitstaff worked as a team. We counted 8-9 people attending to our table. I've rarely received service as great as Castle Terrace even at the other high end restaurants that I've patronized. Food: yummy and beautifully presented. You really can't go wrong here. Who knew that I would be a huge fan of Artic Char! This restaurant really is a special treat. I never thought I would find food this amazing in Edinburgh... glad that I was proven wrong!!! read more

Castle Terrace, a restaurant I actually walked by two years earlier on a previous trip sits only a few hundred feet from the castle signature of Edinburgh. This was a proper romantic evening. Oh sure, the girlfriend and I had enjoyed dinners before, but not like this, all dressed up the tens (way better than nines). We took our seats in a secluded area able to be detached via curtains to the rest of the restaurant...which offered the illusion we were either special or pariahs not meant for the eyes to Edinburgh's elite. I had already made the declaration that we would be tackling the tasting menu, an option I wished more restaurants would offer despite the intimidating price. Flipping to the end of this tale, the meal cost me nearly $300 cdn for two, which included two glasses of wine and the additional extravagance of adding shaved truffles to my risotto...because apparently I liked the idea of eating something worth its weight in palladium. So let me get all snobbish, pretentious, and a little patronizing, Castle Terrace didn't start the meal with an amuse bouche, rather we each received a small plate of canapés --a caper and cumin burger, a salt cod barbajuan, and a Caesar salad--all miniature bite-sized. The latter was the most impressive, literally exploding in your mouth. The bread which followed was served in its own toque-like bowl. Yup, the bread came with its own adorable little hat. The appetizer was a bizarre take on baked potato with cheese served in a ramekin. This was shortly followed by the tartare of Loch Duart salmon served sushi-style with wasabi ice cream. This was a favorite of both of ours--a true avant garde art piece. The wasabi ice cream was a particular surprise. The fourth dish was seared hand-dived Orkney scallops served with a light curry 'Castle Terrace' style. Castle Terrace seems to revel in naming the origin of its ingredients, an attribute often seen in many high-end restaurants. Personally I don't require it; they only exist to make the titles longer. I don't know the importance of an Orkney scallop picked by hand over one pulled off the coast of Vancouver. Is Orkney really that much better? Then came the risotto made with organic spelt from Doves Farm--REALLY? Is it that important where the grain came from? While my girlfriend's risotto was topped by ox tongue and chirozo, mine was layered in wafer-thin truffle shavings. It might have been more expensive, but mine wasn't as good as the one opposite of me, proof that price does not reflect value. At this point, you would think we were done, but not, we still had three more courses to go. The fish dish was my personal favorite--roasted fillet of North Sea (sigh) hake served with an Asian style broth poured at the plate. The pork dish after was an immensely attractive fillet of Ayrsh--just pork, it was pork...served with braised fennel, smoked aubergine puree and basil gnocchi. Finally the dessert was a bavarois of 'conference' pears served with a yogurt sorbet and rosemary caramel. There were many details about the dishes I'm leaving out, like the way the pork sat in a sauce kept in place by the puree or that the broth for the hake was poured over it, sending its toppings cascading down the sides to form the ingredients of a soup. Or how about that each dish had its own arrangement of cutlery; the fish dish was served with a large blunt knife and a trident. Castle Terrace mixes the molecular gastronomic talents seen with Teatro but doesn't go as far in the realms of the bizarre, making each dish slightly more accessible. The flavors were divine, marking Castle Terrace as a real jewel in the city. Would I recommend it? It depends if you have such money to set aside that you don't require for procuring shelter. You have to really want such an evening, which we did. With that out of the way, I'm not saying that you need to spend that kind of money to have a great experience in Edinburgh. My review for Witchery was glowing and they cost barely half as much, the same goes for Shezan, which cost half THAN THAT. Upon an inevitable return to Edinburgh, I can't see going to Castle Terrace again given so many options which would certainly cost a lot less. But once in a life, I think everyone needs to take in a place like Teatro, Claridges, or Castle Terrace. Pick whichever one is closer and go. And take the girlfriend or wife, not the kids or your poker buddy. I would also permit sister or mother because well...guilty as charged. Is my review of Castle Terrace bias because it was a date? Yup. DECOR: 9 PLATING: 10 SERVICE: 9.5 FOOD: 10 VALUE: 7 OVERALL: 9.1 out of 10 read more

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I was short on time in Edinburgh and wanted to dine at one of the few Michelin-starred places. I am so glad that I picked Castle Terrace. The atmosphere and service were spot on and not a bit stuffy; I loved the decor which was sleek and sexy, but still warm and comforting. My martini apertif was well-made, and dry as requested. The amuse bouche that came with it were the perfect accompaniment to the heavy reading I was about to do! There are several menus to choose from, including the multi-course tasting menu, a vegetarian tasting menu, as well as regular and vegetarian a la carte versions. Since you are allowed to mix and match, I ordered my courses from both. Everything I sampled was delicious, and prepared with the kind of care and technique one would expect. The wine list was well chosen, with an interesting selection of half bottles, which I always appreciate. My meal was one of the highlights of my time in Scotland, and an experience I won't soon forget. read more

Yes, of course this place is perfect. The seasonal, locally sourced menu. The exquisite craftsmanship of the dishes (I mean, a burger that could fit on a 10p coin!). The elegant transitions from canapés to amuse-bouche to starter to main to dessert to coffee by charming, well-trained staff. Literally, perfection. That said, Michelin-starred, celebrity chef dining is not really my thing. My husband and I recently dined here with a set lunch voucher - a really thoughtful wedding gift from two wonderful friends. I wish I could say I was looking forward to a refined, romantic lunch with the hubs, but to be honest, just the production of reserving a table and anticipating the whole experience was making me a bit apprehensive. I love elaborate food experiences - I love talking with the creators about the breath-taking and mouth-watering meals they have shared with others. I love a complex, perplexing menu and eating outside my comfort zone. However, at Castle Terrace, somewhere in the parade of well-versed wait staff, the line between a satisfying eating experience and a staged play is grotesquely crossed. I feel the restaurant - the chef, the staff, the other diners- are putting on a choreographed performance for me and that I feel obliged to perform for them. The food, though not always visibly identifiable, was delicious. Each, tiny detail showed thoughtfulness and perfect execution. The cooking (and chef-ing) could not be faulted. However, I find that the more stylised food becomes, the less interested I am in eating it.The gazpacho amuse-bouche, for example, flavoured with tiny clay-looking balls of garlic and herb suspended in a clear jelly. My inability to come around to cold soup aside, I like garlic that still looks like garlic and herbs that look like herbs, as god intended. Call me a barbarian, but I like plants. I realise this artistry and performance is why most people enjoy going to restaurants like Castle Terrace - the height of civilisation, to eat where it is not only acceptable but awarded with coveted stars to play with one's food, mould it and manicure it until it is beyond recognition. Would I recommend Castle Terrace to someone looking for a fine dining experience? To someone who wants to be wined and dined like royalty? Of course, I would call and make the table reservation myself. Would I return? No. But it's not a criticism of quality, I just like to eat food that looks like food, off plates where there's more food than plate. With the other plebs... In an effort to be balanced, there were a few small things that I found delightful. The glassware, for instance (bear with me) - I love a place that has all the appropriate glassware. A glass for literally every measurement of liquid. 330ml bottle of beer? They have a glass. 500ml bottle of beer? They have a glass. Red wine, white wine, port, brandy, whisky? All with their corresponding glass. Adorable, kind of like a fully-kitted doll house. My inner 8-yr old girl was just thrilled. Also, the beautiful wooden (walnut?) cheese tray, wheeled out in cheesy majesty gave me intense dining-furniture envy. And, obviously, cheese selection envy. Although, despite this, my husband and I both went for the crème brûlée - delicious, if the carmelised sugar topping was a touch on the delicate side for me - I like a bigger crack to tap through to the creamy, custardy base. Girlish amusement aside, when you call to make a reservation: 1) leave a few MONTHS advance notice for a weekend table, and in some cases a weekday table and 2) upon making the reservation, you will have to fork over the credit card details because they charge £30 per head (for lunch) for a cancellation less than 24 hours ahead of the reservation. They did not take the deposit ahead of time, but they did hold my card details. This might be the norm for the almighty Michelin league, but I found it a bit disconcerting. As a final effort of equitability, the other diners seemed to be enjoying themselves thoroughly - a mix (from how it appeared) of backgrounds and walks of life. Everyone was incredibly pleasant and if I had even an ounce more cultivation and refinement this review would be all praise and no buts. It's perhaps an experience everyone should have at least once, just to see how the other side lives ;) read more

Well what can i say... This place is faaaaancy! Amazing food, presentation, service! Slightly scary prices but then you are definitely paying for the whole experience. The staff really know what they're talking about and were able to recommend suitable wine for us to eat with our meal. I had the crab ravioli to start with and the monkfish for the main. The crab ravioli was fine, but the monkfish was fab! They are very attentive, which was fine as a one off, but I think this would personally annoy me slightly if this was always happening as it interrupts your flow of conversation. Only a small thing though. Overall I was really impressed with the whole experience. read more

AMAZING!!! Recently awarded its firsy Michilin star, and its very much deserved!!. We opted for the lunch set course for £26.50 each! A real treat! I opted for salmon to start, cod for main and creme brulee for desert. We were treated to 3 little cute canapes to start, carrot and corriander amuse Bouche! We were alos given a selection of 4 fresh breads to eat..love fresh bread! Each course was a work of art and a delight on the eyes...oh as well as delicious! After our meal, we had a latte and coffee and again were treated to another 3 little sweet treats....almond biscuit, macaroon and dark chocolate salted caramel. I took my partner there for his birthday, and they had a card written for him on the table from the chef Dominic and the team and then the waitress presented us with a small cake with a candle with 'Happy Birthday' written in chocolate!!! I will come back here for dinner sometime...possible when its bonus month!! :) read more

A truly great dinning experience. From the start the food was special but the standout was the Pea velouté Strathdon Blue cheese ravioli for the first course. It was a dish that you wished you could lick the bowl! For the second course both the roe dear and the saddle of lamb were outstanding. To finish this wonderful meal was a fantastic banana soufflé. The food is wonderful but the perfect friendly service made the evening special. Including the wine steward who was from Abruzzo, Italy who was knowledgeable and very helpful in picking the perfect wine with each course!! read more

Booked dinner here during my honeymoon. Hopelessly pleaded with our waitress who seemed to nod more than understand to aid us in navigating the portion sizes of the a la carte menu so we could order the proper amount. She was super unhelpful and did not seem to know the menu well enough to be a server there. A server at a farm-to-table restaurant should be proud of their dishes and their provenance, but she seemed bothered by our questions and was frankly stone-faced when pressed about the portion sizes and more details about the dishes. The sommelier was a bit supercilious in his manner, but did give us a good wine pick over what I chose even though his suggestion was about 60 pounds more. So watch out for that. Food service was in fits and starts. It seemed the kitchen may have had some issues that night or if you aren't ordering the tasting menu it throws them off maybe. The dishes were pretty good with some fun nouveau cuisine-type touches so the 2 stars are for the heroes in the kitchen. Front of the house was a miss. Manager did comp us on a dish to make up for the situation. That was greatly appreciated. read more

We visited in April 2015. Ambience is average. Service is excellent. The deconstructed Caesar salad was interesting and delicious. We had the salmon and roe deer to start which were good but not amazing. The salmon was presented well. The roe deer was a bit bland. The mains were good but nothing remarkable. The star of the meal was the chocolate souffle served with popcorn ice cream which was heaven! Overall a mediocre meal but excellent dessert. read more

Simply exceptional food and amazing service. We came here for lunch in February and had to come back for dinner. The wait staff are very knowledgeable on both the food and wine. As you'd expect from a chefs hat restaurant the presentation and taste of the food us incredible. Highly recommended read more

Hol-y cow. Outstanding, truly. I had a great experience here from the start. Wine selection: extensive. Wine I had: all worth noting for looking out for in shops. Amuse bouche: Carrot with Coriander mousse. Clever, beautiful, and most importantly tastes very good. App: Crab Salad with hazelnut mayo Delicious flavours, but a bit confused by the bizarre presentation (apple bits that look like spears?) Mains: Monkfish wrapped in bacon on bed of beets, and a Hare terrine (shared with my guest). I didn't know it could taste like that. Flaky and moist monkfish, good lord. The Hare dish is one of the I've ever eaten; not the best hare dish, the best DISH. The service was very prompt, very helpful, and very flexible. I can't fault them on anything. Of course, it's expensive, but, for an evening out that is about enjoying your food, this is the best I've had in Edinburgh. Also, everything is seasonal and localso I will be saving up for each season. :) read more

Food too good not to give anything less than 4 stars. However my wife and I made the "mistake" of booking only-available slot of 9PM, and felt a bit rushed to order while we were having cocktails in the bar area - before being seated. Service and atmosphere a bit stuffy - maybe to be expected, but not especially comfortable vs. NYC and SF venues of similar caliber. Again, each plate was near perfect but mild tension in air prevents 5th star. read more

Outstanding. For my birthday earlier this year we decided to treat ourselves to the restaurants taster menu (including the wine taster menu). Obviously not cheap but well worth it and I'll certainly be doing it again. The food and service were exemplary. read more

Definitely lived up to the hype, and the price. The wait staff was helpful and well informed without being on top of us like they are in so many fine dining establishments.Everything was prepared beautifully and was delicious. The salmon appetizer with the wasabi ice cream was unbelievable. The sommelier was a treat. Young, funny and not at all stuffy. They were incredibly attentive to one friend's dietary needs. Vegetarians, be aware that you will be well taken care of at Castle Terrace. read more

Visiting from San Francisco, looking for great vegetarian food; we found this amazing restaurant. They had a separate vegetarian menu along with a vegetarian tasting option. We did the Tasting Option. All I have to say is Wow! The food was as tasty as it was beautiful, with service to match. Check out the wine list as well! read more