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First day in Edinburgh Scotland, my very considerate friend made a reservation at this vegetarian restaurant that had lots of vegan options! She's an omnivore. When we entered the restaurant, we were greeted warmly. The restaurant had a beautiful ambiance, very welcoming atmosphere. The menu was easy to figure out. Everything was vegetarian with a V to denote vegan and a [V] to let you know the dish could be made vegan. Everything on the menu looked delicious and hard to narrow down choices. We were offered consomme, and it was so flavorful! I narrowed my choice down to Haggis Fritters served with hummus and banana chutney. Reminded me of falafel. I also got smoked and marinated tofu with sweet miso sesame sauce and pickled cucumbers. This was delicious! My friend got the soup of the day, which was a tomato with lentil soup that came with bread. She really liked it!
Nice surprise to stumble upon a vegetarian restaurant in Edinburgh. Service was a bit slow but food was excellent. The risotto was perfectly cooked with great flavor and the mushroom bake was hearty and tasty. Would return again.
What an amazing place for vegan food lovers! Went with my family and the food was great. We had David's tofu and Braised Celeriac for starters. Koftas and Risotto as main. Both were amazing and highly recommended. The deserts were excellent. Try the soufflé with ginger ice cream. We also had the sticky toffee pudding. If you are in Edinburgh, do try out this place. Excellent choice for vegan or vegetarians.
Found on Yelp while looking for Vegetarian options, and WOW, so good we will be back to work our way through the menu. Cozy seating, friendly staff and great vibe.
"David Bann Vegetarian Restaurant" reads the outside window. For some reason I feel like vegetarian restaurants get a bad rap or are second class citizens to full spectrum places but David Bann would be a hard place to compete with, even if you did serve meat. To start with, it's a very elegant place. The decor is tasteful, refined, with tablecloths. The waiters are well dressed and the lights are dimmed. Actually, since I came for a dinner with friends, I was slightly concerned it was too nice for a fairly casual dinner. However, the waiters were very kind, and the prices were reasonable for a nicer place. The food, though, is what deserves the real praise, since it was fantastic! I had the strudel which was mushroom and goat cheese baked in filo with fried polenta on the side. It was one of the heavier options available but still didn't make me feel too heavy afterwards. One of my friends enjoyed the risotto which was very tasty as well, can definitely recommend!
It's been a long time since I've been to Bann's, but as I had a couple of hours to spare and happened to be at this end of town, I decided to treat myself. It was early, so the place was pretty empty so I was soon ensconced in a seat by the window. Having so many yummy veggie & vegan things on the menu, it's hard to choose what to eat - it's such a luxury knowing that you can eat practically anything on the menu for once! I eventually settled for the Thai fritter of broccoli and marinated tofu starter, followed by stir-fried veg with Udon noodles and smoked tofu for the main, washed down with a large glass of Chilean Carmenere - a red wine that until recently was mistaken for a Merlot, according to the wine list. I'm not sure that it was the correct choice for my meal as I found it rather too rich for my taste, but it was an excellent wine nonetheless. Everything too delicious for words, especially the main course which came topped with the biggest slab of tofu I've ever seen on a dish. However, I think I will still reserve my accolade of "best tofu in the known Universe" for the Hanoi Bike Shop in Glasgow. So hat's off to Banns - still as good as I remembered. I'll try not to leave it as long before my return.
We loved everything about this vegetarian restaurant that any foodie would enjoy. The food was delicious and beautifully presented. We shared two desserts. The chocolate cake with pear compote and whisky ice cream was a delight! The decor was sleek and yet warm. It's best to make a reservation although we were seated mid week.
This was the meal I was most looking forward to in my vacation to Scotland. Although it was not the best vegetarian meal in the UK it was above average. If youre looking for a unique meal, i would recommend DB. Here's what we ordered: - sweet potato & orange soup of the day: quite a remarkable balance of sweet potato and wee hint of orange. It actually sounded unpleasant bc of the citrus but my fiance ordered it and when i tried it I found it to be quite good. - tofu appetizer: a total miss due to lack of texture. The exterior had no crispness, it was rather rubbery on the outside and mushy inside. The tofu had a hint of smoke but no other taste stood out. The mango curry sauce to smear on the tofu helped the dish be palatable. The issue was the size of the tofu. There are 2 large triangles about 3 inches thick. That is too large to get proper texture. Also the mango chutney needed to be more of a sauce for spreadability. - chickpea curry: right amount of heat. - quinoa entree wrapped in grilled zuchinni: creative but too dry. This needed a sauce. And protein. The lack of protein in the dishes was disappointing. The environment does nothing to enhance the dining experience. I can appreciate mminimalism if it is done well and this attempt missed the mark. 2 dark colored walls and meager lighting fixture were blah but the candle lighting on the tables are enough to keep the place at a good date spot.
This restaurant feels like you are having a great meal and you forget you are In a vegetarian restaurant. We had the Thai fritters that were absolutely amazing. I also had the mushroom goat cheese and heather ale stelrudel which was equally good. The lentil Shepard's pie was a Good also. The only thing that was a bummer was when we ready to have dessert they told us that they needed the table in a half hour and we should essentially rush. The problem was that they took their time serving each dish we figured they were ok with it. We would have ordered earlier but we didn't know. So we can't comment on dessert. We even commented that we felt we were on European time. So be to told we had to rush was a downer and a mood kill.
I've been wanting to try David Bann for a few years and eventually got a chance to make a reservation whilst holidaying in Edinburgh during November 2016. I visited with a party of four and we pre-booked our table, which I would recommend as this is a very busy restaurant. It's decorated in dark, rich wood and shades of aubergine, however bright lighting and a large open plan dining room ensure the overall atmosphere is relaxed and informal. On arrival we were seated and offered complimentary bread rolls. There's so much selection on the menus, David Bann really is Vegetarian Heaven so it took us ages to decide what to order. Our starters consisted of one hummus with chutney and bread, one goats cheese, caramelised onion and sun blush tomato tartlet and two Thai fritters of smoked tofu, broccoli, ginger, chilli, lemongrass, sesame and coriander served with fresh banana chutney and plum sauce. Everything was sublime, unique, delicious and flavourful. For my main I choose a parsnip, apple and blue cheese pudding served with roast vegetables and puy lentil stew. It was fantastic. My three dinning companions, even the carnivores, loved their mains as well. They all opted for the aubergine, chick pea and cashew koftas served with roasted sweet potato in a spicy coconut sauce plus green beans and sweet papaya side salad. Service from our waiter was impeccable and although we initially planned to have three courses we were so full after two we just couldn't manage dessert. Nonetheless we've resolved to return and try the dessert menu when next in Edinburgh. David Bann is now one of my favourite restaurants and I would literally travel to Edinburgh just to dine here. I would highly recommended this restaurant, even those who aren't Vegetarian will enjoy the gorgeous food.
We had an amazing experience at David Bann. It's an all-vegetarian fine-dining restaurant, with food that is both gorgeous in presentation and in taste. We decided on this restaurant late in the day, and the only reservation was late...we took it but showed up a couple hours early, and with a short wait, they were able to seat us at a nice table on a busy evening. Grateful for that! My wife and I shared two starters, the final and the smoked tofu. We loved everything about both of these dishes in taste and presentation. We also shared the Double-Baked Pudding - a delicate dish sort of like a soufflé made with a nice cheese ambiance about it. Really good flavors and Scottish ingredients for the win. We liked it, though the starters were definitely the stars of the meal for us. We didn't have a cocktail as we were heading out to a whisky bar later (and we have limits ;) but the cocktail menu looked delicious and what we saw being delivered to other tables also had as second guessing those limits we have for ourselves. We're lucky to have stumbled on this spot...off the beaten path, but close enough to the Royal Mile to make it accessible on foot. It's an especially great find for vegetarians and one of the best vegetarian-specific restaurants we've been to anywhere. read more
2 months ago
This is I've of the best vegetarian restaurants I've enjoyed. Walking in, the restaurant it's quite modern in its appointment with wooden tables, chairs, floors and wall decoration. It's simple but tasteful. Our server Iona, brought us to our table at the window where we were able to watch the world walk by. Iona was very helpful and guided us to make excellent choices. She's very friendly and professional. For lunch we chose several starters and a main. The starters included the short crust tart that was a delicate pastry filled with clarified onion and cheese. Totally delicious. My wife enjoyed the dinner salad with very fresh veggies. We also chose the lemon braised fennel and David's tofu. We were trying to she appetite for dinner and only ordered one main, the Koftas. They are like an eggplant felafel. They were delicious. The slightly spicy curry sauce in which they were served was also great. read more
2 months ago
First day in Edinburgh Scotland, my very considerate friend made a reservation at this vegetarian restaurant that had lots of vegan options! She's an omnivore. When we entered the restaurant, we were greeted warmly. The restaurant had a beautiful ambiance, very welcoming atmosphere. The menu was easy to figure out. Everything was vegetarian with a V to denote vegan and a [V] to let you know the dish could be made vegan. Everything on the menu looked delicious and hard to narrow down choices. We were offered consomme, and it was so flavorful! I narrowed my choice down to Haggis Fritters served with hummus and banana chutney. Reminded me of falafel. I also got smoked and marinated tofu with sweet miso sesame sauce and pickled cucumbers. This was delicious! My friend got the soup of the day, which was a tomato with lentil soup that came with bread. She really liked it! read more
1 year ago
Nice surprise to stumble upon a vegetarian restaurant in Edinburgh. Service was a bit slow but food was excellent. The risotto was perfectly cooked with great flavor and the mushroom bake was hearty and tasty. Would return again. read more
9 months ago
What an amazing place for vegan food lovers! Went with my family and the food was great. We had David's tofu and Braised Celeriac for starters. Koftas and Risotto as main. Both were amazing and highly recommended. The deserts were excellent. Try the soufflé with ginger ice cream. We also had the sticky toffee pudding. If you are in Edinburgh, do try out this place. Excellent choice for vegan or vegetarians. read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
3 years ago
Found on Yelp while looking for Vegetarian options, and WOW, so good we will be back to work our way through the menu. Cozy seating, friendly staff and great vibe. read more
"David Bann Vegetarian Restaurant" reads the outside window. For some reason I feel like vegetarian restaurants get a bad rap or are second class citizens to full spectrum places but David Bann would be a hard place to compete with, even if you did serve meat. To start with, it's a very elegant place. The decor is tasteful, refined, with tablecloths. The waiters are well dressed and the lights are dimmed. Actually, since I came for a dinner with friends, I was slightly concerned it was too nice for a fairly casual dinner. However, the waiters were very kind, and the prices were reasonable for a nicer place. The food, though, is what deserves the real praise, since it was fantastic! I had the strudel which was mushroom and goat cheese baked in filo with fried polenta on the side. It was one of the heavier options available but still didn't make me feel too heavy afterwards. One of my friends enjoyed the risotto which was very tasty as well, can definitely recommend! read more
3 years ago
9 years ago
It's been a long time since I've been to Bann's, but as I had a couple of hours to spare and happened to be at this end of town, I decided to treat myself. It was early, so the place was pretty empty so I was soon ensconced in a seat by the window. Having so many yummy veggie & vegan things on the menu, it's hard to choose what to eat - it's such a luxury knowing that you can eat practically anything on the menu for once! I eventually settled for the Thai fritter of broccoli and marinated tofu starter, followed by stir-fried veg with Udon noodles and smoked tofu for the main, washed down with a large glass of Chilean Carmenere - a red wine that until recently was mistaken for a Merlot, according to the wine list. I'm not sure that it was the correct choice for my meal as I found it rather too rich for my taste, but it was an excellent wine nonetheless. Everything too delicious for words, especially the main course which came topped with the biggest slab of tofu I've ever seen on a dish. However, I think I will still reserve my accolade of "best tofu in the known Universe" for the Hanoi Bike Shop in Glasgow. So hat's off to Banns - still as good as I remembered. I'll try not to leave it as long before my return. read more
4 years ago
We loved everything about this vegetarian restaurant that any foodie would enjoy. The food was delicious and beautifully presented. We shared two desserts. The chocolate cake with pear compote and whisky ice cream was a delight! The decor was sleek and yet warm. It's best to make a reservation although we were seated mid week. read more
3 years ago
7 years ago
This was the meal I was most looking forward to in my vacation to Scotland. Although it was not the best vegetarian meal in the UK it was above average. If youre looking for a unique meal, i would recommend DB. Here's what we ordered: - sweet potato & orange soup of the day: quite a remarkable balance of sweet potato and wee hint of orange. It actually sounded unpleasant bc of the citrus but my fiance ordered it and when i tried it I found it to be quite good. - tofu appetizer: a total miss due to lack of texture. The exterior had no crispness, it was rather rubbery on the outside and mushy inside. The tofu had a hint of smoke but no other taste stood out. The mango curry sauce to smear on the tofu helped the dish be palatable. The issue was the size of the tofu. There are 2 large triangles about 3 inches thick. That is too large to get proper texture. Also the mango chutney needed to be more of a sauce for spreadability. - chickpea curry: right amount of heat. - quinoa entree wrapped in grilled zuchinni: creative but too dry. This needed a sauce. And protein. The lack of protein in the dishes was disappointing. The environment does nothing to enhance the dining experience. I can appreciate mminimalism if it is done well and this attempt missed the mark. 2 dark colored walls and meager lighting fixture were blah but the candle lighting on the tables are enough to keep the place at a good date spot. read more
This restaurant feels like you are having a great meal and you forget you are In a vegetarian restaurant. We had the Thai fritters that were absolutely amazing. I also had the mushroom goat cheese and heather ale stelrudel which was equally good. The lentil Shepard's pie was a Good also. The only thing that was a bummer was when we ready to have dessert they told us that they needed the table in a half hour and we should essentially rush. The problem was that they took their time serving each dish we figured they were ok with it. We would have ordered earlier but we didn't know. So we can't comment on dessert. We even commented that we felt we were on European time. So be to told we had to rush was a downer and a mood kill. read more
3 years ago
6 years ago
I've been wanting to try David Bann for a few years and eventually got a chance to make a reservation whilst holidaying in Edinburgh during November 2016. I visited with a party of four and we pre-booked our table, which I would recommend as this is a very busy restaurant. It's decorated in dark, rich wood and shades of aubergine, however bright lighting and a large open plan dining room ensure the overall atmosphere is relaxed and informal. On arrival we were seated and offered complimentary bread rolls. There's so much selection on the menus, David Bann really is Vegetarian Heaven so it took us ages to decide what to order. Our starters consisted of one hummus with chutney and bread, one goats cheese, caramelised onion and sun blush tomato tartlet and two Thai fritters of smoked tofu, broccoli, ginger, chilli, lemongrass, sesame and coriander served with fresh banana chutney and plum sauce. Everything was sublime, unique, delicious and flavourful. For my main I choose a parsnip, apple and blue cheese pudding served with roast vegetables and puy lentil stew. It was fantastic. My three dinning companions, even the carnivores, loved their mains as well. They all opted for the aubergine, chick pea and cashew koftas served with roasted sweet potato in a spicy coconut sauce plus green beans and sweet papaya side salad. Service from our waiter was impeccable and although we initially planned to have three courses we were so full after two we just couldn't manage dessert. Nonetheless we've resolved to return and try the dessert menu when next in Edinburgh. David Bann is now one of my favourite restaurants and I would literally travel to Edinburgh just to dine here. I would highly recommended this restaurant, even those who aren't Vegetarian will enjoy the gorgeous food. read more
Ok so a fabled 5 star review from myself - only because this place delivered exactly what I was after and that was due to the following reasons: * Fantastic vegetarian food and very reasonable prices. The Thai fritter to start and kofta for mains was tres kick ass!! * Great staff - nothing was too much trouble - I even got a last minute reservation when this place fills up often. * Tasty pear juice to drink seemed nice and fresh. * Seeing as I was dining alone it didn't drag and I had 2 courses and still got to check out the ambience within an hour. * The price again - around £20 for starter, a main and a juice! read more
Like Jenny, Elizabeth and Menno, we all headed here to try David Bann last night for a wee Yelper meal out. Most of us had heard great things about David Bann and were desperate to try it and although I've given it 4*, it is closer to a 3.5* but we can't do 1/2 stars. So what I liked: I've been in a fair few vegetarian and vegan restaurants around the world whilst travelling and they all seem to have that hippy, patchouli oil feel to them so it was nice to come somewhere that was more upmarket - wooden floors, candles, lovely simple decor. There is a separate Gluten Free menu and there is plenty of choice. I was particularly impressed by the desserts. I didn't partake this time but there was plenty of temptation beyond ice-cream or sorbets so that would sway me to return. GF oatcakes as a starter is a nice touch - so many places offer gf options but no bread or oatcakes and tucking in and breaking bread is such a ritual when eating out, so its nice not being the odd one out. Menu's sounded tempting and I did struggle to decide between a few options (again - choice is good) and as it has been a hellish month at work, then the large glass of red tempranillo I ordered was delish - lovely, warming and smooth. I probably opted for the wrong starter. I had the Thai Fritters which were ok but I didn't like the banana relish which came with it and it meant they were too similar to my main which was the aubergine and chickpea koftas. The koftas were nice and tasty enough but I did notice varying amounts of sauce on everyone's plate (mines was limited) so I ate them with raita mostly. I just noticed that Jenny has called this coconut sauce and it was meant to be this, but I am certain it was raita on my plate and I liked this. I would have liked the pineapple chutney to have been separated from the raita (raita dumped on top) so I could get all the different flavours. I was ok with the rice compared to Jenny L but I do like rice plain and I'm not a huge coriander fan so I was glad this wasn't the overwhelming flavour. Service was good - staff appeared well organised (little grid used when taking orders so they knew what food went where). So what I didn't like: David Bann has a high end reputation. I was thinking Mark Greenaway but pure veggies. This is not the case. This was disappointing. It is expensive for what you get - my food was ok but I wasn't wowed. If I describe things as nice then its ok, not mind blowing and nice doesn't justify this price tag. A few pounds cheaper and it might be ok but it may be a case of paying for the old town location. I actually thought the presentation was quite basic so although the restaurant was visually appealing, the food wasn't as much. Also the one dish that did look appealing was the mushroom loaf Menno had and that was the one dish that did look like a meaty Sunday roast (with lots of sauce!)... I have a friend who is vegetarian who does come here, so I would maybe go again, if only to ditch the starters and try the desserts. I'm sure he'd for once like a menu on one of our nights out where he can chose anything from it, not be restricted to one or two items. But for vegetarian newbies to Edinburgh, I don't think I'd be saying 'OMG you MUST go to David Bann...' read more
Absolutely a-ma-zing!! Definitely on my top 10 for best vegetarian restaurants! Everything we tried was top noch, I asked my risotto to be made without celery and it was accommodated with no problem. Thai fritters and banana chutney were to die for! Mushroom strudel with mash and vegetable ragout was just divine!!! Can't wait to come back!! Two out of 3 in our table were not vegetarian and both completely loved their meals too we shared a bit of everything between the 3 of us! Staff was really kind and food came out quickly and fresh, awesome place!!! read more
8 years ago
Well. I never thought I'd see the day I'd give a vegetarian restaurant 4 whole stars! Seriously though, I was a bit skeptical of whether I'd enjoy our group meal at a veggie place but I couldn't fault it. For starters I was torn between the ravioli and the walnut gnocchi salad but in the end I opted for the latter. It was delish! Not the type of gnocchi I was expecting, they were fried rather than boiled, but v tasty nevertheless. They were served on a bed of baby leaves and beetroot which had some kind of sweet and salty glaze to them. Drool... The smoked cheese cubes sprinkled over the top gave the dish another dimension. Different textures and different taste sensations. Can't believe I'm waxing lyrical over a salad!!! For main I opted for the chickpea koftas which was served with coriander rice, a curry sauce and a cucumber and raita salad. I ate every bit! The koftas were soft with a nutty type texture. The sauce not overpowering but really complimented the dish well. Not a scrap was left on my plate! I did fully intend to have a dessert but between the fennel seed roll at the beginning and the 2 courses I honestly couldn't have managed a dessert (well actually I could have probably squeezed one in but I didn't want my fellow yelpers thinking I'm a greedy cow!). The service was great, the waitress really attentive and friendly and she didn't seem irritated by the fact a few of us has to pay separately as we were leaving earlier. The wine menu was pretty extensive and I opted for a cheeky glass of Spanish Tempranillo which was served at the perfect temperature. Mint and citrus water for the table and boom! An excellent experience through and through! Would I go back? Actually, yes! Although the lure of meat from other nice restaurants might prove too much for me. I just wish i had a token vegetarian friend to give me the excuse to go back! Unfortunately all mine are die hard carnivores :( read more
Went here for dinner with a few friends and I must admit I was not totally Au fait with giving it four stars. It's more like a 3.5 for me than a 4. The menu is good and the place was packed on a Monday night. It is obviously popular and probably not reliant on my review for success ;-)) The choices are better than you expect in a vegetarian place and the food is served beautifully and looks good. My starter was served beautifully but it lacked flavour for what was a thai inspired starter. My main course tasted delicious but it felt like there were three different meals on one plate as none of it went together but individually tasted excellent. In general the food lacked a bit of seasoning. The wine list is nice and reasonable and the service is also good. It is a cut above many places that serves vegetarian food but for the prices you pay I expect more. I would come back here however won't hurry back. read more
8 years ago
The fennel salad [£7.95] which had raspberries in it was good., as was the soup of the day [£4.25] which was butternut squash with ginger. For the main courses we had the spicy chili [£13.50] and the noodles with tofu [£12.50]. They were healthy but not especially tasty. The chili came with the worst tasting guacamole I've ever had and some very delicious chocolate sauce. read more
12 years ago
Summary based on one dinner: -ok, better than average food, but not quite up to the hype -relatively inexpensive -service seemed ok -ok decor read more
14 years ago
I happened to convince my travel companion to come for one (relatively expensive) meal at a vegetarian restaurant during my trip around Scotland. Overall, my experience at David Bann was fantastic and, if my schedule allowed for it, I would have eaten there every day during my visit. The atmosphere is more on the intimate/romantic side but I'd happily eat there with family and friends too. When our food came, the dishes had nice flavours and were well prepared, covering a number of different types of cuisine, including classic English, Thai and Indian. There were a few really nice touches on the menu, and the broad choice made it hard to make a selection, as it all sounded good. The pasta main I had (tofu and spaghetti in a tomato sauce; see photo) was very good. The servers were very pleasant, knowledgeable and more than willing to answer any questions. Though it's not a 'cheap' meal, it's well worth the money! read more
8 years ago
16 years ago
I don't quite understand the reviews claiming that that they literally missed meat while they were in David Banns or that its fine for vegetarians but not for everyone else. Even before I was a vegetarian I didn't feel the need to eat meat breakfast, elevenses, lunch and dinner, or every day for that matter. That would be quite some dependence. I like other good groups, like dairy or carbohydrates. But if I went into a restaurant free of them, I think I could probably manage for one meal without getting too upset. I feel like because people notice it is veggie, for some reason they have a predisposition toward seeing this as the sole reason for its faults. So I think maybe people need to realise a vegetarian restaurant can be crap for reasons other than its lacking animal. As its stands I don't think David Bann is crap (the restaurant, not the man, he might be crap for all I know). There are plenty of vegetarian restaurants I don't like regardless of being veggie, but I do like Bann. My first and only gripe really is that its a touch more expensive than Edinburgh average. Expect to pay around or just over £10 for a main course (and you're likely to have a starter and/or a dessert). There's not a huge number of dishes on the menu, but that's because it's all fresher than fresh (and mostly organic). The last time I ate here I had udon noodles, in a red pepper sauce, with smoked tofu. It was lovely! Thus dispelling the myth that tofu does, and will always, taste like a mixture of paper and water. I have to admit that I don't find the restaurant overly filling. However I've always had this problem with restaurants, even before I became a vegetarian. Some have eluded that the problem is that there doesn't appear to be any meat around (anywhere!) but a niggling feeling in the back of my mind tells me its because the portions are small. In general David Bann is a great restaurant. It's good for vegetarians willing to spend a little extra for some fancier food, or just generally for those wanting to experiment with very flavorful organic produce. read more
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