$$ Restaurant
About
Nestled within the historic Scotsman building, the Grand Cafe was meticulously restored, inviting guests to savour traditional European flavours and innovative cocktails in a circa 1905 venue. Since their grand opening in Summer of 2018, the Grand Cafe has embarked on a journey to weave new tales within their time-honoured walls, crafting unforgettable experiences for it's guests.
Led by a talented kitchen team, their seasonal menu celebrates the finest Scottish produce, offering a diverse array of flavours to tantalize your palate. Whether you're joining them for brunch, a leisurely dinner, or an evening of cocktails, their relaxed atmosphere sets the stage for unforgettable moments. The Grand Cafe offers weekly and monthly events, where food, drink, and entertainment converge to create a truly magical experience.
Location
Nestled within one of Edinburgh's renowned hotels, The Grand Cafe boasts an ideal location. The Scotsman Hotel was once the home for Edinburghs ground breaking newspaper of the same name, sits at the corner facing the North bridge, with elevator access down towards Waverley train station. The hotel maintains many of its original features, including floor to ceiling panelling, large marble stair cases and an unchanged baroque exterior. To learn more about the Scotsman hotel you can read about my stay here.
Ambiance
The last time I visited Edinburgh I had stayed at the Scotsman Hotel, and every morning myself and my brother would pass the Grand Cafe. It had been decorated for Christmas and the panelled walls, with tall pillars of marble lined with garlands and lights. The room always glowed with warmth; however, we did not have the time to stop inside during that short trip. One year had passed and It was time for us to return to Edinburgh and I of course made it my top priority to visit the Grand Cafe, and of course I made it our first reservation of the trip. My mother, sister and I arrived in Edinburgh early on a cool November morning at approximately 6:45am and I had secured a reservation for The Grand Cafes earliest time slot, which was 9am.
We made it through security, received our luggages and made it to our hotel by 7:30, which happened to be across the street from The Grand Cafe. While we waited for our reservation, we had a tea at a close by Pret a Manger and explored the cobblestone streets as the sun slowly began to rise. We made it to Edinburgh castle just in time to see the sunrise over the city as we looked from the ledge at the sprawling city below. After exploring the city for a few hours with little to no sleep from the flight and a bit of hunger from all the walking we were excited to finally sit down and eat something other than plane food.
We entered through their exterior entrance on North Bridge. The entrance way held a Christmas Tree, Circular Chandelier, marble steps and bulbs lit from above the door way, similar to those you see at a theatre. Similar to that of a theatre, they had posters on either side of the entrance with information about live shows and dinner and a movie options. The interior is beyond stunning, with tiled flooring, velvet chairs and booths deep reds, blues and greens. There is a long intricate bar to the left of the entrance and to the right the expanse of the dining room. Tall marble pillars draw your line of sight upwards towards a balcony with even more seating. The space was even more beautiful than I remembered.
What we Ordered
Eggs Royal £13.95
I had been recommended to try smoked salmon during my next trip to Edinburgh and so once I saw the Eggs Royal which is an Eggs Benedict made with St James Scottish Smoked Salmon, a toasted muffin, poached eggs and topped with Hollandaise Sauce. The smoked salmon was delightful, the eggs cooked perfectly and the hollandaise not to much or to little. I do wish it came with a side of a lightly dressed salad or something to compliment it, but ultimately the Eggs Royal on their own was more than enough food, especially since the exhaustion from a whole night of traveling and morning of walking was starting to catch up to me. I ordered grapefruit juice instead of tea or coffee since I had one earlier at Pret a Manger and felt I needed a bit of sugar in my system to pick me up.
Eggs Benedict £11.95
My mother ordered their traditional Eggs Benedict made with Ayrshire Smoked Bacon. The egg, toasted muffin and Hollandaise sauce were nearly identical to the ones on my own egg. However, she did find the Ayrshire smoked bacon a bit on the salty side and had difficulty getting through it. My sister ordered only a lemon & ginger tea £4.
Conclusion
The Grand Cafe, nestled within the historic Scotsman building, offers a captivating blend of tradition and innovation. From its meticulously restored ambiance to its seasonal menu celebrating Scottish produce, every detail contributes to a memorable dining experience. Our visit, marked by stunning decor and delectable dishes, was a great way to start our trip. With each bite of the Eggs Royal and Eggs Benedict, we savoured the rich flavours. As we left, we carried with us not just the taste of the food, but also the warmth of the ambiance and the anticipation of returning to create more cherished memories at The Grand Cafe.
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