The Balmoral is a hotel which stands proudly at the end of Edinburgh’s Princes Street. Tourists walking past can look up at its grand Victorian architecture and imagine what sorts of people stay within its storied walls. What is less well known, however, is the restaurant which lies within its basement.
Number One is The Balmoral’s fine dining restaurant, serving hotel guests and visiting diners alike. Making use of the best Scottish ingredients and combining classical and contemporary techniques, the restaurant offers an elegant interpretation of Scottish cuisine and should not be missed by visitors to Edinburgh.
Design & Interiors
One of the best things about the whole experience is the table – or, more specifically, the way you are seated at it.
The best table in the house is a curved banquette with a large, circular, white-clothed table overlooking the rest of the restaurant. On approach, the waiter pulls the table out on wheels, allowing the guest to sit down before it is gently moved back into place and the diner is tucked in. It is a small piece of theatre, but one that immediately sets the tone for the evening.
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The room itself is comfortably decorated, with dark, glossy walls and soft furnishings creating an intimate atmosphere. Being underground, the hustle and bustle of Edinburgh’s city centre feels a world away; there is no traffic noise or distraction from outside, making it easy to settle into the slower pace of the restaurant.
Food & Drink
The menu makes the most of classic Scottish ingredients. There was salmon, crab, caviar and steak, each handled with the precision expected of a fine dining restaurant while allowing the quality of the ingredients to speak for itself.
The standout dish, however, was the dessert, which centred around green apples prepared in a multitude of ways. It was an inventive way of taking a familiar ingredient and turning it into something considerably more sophisticated.
Adding another distinctly Scottish touch, the honey used in the dish was made from the produce of the hives on top of the hotel itself. The air in Edinburgh is just about clean enough for this to sound idyllic – and, in the context of the dessert, it was.
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Service
The service was attentive and kind without ever becoming overbearing. The staff had a good sense of humour and guided diners through the dishes in a thoughtful, unpretentious way.
There was a sense that the team wanted guests to enjoy themselves rather than simply to deliver a highly choreographed fine dining experience. It made the evening feel relaxed, despite the sophistication of the food.
The verdict
Number One is a quietly impressive restaurant which benefits from its setting inside one of Edinburgh’s most recognisable hotels. The cooking is polished without being showy, the service is warm and the room has an intimacy that is difficult to achieve in a larger dining space.
For visitors looking for a refined taste of Scotland, without the experience feeling overly formal or stuffy, Number One is well worth a visit.
More information
- Address: 1 Princes St., Edinburgh EH2 2EQ
- Website: The Balmoral, Number One
- Contact for reservations: numberone.balmoral@roccofortehotels.com; +44 131 557 6727
