Daniel's Bistro

This review appears in the The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2009 – in the shops now or buy online.

This Leith stalwart has been serving up hearty, unpretentious French fare in relaxed, informal surroundings for over a decade. Originally from Alsace, the eponymous Daniel displays the bistro’s roots by showcasing a selection of the region’s wines in an extensive list, while efficient staff present a menu replete with classic French dishes. A soft crepe stuffed with creamy mushrooms and topped with gratinated cheese is real comfort food, and an escargot starter drenches each tender nugget of snail meat in sizzling garlic butter. Pork knuckle, described as a ‘substantial dish’, doesn’t disappoint, with an intense red-wine sauce complementing the robust (if slightly fatty) ham. And, teeming over with Scottish seafood such as salmon, langoustines and mussels, the light broth of Fisherman’s Wharf casserole is ideal for soaking up with some French bread. But desserts are the real stars of the show: cracking at the tap of a spoon to reveal a creamy, vanilla-scented custard beneath, the crème brûlée shows how this classic should be done, while the delicate curls of the dark-chocolate terrine belie its richness and depth of flavour, set off perfectly by a tangy orange coulis. For rustic, homely cooking in a casual setting, Daniel’s Bistro is a reliable choice.

• High point: Daniel’s deliciously decadent desserts
• Low point: The conservatory dining area feels a bit like a garden-centre café

The LIST Card F49

Daniel's Bistro

The following information has been provided by the restaurant.

Daniel’s is a notable and well established Restaurant in Leith’s wonderful “Gastro jungle”. Owner run, multi awarded and especially very much loved, Daniel’s transcends extraordinarily well all social categories into a busy, happy cauldron, where its many customers/friends/fans/devotees keep on delighting themselves with a unique blend of eclectic foods that is found nowhere else in the city.

Well located near the old docks, inside a historic former whisky bonded warehouse, just opposite the majestic Scottish Government building, and near Ocean Terminal shopping Mall, Daniel’s glass and steel eatery lends a continental feel to an area that already has a fair amount of French connection (Bordeaux wines, Marie Queen of Scots, Marie of Guise, Franco Scottish trading alliances).

A modern, architecturally perfect and beautifully vibrant restaurant everyone does find something to their taste, as the menus offer contrasting styles of cuisines (classic & modern) reflecting flair, tradition and innovation.

The Press says…
• It is refreshing to know there is an eatery that you can rely on for consistently good cooking The Scotsman
• Robust cooking at good prices makes this lively Leith Bistro a consistently popular recommendation Hardens best UK Restaurants
• This popular French Bistro is one of the true stalwarts of the Leith Dining Scene The Independent on Sunday
• Amongst the best French Restaurants in Edinburgh Peter Irvine “Scotland the Best”
• An excellent standard of food, service and ambience Scottish Tourist Board
• A definite French flavor where the cooking is robust and gutsy to match the splendid Welcome Taste of Scotland
• Daniel’s Bistro is one of the best places to eat The List

The LIST Card is a dining scheme that gives you promotional two-for-one offers at a range of restaurants in Glasgow, Edinburgh and beyond. Find out more.