The Scottish Café and Restaurant
The Mound
- Food served: Mon–Wed & Fri/Sat 8am–6pm; Thu 8am–7pm; Sun 10am–6pm; [Aug & Dec: Open evenings].
- Number of wines sold by the glass: 8
- Also offers: Vegetarian options (at least ¼ main courses), Children's portions, Children's high chairs, Wheelchair access, Outdoor tables
- Music on stereo: Jazz
- Capacity: 100 (café), 70 (restaurant)
- Largest group: 100
- Open since: 2009
- Average price:
£16.95 (in the restaurant) - House wine: £14.95 per bottle
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The 2011/12 edition of The List's Eating & Drinking Guide is out now – only £5.95 (+p&p).
This review is taken from the current (2011) edition.
Since taking over the restaurant in the Scottish National Gallery in 2009, Carina and Victor Contini have set about putting their special stamp on the place. As at sister restaurant Centotre, provenance and quality ingredients are of utmost importance. On display is a large map of Scotland detailing their suppliers and the menu is awash with place names. The large two-tiered room is clearly divided, with a smart restaurant on the mezzanine, and the more informal café overlooking Princes Street gardens on ground level. Service is very welcoming in both, although staff sometimes seem overwhelmed by the sheer number of tables. Soups, snacks and sandwiches are the order of the day on the café menu, though far from mundane: think Isle of Mull cheddar and slices of Borders ham with homemade chutney, or home-pickled mackerel with beetroot and cucumber. A speciality is the lowly Aberdeen buttery taken to new heights with the addition of Clava brie and chutney. The proud display of freshly baked cakes and scones may well entice you to find room for something sweet – the Victoria sponge with homemade raspberry jam is a beautiful sight. The restaurant menu is similarly mindful of provenance and season and is tweaked daily if early sunshine brings Perthshire asparagus sooner than expected, or a chilly spring means the hill lamb’s a bit late. A bowlful of creamy organic East Lothian cauliflower and Isle of Mull cheddar soup might be the preamble to oatmeal-crusted Shetland salmon with watercress purée and a caper hollandaise, with rhubarb fool and crisp home-baked stem ginger shortbread to follow. The restaurant menu is available during the daytime at £16.95 for two courses, or £20.95 for three. If you’re looking for a fresh and genuine taste of Scotland without the fussiness of much restaurant cooking, this is a good place to come.
- High point: Commitment to local sourcing and a beautiful view over Princes Street gardens
- Low point: Not open in the evening
Events at The Scottish Café and Restaurant (Scottish National Gallery, The Mound, Edinburgh)
Reviews of The Scottish Café and Restaurant (Scottish National Gallery, The Mound, Edinburgh)
- 3. NMcW, Edinburgh – 21 October 2011, 11:34amThe Scottish Café and RestaurantReport
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I visited for lunch yesterday, with an hour to spare before going to Waverley, and it couldn't have been better. The eating area is big and spacious - no cramming in of tables - and the service was both friendly and professional. The black pudding & apple salad was superb, and it's really impressive that a big city centre eatery like this takes so much care over its ingredients. My cappuccino was pretty much perfect, and served with a wee shortbread round. It's not a fast food place, thank goodness, but it took no longer than I'd expect to prepare good food - and no complaints about waiting with one of the best views in Edinburgh. Hats off to the Scottish Café.
- 2. HMS, Edinburgh – 29 September 2010, 10:27pm
The Scottish Café and RestaurantReport -
The longest wait I have experienced in whole Scotland (and in a empty restaurant!!). Also very rude and impolite staff. The point is that I was there as a TURIST.
6 months later I decided to pass there again, and give one more chance to the beautiful view. What happened? Rude impolite and impacient people again! And the cappuccino was very week and tasteless and the hot chocolate was more a cold chocolate.
Well, at least I know where I WON'T go any more in Edinburgh.
- 1. Morna – 10 March 2010, 11:45am
The Scottish Café and RestaurantReport -
Mmmm the butteries were lovely!
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