Angels with Bagpipes

I’ve only been here once for dinner. The place is reasonably priced and the food and service were good. I had the scallops to start, followed by the venison and then the chocolate brownie for dessert. It was overall a satisfying meal and I would return again.

Whack bang on the royal mile, it is a frequent with fellow foreigners who wish to try what Scotland has to offer. It has a great ambience for couples.
The Beef tartare starter was beautifully seasoned and a good portion for starter. One of the best I have tried in Edinburgh. Very well prepared by the chef.
I then had the lamb rump as the main and it didn’t disappoint me either. Pink and perfectly cooked with affection. It is one of the best lamb dish I have ever tried in Edinburgh.
The earl grey panna cotta sounds weird at first for a dessert but omg — best panna cotta ever. You need to try this. The earl grey really blend well with the ingredient in the panna cotta.
Angel of bagpipes certainly does impress when it comes to red meat. But today all the 3 dishes deserves a 10 out of 10 from me. I’ll definitely be back to try the other dishes. I highly rate this restaurant for both locals and foreigners alike who wishes to sample Scottish food at its best.

It was one my friend’s graduation day and we ended up coming here for dinner to celebrate. Make sure you have reservation for this place because you won’t get a table otherwise your lucky. It’s a small restaurant but centrally located on the Royal mile.
The place is pretty trendy and has the typical modern restaurant atmosphere. The menu has a good variety of first and second courses. We all opted out for the first course cause we didn’t fancy anything on there but it had a couple of Scottish-​esk selection like haggis and blood sausage.
For the main course, they offered venison, rabbit, fish, and steak. We all decided to get the 18oz chateaubriand. This dish is good for two people and they will ask you how you like your steak cooked… Rate, medium rare, etc. It also includes 3 different sides and 2 sauces. We asked our meat to be cooked rare and it definitely came out that way! The meat was not bloody and very tender. The meat was nice, but it was missing that meaty steak taste I like with this dish so I knew it wasn’t age that long. You get plenty of meat, but the sides were pretty small servings as well as the sauces. The peppercorn and butter sauce however was amazing! For £55, it was decent and definitely satisfied my craving for steak.
The dessert selection was ok… Nothing really stood out for me. I was trying to be adventurous but also wanted something light since the meal was heavy so I ordered an apple dessert. This was a disappointing dessert and I wouldn’t recommend getting it cause it basically was just cut up Granny Smith apples with caramel and a couple of crunchy sponge. I expected a lot more from this dish and we all joked around how this was more of a salad than a dessert. Highly disappointed since I’m a total dessert person and they could have easily created a better homage for the apple. My suggestion… Avoid this dessert cause the chocolate brownie and the cheesecake looked and tasted better.
The staff were all nice especially the front desk staff who helped us the whole night. They watched over us and made sure we were happy with things.
I’d come back to this place and taste the other dishes since the food was well cooked and flavourful. I like the trendy atmosphere and the location as well. The price of the dishes follows the norm of these type of restaurant, so that was good. Overall, it was a good experience that definitely help making my friend’s graduation day, a little bit more special!

My boyfriend and I are in Scotland for a weekend out of town. We enjoyed a nice bottle of Rioja, a chateaubriand that came with rocket and Parmesan, green beans and shallots, and chips. The atmosphere is nice and classy, and the staff is friendly. Would recommend!

Angels with bagpipes? If angels really did play bagpipes… infer what you will.
As a modern Scottish eatery, this is a gem. Hidden in plain sight, right on the Royal Mile. Traditional Scottish food elevated using the freshest obtainable ingredients served in a contemporary, multi story building overlooking centuries old courtyard.
The menu is seasonal. Autumn 2015, for starters, the potato and leek soup with a poached egg and croutons is outstanding. Creamy, the vibrant flavor of the leaks mellowed ever so slightly when you break the egg open. The scallop with black pudding, and unexpected joy to eat. Tart green apple purée provides the base for beautifully seared, incredibly sweet scallop. The accompanying black pudding has been deep fried in bacon fat rendering it crispy. Barely a hint that it’s a blood sausage. Crisp streaky bacon adds even more Porky goodness. Some bitter greens rounds out the extremely well balanced, textually satisfying dish.
For mains, it’s hard to pass on the selection of fish. All combine intriguing flavors of produce that miraculously heightens the flavor of the fish. The salmon cooked mid rare is extremely rich. The crispy skin adds a brilliant foil. The use of a red pepper purée heightens the natural sweetness, bitter greens accentuate the fatty flavor. The natural flavors of a simply pan roasted, perfectly cooked, moist and fatty, black cod are greatly heightened by the earthiness of grilled onions sautéed wild mushrooms and a root vegetable purée.
For something vegetarian, try the mushroom mouse served with grilled mushrooms and sautéed root veg, sauced with beet root purée is wonderful. Solidified mushroom soup! Extremely silky, velvety, intense flavor of mushroom from the mouse combines perfectly with the bitterness of the grilled mushrooms. The sweetness of the beet purée ties the entire dish together.
Very well chosen wine list at reasonable prices. Average bottle £20.
Very friendly and efficient service.
One month advance booking required.
Them angels can play bagpipes all they want if I can eat like this.

We stopped into this beautiful little restaurant right on the Royal Mile for lunch. We were a party of 9 in the large table near the front door. I’m sure there is more seating here if you were to take the stairs behind our table, but from a first glance, there weren’t many tables.
The lunch menu offered three courses, with the lunch special being a choice of two. Many in my party ordered (and enjoyed) the mussel appetizer. I chose an entrée (beef with creamed potatoes, leek and truffle oil) and dessert (Chocolate mousse with white chocolate sorbet and Seville orange gelee). The menu wording weren’t quite as descriptive as mine, but I rolled the dice.
The beef was more like a pot roast, quite marbled with fat. I really dislike red meat that isn’t on the leaner side, so the beef wasn’t for me. I ate the remainder of the entrée, combining the potato, leek, and sauce and actually rather enjoyed it. My dessert, however, was to die for! Not too heavy, but still so decadent, and the seville orange gelee was the perfect addition to the chocolates! I couldn’t get enough!

Heavy handed with customers. We agreed for the restaurant to precharge our credit card GBP 80 on reservation, because it was busy. When we we showed up, they had given away our reservation to another customer but decided to keep the deposit anyway, and offered to seat us in the waiting area. Took 15 mins of heated discussion with the manager and the credit card company to get our money back.

I went here based off a suggestion from a girl I worked with. I am so glad I did.
While in Scotland, we ate here a few times. Great food. Great atmosphere. Great service. It is located on the Royal Mile. I have to say it was some of the best food we had in the UK.
Please note you may want to make reservations, they fill up fast and turn many people away. They do have a bit of room on their street side seating, but don’t count on it.
It is a bit pricey, but really worth it.
Samuel the hipster manager (very easy on the eyes) kind of made the experience great as well. HUGE FAN!

I had eagerly awaited my reservations at Angels with Bagpipes for three months before actually dining there! We sat in the basement and the atmosphere was warm and inviting. I would suggest starting with the haggis with neeps and tatties (surprisingly delicious!) and smoked salmon appetizers. For my main, I had the lamb rump and belly with lentils and it was cooked to absolute perfection. My friends pumpkin risotto was also a hit. For dessert, we got the ginger honey pear cheesecake, the chocolate brownie with miso ice cream and the tonka bean parfait with green apple sorbet. These desserts were so unique in their components and I would have never guessed that they would have been as delectable as they were. I also had several bottles of the Thistly Cross Cider and it was one of the better Scottish ciders I had tried. Plan on this being one of your more pricy dinners, but the overall experience, the quality of the food, and the uniquely satisfying flavors are an experience in themselves!

4.5 star food and service. Went there for lunch, the seafood were delicious. Really enjoyed the place. (Try chow powder)

I really liked it in here. They have a private-​ish table which has a window onto the alley way which I tried to get but it was already reserved unfortunately. Next time I will try to book that table.
Where I sat was not so nice — right by the front door and being mid December they were hosting multiple christmas parties for companies so large groups of people were coming through the doors and being a polite bunch they kept the doors open for the next person — even if they were on the other side of the street… Making it nice and freezing for myself and the wife! I mean really, it was like a gale wind coming in.
Why do restaurants have tables right by the doors — so close in face I could have probably held it open for them with a little stretch of the arm! It’s not like they were short for space, they have 2 floors and many tables.
Oh well — I’ll get the private table next time hopefully.

Great restaurant with a good atmosphere. Service is excellent and the food matches it. All for a reasonable price (especially in Edinburgh). One of my new favourites for sure.

Elegant, cozy atmosphere. Attentive and friendly service. We had the two-​course fixed price meal. Great flavors throughout. A bit pricey overall, but it was a very nice dinner. Easy location a short walk from the castle and other sights, across from St. Giles church.

Nice wine list, great service, excellent, modern food selections in the prix fixe.

I’ve been here a few times now, it’s my go-​to restaurant when my family visit me in Edinburgh. Originally visited after a friend recommended it to me. Food is amazing, so well made and the atmosphere here is great — caters for all groups well. On my first visit I was dubious as there were a large group of hens– they didn’t ruin the atmosphere (even though it’s a small-​ish restaurant), waiters were really attentive. A friend knew we were visiting and had pre-​ordered a bottle of prosecco for us which was a really nice surprise! It’s nice to visit for a romantic dinner or with friends.
The service is great — such a pleasure dining here, and there’s something for everyone on the menu. Just wish the deserts were’t so damn tasty!

Definitely not $$$. This is some seriously affordable luxury, with a hostess that will check your coat, wait staff that will fold your napkin when you get up, and staff that will lead you to the restroom. ^_​^ I absolutely adore everything about this place. From the posh atmosphere, the exquisitely plated food, the gracious service, seriously everything.
A prix fixe menu will keep costs down significantly. Though I went on one night and had a lovely dinner for two with wine and a shared dessert for less than £60.
Side note: there is a slippery spot in the back room that I hope they’ve polished over by now. Three woman slipped on it during brunch, me being one of them. One minute you’re enjoying toast, and the next your skirt’s flown up and you’ve flashed everyone the goods. Still not enough to sour a great experience, haha.

I slowly opened one eye, and then the other, I checked all major body parts… everything was still there and moving. I lifted my head off the pillow, that’s when I realised I had a very dry mouth and a gentle pounding in my head, it was time to get to the kitchen… must…drink…tea.
So now you know how the evening ended, it’s time to go back to the start.
My dining partner in crime (DPIC) and I had decided on Angels with Bagpipes as the venue for a celebratory meal. We arrived to be shown promptly to our table by the friendly staff who immediately made us feel welcome and offered any help with questions while we perused the menu.
We were seated in the back area which reminded me of a friends living room that has impeccable taste in interior décor. It was relaxed yet with the perfect balance of formal and informal that makes you feel like you’re somewhere special but not that you can’t relax and enjoy yourself.
It didn’t take long for us to make our dining decisions, we chose the Château Ka wine from Lebanon after a recommendation from my DPIC and we were not disappointed at all. I went for the Orkney Scallops with lentils, apple, caramel and crackling as I was intrigued by the combination of flavours for a starter and being a fan of a classic steak chose that for mains.
The scallops were tender and fresh, and the lentils added a wonderful texture perfectly balancing the sweetness of the apple and caramel, the crackling added a lovely ‘bite’ and it was beautifully presented. The steak was perfectly done to order, however the pesto tomato was a little over loaded with pesto but a small complaint given when you order steak it’s the meat that’s the star.
My DPIC ordered the beef tartare, and after stealing a fork full I can confirm it tasted wonderful with a wonderful crisp fresh crunch from the onions. For her main she ordered the lamb which was again perfectly cooked but she felt there was a little too much ‘going on’ with the sweetbread, anchovy and almond garnish. We’re both of the opinion when it comes to a meat dish, less is more but this is personal opinion after all.
We decided to finish off the evening with a shared cheese board and some port, the staff again demonstrated their knowledge by walking us through the cheeses on the board and informing us they were displayed from mild to strong across the board. We ordered the Fonseca 97 Port as my DPIC informed me she still dreamt about the port from when she’d been in 2010. And it was everything it was built up to be, so we had a second glass just to be able to savour it a little longer.
The cheese was a good mix of hard and soft, and whilst we’re both cheese fiends we didn’t find the strongest one over powering and we easily polished them all off as the portion sizes were just right.
Overall we had a lovely evening there, I’d recommend this venue for special occasions with friends, romantic dinners or if you have friends from out of town staying. Make sure your guests spot the Angel with Bagpipes statue which the restaurant is named after, her whistful expression makes me think she also might be thinking of the glass of port and cheese she’s going to have at the end of her shift.
Oh, and in case you’re wondering. I can highly recommend the Jolly Roger and Monteiths and the Albanach for post dinner drinks. Probably just don’t do them all in one night, otherwise you’ll end up how I started this review!

Well on the sunniest and warmest Tuesday of the year Kev. W and I stopped by for a spot of lunch attracted by the idea of 2 courses for £12.50. Given the reputation given below that this place can be expensive this was a pleasant surprise.
Looking at the fixed price menu there was something for everyone but for me starter wise there was only one option, smoked ham terrine with a fois gras centre served with a quail egg and a tweel. Light tasty and delicious! The dish was technical, elegant and just outstanding. The fois gras was a great treat on a beautiful day.
For main I opted for the short rib of beef, served with potatoes, salsify, spinach and a gravy that was incredible the dish worked fantastically well. I gobbled it all up in no time and was left very content.
The service was perfect, the beer was cold… I was very happy.
Even more keen to visit for dinner now but the lunch menu here comes highly JD Recommended!

As it was Joe A. and my one year anniversary on Saturday, what better opportunity to try out Angels with Bagpipes! It had been on our radar for a while and now we’ve finally been.
The staff are lovely and friendly. They are very polite and go out of their way to accommodate you, but without being over the top.
The menu is mouthwatering and did not disappoint. I had a smoked salmon starter. The attention to detail was spot on. The piece of salmon was nice and chunky and garnished with bits of caviar, radishes, etc. Beautiful.
For my main course I unusually (not a big meat eater) went for the lamb. It was cooked beautifully and was really tasty.
Although I was pretty stuffed, I still managed to squeeze in a dessert of a chocolate orange mousse. It was nice but would have been nicer if it was a bit lighter. A bit too rich after the other courses.
My only criticism would be that it was a bit chilly in there. Apart from that it was a nice, relaxing environment, friendly and down to earth staff, and the food was delicious. I wouldn’t go here all the time, but it is nice for a special occasion :)

We had a really nice lunch here — i felt a bit sloppy and underdressed in my super-​tourist apparel but the place isnt stuffy and we felt welcomed.
the soup — cauliflower velouté — was quite memorable, as was the side dish of carrots perfectly cooked, with cumin seeds.
Service is a little on the clueless side for an upscale place, but was well-​intentioned.