The Kitchin

Mark Held★★★★★★★★★★5.0a month ago

Great dining experience. We had the premiere tasting menu. All courses were perfectly prepared. The scallop course was the best but all others were excellent. The souffle was the best I have ever had. Tom was working the kitchen and came out and greeted the tables at the end of the night. Nice touch and much appreciated.

Naoko Reeves★★★★★★★★★★2.02 weeks ago

As frequent diners at both Michelin-starred establishments and excellent unstarred local gems, we were highly anticipating our meal at The Kitchin. Unfortunately, for a bill exceeding £500, the evening fell flat overall. To start with the positives, a few members of the staff were wonderful—particularly the team at reception and the bar, who gave us a great welcome. Unfortunately, that standard didn't carry over to the dining room. Once we were seated, the table service lacked warmth and felt incredibly rushed. The food also failed to live up to the restaurant's reputation. The fish course was particularly disappointing, tasting watery with a very bland sauce. Things didn’t improve by the end of the meal; we actually left our dessert unfinished because it was so underwhelming. When you are paying over £500 for a meal, you expect precision, flavor, and consistently attentive service throughout the entire evening. While the reception and bar staff did a fantastic job, the dining experience itself missed the mark. We won't be returning.

Alex Gonzalez★★★★★★★★★★5.07 months ago

We celebrated our anniversary at The Kitchin and chose The Prestige Surprise Tasting Menu — an absolutely extraordinary experience. Every course was a masterpiece of Scottish fine dining, showcasing incredible local ingredients and flawless technique. There wasn’t a single dish we didn’t love, and the flavours were so good we nearly licked the plates clean! Service was warm and professional, though the pacing slowed a bit midway through our tasting. A real highlight was meeting Chef Tom Kitchin, who personally greeted guests — a wonderful and memorable touch. Overall, an outstanding evening that truly lives up to its Michelin-star reputation. The food was the star, the atmosphere elegant yet relaxed, and we can’t wait to return. Wholeheartedly recommended.

Roberta Muir★★★★★★★★★★5.02 months ago

A highlight of any meal at The Kitchin is Sommelier Joel Bastian’s outstanding wine pairings – and presentation. On my recent visit, a skinsy Argentinian chardonnay blend (described by Joel as ‘a baby orange’) was a perfect aperitif with a smoked cod’s roe tartlet, all the more enjoyable taken at the small nook in the kitchen that allows guests to experience the energy up close. A rousanne-marsanne-grenache blanc blend from Languedoc worked a treat with mahogany clams from a deep west coast sea loch. They’re opened on the BBQ, so only just warm, in a light velouté of their juices with pickled celery, skinned walnuts and nashi pear; a clever riff on a Waldorf salad. Next up Tom Kitchin’s signature dish: a huge hand-dived Orkney scallop in a light velouté made from the coral and skirt, sealed in tender pastry, baked in the shell and opened tableside. The meat is more like chunks of tender abalone than anything I (as an Australian) think of as a scallop. Especially delicious with a minerally grüner veltliner from small Austrian producers Erich and Elisabeth Pichler-Krutzler I rarely enjoy chenin blanc, but Joel made me rethink that with a glass from young South African producer Blank Bottle, ideal with beautifully seared red mullet on fregola risotto with broad beans and shoots. A pre-desert panna cotta with sea buckthorn is tangy, light and, refreshing. The Cheese trolley looked so tempting, but I opted for a rhubarb crumble soufflé with vanilla ice cream and a glass of Dodogo ‘Mylitta’ Tokaj Aszú, a great match for the light dessert at just 5 puttonyos. Best of all the £69 3-course set lunch menu (with £39 wine pairing) makes one of Edinburgh’s best restaurants more accessible. All in all a great dining experience.

Gizem Irmak★★★★★★★★★★1.02 weeks ago

This was our first visit to this restaurant during our holiday, and honestly, we couldn't tell whether we came for dinner or to get beaten up. We were travelling with our 5 years old child and arrived 20 minutes late ,9:20 PM instead of 9:00 PM. We had called ahead, informed them, and they were fully aware of the situation. With a young child, our priority was making sure he ate first. Looking back, thank goodness we did. The way we were treated was unbelievable. The only thing missing was them throwing the plates at our heads. We have dined at fine dining restaurants all over the world, but we have rarely experienced such hostility and arrogance. Fine dining is not just about putting food on a plate; it is also about hospitality, warmth, and making guests feel welcome. Unfortunately, The Kitchin seems to have forgotten that. Yes, the food manages to achieve fine dining standards, but was it worth the money? Absolutely not. As someone who has enjoyed fine dining experiences in many countries, I can honestly say that you would be better off buying a plane ticket to Istanbul and eating the best dürüm of your life — it would cost about the same and leave you far happier. The Kitchin, we are not with you. Not now, not again.