This is a difficult review to write. There is not sufficient surprise element in the menu to qualify calling it a surprise tasting menu. Food was good, not great, lack of good temperature for winter dishes, beautifully presented but lack of original form of ingredients to give textures. Portions are SMALL. Even as a solo diner, I had all the bread to myself, I still felt there was a void in my stomach after the meal. The mains, cod and partridge, were warm, not as hot as I would have hoped for winter dishes or for mains, and fairly small, too. No non-alcoholic beverage to choose from, opted for their recommended sparkling tea and then fresh mint tea after dinner, just averaged and not impressed. Taking into account the price tag of over £200 per person, I would struggle to give even 4 stars for value for money. Not a fan of hand-drawn menu and temporary pop-up venue interior, the gimmick did not work creating a cold setting with a lot of hard surfaces especially at this time of the year. The semi-open kitchen concept to make the working chef visible was an interesting setup but leaving the food too long on the presentation table meant food was meant to be served chilled. Without some proper heat, food was not able to release their natural aroma on the table.
Andy Townend
We immediately knew we were in safe hands when we walked in from the bitterly cold evening. The welcome, the decor, the furniture, the music and the whole feel of the place exuded a restrained confidence, competence, style and good taste. We were delighted but not surprised to discover, as the tasting menu proceeded, that the food reflected the same qualities. Quality ingredients perfectly cooked and beautifully presented are the starting point, elevated by the use of surprise ingredients and clever combinations. The food is smart without being fussy or pretentious. The wine pairings were excellent and in two or three cases inspired, taking the food to another level, almost as if they were another ingredient.Patrick, the restaurant manager who served us both the food and wine, was knowledgeable and a pleasure to talk to. It was altogether a lovely evening and a gastronomic delight.
Victoria James
Wow! We were just blown away by our dining experience at Condita. The food was out of this world and perfectly put together. Each course was so individual and there wasn’t one we didn’t like. We also had the wine pairing and enjoyed learning all about them from the sommelier. We could not fault the staff - their service was perfect. The atmosphere was also just right and made for lovely surroundings in which to spend an evening. We’ve had Michelin star dining experiences before but this has to be our favourite. You must go!
Maxim Collinson
I can understand why this restaurant earned a Michelin star, but I think this is the weakest one in Edinburgh.The good:> The space is nice enough, and I liked the art and installation aesthetic, along with the hand illustrated menus.> The food was enjoyable, and managed to avoid the frequent scourge of salty butteriness often used to excuse the lack of subtle flavour.> The menu was well balanced and managed to present a relatively high variety of vegetables cooked in a selection of ways to emphasise texture and technique.The bad:> The portions are particularly small, even for tasting menus, to the extent they clearly felt self conscious so served multiple snack courses together. This meant a 10 course menu, turned into about 8. A low point was Cod equivalent to half a fish finger or the 1/3 of a partridge breast each.> Despite being 8 courses, the pace of service felt slow. They use a finishing kitchen visible outside the main kitchen, and on several occasions food sat finished but neglected for 20 minutes while the staff discussed upcoming events. This compounded the angst of such small portions.> The food menu had some nice elements, but the paired wines were very disappointing. Michelin restaurants always are keen on the rarer or more unusual (gimmicky) type wines, but this was another level. I've never been disappointed by 4 of 5 wines offered with a meal, but following a rather nice (and fairly unusual champagne) we were offered dull, flavourless glass after glass. It may be petty, but the rivals would offer 6 or 7 glasses with 10 courses which would be far more enjoyable. Their wine menu clearly has some good wines, but the ones paired were disappointed to the extent I resented. I remarked that a couple of the wines were entirely lost with the [moderate] flavours of the dishes, and the disinterest of response made it appear that they simply didn't care (or were trying to prioritise getting rid of the bad stuff).This is not a bad restaurant, and the staff were friendly enough to make a pleasant evening, but I do not think I'd visit again until I'd exhausted every other star in Edinburgh. If I was wanting to spend £250 pp, I'd be disappointed by all the negatives and would expect with high confidence not to encounter them at one of their rivals.
Stephen Nicol
Amazing food and knowledgeable
danieldD123PW
Splendid food, fantastic service, and an overall wonderful experience dining at Condita. Don't miss this restaurant when you are in Scotland.
Megan Hayes
The presentation, the service, the food were all impeccable. The attention to detail with the ingredients, the textures, the balance of flavors were unmatched. The excellent service complemented the delectable courses.
alistair r
Exceptional cooking from the team at Condita. We were made to feel incredibly special while visiting here during the fringe. Textures, flavours and aromas all working in perfect harmony with each other. The skill on display from the kitchen was unlike anything I've ever tried before. Each stage of the meal an absolute delight. Hats off to the chef!
Amy
The food was perfect, a masterful composition of flavours and textures. The service was polite and prompt, right up until the final moments of our dining experience. I don’t drink alcohol and had been enjoying the sparkling tea (a very nice accompaniment to the meal) but declined a third glass to go with desserts. My husband had the paired wines which he really enjoyed, but wasn’t offered a dessert wine which he would definitely have wanted. I can only assume that my declining the final drink was taken to mean both of us, but the waiter spoke directly to me and neither of us thought this would mean nobody would offer him another drink. It’s a shame because up until that point, Patrick had done such a good job and been very knowledgeable with his wine pairings.We also saw other diners who had ordered coffee being offered petit fours while we were not, which seems oddly churlish considering dinner for two cost £400 and other restaurants of this calibre don’t require an extra expenditure to round off the meal. We would also have liked to have been offered a taxi like other diners we saw, but after my declined of the drink and coffee it felt like no further service was forthcoming. These feel like relatively small nits to pick, but at a Michelin starred restaurant where the experience is everything they do make or break the dining experience.
ancientando
it’s refreshing and awe-inspiring! Luckily, I got 3 brilliant dishes out of the 10(?). That’s a rare occurrence even for Michelin 3-star restaurants. The onion salad, the turbot with fennel, and the pork belly with fermented potato! the canapés were solid and innovative. it’s amazing how they got the star in such a short time but I know the secret. and that’s the only thing I can complain? Someone told me they don’t know how to make certain cakes! But, who will find out if they never served one. ssssh. So, don’t expect a soufflé or anything like that
This was a fabulous experience. From beginning to end the dishes were innovative, delicious and perfectly seasoned. Beautiful ingredients and presentation. The decor is special and well thought with a story, which is in keeping with their menu. Their sommelier Patrick is phenomenal and in my top 3 with interesting and perfect wine pairings. I wish you all the best to a second star….much deserved and thank you.
David Henderson
Simply the best fine dining restaurant I've eaten at, and I've sampled quite a few!Condita should be on the international 'must see' list.Be sure to read up on their ethos and menu plan before visiting.Cannot rate highly enough
Chris Martin
From the outside this does not look like a Michelin starred restaurant, it's simple but fun decor inside still feels a little home made, but the food, the food is so good. Fun dishes, a lovely take on how to write a menu and wonderful wine pairings. I think it's always a good sign when a chef can present food I would otherwise never eat and make it the best meal I've had all year.
Farrukh Mirza
Absolutely brilliant. Every course was special ... and better than the previous. The team was attentive and charming. I love how they have put together the winelist, no big names but some really interesting and great value wines.Simply brilliant, yet understated .... I'd happily dine here everyday.
Eva Luna
My partner and I dined here last month for a nice dinner during our short stay in Edinburgh. We absolutely loved the intimate experience at Condita: the charm and knowledge that each staff member carried, the pleasant surprise of each item on the menu, the creativity of the decor and utilization of local ingredients, and the excellent education we received from our sommelier about all things related to wine.We ended up dining at multiple Michelin-rated restaurants during this trip (in both Edinburgh and London) and this was by far our favorite experience and would recommend anyone visiting the area to plan a memorable evening here.
This is a difficult review to write. There is not sufficient surprise element in the menu to qualify calling it a surprise tasting menu. Food was good, not great, lack of good temperature for winter dishes, beautifully presented but lack of original form of ingredients to give textures. Portions are SMALL. Even as a solo diner, I had all the bread to myself, I still felt there was a void in my stomach after the meal. The mains, cod and partridge, were warm, not as hot as I would have hoped for winter dishes or for mains, and fairly small, too. No non-alcoholic beverage to choose from, opted for their recommended sparkling tea and then fresh mint tea after dinner, just averaged and not impressed. Taking into account the price tag of over £200 per person, I would struggle to give even 4 stars for value for money. Not a fan of hand-drawn menu and temporary pop-up venue interior, the gimmick did not work creating a cold setting with a lot of hard surfaces especially at this time of the year. The semi-open kitchen concept to make the working chef visible was an interesting setup but leaving the food too long on the presentation table meant food was meant to be served chilled. Without some proper heat, food was not able to release their natural aroma on the table.
We immediately knew we were in safe hands when we walked in from the bitterly cold evening. The welcome, the decor, the furniture, the music and the whole feel of the place exuded a restrained confidence, competence, style and good taste. We were delighted but not surprised to discover, as the tasting menu proceeded, that the food reflected the same qualities. Quality ingredients perfectly cooked and beautifully presented are the starting point, elevated by the use of surprise ingredients and clever combinations. The food is smart without being fussy or pretentious. The wine pairings were excellent and in two or three cases inspired, taking the food to another level, almost as if they were another ingredient.Patrick, the restaurant manager who served us both the food and wine, was knowledgeable and a pleasure to talk to. It was altogether a lovely evening and a gastronomic delight.
Wow! We were just blown away by our dining experience at Condita. The food was out of this world and perfectly put together. Each course was so individual and there wasn’t one we didn’t like. We also had the wine pairing and enjoyed learning all about them from the sommelier. We could not fault the staff - their service was perfect. The atmosphere was also just right and made for lovely surroundings in which to spend an evening. We’ve had Michelin star dining experiences before but this has to be our favourite. You must go!
I can understand why this restaurant earned a Michelin star, but I think this is the weakest one in Edinburgh.The good:> The space is nice enough, and I liked the art and installation aesthetic, along with the hand illustrated menus.> The food was enjoyable, and managed to avoid the frequent scourge of salty butteriness often used to excuse the lack of subtle flavour.> The menu was well balanced and managed to present a relatively high variety of vegetables cooked in a selection of ways to emphasise texture and technique.The bad:> The portions are particularly small, even for tasting menus, to the extent they clearly felt self conscious so served multiple snack courses together. This meant a 10 course menu, turned into about 8. A low point was Cod equivalent to half a fish finger or the 1/3 of a partridge breast each.> Despite being 8 courses, the pace of service felt slow. They use a finishing kitchen visible outside the main kitchen, and on several occasions food sat finished but neglected for 20 minutes while the staff discussed upcoming events. This compounded the angst of such small portions.> The food menu had some nice elements, but the paired wines were very disappointing. Michelin restaurants always are keen on the rarer or more unusual (gimmicky) type wines, but this was another level. I've never been disappointed by 4 of 5 wines offered with a meal, but following a rather nice (and fairly unusual champagne) we were offered dull, flavourless glass after glass. It may be petty, but the rivals would offer 6 or 7 glasses with 10 courses which would be far more enjoyable. Their wine menu clearly has some good wines, but the ones paired were disappointed to the extent I resented. I remarked that a couple of the wines were entirely lost with the [moderate] flavours of the dishes, and the disinterest of response made it appear that they simply didn't care (or were trying to prioritise getting rid of the bad stuff).This is not a bad restaurant, and the staff were friendly enough to make a pleasant evening, but I do not think I'd visit again until I'd exhausted every other star in Edinburgh. If I was wanting to spend £250 pp, I'd be disappointed by all the negatives and would expect with high confidence not to encounter them at one of their rivals.
Amazing food and knowledgeable
Splendid food, fantastic service, and an overall wonderful experience dining at Condita. Don't miss this restaurant when you are in Scotland.
The presentation, the service, the food were all impeccable. The attention to detail with the ingredients, the textures, the balance of flavors were unmatched. The excellent service complemented the delectable courses.
Exceptional cooking from the team at Condita. We were made to feel incredibly special while visiting here during the fringe. Textures, flavours and aromas all working in perfect harmony with each other. The skill on display from the kitchen was unlike anything I've ever tried before. Each stage of the meal an absolute delight. Hats off to the chef!
The food was perfect, a masterful composition of flavours and textures. The service was polite and prompt, right up until the final moments of our dining experience. I don’t drink alcohol and had been enjoying the sparkling tea (a very nice accompaniment to the meal) but declined a third glass to go with desserts. My husband had the paired wines which he really enjoyed, but wasn’t offered a dessert wine which he would definitely have wanted. I can only assume that my declining the final drink was taken to mean both of us, but the waiter spoke directly to me and neither of us thought this would mean nobody would offer him another drink. It’s a shame because up until that point, Patrick had done such a good job and been very knowledgeable with his wine pairings.We also saw other diners who had ordered coffee being offered petit fours while we were not, which seems oddly churlish considering dinner for two cost £400 and other restaurants of this calibre don’t require an extra expenditure to round off the meal. We would also have liked to have been offered a taxi like other diners we saw, but after my declined of the drink and coffee it felt like no further service was forthcoming. These feel like relatively small nits to pick, but at a Michelin starred restaurant where the experience is everything they do make or break the dining experience.
it’s refreshing and awe-inspiring! Luckily, I got 3 brilliant dishes out of the 10(?). That’s a rare occurrence even for Michelin 3-star restaurants. The onion salad, the turbot with fennel, and the pork belly with fermented potato! the canapés were solid and innovative. it’s amazing how they got the star in such a short time but I know the secret. and that’s the only thing I can complain? Someone told me they don’t know how to make certain cakes! But, who will find out if they never served one. ssssh. So, don’t expect a soufflé or anything like that
Restaurantji Recommends
This was a fabulous experience. From beginning to end the dishes were innovative, delicious and perfectly seasoned. Beautiful ingredients and presentation. The decor is special and well thought with a story, which is in keeping with their menu. Their sommelier Patrick is phenomenal and in my top 3 with interesting and perfect wine pairings. I wish you all the best to a second star….much deserved and thank you.
Simply the best fine dining restaurant I've eaten at, and I've sampled quite a few!Condita should be on the international 'must see' list.Be sure to read up on their ethos and menu plan before visiting.Cannot rate highly enough
From the outside this does not look like a Michelin starred restaurant, it's simple but fun decor inside still feels a little home made, but the food, the food is so good. Fun dishes, a lovely take on how to write a menu and wonderful wine pairings. I think it's always a good sign when a chef can present food I would otherwise never eat and make it the best meal I've had all year.
Absolutely brilliant. Every course was special ... and better than the previous. The team was attentive and charming. I love how they have put together the winelist, no big names but some really interesting and great value wines.Simply brilliant, yet understated .... I'd happily dine here everyday.
My partner and I dined here last month for a nice dinner during our short stay in Edinburgh. We absolutely loved the intimate experience at Condita: the charm and knowledge that each staff member carried, the pleasant surprise of each item on the menu, the creativity of the decor and utilization of local ingredients, and the excellent education we received from our sommelier about all things related to wine.We ended up dining at multiple Michelin-rated restaurants during this trip (in both Edinburgh and London) and this was by far our favorite experience and would recommend anyone visiting the area to plan a memorable evening here.