Fine dining is a luxury that many of us unfortunately cannot afford, at least not on a regular basis. However, the Daily Record's latest Restaurant of the Week is a trendy Edinburgh venue that was recently named as the "best for great value fine dining" in the city by a travel expert.
Eleanore: Affordable Fine Dining in Edinburgh
As reported by the Daily Record, renowned magazine Condé Nast Traveller shared a roundup of the 13 best restaurants in Edinburgh after they were "tried and tested" by its food expert. As part of the list, Eleanore on the capital's famous Leith Walk was named the top restaurant in the city for those looking for a fine-dining experience at an affordable price.
Eleanore is a small and family-run restaurant from the team behind other popular Edinburgh eateries such as The Little Chartroom and Ardfern. The venue features bright interiors and has a relaxed atmosphere, making it a popular choice for casual lunches and intimate dinners alike.
Menu and Pricing
The restaurant offers a lunch menu that is priced at £26 for two courses and £29 for three courses, while dinner is priced at £38 for two courses and £43 for three. There is even a pre-theatre menu, which is available on Wednesday and Thursday between 5pm and 5.30pm and costs £26 and £29 for two and three courses respectively.
Starters on offer include smoked haddock with leek, quails egg, and arenkha and beef tartare with cornichon, potato crisp, and espelette, while among the mains are lamb rump with asparagus, crowdie, mint, and pine nut and mushroom vol-au-vent with roscoff and Spenwood sauce. Additionally, there are also desserts like malt chocolate ganache and banoffee cremeux available.
Condé Nast Traveller Review
Condé Nast Traveller applauded Eleanore for its warm and inviting ambience and its affordable prices, while singling out the oysters with Eleanore hot sauce as a highlight of the menu. Also noted was the restaurant's staff, which were described by the magazine as "stellar".
Condé Nast Traveller wrote: "During our meal, we’re tucking into snacks and bright, beautifully made drinks while the sun streams in, transporting us to somewhere altogether much more exotic and illuminating the bijou dining room with warm, evening light. The space has recently undergone a revamp, swapping high tables for low bistro seating pulled up to tables dressed in crisp white cloths, and the reinvention feels like the perfect full-circle moment.
"This was the site of Roberta Hall-McCarron’s first restaurant in Edinburgh, and it’s as though it’s come alive again with the possibility of a new start after relinquishing its status as a tasting menu format. The menu is now confidently short and keenly priced, given the trendy location Eleanore calls home."
The magazine added: "With a stellar front of house team, a menu making the most of beautiful, local and seasonal produce, plus a killer drinks list, it’s very hard to see how you could go wrong here."
Public Reviews
Eleanore has also earned rave reviews from members of the public, with an overall score of 4.8 out of five on Google based on 336 reviews. Recent customers have praised the restaurant for its "incredibly tasty" food, "outstanding" customer service, and "super intimate atmosphere".
More information can be found on the Eleanore website, while the full list of Edinburgh's best restaurants can be found on the Condé Nast Traveller website. For further food inspiration, you can find some of the Daily Record's previous Restaurants of the Week here: The Scottish island restaurant that is Lorraine Kelly's 'favourite in all the world', The Glasgow restaurant loved by Will Ferrell where Hollywood star tucked into giant steak, The stunning Scottish restaurant owned by Sir Andy Murray and his wife Kim Sears, and The chic Edinburgh bistro with surprising Marvel Avengers connection.
