The Palmerston is a restaurant and bakery in the West End of Edinburgh serving a seasonal menu of European-influenced dishes. This cosy neighbourhood joint offers a relaxed dining experience within cosy bistro-style interiors, but its true point of pride is the quality of its ingredients, which are all meticulously-sourced from a select group of farmers, growers and fishermen. As a result, its menu is constantly changing in line with what’s seasonal, fresh and available in abundance from its suppliers.
Because The Palmerston’s food offering is always fluctuating, which is a great thing, you probably won’t ever eat the same thing twice here. However, examples of previous dishes on the menu included things like cold roast pork with mustard, endive and tarragon to start, as well as tagliatelle, lamb ragu and parmesan.
Main courses might feature baked hake with mussels, crab broth, saffron potatoes and aïoli or braised Texel lamb shoulder with borlotti beans, black cabbage and rosemary. Desserts are nostalgic and comforting – think lemon tart with crème fraiche, or cold rice pudding with apples and calvados. The restaurant serves a set menu at lunch of two to three courses at a very reasonable price.
There is a dedicated wine list that champions reds and whites mostly, but also offers a small number of sparklings, roses and sweet options. The wine menu leans primarily towards European regions, in keeping with the rest of the food offering. There is also a small selection of cocktails with examples being the Spritz made with gin, sherry, orange and soda, or for something a little more punchy, there’s a Rum Highball made with rum, ginger, pear and soda. Look out for draught beers, sharing bottles, a selection of spirits and digestifs, too.
Don't forget to stop by to sample something from the bakery, available Tuesday-Sunday from 9am.