Cafe Marlayne in Edinburgh, City of

Lovely little spot for lunch in the New Town. Very reasonably priced and decent portion size for lunch considering the location. Great atmosphere, it is pretty small and the tables are quite close together but this makes the place feel all the more French. The food was tasty and well presented and the service was friendly and efficient, despite the fact there was just the one girl serving. Both of us work in hospitality and we were very impressed with how she dealt with the service by herself, very worthy of a good tip! Lovely coffee, chocolate cake and brandy to finish! Would definitely recommend if you're looking for somewhere to eat out in Edinburgh!

I’ve not eaten here since before covid….why? I’d forgotten what an absolute gem this place is….the food, atmosphere, service and price are all spot on! Book your table today. You won’t be disappointed.

Attended one Friday lunchtime with friends for their 2 course set lunch. Luckily we had booked a table as the restaurant is only small. Polite but rather rushed service. Had a couple of small Peronis at £4.30, which was a reasonable price. Wine more expensive than when we'd looked at their website at £27.50 per bottle. Enjoyed the food although not huge portions.

Absolute gem of a place. Wonderful food, great value and incredibly courteous service. Will definitely return.

A small restaurant so definitely need to book before you go. The ambiance is like a bistro - you go there for the food, not like a grand glam vibe if you know I mean. I have squash soup and duck breast for dinner. The chili in the soup gave it a kick and was surprisingly good. Duck breast is not overcooked - just right - and it tasted good. Portion is not huge - if you're used to food in America - but adequate for me as a woman. One of the best meals I had while in Edinburgh! Would want to go there again next time I am in Edinburgh!

A charming place, hidden away on the side, recommended by locals, wonderful service, great short menu - therefore fresh 😃, cozy, service at the highest level - from Poland, very good prices, it's worth trying and booking in advance, greetings to the staff - wonderful 😍

Excellent family meal with great value for money. I was recommended this place by some friends and it did not disappoint. We visited as a group of 5 on Saturday night. We enjoyed a really delicious meal of 3 courses and drinks in a warm setting. The highlights of the meal were the tasty fish dishes (mackerel in particular) and lovely shared vegetables and potatoes. The portions are just right and excellent value for the quality of ingredients. The restaurant is accessible on ground floor level which was a huge help for my husband's 91 year old grandmother. The restaurant was completely full from opening when we arrived, but staff were welcoming, polite and friendly throughout. Thank you for a lovely evening

A recent lunch at Cafe Marlayne was a first for us and we were keen to try it out based on the good comments we had heard. We were given a warm welcome and waited a few moments for our table. Wine and water were ordered as we decided wager food to order. It was a 2 course set menu with a good varied choice and we started with one Rosemary & balsamic peaches with honey & whipped ricotta and a Thai beef salad with cashew nuts. This was then followed by one Chicken Supreme with poached leaks, Smokey bacon, dried apricot poached in verjuce, mustard and sherry sauce and one Carrot risotto with thyme roasted carrots and Parmesan chilli oil. All served with a bowl of sautéed potatoes. For dessert we had a portion of Chocolate torte and a Panna Cotta. Staff were great, food all tasty but portions were on the small side. The desserts were small and a bit bland. Total cost £96.00

Cafe Marlayne is a consistent favourite for us for special occasions & celebrations. In the nearly 20 years we have been going there (once or twice a year) we have never yet had a bad or unsatisfactory meal & we’ve always had great service too. It’s a very small place so book well in advance.

Great little place booked on the off chance got a table no problem. Glad we did as the food and drinks were great. Can’t fault anything from the food or staff. Small but a great atmosphere in the place. Very well worth it.

The menu was fab, food was excellent & atmosphere just lovely. We are so grateful to the staff, who managed to squeeze us in after our 25th Wedding Anniversary flight to Paris had just been cancelled. We will definitely keep coming back to this wonderful restaurant.

Sublime french bistro. All four of us thought our own dish was the tastiest.

Nice French restaurant with really good dishes. Meat is really good, deserts are excellent.

My French BF found this little bistro/ cafe and it is a gem for the price vs. value you get. We booked the table on the same day. We had the 2 course lunch for 18.90GBP and every penny was worth. First, the roasted peach with whipped ricotta was simple but super delicious (so enjoyable!!!) while the main dish was fish - which was great as well! Maybe I wish it had been served somewhat hotter. The customer service was delightful and overall we had a great and satisfying experience!!! Highly recommend!!!

Went here for lunch with friends on their recommendation and this did not disappoint. The mussels were plentiful and excellent. Service was very good and all our party thoroughly enjoyed their meal.

My favourite French restaurant in Edinburgh, small & personal, I could easily have anything from the menu. Lunch menu today £18 for 2 courses, u defo need to book. I had Slow cooked beef, & garlic pea soup ❤️. Quality

Little cosy place. The chef's passion and care for the quality of the ingredients are reflected in simple but tasty food. Definitely recommended!

What a find. Fabulous food and a relaxed atmosphere. Four of us all had different things and everything was delicious, couldn't fault it. Great location, just behind George Street. Make sure you book. Two dinner sittings at the weekend, 6 and 8.15.

A wonderful place with attentive and friendly staff and exquisite, homemade food.

Just best in edinburgh, don't miss it!!! Amazing service, cozy little place, food cooked with love and kindness, fresh menu... what you doing reading this? Just go!!

Still and over the years, best restaurant in edinburgh. Cosy, amazing friendly but very professional service, and food, as always, high standard love involved. Just 5 stars. Thanks lads!!!

Lovely atmosphere and exceptional service. Food was also very good, especially for the price (£29,50 for two courses). Would go again!

Lovely lunch Lovely atmosphere Thankyou for everything

What a perfect place. The food was superb. Nothing to fault at all. One of the best risottos I have ever had.

….when visiting Edinburgh, book a table at this restaurant! And I use the term restaurant deliberately. Two course fixed price menu, different for lunch and dinner, together with fabulous desserts and a short but excellent wine list. The quality of food, service and atmosphere is brilliant. We would go back tomorrow but sadly will be on our way home!

Absolutely first class !! Lovely atmosphere, friendly staff, and most importantly, incredible food. Look forward to returning.

Excellent lunch experience with the set menu - each dish was very tasty (my partner *loved* the cauliflower soup), and the staff were welcoming and attentive. It's quite a small restaurant and clearly very popular so booking is highly recommended. Don't pass on the desserts - they are excellent ❤️

Great food in a relaxed environment. A lovely evening

It's a small restaurant with fixed price menu in the evening...fair choices...dessert choice okay. Lovely staff and French flair. Authentic experience

A wonderful lunch for 4, good selection from a set menu and service excellence.

Excellent meal, great value for money, friendly staff

Great food and such a lovely little place Will come back

A very nice atmospheric French restaurant. You can sit pleasantly and eat dishes made with love and fresh ingredients. The service was at the highest level, we were welcomed warmly and openly. I highly recommend the duck with red cabbage mousse, baked potatoes, feta cheese with figs and shrimps in an excellent sauce as an appetizer. The dessert is just poetry - cheesecake with mascarpone and sticky toffee... delicious. I recommend it with all my heart. Delicious dinner. Thank you once again 😊

I didn't expect that good, but wow they are so delicious. They serve boiled broccoli and roast potatoes in a different bowl.

Honestly this place is an absolute gem! Has to be one of the most underrated restaurants in Edinburgh. Food is so simple and delicious. Service unfussy and friendly. Vibe spot on. Must visit.

Food and service great. However, booked 6:15 and expected 2h slot but told that had to vacate by 8:00. Only had starter and main from Xmas menu, but wouldn't have had time for dessert and felt as if we were getting rushed out the door, which was a shame.

A fantastic lunch today. Excellent value and great food and service. Thank you

Another fantastic meal. Great food excellent service it’s such a gem in the heart of city centre. Thank you for always being so consistently good. Loved the venison carpaccio, goats cheese and walnut and fennel salad. Great start to the meal. Always a friendly welcome and cozy dining experience.

Great night, delicious dinner and attentive staff...❤️

It’s been many years since we’ve returned here and we were not disappointed! Everything was perfect - lovely, attentive staff; the food was absolutely wonderful and reasonably priced; and a great wine list. I had the goats cheese and beetroot salad to start; the masala lamb with lentils for main; and the coffee brûlée to finish. Each was delicious and we just enjoyed every minute of our dinner. It’s such a cosy and intimate setting too - can’t recommend it enough.

Fantastic ambience and relaxed experience

You'll need to book as there are only 30 covers max but it's worth it. It was full when I went. Tasty food, good proportions. Duck was excellent. Very limited, sensible drinks list as the focus is on the food and rightly so. Well located.

It started with a basket of delicious crusty bread and a ramekin of olives. Olives were bathed in a dressing of herbs, shallots, and .... lemon juice or wine vinegar? Either way they were incredible and this meze suggested great things to come. We ordered a bottle of Pinot Noir which was very nice. First course my partner received a beet salad which she claimed was quite possibly the best she'd ever had. I ordered the Moules which were cooked perfectly in a wonderfully fragrant sauce. Second course my partner had the duck breast. I tasted a bit and it was incredible. I ordered the steak in anchovy and caper sauce and again found it didn't disappoint. The steak was trimmed and seasoned quite well, with it's flavor enhanced by the anchovy caper sauce. We ordered two desserts, the Panna Cotta was good but the chocolate, walnut, olive oil cake brought me to tears with it's bitter deliciousness. I'd definitely go back.

Klein restaurantje, maar zeer de moeite waard. Reserveren is wenselijk, want snel volgeboekt. Echt heerlijk gegeten in een fijne atmosfeer. Supervriendelijke bediening.

Everything about this restaurant was excellent. A little pricey but worth every mouthful.

Absolutely fantastic. Outstanding food and service. Had the pleasure of trying the mussels and risotto which were life changing and introduced me to flavors I’ve never experienced before. Was absolutely speechless by how amazing the whole experience was. Will definitely come back to this great establishment. If you’re ever in town in need of top notch cuisine definitely stop by.

Why would you come to Edinburgh to have French food when France is so close by? It’s because the food is better here!!!! I’m not a fan of mussels but these are by far the best I have ever had, Our mains were impeccable, it’s hard to get moist chicken breast with a ton of flavour but they achieved it, dessert was ordered and mind blowing. Give these guys 10’s all round

Lovely little restaurant, brilliant food, 10/10.

The food and drinks looked good, but couldn’t get past the rude staff

Amazing food and caters well for allergies because it is all freshly prepared. lamb in masala sauce preceded by feta in breadcrumbs with peach salad. Dried fruit panacotta meringue.

Review Trades on a somewhat French character, but, having eaten here, we can't recommend. Food tasteless, meat tough and overpriced for what it is. Interactions with waitresses very brisk, but while they go through the motions of asking if everything is OK during the meal, we reflected after we left that our experience hadn't been anything like as good as other reviews had suggested & we hadn't felt comfortable giving honest feedback while there. A 10% service charge was added to the bill, which we paid as service was very brisk, but the food itself was disappointing.

The steak was first class. Small place, great atmosphere.

Lovely dinner for five last night, very reasonable 2-course menu with a lot of variety. Wine was delicious, and we topped it off with some cheese and desserts. The staff were all very friendly

This restaurant was an unexpected, delightful find. A 2- course set price menu was lovely. Thoroughly enjoyed and would recommend. Bookings are recommended. However, always pop in and ask if it looks full 🙃. You may get lucky like we did

A truly stellar meal. The food was authentically French, with high quality ingredients and great flavors. Lovely service and charming atmosphere. Highly recommend!

Excellent restaurant bistronomique de cuisine française avec un très bon rapport qualité-prix. Ce fut ma meilleure expérience gustative de ma semaine a Edimbourg.

Great value for money and high quality food.

The food was lovely. My only complaint was that the place was so noisy it was difficult to hear each other.

This is a real gem with good food, perfectly presented and friendly service. We will definitely return.

First time there and very impressed. Came recommended and lived up to every expectation.

Superbe adresse! Petit, cosy et plats de qualité

Nice, cosy intimate place , not too crowded. Delicious food and fabulous service, would highly recommend!

Always great bistro food by a lovely small team.

Great food, lovely atmosphere.

Even though we were advised that our table was due back after 90 mins at the time of booking - this was reminded to us on most of the occasions a server attended our table so we did feel rushed. Nevertheless, the food was lovely in the main (one guest's fish was undercooked) and we enjoyed the visit.

Fantastic food, lovely atmosphere! It's ticked away and very cosy. Wine selection is good and the choice of aperitifs is a pleasant bonus :)

One of the best places I've ever been to.

C'était super !! Un service de qualité et une ambiance superbe !

amazing experience !! a true fine dining for a very good price. The waitress was very professional and knew how the dishes were made. The produce was local and very good quality. We would love to come back. great for a romantic evening!!

Delicious food. Friendly staff. Lovely vibe.

Another fabulous lunch! Such good value for money with fresh ingredients cooked to perfection. Amazing service with such friendly and attentive staff. Highly recommend😃

This is was our go to place in Edinburgh before all the madness of lockdown and here we are again being drawn back to it. A. It is an independent restaurant and we ALL need to get away from the big chains and support local business - overheads are HIGH, trust me, I am in the trade. B. The food is consistently excellent, a small menu where you would choose everything if you could, simple dishes packed full of flavour and an excellent desert menu. All dietary requirements catered for and nothing is a bother. C. It is fantastic value for money - 6 friends for lunch, 3 bottles of wine, 3 courses, coffees all for £42.50 per head including a service charge! D. The staff team work like a dream, they always have the time to smile and interact in a way that makes you feel valued and of course...wanting to go back! Thank you guys, we love what you do.

엄마 모시고 갔어요. 에든버러 마지막밤🌙에 스페셜하게 시간 보내고 싶어 갔는데 음식도 맛있고, 분위기도 좋아요. 혹여 인종차별이 있으면 어쩌나 살짝 걱정하고, 저 긴장해서 영어 막 못했는데 ㅋㅋㅋ 너무 친절하고, 너무 맛있고, 기분 좋은 식당입니다. 편안하고 따뜻한 밤 선물해줘서 감사해요. so comfortable, so great food&mood! Thank you so much!

Erg mooi museum waarvan het gebouw binnenin op zich al een eyecatcher is

Superb food, wine and dining experience 👌

Excellent, beautifully cooked French food in a small intimate restaurant with friendly, attentive staff. Highly recommended!

As always Cafe Marylane delivers beautifully on flavours and service. We enjoyed perfectly cooked duck breast and Scottish lamb chops. Slightly dismayed that the set menu was a little predictable but understand that concessions have to be made because the restaurant is small, and very well patronised.

Amazing food, amazing atmosphere and the wine keeps flowing. Amazing staff and very attentive, you almost feel like your in there house and they aim to please.

Amazing food and service. The best pâté ever!

The food was delicious... Loved every dish I had .....

Hadn’t eaten here for a long time but had fond memories of the place. It didn’t disappoint. So well flavoured, so well priced. Completely delicious. Je retournerais!

Excellent food and service Highly recommended

There were 9 of us in the party so we had to have a table of 4 & 5 but we were close enough to talk.

First time visiting and would certainly go again. Food was some of the best we had anywhere, and we have eaten at many good restaurants. Service perfect. Great atmosphere. Food superb and the right quantity. Will be back.

Best place I know in Edinburgh for lunch! Never disappoints….. Understandably you do need to book……

Lovely food but very small portions. Always busy so a good atmosphere. Staff could be slightly friendlier.

Beautiful little restaurant. Food delicious and well presented and service very good.

Still one of the best places to dine in Scotland. If I could give it 6 stars I would.

Lovely restaurant. Delicious food of a high quality, beautifully cooked and good service .

Disappointing to say the least. Despite arriving first as the restaurant opened at 6pm on Friday evening we were last to have our drinks order taken. The vegetables were my hot and two of the party shared a duck breast for their main course. The older of the two female servers was sullen and looked as though she’d rather have been somewhere else. I’ve been before for lunch and our experience was entirely different, but beware of inconsistency. Not worth the money.

intimate, relaxed experience with beautifully delicate tasty food prepared with care and served with efficency. strongly recommend.

First time there but had heard great things. Loved it. Food and service excellent. Lovely wee restaurant with a fab atmosphere.

Accueil agréable, personnel souriant, on se sent comme à la maison. Choix limité mais plats variés qui fait preuve d’une cuisine maison. Les plats que nous avons choisi étaient vraiment bons. Petite salle confortable et un peu intimiste pour se sentir à l’aise. Nous recommandons vivement.

Service is delightful and the food is truly delicious. It is high end French rustic in my view having lived in France. Well done all three women who efficiently cook and serve at Café Marlayne.

Amazing restaurant. Food is really good. Staff so friendly and obliging. Must book in advance as not very big. A hidden gem.

A beautiful little cosy cafe, which seems family run, hidden on a side street. I took my partner for a date night. I couldn’t have picked anywhere nicer in Edinburgh. A nice set dinner menu, with a beautiful variety of French dishes. Price was a little more than I would have anticipated at £60+ for 2 people, without any drinks. The food tasted fantastic, but I had to load myself up with the potatoes to feel satisfied with my meal. A larger portion for the mains is all j would recommend. Would recommend to people visiting or living in Edinburgh!

Really glad they were able to fit me in. The prawns were lovely with the avacado, the blue cheese paired well with the rare steak. The server was great and friendly despite being busy gave a nice French atmosphere in the heart of Scotland

We spent a few days in Edinburgh after seeing Elbow at the Castle and ate out at some really good restaurants but Cafe Marlayne stands out as one of the best. So French in that simple way that just let's the food sing. I can't believe that's it's closing down soon. It's that rare thing of an all french family run restaurant in a back street in Edinburgh. Really enjoyed all of it

Great 2 course lunch 16.95 includes rump steak and mussels other choices as well very small intimate restaurant only about 25 covers

Good service and cute place. Not much after that though, very average to disappointing food for both portion size and flavour. Would recommend for ambiance only. For food quality there are plenty of French restaurants or French inspired restaurants that offer better food for a fraction of the cost. Would probably not return even though the staff were lovely.