First Coast in Edinburgh, City of

Perfect for a dinner. All the seafood was great - moules mariniere was lovely, the monkfish was genuinely 10/10. Service from Tyler was also tip

Very Disappointed, won’t go back Will never step foot back in the place again, the attitude of the front of house staff shocked us more than how poor the food was..After going to First Coast for over 12 years it pains me to say how disappointing and poor tonight’s visit was, the food was average and then to find a big thick hair in your desert to be pretty much ignored by the staff other than we’ve taken your desert of the bill.When we did mention that we had been coming here for years and had never had any issues and said we would most likely not be back the manageress reply not a problem that our choice,I thought that attitude of the manageress summed up the whole visit disappointing , very sad used to be our favourite place to eat.

mussels are huge, delicious. i love it. probably because it's from shetland,very nice. squid are little bit too salty for me

We visited this restaurant on the recommendation of our host at the hotel we stayed in and for sure we were not disappointed. We had a great welcome from the staff and proceeded to order our meal. My partner and I both opted for the same : Starter of Moules Marnier, then a main course of Fettuccini with wild mushrooms. Without doubt the tastiest and surprisingly fresh Mussels I think I have ever had. The cream sauce also was amazing and went so well with the fresh bread loaf. The main was equally as tasty and as it was not covered in grated Parmigiano, rather accompanied with a wafer made of Parmesan type cheese, it was indeed very tasty. Wine was good, pricing was very reasonable, service was great, especially the lady and Aris who we had a good chat with and therefore I would highly recommend a visit to this lovely restaurant which is located max 5 minute walk from Haymarket railway station.

Food was excellent. Beef carpaccio and salt and pepper squid were very tasty, and the duck and whole sea bream were really exquisite. Desserts of sticky toffee pudding and chocolate were great. I asked for nothing with vinegar and the restaurant responded very well when due to a small error, one dish was served with pickled gherkins. I will definitely visit again.

First time here and so pleased with the food and service! We were not aware that they have a limited menu for lunch, so we chose form what was available. Yet, the service size and flavors did not disappoint! My husband and I both chose the same dish. I can’t eat potatoes and asked if they could change them for one of the side dishes, and they did at no extra charge. I was very pleased with the flavors, my husband too, and the overall experience. The prices are very reasonable! The building inside is pretty with some rock walls (they seem to be real rocks) and they simple yet nice decoration. The two boys working today were very attentive and always checking that things were okay. They advised my husband on a drink he wanted to have, too. We would be happy to go back when in Edinburgh again. We would try to go for dinner, though, so we could try different dishes.

Lovely lunch at First Coast yesterday: generous portion of beautifully cooked hake with excellent accompaniments including very good chips. Delicious chocolate dessert. Very good value.

Well with a heavy heart and a full stomach, I’m just home from another amazing meal at First Coast this place has never ceased to provide a great night out. Tonight’s food was outstanding yet again, I’m just sorry it will be the last, to Mikey, Anna and the rest of the staff thank you tonight it was amazing we are wishing you all the best in your new ventures.

We were really looking forward to this as the reviews are generally very good, but unfortunately it was a very disappointing experience. Suffice to say the hostess that “greeted” us was very rude and effectively doubted our booking. When we were seated we were left sitting there, with no sign of a menu or any waiting staff to take our order. In the end we decided to leave and I don’t think any of the staff even noticed. Overall very disappointing.

Delicious food, my gnocchi was absolutely phenomenal 🤤

This is one of my fave restaurants to visit not just in Edinburgh but anywhere in the uk. Its a small rotating menu but theres still something for everyone.

I’m from asia, and a country where you can get south Asian food anytime, country wide. But the Indian food here was truly awesome. The duck, the steak and the fish and even the starters were great. Best meal we had in Edinburgh, Glasgow, inverness combined

Although not being super busy waiting staff seemed to not be particularly friendly almost like it was a bother to them. Disappointing as been here a fair few times and also had good service. Maybe just an off day. The food was lovely just the service that let the rating down.

Zochten iets in de buurt van ons hotel en kwamen hier terecht. Ze hadden een speciaal kerstmenu en deze was echt voortreffelijk! We hadden de Gnocchi en de eend 👌Drankkaart zeer uitgebreid en de bediening was zeer attent

Rather disappointed as I had been here many times under the previous ownership and had always been impressed. Tonight our group of 10 were all surprised by the rather small portions. My aubergine starter was tasty but very small. My main course of duck was again small with 3 small cuts of duck breast, 4 Brussels sprouts and 4 very small portions of potato. The cheese course was ok in terms of quantity but fairly mediocre selection of cheese. The restaurant was only half full and just as well given the number of staff. Interestingly, the two restaurants opposite and the one next door looked like they were full to capacity!

Fantastic three course Christmas meal. The menu is great if you want something different from the usual prawn cocktail/turkey options. Food is incredible quality, delicious and portions are very generous. Lovely setting and atmosphere too.

Loved this restaurant. I had the spiced whitebait followed by the chicken curry. Both absolutely delicious. Others at the table sampled the baked aubergine, haggis and duck. Great service, nice wine selection and a chilled atmosphere. Good value for money for the standard of food offered.

We had a fantastic meal. Food and service was first class.

My boyfriend and I had such a good time here! Food was amazing, such a cute atmosphere and the staff were so lovely. Shoutout to Paul our amazing waiter!

Top notch food. Scallops with xo sauce and Pickled daikon to kick things off . A real winter warmer with plump perfectly cooked Scallops. The xo sauce warming the cockles on a cold rainy day was perfect . Salt cod fritters We're tasty as was the haggis starter. Mains of gnocchi and flat iron also perfectly cooked . Desserts were fantastic too . Good selection of drinks . Warm welcoming restaurant with friendly staff .bread was also very good.

The food is good, but the cocktails are quite strange. Oh, I think the waitresses are racist! They are so rude to let us out…

Their staff was fighting when we first arrived. It took them forever to serve the course and we couldn't have dessert because we could only use the table for two hours. The drink was awful. The waitress was so mean that I couldn't eat in front of her face. Their service definitely doesn't match the taste of their food

General food but very bad service from the waitress, will never go there again

Delicious food, good wine and good desert.

Perfect sirloin steak and the dessert (chocolate cremaux with passionfruit curt)!

Stunning food. We had the steak and duck dishes . Service was amazing and staff very attentive to our needs . Went on a recommendation and couldn't of had a nicer meal. Sticky toffee pudding also very nice 🙂🙂

Four of us visited for dinner on a Saturday night, each for the first time. We all thoroughly enjoyed the food, service and ambience. Prices very reasonable. The dishes are imaginative but avoid the fussiness of some brasseries/restaurants. The team worked hard and to my eye admirably well together. Thank you First Coast: we'll be back.

The staff are super friendly. The food was a bit hit and miss. Amazing starters, but the mains were fairly average. Especially the mackerel with basil salad, which was very bland. It was quite expensive, too, £29 for 2 courses.

Food was divine and service was fab. Very reasonably priced considering the quality of food you're getting. Loved it, will definitely go back

Great food and service Far outstrips George St options

Good value three courses, good wine list. Lamb was excellent.

The very best fillet Aberdeen Angus steak I have had ,chef Michael and his team are the best .Service brilliant ,every course cooked to perfection. As a Aberdeen Angus farmer ,what an advert , grass fed . Thank you again a great night.

Nice little restaurant, great food, good staff.

Super find a short walk from our city hotel. Tge food was excellent at a reasonable price. Recommended.

Excellent food. The menu isn't too extensive which imo is a good thing. Excellence in few is better than mediocrity in many.

We have dined at First Coast for many years which has always been excellent. After our visit on Saturday we will never be back. We received a First Coast voucher as a gift. It was sitting on the table and while we were eating a waitress came up to and said "I'm sorry but you can't use that voucher anymore as we are new management" she walked away! When the bill came we questioned why the voucher couldn't be used as it was still First Coast. Surely if new owners have taken over a business they must honour the voucher that was bought in July. She was adamant that it wouldn't be the new owners. She gave no explanation who would be liable for the money spent on the voucher. She basically shrugged her shoulders. Not our problem.This went on for some time with everyone in the restaurant hearing. Which no doubt ruined their evening as well. In the end we got the bill deducted the voucher amount and told her that's what is getting paid! She stormed away and came back "as a gesture of good will we will honour it on this occasion." I gave £100 voucher as a gift to one of our friends which hasn't been used yet. I would like management to response on how to get my money back. Also a response in the way this was dealt with in front of all your customers. What was meant to be a pleasant evening was a unpleasant embarrassing experience!

Lovely restaurant with great atmosphere and delicious food . A great recommendation! I only wish I could come more often.

Excellent restaurant in Edinburgh with fantastic and attentive service. The food was delicious and portions left us feeling very full. The two and three course options were priced fairly for the quality of the food. If you’re looking for a wonderful dinner in Edinburgh, First Coast is a really great option!

Wonderful meal with friends. Food is amazing & the staff really looked after us. Chef Michael & his team really know what they're doing here, even though the restaurant has changed hands, the quality of their cuisine hasn't. Definitely coming back-up

One of the best nights out in a long time,food was absolutely incredible and the service was second to none. I’d definitely recommend and will be back again very soon 5star xxxxx

What an incredible place! When we came here in the evening, I opted for the clams (starter), the sea bream (main dish) and the pear-chocolate brownie. The service was great, the portions were generous, the produce was fresh and everything tasted absolutely delicious. It's hard to find a restaurant that has it all..10/10 would recommend!

Fabulous meal. Lamb starter particular stand out dish. Never had a bad experience. Cannot recommend highly enough

I love the food, fresh and so yummy

We started with fish cakes that where really good. Ordered medium rare steak and chicken salad for main. Steak arrived well done (over cooked) and dry. My mistake not ordering a sauce but I'm also used to being upsold sauces. I had hoped that the waitresses would have checked back on our table during consumption but they did not. So we ate the food, paid and now I'm leaving some feedback.

Very good haggis, we come from Italy we like to taste local cuisine. In this place we finally tasted something local and I must say that it is very good. Very kind staff. Thank you Cheers

Excellent, delicious local cuisine combined with a hard working waitstaff. Highly recommend a visit and book in advance as it fills up.

Had a delicious three course meal: salt cod fritters, courgette linguine and of course, sticky toffee pudding. Everything was delicious, balanced and flavorful. It's a fine casual setting and quite small, seats about 70-80 people. Our favorite spot we ate at during our trip to Edinburgh. There aren't any photos of the main courses because we ate them up too quickly.

Delicious food, quick service, nice staff

Fantastic meal. I had the chicken thai salad and the flavor and texture was perfect. Son has a tree nut and peanut allergy and we were delighted with the care they took with him, to doublecheck that he could have the Haggis/Tatties/Neeps and lamb shoulder and even the sticky toffee pudding! When they brought the starter over they even made sure to tell my son before he asked that the garnish was oatmeal, not nuts. Food was delicious and service was very friendly. I would eat here again in a heartbeat.

Mon premier repas en Écosse, qui fut excellent, contrairement à la rumeur qu’on peut manger juste des fish and chips. Tout était parfait, une trés belle surprise.

Beautiful interior with oil paintings of beaches and coastlines to create a seaside feel, stylish yet relaxed. Absolutely delicious and very appealing food. A gem of a restaurant that I did not expect to find in this part of town.

Delicious dinner - 3 course menu. My two sons and I arrived late, and ordered more or less the same - well-made and tasty 😋😍

Had very good onion soup and grilled mackerel there. Very helpful with adapting menu for my vegan partner.

I've been going to First Coast for 20 years now and it never disappoints. I'd go as far to say that it's the best veggie food I've ever eaten (in 35 years of being a vegetarian). The flavours that your chef achieves are phenomenal and it's good value for the quality (please, please don't change your chef!!). I hope you never take the aubergine dish or beetroot curry off the menu : ) Also very much enjoyed our Bramble cocktails and cava last night (Prosecco is too sweet for me and often horrible in restaurants so I really appreciate places that sell good quality Cava)....cocktails are a great addition to a brilliant local restaurant.

Food was phenomenal, I’ve known mikey the head chef for years now and every time I come the meal is exceptional, highly recommend throughout

Visiting Edinburgh and booked here for a special meal on our last night based on the reviews. We were not disappointed. My steak was cooked beautifully as was my husband's hake. Staff were friendly, knowledgeable and efficient. Whole experience was perfect - thank you. We'll be back on our next visit.

Very good food, but terrible service. We came for a late lunch, with a not very clear lunch menu(what in, what out, what add on ...), we asked for a steak. Food was good, but then we saw in the bill that we shall pay for a lunch menu + steak add on (never explained beforehand ...). We said fine some miscommunication, let's have sth from the menu as well (we are paying anyways). The kitchen was already closed, so we took just a dessert and surprise, surprises the waitress arrived with additional bill for the deserts as well ( despite our long conversation about the menu ...). When we expressed surprise, she started shouting ... finally we sorted it out with the manager, but after a whole week in Scotland with very nice service in all other places it was really shocking and leaves bad taste at the end of otherwise perfect vacation. PS. Will not reply to the incorrect info below and is not the purpose of the review. This is feedback, the owner can choose to think that everything with the service is perfect and the customers are making vicious plans to get 'free' deserts or there is some room for improvement...

Food was great! However the waitress was the most confusing and unprofessional waitress that I've ever seen. I would not recommend that place until they make their menu properly formatted, visibly separate the different kinds of dishes and start behaving. Really you have to avoid this place until they fix staff issues.

The best dinner we had during our 2 week long stay in Scotland. We had the 3 course lunch/early dinner menu and it was absolutely delicious and at a great price.

Probably one of the best meals ever

Nice meal, very busy on the evening we visited. Quite noisy for a good conversation.

Fab. Had haggis hake and Pavlova. Family I was with had aubergine cod then lemon pousset/caramel pot. All delicious. Reasonable price. Guy who looked after us was brilliant and a good laugh. Do like someone who has a gsoh. Going back home tomorrow but my cousin lives here and comes fairly often. Thoroughly recommend

Brilliant Restaurant with great food and lovely wines all at a very reasonable price. I would highly recommend and I will most certainly be going back.

One of my favourite restaurants in Edinburgh. It's been on the go for 20 years and you can definitely see why. Went tonight (Tuesday) and it was pretty busy for a week night. The food is always so full of flavour. It's good quality and always so fresh. Some of the best tasting fish dishes, and the Thai fish cakes starter is amazing.

Amazing food! Steak to die for, melts in your mouth! Service was outstanding! Starter haggis neeps and tatties were delicious. main course, as forementioned, was amazing, and the sweet, white chocolate and raspberry trifle was truly delightful! Will definitely return.

Exceptional. Truly a gem of an experience from the decor to the service and — of course — the food. Had a 2-course meal and both the appetizer and steak were exquisite. First meal we had in Scotland based on a recommendation and my friend and I both agreed it was one of the best meals of our whole trip. Must go!

My friend treated me to lunch here yesterday, and, it certainly didn't disappoint. Food was excellent, and, well presented, staff were efficient and friendly. The ambience was very relaxed. I would highly recommend First Coast.

Early evening meal. Great service and good quality food and drink

Very good food and great value. One of the best in town. Love the changing and always interesting menu... and budget lunch and early evening options. Splendid. 👍

A few minutes walk from Haymarket station, this place is an absolute gem. I'm not surprised it's been going for 20 years, I bet it gets a huge amount of repeat custom and word-of-mouth recommendation - I don't even live in Edinburgh and I'm already planning to return! Its Instagram account (firstcoast1) depicts the food better than I can in words, but suffice it to say that the menu is reassuringly short (if you know, you know) with fresh, seasonal ingredients and clever flavour combinations. Starters are an appetite-whetting size and mains are satisfyingly generous (we didn't have room for dessert). Prices are remarkably good value for the quality, and the service is cheerful and competent too. The decor is tasteful and unobtrusive. My only tiny quibbles are that, on a hot June evening, it was a little bit airless and stuffy where we were sitting, and there are no soft surfaces so it was a tad noisy, but I am oversensitive to noise so that might not bother you. Anyway, never mind that, the food is DELICIOUS and there's a great choice of drinks too. Highly recommended.

Wir waren gleich zwei Mal im First Coast essen. Die Qualität des Essens hat uns bereits beim ersten Mal so überzeugt, dass wir noch ein zweites Mal dort waren. Geschmacklich ist das Essen super. Die Gerichte sind ausbalanciert und die Produkte haben eine tolle Qualität. Wir waren vollauf begeistert. Dazu hatten wir auch jedes Mal eine gute Flasche Wein. Die Atmosphäre ist schön in dem Restaurant. Der Service entspricht vergleichsweise nicht dem hohen Niveau wie das Essen, das Personal war aber freundlich und bemüht. Alles in einem eine schöne Adresse für einen leckeren Abend.

We found First Choice on Trip Advisor and gave it a shot. We're glad we did! My wife is into vegetable dishes and said her meal was one of the best of our trip. My steak was a bit over cooked but still tasty. Excellent staff. Small, quaint place without a ton of atmosphere, clearly a locals haunt. It's in the West Centre of town, probably wouldn't walk there in the dark but in the spring when it's light until 10:00 no problem.

We were there with 3 families and 13 People. Very good service and food. Everyone enjoyed the evening. Go there you won‘t regret it.

Potato latke and aberdeen steak. Great bread and butter❤️ Octopus with risotto was to die for Lovely food, great service- cocktail wasn’t as wow as rest of the meal☺️

Had lunch here yesterday.Haggis neeps and tatties to start then Thai chicken salad .The haggis is the best I've ever tasted and the salad was excellent too .Service was also spot on. Definitely be returning.

Had the set menu, it was really really good! Will be going here often this summer to try all other dishes on said menu

During our school trip (ages 13-14) in Edinburgh, we had our dinners (35 people in total) at First Coast. Great hospitality, very friendly personnel, especially when you have to deal with teenagers. The dishes were very tasty. Nice little twists on traditional dishes, but not...

Le coste scozzesi sono il leitmotiv di questo piacevole bistrot, situato a poca distanza dalla Haymarket Train Station. Ottimo cibo,...

We had looked for somewhere to eat which was dog friendly but also had something a little unusual on the menu. First Coast was a little off the usual tourist track but well worth the 20 minute walk from the centre. The food was fantastic...

Where is the Michelin Man? Hiding in the New Town no doubt. It's time he found this jewel of a restaurant in a less salubrious part of Edinburgh. Firstly, full marks to the Chef for fresh ingredients, innovative menus, fabulous choices, impeccably cooked and presented...

On a City Break to Edinburgh we looked for somewhere different to dine and found First Coast - what a find! Looking in First Coast looked tiny from the outside but once inside we realised that there were some small rooms off to the side...

Had a lovely meal whilst visiting Edinburgh. This restaurant is not on the typical well trodden tourist path…but we’ll worth the trip!! The food was fantastic! Every dish… Staff were great, wine was lovely and not expensive.

Unexpectedly delicious! We tried some restaurants nearby as well and First Coast is just the best. We ordered chips, cod fish and black rice octopus, everything were fresh and nicely seasoned. Our no.1 restaurant in Edinburgh

We went there on our first night in Edinburgh, love it! Locally sourced ingredients and delicious food. Loved the haggis, so special. I had the crispy hake, so crunchy and spicy (no jokes when Scottish people say it is spicy 🔥). A place I would go back for sure!

I won a competition in the Edinburgh reporter for a 20th Anniversary meal for 2, it was absolutely delicious. The Osso Buco with bone marrow risotto for main course was outstanding.

Great restaurant. We visited on a rugby day and it was a set menu - three courses for £30. Pretty good value for delicious food cooked simply and perfectly. We were told they needed the table back at 9pm, but in fact they let us stay longer.

Post-rugby dinner - excellent value, excellent service, excellent food. Slightly off the tourist path, but well worth a trip.

A real find! Enjoyed the meal from start to finish. Good choice of starters and main courses. Well presented and tasty. Reasonable wine list - we had a very acceptable bottle of Viognier which was a fair price for an Edinburgh restaurant. We enjoyed ourselves...

The food was lovely, not loads of vegan option but they were good at sorting out what could be adapted with no fuss at all. Good value for money too.

Fabulous ambience.... if a bit warm...

Went there for a dinner with my family and we all left full and happy! My Seabass was one of the best I've ever got. Also as a dessert I took affogatto which was stunning. Great atmosphere and service on point. Highly recommend for family dinner!

This place never fails to impress. Fantastic food, service and setting.

Fantastic food and service. My only thing would be it was a bit to atmospheric to read the lovely menus. Either need slightly larger fonts or just a touch more wattage.

First time visitor, though had wanted to come for along time. Excellent lunch. Relaxed atmosphere (even before the excellent bottle of wine), great food, and spot in service. Thoroughly enjoyed my visit. Would definitely recommend.

Malheureusement nous n'avons pas été conquis. Mon porc rôti et son accompagnement était certes bien cuit mais le goût était gâcher par la sauce extrêmement salée. Ma compagne a quant à elle eu un plat gâché par une sauce tomate très très épicée. Nous sommes déçus que le personnel ne nous ait pas prévenu. Dommage

This place is worth visiting. It's unpretentious, simple yet comfortable, cafe style. The menu is about the right size and covers most tastes, the food could best be described as modern eclectic Scottish. We had crispy cod, chilli and sambal yellow rice and broccoli. The...

Friendly staff and delicious dinner!

Charming place with pretty good food. Short walk from Haymarket station.

The food is good but don’t expect fast service if there’s regulars seated near to you who want to have a natter with the staff. You’ll simply be ignored until the chit chat with the regulars has finished. In a way, it’s half the fault of the regulars. If I were in their position, I’d say to the waiter, I think that table over there has been waiting a while to order. At the end of the day, it seems like they want the regulars coming back every week. This is no lie, I looked at my watch as the waiter approached then made a sharp turn towards the regulars. Six minutes they were chatting for. So we just sat there, twiddling our thumbs with no drinks and no service of any kind. The biggest slap in the face was the waiter didn’t even say, sorry for keeping you waiting. Not going here again, the food’s good but not great for the price and the utter ignorance of the waiting staff was shocking.

Fantastic food and service cheers guys love your place 👍👍