The Black Grape in Edinburgh, City of

I had a reservation at this restaurant in the evening, but since I had already eaten at another place, I wasn’t very hungry. Nonetheless, I decided to honor my reservation at Black Grape. My initial intention was to try something more local or traditional Scottish cuisine, but the menu at Black Grape seemed more like modern European fusion dishes. When I arrived, there was only one table of guests, which made me wonder why the restaurant was so empty. You know, going to a restaurant with no customers always makes you question if there’s something wrong—poor service or bad food, perhaps. However, I soon realized this wasn’t the case. The servers here were very friendly and enthusiastic, showing a genuine effort in their work. I ordered the trout which turned out to be much better than expected. The presentation was exquisite, and the flavors were delightful. Another dish I tried was the scallops. While it looked great, I felt the chef might have been a bit too focused on showcasing culinary techniques. I had also read some reviews mentioning that the seasoning for this dish felt slightly off-balance, and I would suggest that the chef could refine the flavors to make them fresher. Of course, this is just my personal opinion—I’m sure the chef has his reasons for creating the dish this way. Overall, the scallops were visually appealing, but a slight adjustment in the seasoning, ingredients pairing, or sauce could make it even more popular. The service provided by the waitstaff was excellent and left a lasting positive impression. I hope they continue to thrive. For travelers looking to explore more creative and innovative local flavors, this could be worth a try. To the chefs, keep up the great work!

Inventive Scottish tapas, friendly service and good wine - what more could you want. The food was different and that's not always a great thing but it was done in a brilliant way here. We tried a few wines and they were all really nice. Service was brilliant too. The only little note was that seating in the corner under the speaker was a little loud.

The place is just ok. I don't get the great reviews. This is very average food presented in a fancy way. Felt touristic.

The rating is unreasonably high for this place. The downside is disgusting food. On the plus side - good and nice waiters and good wine. But even they could not correct the impression about the quality of the food. I thought that fresh oysters and bread could not be spoiled, but it turned out that if you pour hot sauce on the oysters and overcook the bread in burnt oil, then this is no longer possible. The scallops were fried in similar oil and that's the first thing you smell when this dish arrives. Okay, let's close our nose and try it. And here is another surprise: the scallops lie on a bed of mustard and are covered with raisins. Eating this is also strictly forbidden, all receptors protest. Now the pork is actually a few pieces of overcooked bacon. And the same disgusting smell of burnt oil. All I could eat was potatoes and washed down with wine, but this in no way saved the impression. Until the chef fixes the menu, it’s definitely not worth coming here.

Very little food and quite high prices. The table itself was good, but next to the door there was a lot of draft when people came in and left.

I fell in love with everything about this place. While the interior is fanciful, the prices are affordable and the experience is exquisite. I’ve tried the wild mushroom spring rolls, buffalo mozzarella and fresh oysters. All were great.

Great little bits for meats connoisseurs with rich selection of quality alcohols. My favourite restaurant in Edinburgh. Especially recommend venison and steaks.

Extremely busy and really hard to hear each other. Due to business we presume, service was very very slow. Took forever to even order and receive a drink. Food was ok but we were a bit disappointed in the taste and quality for the price. Appreciate the tapas style dishes come out as and when they are ready. But the salads came out near the end of the meal which seemed a bit odd. Staff super friendly.

Attentive and friendly service on a quiet Monday night dinner. Inventive dishes, but still felt like comfort food. Very cool wine list as well. Would recommend to any friend!

Great, every dish we had was excellent. The kitchen produces well thought out, balanced and tasty food.

Cozy place,food was fine.very good service!

My wife and I enjoyed a very nice evening here. It was quiet however, it was 8:30 on a Tuesday evening. The food was really nice! Sensible sharing portions. We also enjoyed a great selection of different wines by the glass. I would like to go again when it is busy to see how the place feels when full as we felt spoilt with our experience.

Loved this place! Highlights were the scallops, pork belly, smoked trout and the biggest, juiciest olives ever. Ignore all the negative reviews about the plates being too small, they were pretty generous for a small plates restaurant. Cocktails were also lovely, especially the sour grape.

Omg Food is amazing. Definitely a must visit location.

Excellent food and service however it's a tad expensive for the portion sizes.

Everything was delicious. My negative points are the noise and the price of the food for the portion sizes, which are tiny.

It’s really a cute little place. Service is good and the food is very well presented. But the value is ridiculously bad. When they say it’s small plates, they mean TINY! Wish I had taken pictures - the scallops dish (for £18.50) was a grand total of two scallops cut in half. Ditto for the rest of the plates. After £100 for two we quit and went someplace else. Had to laugh when they say, “Whether you’re after a quick glass of wine or a feast…” - even if you ordered everything on the menu it wouldn’t qualify as a feast. Probably good for a glass of wine and a single plate before going somewhere else for a real meal. Not for dinner.

Nice, cool and chill place with delicious food and wine, good music.

Neil was our server and he was very friendly and knowledgeable. The recommendation that he gave us for the pork belly was spot on. Our favorites were the arancini and the steak. We’re typically very weary of arancini because the risotto is often not that good but the balance of the fried outside and the soft inside was amazing. The steak was great but what really elevated it was the mushroom “ketchup”. It’s only been on their menu for a few weeks but it was amazing.

If you are on the fence about eating here or somewhere else, you want to eat here! We came here for our anniversary dinner, and enjoyed sharing all of the small plates.

Food and drinks second to none and the service from Neil and Charlotte unparalleled, outstanding.

Our group of 7 came in 20m before the kitchen closed after we were turned away from another restaurant and Neil and Charlotte were extremely accommodating! They setup us at a table and we ended up ordering most of the food on the menu and it all came out excellent! The hummus, cured sea trout, oysters, scallops, bread, olives, buffalo mozzarella, dessert cheeses and chocolate tart, were all extraordinary! The cocktails and wine were all complementary to our meal. And, the service was unmatched! Before the end of our meal we asked if we could make a reservation for our last dinner in Edinburgh. We'll be recommending The Black Grape to all of our friends back in the States who come to visit.

Great cocktails, very friendly staff

Excellent venue for a group work dinner. We were all pleasantly surprised by the quality, having done no research beforehand.

The service is good. However, when the starters and main dishes arrived, disappointment took over the table. Minimal portions and very expensive... They were tasty, but not worth the value for money.

I found the menu to be pretty unimaginative and overpriced. £5 for 4 thin slices of average bread. I had the pork belly and it was measly slices and overcooked, although the carrot purree and sauce was good. I also had chips which were supposed to be triple cooked? they were over salted and hard in the middle. I would recommend for the atmosphere and the cocktails/wine available but the meal did not feel very generous.

What a lovely restaurant. We had a bunch of small plates and everything was delicious. The service was friendly and quick and the restaurant itself was so classy

food was delicious and the staff were so accommodating as we had a show to get to, would absolutely love to come back and would highly recommend

Excellent food and wine in a very relaxing environment. Service was first class without being OTT. We had lunch - small plates which were all bursting with flavour , the beef carpaccio was a exceptional.

Food really good but very small portions. Dont go with a hungry belly.

Superb flavours!! Every mouthful made us go “ooooohhh” which is a very rare thing indeed!!

Good concept, excellent food & wine and nice people. They really deserve "cinque stelle". We've been two times to the black grape and it feels like "une histoire d'amour".

Excellent service, lovely ambience and surprisingly delicious food and drinks! Highly recommended.

Amazing food great wine very friendly and helpful staff AAAAAA++++++

The food here is devine. The drinks are perfect. Service, warm and friendly. I could sit here all afternoon to try all the dishes.

Great service, very kind and helpful throughout our dinner, food was not personally super enjoyable, most of the dishes were just too sweet including the appetizers, the schnitzel and the steak but the food was decent. The meat dishes took longer than expected to come out. Restaurant is nice on the eyes with the decor and the bar.

Great place for dinner - the food was not bad, it was flavored but not to the high standards I expected. Potions are small, tasty yes, blown away no. Lots of Basil oil- Pork Belly was just deep fried pretty bland to be fair- the sauce on the plate was nice. The Chicken was very good, just not enough of it. Desert was great - staff were fantastic.

This isn’t just a wine bar, it’s a welcoming restaurant serving delicious food! We came across it by chance as it was almost opposite our hotel. What a treat! We had several tapas style dishes, all very well prepared and tasty. The staff were efficient and friendly. We didn’t have to book. Quite a find as I haven’t seen it on Tripadvisor.

We received a voucher for Xmas and were really looking forward to going here. Sadly, it in no way lived up to expectations. First of all, we had been sat for 25 minutes before we even received a drink. We ordered the focaccia which came first which was very nice and served warm. We then had the lamb croquette which was also very tasty. The haggis sausage roll came at the same time and was fine but it didn’t really taste of haggis and the pastry wasn’t flaky. Next, we had the caramelised onion arancini which was really not good. The sauce tasted burnt and bitter and the risotto rice in the arancini was undercooked. Sadly, the mushroom spring roll was also very disappointing and both of us only had one bite and left the rest. Lastly, we had the pork belly and the fries. The pork belly was slightly chewy and the veg served with it was heavily salted. The chips were also heavily salted, so much so, I had to brush the salt off the few I had. I have to say the staff were lovely and the restaurant had a nice ambience but the food let the whole experience down. The manager did take off the arancini for us but didn’t come over and say anything. We spoke to our waiter at the end of the meal to let him know about our experience and he was very understanding. Sadly, I will not be back to this restaurant. It does have a lot of very good reviews but for the price, it is not worth giving another chance.

Really nothing to fault for the price. Friendly peeps, fabulous food, nicely spaced out tables, nice wine too. Would highly recommend and will be back.

So far, I've only been for a glass of wine and snacks. I definitely intend going back for a meal.

Amazing food. Bursting with flavours texture and taste from locally sourced food cooked with care and compassion. Every single plate was flavoursome. Lovely atmosphere and kind staff. Definitely will recommend this place when you visit Edinburgh.

Update: came back and the service is as excellent as my first visit. The kitchen was closing and they still placed my order: chicken schnitzel. Happy belly. OG: I had an excellent dinner. Chicken schnitzel +, focaccia are divine and the bartenders are mega knowledgeable and kind. Thank you for the whisky recommendations!

Had a sourdough focaccia. Very nice one. But still not compareale with the one you found in Cinque terra in Italy though.

Amazing food 👏 Great lunch with the family. Kids had the chicken and chips while the adults enjoyed the cocktails, wine and tapas. The sour grape aperitif is highly recommended 👌

From start to finish the black grape was phenomenal. The service was pioneered by the GM and AGM and they truly made us feel welcome and cared for from the moment we walked in the restaurant. The food was awesome, not to be missed is the focaccia with the mozzarella and tuna tartare, and omg the rump with the peppercorn sauce stole the show. The drinks were good and I had a phenomenal orange wine. Cannot recommend enough.

Outstanding service and the best food we had in Scotland. Absolutely perfect meal.

Amazing food, great service, awesome drinks! Shout-out to our waitress Emma, who looked after us like royalty!

Unexpectedly outstanding food at this restaurant. Very clean, helpful staff, and great drinks too. So much better than another random sub-par touristy pub food experience.

Amazing service, tapas and drinks! A must in Edinburgh for a light snack and a good drink on the side.

Food was great, particularly enjoyed the tuna tataki and the blue cheese croquettes

Absolutely divine! We accidentally stumbled upon this place walking from our accommodation into the "city center". We booked to go here for a drink and some small plates that evening. Great decision! Food was absolutely delicious!! The menu understates how delicious it is. Great selection of wine and the team were great to deal with. Chilled out environment and this ended up being our favourite evening out in Edinburgh.

Stumbled on this place while walking-such a lovely change in flavours snd textures! Food and presentation amazing! Def worth a visit when down Canongate way in Edinburgh.

Never had a meal here but been in several times for drinks - nice spot with good interiors and wine/cocktails

Great tapas and wine spot. We were honestly very surprised with the quality of our tapas here, the flavors were spectacular and left us wanting to order more dishes. Dishes were around €10 ea and we had two as an afternoon snack with a glass of wine. Highly recommend the aubergine dish, the sauce was spectacular. Great wine selection with very knowledgeable staff. Would return if we were in the area and wanted a glass of wine and a snack.

Review written on behalf of my Dad, who visited earlier this week (but hasn't quite figured out Google Reviews!): My clients and I had a wonderful experience and amazing service, especially from Danny, who chose an excellent selection of food for us. I recommend this restaurant to anyone visiting Edinburgh.

Food was good, cocktails were amazing! But the best thing about the black grape was the fantastic service from waitress Emma. Would 100% recommend!

The food was fantastic. Small plants so can share with everyone at the table and try many different dishes.

Outstanding. Staff especially friendly.

I had a mid-afternoon table on Easter Sunday. As a result, I was the only person in the restaurant but felt so looked after regardless. Emma was an amazing host and was so so attentive, it was really appreciated. The hummus and cauliflower small plate is a MUST.

Surprisingly the best dish there was the whipped feta under the charred leek... small but simply delightful!! All the other dishes were good. Not usually fussed about service but two of the wait staff had a bit of a strange attitude but our waitress was lovely.

Divine, the food was very delicious, which really surprised us. The atmosphere and staff a ten! I recommend you 💯%. P.S. Pear tart 🍐 is something extraordinary.

Amazing place. Just stopped as we were passing by. Service and food were excellent! Small dishes, but really good. Also, an excellent wine list!

This is a little gem! Great food, great wine and great service!! We enjoyed it so much we returned 2 nights running!

Ok, it’s a bit out of the centre of town but it’s so worth it. It’s so good I forgot to take photos of three of our dishes. Designed to share, this restaurant is the bees knees. The food and service is outstanding. Well worth the visit. Delicious 🤤

Delicious food and reasonably priced for the quality. Make sure to get a side of the focaccia! Attentive service.

I cannot recommend this place enough. My family and I were on holiday in Edinburgh a few weeks back and went for dinner on our last night. All the food was superb. I had the scallops and whipped feta with crackers and few sides (potatoes and salad) which were all so so yummy. I also had a few bites of the rump which was one of the best bits of steak I've ever eaten. It was so tender and melted in the mouth with the consistency of salmon. I had the sour grape cocktail to drink which was delicious. The service was exceptional. At the end of the meal we were really full as we'd also been out for a large lunch so we weren't able to fit in dessert. My brother and I were discussing the cheese board, particularly one of the cheeses we wanted to try. The host very kindly brought a little sample out, free of charge, so we could try it. Thanks so much for that, it was a great touch. Next time I'm in Edinburgh I will definitely be back and I suggest everyone else goes there immediately!

Amazing food and fantastic service.

Excellent food and service. Had a lovely lunch an a saturday but quite quiet. had tried booking using the link on Google however said no availability. Used the Fork and there was plenty availability. Watch this is booking a short notice

Delicious small plates, wine and cocktails, wanted to order everything off the menu

An amazing place with a great service! The waitress constantly helped us with her recommendation and it was a great experience. However, the dessert menu needs some upgrade.

This has to be the best restaurant in Edinburgh. The food was unreal 🤩 & the service was 10/10 really professional and friendly staff.

Best meal I've had in Edinburgh in a long time. 10/10

Excellent place to eat in Edinburgh - I'd been here previously for a work xmas party and thought the food was great, so I wanted to come on a normal night to experience it properly. The food - all small plates or sharing dishes, was delicious and varied - also very good value including a January special offer. The crab arancini were a particular highlight. Great wine list and lovely staff too - this was the best meal I've had in Edinburgh recently.

The Black Grape is my favourite spot in Edinburgh for food!!!! The small plates are just incredible and the drinks are also so delicious! I have visited several times and every time it gets better and the staff are so so lovely. My favourite dishes are the blue cheese croquette (divine), the house focaccia with the whipped feta dish, the wild mushroom roll is absolutely incredible, whatever arancini they do is amazing but the current crab one is my favourite so far and the scallops (that sauce wow). For drinks the pink passion fruit negroni is delicious as well as the love bird and smoked banana manhattan. I honestly couldn’t reccomend this place more!

Dissapointing experience in an empty restaurant Poor service (actually should say no service ) provided by the female staff member , even we were the only customer all night long Bad choice on a Tuesday night

Good food in a relaxed environment ❤️

Fantastic evening celebrating a birthday - the staff went out of their way to help with the planning and make sure everyone had a great time.

Brilliant experience from A to Z. Special thanks to Laurene for advising us on such good wines and food

Absolutely brilliant experience dining at this lovely restaurant. Food, service and overall vibe top class. Best restaurant we tried in Edinburgh!

DELICIOUS. From the beginning to the end a remarkable experience guided by knowledgeable team members and succulent food. Decided to visit upon recommendation and don’t regret it at all. Would describe it as a collection of sharing fine dining picky bits, looks like might leave you peckish but almost had to take an Uber back to the car because of how full we were! The Sakura spiritz was absolutely amazing, might have to come back from England just for it. Thank you team for an amazing evening!

Great flavours excellently put together. We'll priced for the quality. Lovely staff. Thanks 👌

A treasure in the bustling heart of Edinburgh. Despite that, it is a very friendly and welcoming place. The staff ,food, wine, ambience and service were fantastic and great value for money. We had a minor issue which was resolved immediately with no fuss or drama. I would recommend this restaurant without hesitation.

Great menu to share with friends. Great selection of wine too

Went out as a small group for a friend's birthday dinner. Between us sampled most of the menu, was all delicious! Particularly enjoyed the venison and the scallop dishes 👌 also enjoyed some tasty mocktails & cocktails, and a few glasses of wine. Staff friendly and attentive. Great place to spend a Saturday night!

We enjoyed the most delicious lunch here today. Great flavours and excellent service. Well priced and looking forward to our next visit. A great find.

Top marks. A real gem in Edinburgh that put together some of the best plates we had on our trip. The service was attentive and friendly and we couldn’t ask for more. Can’t wait to come back next time we’re in the city.

Phenomenal food, amazing atmosphere.

Michelin-style establisment in the heart of Edinburgh. Delicate and well-presented plates with a plethora of accompanying drinks. Well worth a visit.

A conseiller sans réserves, tarifs en relation avec les plats, belle carte des vins, service avenant et agréable, à recommander.

A truly incredible place. The food was exceptional, standout dishes were the mushroom spring roll, the curried mussels and the tuna tataki. The waiting staff were so attentive and knowledgeable and the chefs were so accommodating to all my friend’s allergies. They made us feel safe and welcome with all my friend’s allergies, something every restaurant should be striving to achieve. I could not recommend this enough!

Had a wonderful evening with really delicious food. Our favourites were the blue-cheese croquettes and the scallops! Great service and a nice and lovely choice of wines.

What a wonderful experience. Kind attentive and excellent recommendations from the menu.

Nothing to dislike. Excellent range of dishes to share with tasty vegetation options. This was a work trip but will definitely be back with my partner.

Loved the food as well as the atmosphere. The BBQ octopus, salt aged sirloin, tempura aubergine, and hasselback potatoes were simply amazing!

An excellent dining experience if you visit the Royal mile. Great cocktails and outstanding food. We ate here two of our five nights in Edinburg. Also very accommodating of dietary restrictions of lactose free and shellfish.

Food was average and not as good as what other reviews said, and you can definitely tell from the lack of customers in the evening. Service was good though but food quality needs to up the game.

Fantastic food and really great, attentive service. Oysters and the scallops were a real highlight, as was the cheese selection! Wine menu was great too.

Do not miss this restaurant. The food is a culinary experience and the best meal we had in the UK.

1st dinner at our UK trip. what a remarkable dinner! All the dishes were excellent and unique. The wine was wonderful too. It raises the bar for all upcoming meals