The Gardener's Cottage in Edinburgh, City of

Delicious and well presented food, relaxing atmosphere, attentive staff. Compliments to the chef. So glad to have discovered this place - perfect for a pre- South London Theatre bite to eat.

Delicious food at decent prices, friendly service, nice ambience. Would definitely go again.

Lovely meal at The garden last night , they fitted us in when we ( family of 4)turned up without a booking on a busy Saturday evening. Food was amazing .Staff and service were fab and friendly.Love this local gem. Highly recommend

We had a pleasant meal, we weren’t too blown away, but everything was good. Would have liked more options on the menu and we were underwhelmed with sides and deserts. Limited drinks menu. Staff and service good.

This restaurant is exceptional. They have an effortless balance of quality, attentiveness and ambiance. I experienced a level of service here that I haven’t in a 5* restaurant but in an absolutely humble way. I can’t believe I can walk to this. Thank you. Thank you to independent businesses, thank you to people who brave it and offer something they believe in, well that’s what I felt!

Lovely food and amazing service 🤤

Feb2024. Disappointing, underwhelming. Pizza was half-cooked, artichokes and olives from a can, cheese thick and almost gluey. Mozzarella and tomato starter used very unripe tomatoes. Sicilian pesto pasta had good al dente spaghetti but the sauce lacked flavour. Red Primitivo was poor but white Grillo fine. I would not recommend. 2019. Cosy local. Everyone else speaks Italian. Where am I? The pizza is fresh and chewy and the Bolognese is sublime. No need for a passport. Definite return.

Always a wonderfully delicious experience with the warmest hospitality

Amazing new year dinner experience in this wee cute place close to the center and also in the middle of the wild forest of Calton hill. Food was delicious and service was very good and staff very friendly. They forgot the first dish of the set menu and they apologized and gave our wine as a gift for the mistake. The Italian waitress was very attentive with us and very talkative. Highly recommended this place and I will definitely come back.

Amazing authentic Italian food. Our local, must have eaten here 8 occasions and it’s equal perfect every single time

All great. Food was excellent. Loved the whole experience. We got to see the chef in all their glory. Great time. Would go again with next visit to Edinburgh!

Really nice spot, little bit cramped but a nice friendly atmosphere. Food was really great, top three pizzas ive had in London (get the Deliciosa) and the Italian owner/main waiter was really friendly and professional. Some of the other waiters seemed a bit green though, one didnt really know about the menu when we asked and didnt have a recommendation. Still loved it though 👏👏👏

Always excellent, a truly delicious and authentic Italian!

We booked this restaurant as the reviews were amazing.The restaurant has lovely clean lines with basic interiors but very calming.My daughter is vegetarian/pescatarian.We didn’t realise that you need to inform the restaurant prior to arriving so my daughter ended up not having any main course as they couldn’t accommodate her ..She left the restaurant hungry The food was good but my duck was over cooked .The manager on the day was so rude ,and kept shoving me her iPad in my face to show me the rules of the restaurant .She overstepped her presence and my daughters and l felt very intimidated and left as quick as possible .The other staff were lovely and pleasant .We were there Sunday 22nd October

Pues lo siento,pero no...Y nada tiene que ver la amabilidad de la camarera o la profesionalidad de la maitre/sumiller.. El ambiente( eso que llaman ahora "atmósfera") era frío..,desangelado y monacal..Quizás porque fue una casa de aperos del jardinero..Ni la bonita y relajada música, ni las velas consiguieron (para mí) un disfrute que yo venía buscando. Y,eso a pesar de la conversación amable de una pareja de mesa,sueca.Hablamis,departimos y no sólo..de cine. Ella tenía un aire a Julianne Moore y un anillo de pasta o loza de una cabecita de zorro.Por otro lado,muy British.En efecto.Al otro lado de la mesa se sentó bastantes minutos después un hombre joven,que ni (,nos) habló ni alzó apenas la mirada..Supongo que no sé viene a los restaurantes a "hacer amigos"( igual en los cafés,al contrario,sí). Ahora a toro pasado..dudo incluso en la justificación de esa 1* Michelin,que no sé si la tiene..Y lo digo con la mayor humildad..Pero ni las entradas (tartaleta y un Petit choux relleno y blando) ni tampoco el bacalao era para aplaudir o decir. "Ah,qué bueno,,,!"..Y no digamos la pera al vino, sencilla y popular, rústica, junto a un cremoso de chocolate, una galletita ,y una pequeña flor natural..Sólo, lamentablemente,se salvó...el Venison,jugoso,y en su punto..con una salsa muy lograda ,reducida y sabrosa..Y este era el menú...igual para toda la mesa..A la nuestra,se añadió al final,,,una madre estilosa y su hija que celebraban,creo,un cumpleaños.La otra habitación se llenó por completo.Todo velas,como en Barry Lyndon.. Estuve más de 2 horas allí,sin calentarme los pies en ese tiempo,pese a la copa de vino blanco y el ingerir alimentos calientes..Con lo que me demuestro...qué también como comensal, al margen de lo exigente o acomodaticio que seas.., en el disfrute en el comer...influyen muchos factores personales y subjetivos o meramente coyunturales...Pero ,quizás,el que más...la calidad de la comida...Y una pera al vino...como postre en una * Michelin,..,como que no..,( yo por mi cuenta pedí quesos,bien, y una copita de oporto..Puro néctar..). Pues no,lo siento...pero a pesar de intentar pensar en "El amante de Lady Chaterler, o en el embarcadero de Maurice o en la televisiva D.Abbey...aquello no había manera de subirlo...Y mis pies seguían fríos..,tiro ahora de la ironía...Y sé y valoro el trabajo del personal, todo, de cocina y de sala...Pero esta vez..." no estuvo bien" y además, no fue barato. Pensé.."Por qué no habré ido a cenar hoy...unos macarrones?!".A veces lo heritage no es suficiente..Pues no.

A true gourmet culinary experience! We sat next to the kitchen enabling us to watch the team prepare our price fixe meal. Each stage was a work of art paired with wines from distant locations. Finished with the cheese plate - the best during our 2 weeks in Scotland.

Beautiful lunch respite to break up our first day of exploration. The views are stunning and the food was delightful. Light prix-fixe course and glass of wine and we were back on our way! Our service was polished, attentive and friendly. While we wore atheleisure as we were hiking around the city, the experience definitely lends itself to a bit more elevated attire but we felt quite welcomed to come as we were.

My family got to the restaurant and requested we cancel our booking as we have a new train that we have to get on to go home. The host was so unfriendly and rude she said we would have to pay £150 no matter what! This kind of money is not something we waste so we had to unhappily sit down and stay despite wanting to leave as the host made us VERY uncomfortable. Upon reviewing the menu , we noticed there was no veggie options and we requested a veggie option for my sister however once again the host was so rude and would not find a solution. This resulted in my sister having to eat around the overcooked duck. Overall, bang average food, horrible staff and unfriendly atmosphere. Do not waste your time or money.

Great food, friendly service. Will be going back

Best Italian restaurant in the area. Delicious yummy menu! Friendly atmosphere and loads of attention to details.

I booked The Gardners Cottage for my husband's birthday. I knew it was small and intimate, with a lovely homely feel. What can I say. We were warmly greeted by Lucy who showed us to our table and said Luzia would come over and explain the menu to us. We knew it was a 5 course taster menu and were much looking forward to it. Luzia gave us a copy of the menu which looked fabulous. She also explained there was a wine pairing that accompanied the menu if we would like to choose this also. (We did). Clare, the wine waitress arrived with a complimentary glass of fizz to start our evening off. Our first course, sourdough with a honey and pecan butter was fantastic, followed by mini crab tartlets. This was followed by cod loin with pickled veg, roasted tomatoes and a beautiful sauce. (I wish, I could remember them name). The fish was cooked to perfection and the sauce was devine. This was followed by venison in a plum sauce with fresh thinly sliced plums. My goodness, this was exquisite. The venison was pink and the flavour was fantastic. There was an option to add a cheese course which of course we did. Again this was amazing 4 different cheeses with sourdough and crackers, with grapes, walnuts and chutneys. A beautiful port washed this down. Our final course was a cranachan tart. Finished with either tea or coffee. The cottage has a unique seating style with benches to seat 8 people we sat with another 3 couples. What a great night we had. Two of the diners we shared a table with was none other than Elijah Wood and Andy Serkis. I would like to say that was the highlight of our evening, but that would be wrong. Being able to see right into the kitchen and watch the chef at work making our food was amazing as was the food. The professionalism of Lucy and Luzia with regards to their knowledge of the dishes being served and their attention to us and the other diners was fantastic. Clare, who completed our fabulous meal with our wine pairing was also extremely knowledgeable about the wine she poured. A fantastic night with fantastic food and wine and great company. If you're looking for somewhere special to eat, look no further than the Gardners Cottage. I can assure you, you will not be disappointed.

Went for a birthday treat with my wife and what a treat it turned out to be. We had an amazing 5 course taster menu, all freshly prepared in the open kitchen , so we could watch the chefs at work. Waitresses and wine waiter were great very attentive and knowledgeable: they played a huge part in making this a wonderful evening. Will definitely be back. Thank you to the whole team.

Yummy! Make a reservation...or you'll have to wait. That always dampers the experience a little. Still great food & service.

Everything was so lovely and tasty. We really enjoyed the intimate setting and close interaction with chef and service staff. Everyone was kind and personable. Despite the elevated food and reputation the experience was relaxing and approachable. Our only negative was that when chef or staff took a smoke break we could smell it at our table. It was a bit surprising given the detailed focus on environment and flavor. It was somewhat understandable given the very tiny building and open windows but still…not pleasant for diners.

We had the five course dinner. We enjoyed an ambiance much like dining in California. The white walls were lightly decorated and wine bottles shelved in a corner cabinet. The communal tables were conducive to striking up conversations with neighbors who were from places around the world. The food was freshly prepared and presented with attention to detail. The tastes were unique but wonderfully blended between the meat, vegetables and sauces. I am not surprised the restaurant has received many accolades. On the other hand, the service was marginal, at best. The prices were astronomical, so much so that you wonder if the restaurant is living on reputation alone. We had a pleasant dining experience but left a bit shell shocked at how so little could cost so much.

Outside incredibly unassuming but inside a beautiful pared back aesthetic & a singular experience. Wait staff were delightful. You are seated at a long wooden table along with other guests (which we enjoyed but some might not) & the evening was memorable & lovely. There are things to note here though. The price of dining is very high at £85 per head for 4 modest courses excluding drinks or coffee and whilst the food was definitely thoughtful and different and not something you’d be offered as standard restaurant fare, portions were small (even for me!) and the execution of it was not of the standard I’d have expected. The bread we were served was likely shop bought sourdough rather than the delightful freshly baked rolls you might expect. Napkins were not cloth. Gnocchi was more stodgy rather than light and fluffy and the pastry on the dessert pudding was very hard to get through with a spoon rather than light & buttery. There were very few fresh seasonal vegetables in evidence too and I’m not sure quite how much fresh ingredients come from the not very well tended garden around the building. Much as I enjoyed the evening & appreciate what this restaurant is aiming to offer the food for me wasn’t executed to a high enough standard to warrant the high price tag and so I would not recommend to friends on that basis. I’m pleased I went and experienced the restaurant but sadly wouldn’t go back.

Very disappointing My husband and I visited on Friday eve. We were very surprised that the tables were communal. The started was so small literally one bite. The cod was nice but had no potatoes and very very tiny slivers if pickled veg. The venison was a small amount and again no potatoes or starch at all. The dessert was so hard it was very difficult to cut and totally underwhelming. The service was ok however everything was served from my side by the waitress leaning over. We left over £200 poorer and hungry.

Upon arriving here, we noticed that the tables were communal. Not something we particularly fancied with the money we were spending to eat here but it did feel quite nice and quaint. We liked being able to see the kitchen. The courses very much matched the theme of Gardeners Cottage but for the price we paid, we didn’t feel the food was up to standard. Just a little underwhelming. The duck we had was accompanied by the tiniest slither of plum - it seems it is more appearance over balance of tastes.

Awesome little restaurant, feel very authentically Italian.

Wonderful food and wine and lovely staff thank you

What a find on Knight's Hill. Just popped in on the spur of the moment to discover this fantastic classic Italian restaurant. A straightforward and interesting menu, with excellent service in a relaxed atmosphere. The food and service were excellent. Thank you.

Tried many Italian cuisine in SE London, this is hands down the best. You pay for QUALITY food and very nice staff who are most helpful, very authentic restaurant. Will be returning for sure 5*!!

Best pizzas in town plus delicious food. A real local gem.

Dieses Restaurant wurde uns wärmstens empfohlen, allerdings waren die Gäste vor 5 Jahren dort. Die location ist ohne viel Schnickschnack...

Tonight, my wife and I dined at The Gartner’s Cottage and the only word I can accurately use to describe the experience was infuriating. For £85 you get four miserably small portions of food that wouldn’t satisfy the appetite of a hamster. I was a...

Staff were very nice, attentive and conscientious about our food preferences. As for the food itself, we had a 4-course menu in the evening. The flavors were delightful and the platings works of art (special shout-out to their North Sea cod dish with wonderful colors)....

Best pizza in London . Mamma mia!😘

I had planned a pre Covid trip based on reviews, so when opportunity arose to be in Edinburgh on my birthday, I selected it.It's very difficult to give an 'out of 5' score. BTW - for anyone thinking it has a Michelin star .. it...

Wonderful little Italian restaurant - celebrated my mother's birthday there - pizza, pasta and wine was truly delicious..

The food was acceptable, not delicious. The starter was tomato consommé, which was tasty but there was such a small amount it was difficult to eat. What I found unacceptable was their contempt for vouchers. We had a lunch voucher and when I presented this...

Promised a lot and delivered very little! Like no other taster menu I’ve experienced. I expected small courses which would excite taste buds but these were tiny and very ordinary. Rushed service. Very disappointed and cannot possibly recommend to others. A shame!

The atmosphere is lovely and the food is incredible. We both said it was the best night of our honeymoon. The serving team were all so lovely and Wren really went through extra mile to make sure the night was good. Such a wonderful place...

Amazing food, lovely atmosphere and friendly staff

O atendimento é muito bom e tudo o que foi servido estava gostoso . O menu e fechado em um...

Nice unpretentious local Italian restaurant with an interesting menu. Full of folk from the local area having a pizza or pasta. Recommended.

Fab! Great atmosphere, lovely food. Will be visiting again.

Per quanto si spende ti aspetti decisamente di più. Menù molto confusionario e casuale (antipasto di granchio, poi pesce e...

Have been to The Garden 3 times over the past 5 years and it's been exceptional every time so I thought it was time to give a 5 star review!

Exceptional food and lovely service. Best pizza around!

Amazing food and atmosphere is superb. cozy restaurant with hospitable hosts, tasty dishes and beautiful presentation. I recommend to everyone! Definitely coming back.

I had been keen to go to the Gardener’s Cottage for so long and had heard great things but I was sadly disappointed. The restaurant itself is gorgeous and cosy and I loved the decor and the staff were fief ly and welcoming. We were...

We had a really lovely evening - menu was delicious and paired wines were outstanding. Service was attentive but low key. The location was beautiful and quirky.

Hate to be honest…. Food is okay,,,,, Looked forward to a good pizza…. Pizza came Luke warm…( only 3 tables being served- ours was the second table)…over cheesed… Not appealing,,, Only asked for a Marguerite pizza… Simple ingredients=== Disappointed,,,,to. Bad…the owner I am assuming( the Italian guy seemed very nice) We still enjoyed our evening out…each others company…. Nice ambiance…. Nice wait staff, ……..

Best food and very nice vibe. The best pizza in South London!

heerlijk eten maar helaas was de bediening minder goed. het eten werd snel op tafel gezet en voordat je kon...

Book in advance, it's lovely, very authentic Italian food and beer.

The most delicious pizza! Will certainly be coming here more often. It felt like I was eating pizza in Naples. Great job all round.

Riccardo and his staff are great,food is great,and so are atmosphere and service.The Garden is an established classic in WN!👏👏🥇✨

The food is amazing, very good prices. My favourite place to eat in West Norwood. Best pasta and pizza!

Absolutely delicious food Lovely people friendly atmosphere with a relaxed style

What a pleasant evening we had here! I had initially booked here when visiting my friend, looking for a restaurant that was cosy and served top quality food. They definitely didn’t disappoint. I would 100% recommend this place to anyone looking for a similar experience.

Food was good but felt really ripped off because restaurant said our vouchers were for a tasting menu that was no longer on offer

Feeling like home but with a 5 stars quality food!!! It's great that such a cozy and chilled place serves so refined authentic Italian food.

Great local Italian, staff always friendly and the charcuterie is brilliant!

Probably one of the best italian restaurant of the area.. nice food, nice service and great atmosphere.

A hidden gem in West Norwood. Nice food, nice atmosphere and the staff is very nice (special mention to Manuel for his great service). I tried the Delicioza and it was sublime. Would recommend 100%.

Food was exceptional, great service, cozy atmosphere and very reasonable prices.!

Best pizza i have had for ages . I ordered one and i ordered the second before i finish the first one . Also they are pretty friendly staff . You must check it out

We were there recently using a voucher we received as a gift. We hadn't heard of Gardener's Cottage and didn't really know what to expect as some of the reviews weren't very complimentary. The food was absolutely first class and delicious, it was obvious that...

I won’t hesitate to say that there is the best pizza in London. Aperol spritz fresh, fizzy and in a nice size. Tiramisu and Orange polenta cafe won’t be regreted by anyone. Worth the calories 😎

Food took over 2 hours to come. Staff kept leaving a door open which let in a very cold draft. Food when it finally arrived was tasty.

We were a party of four, one of whom is a "fussy" eater. With this in mind, we had expressly communicated details of preferences so that the "set" menu could be adjusted. Sadly, the restaurant had overlooked the incoming advice and it was left to...

Not impressive at all. Multiple mistakes - overseasoning, inconsistently cooked food. Had a 3 course meal and not once was asked how was food. I dont think they care for feedback.

Absolutely outstanding from start to finish! The team have a really passion for their work and it shines through. Limited menu done to perfection. Louise, our host, helped guide us through our food, wine and whiskey which elevated the whole dining experience. They’ve nailed fine...

What a lovely place! The Gardeners Cottage is an independent restaurant that does an incredibly creative tasting menu based on local ingredients and produce of the season. A great find amongst all the chain pubs/restaurants/eateries in central Edinburgh. We had a great time here. The...

I am one of these people that read TA all the time but fail to ever leave reviews myself. So having noticed a few less than favourable reviews of the The Gardener's Cottage recently I felt I need to leave mine on this occasion as...

Excellent food and generally wonderful service - the pizza is particularly amazing. However, both times I've been there recently, the host and barmaid have been arguing loudly in Italian behind the bar for portions of the evening. We always sit at the back in the garden now.

Tolle Location, es gibt nur wenige Plätze. Bei unserem Besuch war man ausgebucht - daher unbedingt reservieren! Man sitzt leider...

We have eaten at so many wonderful restaurants, both Michelin starred and not, and were really excited about visiting the Gardeners Cottage. The staff were great. Very friendly. A lovely atmosphere. Unfortunately the food fell short of what it could have been with a little...

Was very excited to come here and had been given a meal for two voucher from my brother for my birthday. However left feeling not quite full and a little disappointed by the meal. Nothing was particularly bad, but when the bill comes close to...

Awesome food, amazing atmosphere, friendly, helpful & professional staff. 😋 If you have any allergies, they bend over backwards to help. If you are looking fir a really great meal at a reasonable price, this hidden gem is the place to visit!

At a top price restaurant one expects the food to show cooking skills one could not replicate at home, we are competent cooks and thought we could cook and improve each dish. The amuse bouche was slightly oily. The worst course, a dish of mixed...

After dinner at The Lookout by Gardener's, we now ate at the "Motherhouse". We were very satisfied. The service was extremely friendly and attentive, classes more professional than at the Lookout. The staff at the Cottage is as you would expect it in such a...

Love this place - brilliant food and lovely atmosphere

Superb meal! Small, orderly calm kitchen sending out superb tasting food. Lovely location and building with a super atmosphere. Staff very knowledgeable and friendly. Can’t rate highly enough - thank you for a superb evening

I confess, I often worry when a restaurant only has one menu. I fear I won't like something and money will be wasted. Even when we sat down to dinner and I read the menu, I worried. But I needn't have. Every thing--even if it...

Last night I went to the garden restaurant I head one of the best pizza ever, thank you Riccardo and Sonia .

Wonderful food, friendly people running the place. I look forward to returning soon. 👌🏼

Decor is perfect and matches the theme of the place. Staff are friendly and helpful. Then comes the best part, the food. Locally sourced menus delight. Sitting for the lunch menu was four courses with optional cheese course and coffee at end. Amazing flavor combos...

Hyggeligt sted, men man er placeret ved langborde med meget lidt plads til naboer. Maden ok uden at være noget...

Best pizza in West Norwood, hands down.

Lovely location for lunch or dinner.lovely garden with tables to eat out on warm days. All courses were amazing, service was excellent and the Head chef and team couldn't do enough to ensure we had an enjoyable dining experience. All course were outstanding and beautifully...

First time here and definitely not the last. Great lunch for two, lovely service and excellent fresh food. Will definitely be back. Thanks again

Meraviglioso!! Delicious and authentic Italian food, served by friendly and attentive staff. Combine this with superb wines, the best gluten free pizza this side of the Tiber and excellent value for money, the Garden is hands down the best eatery in West Norwood. In fact I'm tempted to say the resturant would be equally well named if were called The Garden (of Eden), because it's a little taste of paradise on Knight's Hill.

Really good pizza, lovely place and great service.

The cottage is beautiful and very inviting. We had not done our homework well enough as we were not aware of the communal seating, so we were very surprised when we arrived. At first it was ok, but when all the seats were taken, it...

Amazing gluten free base!! Will come again

Een prachtig plekje net buiten het centrum. Het eten was heerlijk. Ontzettende vriendelijke bediening. Eten wordt in het zicht met...

The food was great, the night was fantastic right until the end when without prompt our bill was put under my nose, I decided to ignore this but it was shortly followed with the waitress and a card machine which put a downer on the...

Sehr gutes Essen (über alle Gänge hinweg), super schneller und gut organisierter Service. Unser Highlight - wir konnten dem Koch...