The Letterbox Bistro in Edinburgh, City of

Super little cafe, welcoming and well run. Dog friendly. Menu is limited however, if they're not too busy, other options are available on request such as full English breakfast. No obvious vegan options, other than toast. Oat milk available and gluten free bread. Freshly cooked food and really nice coffee. Full of locals, which is always a good sign!

My wife and I moved into Balerno two years ago and found this place to be out no1 cafe to go to. We’ve seen how well Sharon and Steve (the owners) have weathered the storm of covid lockdowns and kept their business running. The food is consistently good. I come here almost daily with my dog. They can get extremely busy, even more so when the farmers market is running, but I can count the number of times I haven’t been able to get a seat with one hand.

Honestly the best soup, cheese scone and home baking on the planet! My husband and I stayed for a second course because the first one was so good! Thanks for also making us smile with lovely service.

We had a lively light lunch at this welcoming and friendly restaurant for a party including a 96 year old and a Collie puppy! Both were accommodated very well in spite of their different ages and requirements.

My wife and I took our four grandchildren for a light lunch here during the school holidays. We didn't need much as they were all to eat later. It did not disappoint, We all enjoyed our lunches - burgers, or sausage rolls with salads (fresh and crisp) and with desserts of ice-cream together with cakes from the selection on offer. It was just right. The service was friendly and efficient from the couple who run the place (they used to be in charge of it when it was a Post Office and as they said, much preferred this second existence - more happy faces! It was a superb experience and we'll happily go again. As another reviewer put it, a second visit didn't disappoint as we'd been before when it was both a cafe and a Post Office - and it has maintained a high standard of light food and good service. Thank you very much.

Have been here in the past and did great breakfast/lunch menu - however it now only has waffle/crepes for breakfast and lunch which was disappointing - wont return .

Sarah was a hot wife. Her service was exceptional. Steve has big ears. Nice food, exceptional coffee from sarah), would recommend. I will eat here again especially if sarah is in yummy xxxx

Delicious food and friendly service, the staff couldn’t do enough to make sure we were well looked after. Excellent selection of sweet and savoury waffles and crepes. Cakes also highly recommended! Would definitely visit again, including in the evening as an alternative option for the usual dinner options. Thank you!

oh what a fabulous lunch friends date that was. the food amazing!! Sarah’s coffee making skills however.. nothing more than accurate :( the owners surprisingly nice and, most importantly, good looking. lovely wee cafe. I thought I’d need alcohol to survive but turns out all I ever needed was a bit of carlyle’s excellent customer service. I felt loved and appreciated. and Sandra… what a woman. Going above and beyond. a little bit annoying but I guess that’s just the price you have to pay for the excellent pizza waffles ❤️❤️

Our time at Carlyle cafe was absolutely magnificent. Sarah was a glorious host and satisfied us with her presence. She made us feel so welcomed and made us fall in love with this hot asfock town. Babes I’m gonna recommend this cafe to every person I knows. I love your cafe and Sarah’s tremendous stage presence please submit an application for Britain’s got talent.

Staff were so friendly and efficient. Had a delicious coffee and cake outside for very reasonable price and the staff chatted away and introduced the "cafe-dog", Fergus! Highly recommend to visit after a walk or cycle

20th March visit. £65 mixed order. Madagascar menu. First class food. Diverse selection ordered. Meats, fish, veggie etc, and no duds at all. Highly recommended. Friendliest first class crew also. Will revisit.

Entro a este café todos los viernes porque soy conductor de autobús y dejo a los niños a las 9 am y no vuelven a salir hasta las 12:30 pm, así que quería tomar un café y un bocadillo.Pedí un panecillo de tocino crujiente y debo decir que fue perfecto y tal como me gusta junto con un capuchino. El personal es amable, accesible y considerado. También tomé un bollo de frutas con otro capuchino y eso completó mi visita. Este café tiene WiFi y mesas al aire libre, lo cual es un refugio para el sol en un día agradable. Vale la pena una visita si estás en la zona.

If I’d dreamt a perfect Nacho with beef, my dream came true here! Lovely. Enjoyed every morsel. Coupled with cheery service and relaxed atmosphere - very highly recommend. Thanks.

Apareció de improviso después de una caminata húmeda y ventosa por Pentland.El personal era cálido y acogedor, el ambiente mexicano era delicioso y los nachos eran los mejores que he probado.¡Este lugar necesita prosperar y sobrevivir al covid porque quiero volver tan a menudo como pueda!

Tuvimos una comida absolutamente deliciosa aquí: nachos, enchiladas, tortillas y patatas bravas. La comida era muy sabrosa, fresca y bien presentada. El tamaño de la porción también era genial, ¡lo suficiente como para llevar la cena para más tarde! Los precios eran muy económicos. Tengo la enfermedad celíaca y el propietario y el chef fueron muy diligentes y cuidadosos, asegurándose de que lo que comí se preparara de manera segura e. gramo. Freír mis patatas en aceite no contaminado. Esto fue muy apreciado y un hallazgo raro. ¿Recomendamos encarecidamente esta pequeña joya en Balerno?

Great food and wonderful service thank you. Good kids and veggie selection, perfect will buy again A+

Paramos aquí para un almuerzo ligero en nuestro viaje hacia el pasado, ya que mi esposo se crió en Balerno. Teníamos a nuestro perro, así que no podíamos entrar, y el agua no era muy amable, pero todo el personal fue muy, muy amable, servicial y atento. Tuvimos envolturas y sándwiches y alitas de pollo. Hay un ambiente mexicano en todo el menú que nos queda bien. En general, un lugar encantador para tomar un café o comer algo.

Tuvimos la comida para llevar mexicana después de leer y escuchar críticas tan positivas. ¡Fue increíble! Sabores frescos, excelentes ingredientes y una excelente relación calidad-precio.El equipo es muy amable y se siente bien apoyar a una empresa local que se esfuerza por sobrevivir en estos tiempos difíciles.¡Estaremos de vuelta! ¡Me encantaron las enchiladas de carne y los nachos! !Gracias chicos

Disfrutamos muchísimo de una abundante y deliciosa selección de tapas de Carlyle's. Sharon, la gerente, fue muy servicial y sugirió una buena selección para nosotros y fue perfecta en la mezcla de sabores y cantidad, 2 tapas por persona. Los buñuelos de bacalao fueron fantásticos y combinaron muy bien con las Patatas bravas y las empanadas y quesadillas vegetarianas; lástima que no participamos de su gran selección de helados, probé la lima y el kiwi y ¡fue divina!Un cambio realmente bienvenido a la monotonía de las opciones habituales de comida para llevar, ¡muy recomendable!

¡Wow wow wow! ¡El menú para llevar es excelente! Ordenado del menú de Nuevo México / Español en su primer fin de semana fue fenomenal. Teníamos empanadas de pollo, enchiladas de ternera y nachos vegetarianos. Todos fueron increíbles, nuestro favorito probablemente fueron las enchiladas, ¡pero estaban muy cerca ya que todo estaba bien! Menú muy bien hecho y pensado para llevar. Todo lo bueno todavía estaba caliente cuando llegamos a casa y muy sabroso. ¡Un verdadero placer de bloqueo!

Qué comida tan maravillosa. Grandes sabores llenos de frescura y sabor. Durante el bloqueo es solo para llevar, pero qué para llevar. Debe llamar para reservar su hora de recogida. El personal es muy amigable. Como dice Oliver Twist, definitivamente volveremos por más.

We organised a takeaway on the launch weekend following lockdown - and we were not disappointed. The food was absolutely superb - really delicious - the portions were perfect and Sharon gave me some recommendations when I placed the order and she was spot on! Couldn’t fault anything - we have booked again for next weekend and I can’t wait!! We also bought some of the ice cream and it was amazing - really hit the mark! One of the nicest takeaway meals we have had .... well done to the Carlyle’s Team - keep it up!

Booked carry out Monday knowing the mad people of Balerno would be piling in.Ordered all the vegetarian options and some chicken wraps for the carnivores.Super tasty with everyone in the family liking a different option the best. So will order them all again the next time.Fantastic flavours and lots of sides to add spice or add coolness.

We booked for breakfast because it can be very busy, one vegetarian, one fussy, 2 full Scottish! Need I say more about the choice of eating out, I would recommend here for a peaceful time with a good menu to cover most if not all tastes.

A lovely family run cafe restaurant in beautiful Balerno. Super breakfast on weekends, tasty meals (whatever you choose to order) and the best scones- secret recipe ; ). Also good coffee and desserts, all homemade.

Very friendly place. Food was the best I have tasted in a long time. Will go back and recommend to friends.

Esta es la oficina de correos en el pueblo y espero que los propietarios no detengan ese lado de su negocio.Carlyles fue anteriormente el Letterbox Bistro y se amplió y ahora ofrece horarios extendidos.La comida es deliciosa y bien presentada y el servicio es alegre y servicial.Mi única crítica sería las opciones de menú. Gran parte del menú es "exótico" con combinaciones e ingredientes de los que estoy seguro que el chef está orgulloso. Sin embargo, como alguien a quien le gusta la comida normal, a menudo he tenido que buscar un plato adecuado. Particularmente a la hora del almuerzo o temprano en la tarde, he buscado sopa solo para encontrar que las ofrendas son picantes. Sería bueno si hubiera una opción simple disponible.

Excellent local eatery. Superb food and friendly staff. Really relaxed atmosphere. So great to have this place so close to home.

Had a lovely evening at the cheese and wine night tonight. Great atmosphere, fab selection of cheese and delicious wine pairings. Found the information about the wine and cheese really interesting. Great start to the weekend! Thank you.

A nice cosy place for either lunch, or coffee. The scones are quite delicious and served hot. Yummy.

Lovely people & food ! Definitely a great regular place to go for breakfast,lunch or dinner :) ! Really has a sense of community with relaxing atmosphere.

What a fantastic little gem of a place. Fantastic food and great friendly service with very good local knowledge, would recommend to anyone. Be back soon!! 👍👍👍👍

Solo reservamos este restaurante debido a todas las críticas positivas, lamentablemente, esta definitivamente no fue nuestra experiencia.

Very friendly staff in small restaurant. Menu varied and interesting. Located in quiet main street in Balerno village. Only open in evenings Thu-Sat.

Carlyle's es un pequeño restaurante maravilloso en el corazón de Balerno. Regularmente visitamos para tomar un café y un pastel (casero y delicioso), pero también hemos almorzado y cenado varias veces. La comida siempre es de primera clase.

I am 11 and I went with my Mum and my Aunty for dinner on Saturday and I really enjoyed it. I shared the Antipasti platter with my Aunty, and my Mum had the veggie one. The fried chicken wrap from the kids menu was the best I’ve ever had, and the chocolate brownie and vanilla ice cream had a fab melted bit in the middle of it.

This was our first trip for some time out to Balerno, prior to walking a section of the Water of Leith Walkway, so we decided to stop for a bite of lunch before setting out. Balerno isn't blessed with many places to do so - or public toilets for that matter.

Mi esposa y mi hija habían visitado para el desayuno antes, pero esta fue mi primera visita. 5 adultos y nuestra nieta de 7 meses visitaron para almorzar el sábado.

Después de encontrarnos hambrientos después de un día en el zoológico y de un viaje para conseguir suministros, encontramos a Carlyles. El personal muy amable y la comida fue realmente excelente. Tuve cordero que estaba perfectamente preparado y un maravilloso pastel de queso que proporcionó un final perfecto para la comida. También teníamos una niña de 9 años que estaba muy contenta con su hamburguesa y batido de chocolate. Muchas gracias por una comida maravillosa :)

We had our grandchildren for a sleepover and wanted something different from our usual porridge for breakfast. I had noticed Carlyle's did breakfast on a Saturday, say no more could we all get ready? I booked for 10:15 we were there for 10:18 and I was the one who was slowest! The kids wanted pancakes, maple syrup and milk shakes! The owner wasn't sure that they would manage, neither was I. Don't tell their parents but they did manage apart from one pancake. Hubby and I had 'the works'

Served by probably the lady owner. Another lady assistant was talking to what looked like a male friend at the side of the counter, so when I went up to ask for the bill I was stood about two minutes waiting for her to finish her general chit chat. Not great customer service!

We had the cheese scones and a latte, it was amazing. Will definitely go back for a lunch or dinner. The food looks amazing and the staff was really friendly.

My husband and I went for dinner last night and had delicious meals. Service has great too. Go - you will be impressed. Can’t wait to go back and try out their breakfast.

Mi esposa y yo escapamos de los niños para comer en Carlyle's y no podemos recomendarlo lo suficiente. La más cálida bienvenida, un tranquilo santuario, un menú bien pensado con platos locales frescos bellamente cocinados y magníficamente presentados. Buenos vinos, buenos momentos. Gracias por una gran velada.

Llegar a Balerno por la buena comida.

You have just finished your long walk in the Pentland Hills in Balerno, Edinburgh. This is where you come for a relaxing coffee or tea before you get the bus home. Great atmosphere.

After having had 3 disgusting Christmas dinners in various expensive city centre restaurants it was so refreshing to experience a beautiful meal with excellent service right on my doorstep! The food was absolutely beautiful. This place really is a hidden gem!

First visit here for evening meal. Loved the decor, friendly staff and I had a memorably delicious meal. Great evening all round will be back and will recommend to friends!

Visited Carlyle’s once again. Has now become a must visit on our trips to Scotland. Food and ambiance always amazing at both lunch and dinner. Staff so attentive. Will look forward to my next visit.

There is a welcome bustle of locals here - and you soon see why! The sandwiches are amazing; stuffed full with filling, toasted and warm and with some imaginative touches. The coffee is lovely and mellow too. The cakes and pastries look enticing. A great stop-off for people walking in the nearby Pentland hills

Need I say more? Sticky toffee pudding was sublime that's not often an accolade that I use often but this was thoroughly deserved, I'd only popped in for a coffee.

Great refurbishment with the same friendly service as before. Decided to try the eggs and sourdough toast which was very good. The staff are always very welcoming, it is brilliant to see the quality is continued.

At last a restaurant/coffee shop in Balerno. For years we've walked in the area, round the local reservoirs and the Water of Leith walkway and been desperate for a coffee fix. So we were delighted to find this oasis and an opportunity to refuel. Decent coffee, delicious scones and friendly staff. We can't speak for the lunches and dinners but we hope to have the chance to find out.

Fabulous imaginative menu and decently priced for a quick bite of lunch after a long dog walk. Coffee suberb and nice friendly welcoming staff. Houloumi sandwich on olive bread delicious!!! Will be back!

My husband and I have just had an amazing meal at Carlyles. Gives the restaurants in town a run for their money! Every course was delicious. We started with the mussels, then I had the lamb and my husband had the duck special. We finished with the pannacotta, with 2 spoons. I can honestly say it was the best we’ve ever had! The service was lovely too, thanks Gemma. We will definitely be back, can’t wait!!

We are local so Carlyles is not only reliable it is convenient. Went with my husband, daughter and 2 grandchildren for the 'all day breakfast' and we all wanted something different! We all got exactly what we wanted and freshly cooked for us I think that is pretty good and it was very enjoyable. Not only is the food excellent but the surroundings are very pleasant, very friendly and nothing is too much trouble for them.

Our first time last night to Carlyle’s and well worth the visit. Mussels to start which were wonderful with a different twist but worked well. Bass to follow which was lovely and fresh then chocolate cheesecake to finish which was to die for. Will certainly book again.

A very welcome addition to Balerno eating options. Warm welcome and delicious food. One of our party ordered seafood pasta and although tasty the small amount of pasta was noted. Would be nice to have a decent amount of the cheapest ingredient on plate. I am sure this is easily rectified.

Stopped at this little cafe for lunch. The salt and pepper squid starter was delicious and same goes for our mains (buddha bowl and green laksa). The staff was very friendly too! Definitely recommended!

Excellent location, superb service and amazing food. You don't have to go to the centre of town to get 1st class food, it is available on our doorstep. You must try this place as it's awesome.

A friendly welcome in a newly renovated interior. The food comes quickly and is good portions of cafe staples. The club sandwich is very good. i'll be back.

We tried out the local village restaurant after hearing rave reviews from neighbours following its recent refurbishment and we were not disappointed. Excellent menu choice, fabulous flavours and superb service. I think this will become a regular haunt.

The food was amazing, plenty of choice for everyone even if your vegetarian or vegan. Staff are friendly and more than happy to accommodate. Highly recommend!

Cuatro de nosotros aparecimos el lunes para un bocado ligero.

Quién sabía que el pequeño pueblo de Edimburgo podría presumir de tener una de Balerno tal restaurante nuevo! La comida es superlativo y el servicio maravilloso. Algo en el menú para todo el mundo, incluidos los niños. A nuestros hijos les encantó la mejillones! En un momento cuando nos enfrentamos con muchas cadenas de alma restaurante en el centro de la ciudad, vale la pena hacer un viaje a este establecimiento de gestión familiar por algo mucho más personal y agradable. Lo recomiendo totalmente!

Disfrutamos de una comida estupenda aquí y, aunque no mi amigo reservó una cena para la siguiente semana. Quería sorprender a mi amigo, ya había disfrutado de un fantástico fin de semana con ella y llamó Carlyle's para preguntar si ya no vales de regalo. El hombre que tomó mi llamada confirmaron mis amigos reserva y luego contribuyó hacia su factura final. Él costó conseguir el pago pase y por lo tanto tenía que llamarme, así que tenía mi nombre y número de teléfono. 2º intento estaba bien y él también tomó un mensaje para transmitir y me aseguro que mi amigo sería atendido. Como yo he hecho esto antes, me sorprendió no escuchar de mi amigo en la noche, normalmente me envía un mensaje con una copa elevada pciture! Luego al día siguiente impactado al recibir una llamada de mi amigo preguntando si de alguna forma cambió su reserva? Entonces resulta que alguien de ella que estaba Carlyles mañana para decir, le debo un dinero de tu cuenta pero sin ninguna explicación de por qué. Así, ella tenía que ir a la molestia de volver a Carlyles tener un suma de dinero volver a ella. Enorme decepción, he escrito a ellos bien hace más de una semana para preguntar por que no se pusiera en contacto conmigo para informarme de que habían cometido un error y pedimos disculpas, pero no hemos tenido la respuesta de modales. Conozco bien es un nuevo negocio Carlyles pero no prometas algo por alto este problema cuando no es entregado.

Este lugar realmente nos salvó; después de haber caminado 16 km de ruta de hambre y sensación de encontrar todos los lugares en Balerno cerrado. Sirven sabrosos sandwiches, licuados y batidos increíble y es muy, muy amable. Si necesitas comida, asegúrese de que este es el lugar en Balerno que lo intentes.

I can't fault Carlyle's. The menu was impressive, service was friendly and prompt. The food was perfect and good value. The decor was pleasing and the general atmosphere was lovely. Our table of 4 all had a great experience.

Wow, qué transformación, la comida siempre ha sido buena, pero la reciente renovación ahora significa un restaurante muy agradable en un pueblo muy bonito. Visitamos aquí con amigos y compartimos algunas aceitunas y sourdough para empezar, seguido de tres muy diferentes pero igualmente deliciosas comidas. Tenía el salmón especial que venía con una ensalada deliciosamente equilibrada, seguido por la torta de limón que fue el final perfecto para la comida. Todo el personal es amable y acogedor. Mejor reservar con antelación para garantizar una mesa.

8 amigos al final de la semana, a poca a este restaurante recién inaugurado. Es acogedor. . . que me encanta. . . un ambiente animado (probablemente creados por nosotros! Comida de igualar) y la ocasión. Tuve el pulpo de arranque (excelente) y luego la pasta con marisco. . Nuevo muy sabroso. Yo, personalmente, me hubiera gustado la pasta con un poco más de bocado y un plato un poco más grandes pero para un restaurante que acaba de abrir es una base genial para construir. Un equipo muy amable y que no están tomando los mickey con su precios de las bebidas alcohólicas. . . Sin duda volveré y te sugiero que lo intentes

Qué transformación maravillosa! Nuevo interior carlyles es una mezcla encantadora de cómodo y elegante; paredes de piedra le dan al lugar un ambiente y la barra artesanal de roble ha sido bellamente trabajados.

Qué transformación! El diseño, la decoración y detalles especiales sin duda tiene el factor. No siempre la comida y la última noche no fue una excepción. Deliciosas comidas caseras, una buena lista de vinos, cerveza de barril y Edimburgo excelente personal contribuyeron a una espléndida noche, vecinos sólo un tiro de piedra de casa.

Reservamos la segunda noche tras la renovación, y no nos decepcionó. Hermosa decoración y diseño con un excelente nuevo menú y personal atento. Como antes, nada es demasiado problema para el equipo, y la calidad de la comida es realmente insuperable. Laksa era delicioso, y la cerveza de barril de Edinburgh Brewing Company era perfecto con el curry. En general, una gran experiencia y probamos el desayuno dos días más tarde. De nuevo, bien preparado y delicioso. Seguiremos volviendo a probablemente el mejor restaurante local alrededor.

Went to the Letterbox Bistro in Balerno whilst staying for a weekend locally.

Went here for lunch with friends. Its situated in a pedestrian only section but there is parking a short walk away. This is a small bistro so Id recommend booking. When we visited there was a festive menu, not the usual selections, which looked lovely. We all took the homemade spiced parsnip soup and sandwiches which were absolutely lovely. Delicious food and great presentation. The staff were very welcoming and friendly. A great place to have lunch and catch up with friends.

We had a fantastic meal here last night. Mussels and bruschetta to start with followed by a cheeseburger with all the trimmings and a smoked salmon Caesar salad. What a treat! The food was all absolutely delicious, especially the home-made rustic chips! All served by the lovely smiling waitress. Nothing was too much trouble. Well worth a visit.

Tuvimos una cena en el buzón. Todos deliciosa comida de alta calidad. Junta extraordinaria y entrantes antipasti humous servido con pan tostado y el tono calentado pitta. El curry tailandés y platos principales hamburguesas eran excelentes, así como los dos dulces compartimos. Servicio cálido y amable y encantador ambiente.

Very good breakfast, very tasty. Nice place to enjoy breakfast. Staff are very welcoming and made the morning very enjoyable.

Vivimos a la vuelta de la esquina, Balerno, y ahora se sentirán avergonzados por haber sido en todo escéptico. Este es un restaurante bistro/que ha evolucionado desde el local de la Oficina de Correos que nos pasa a menudo.

Nothing too much trouble for the chef here. Following our starter, we all decided to have the Laksa (malaysian coconut curry) but all three with different spice. He got it down to a "T". Wonderful food, truly lovely people. We will be back.......again!

El buzón es fabulosa, estábamos tan contentos de haber encontrado a través de Tripadvisor. Llegamos tarde después de un largo viaje por carretera, pero el chef estuvo encantado de cenar, como si estuviéramos en su casa. Dos de nosotros somos vegetarianos y la variedad era maravilloso. El especial de mariscos también fue maravilloso. Todo es fresco, desde los jardines locales, y delicioso. No te pierdas este lugar especial! Los dueños son encantadores. Fue verdaderamente un hallazgo y una de nuestras mejores comidas en Gran Bretaña.

This excellent little bistro is family run, very welcoming & friendly with wonderful food by the young chef. All home made with fresh & locally sourced ingredients. I enjoyed tomato bruschetta and a fabulous vegetable soup. Look forward to my next visit.

Went with a group of friends with one of the couple being local to Balerno. Shared the mussels as a starter followed by the chicken and crayfish laksa. Both courses were fabulous. The staff were very pleasant and could not have been more helpful .

Es un gran lugar para el desayuno, el almuerzo y la cena (en la semana), o simplemente un café y tarta. Un nuevo desayuno y brunch menú nosotros la tentación de probar el desayuno vegetariano completo (no son vegetarianos). Consistía de vegetariano salchichas, champiñones, aguacate, frijoles, tomate, huevos y pan tostado, rematado con zumo de naranja. Estaba delicioso y recomiendo encarecidamente probar. Este lugar está cada vez mejor todo el tiempo (cosa difícil hacer cuando es tan buena para empezar! ) Bien hecho Ali, Sharon, Steve y todo el mundo para hacer nuestro paseo diario un descanso del sol!

Arrived here after cycling from Edinburgh city centre.The service and food was amazing...100% recommend scrambled eggs on olive bread toast... yummmers...

Kleines aber feines Restaurant in Newtonmore. Das Essen war durchwegs lecker und frisch zubereitet. Die Bedienung war eine 16jährige Schülerin und wir waren über ihren unorthodoxen Servierstil und ihr charmant ländliche Art amüsiert. Das 'grosse Glas Wein' wurde nach dem Prinzip 'sagen Sie einfach Stopp' eingeschenkt und bei der Nachfrage ob im Dessert Haselnüsse drin sind, bekamen wir eine witzige Anekdote über ihre hyperallergene Freundin zu hören.Alles in allem ein vergnüglicher Abend mit gutem Essen zu vernünftigen Preisen.

We visited for my partner's Birthday, treated to a 6 course tasting menu of spring vegetables, lamb, poached rhubarb and petit fours. The whole experience was amazing.The waitress was lovely, the food perfectly cooked and balanced, plus the service was just right.This is a little gem of a restaurant and the prices were ridiculously cheap for the high quality delivered.FYI - it is BYOB

As a group of 6 siblings and their partners, we have a standing lunch arrangement for the first Saturday of every month, taking it in turns to choose a venue. This month it was our turn and as we had eaten at the Letterbox before, we chose it on this occasion, which also happened to be my wife's 60th. The owner and staff went out of their way to accommodate us, even opening earlier than usual to meet our needs. Now for the food.....rarely has any place we've eaten received such high praise from all members of our party. From the garlic prawns or mushrooms on toasted sourdough, to the trout, lamb or chicken, everything tasted absolutely fantastic and I don't believe we were able to find fault with any aspect of the meal. Even the cheeses were really quite special. I can't comment on the puddings unfortunately, though they certainly sounded appealing! As a bistro, it is currently only open Friday and Saturday evenings, but is open during the day as a cafe and I have heard good reviews of this too. Honestly, it is worth making a trip to the Letterbox and I am looking forward to my next excuse to go (it is also BYOB, which is maybe a bit risky for this family !!!!

The service is excellent and the lady very friendly. The food is amazingly served, I loved the presentation.

Second dinner visit as there was a new menu, which did not disappoint. The chef puts so much into the food including the presentation. We were not overly hungry, so we skipped the starter and went onto the main course. We had the pulled pork with pancakes fro two. Much like duck pancakes you would have in a chinese restaurant but with the pork belly twist. What can I say but delicious! For dessert we had the apple and pear crumble (with thyme), and it all just worked. One point to note is that the single chairs could do with some padding. Otherwise perfect, and it is great to have the dining choices we now have in Balerno. Great!

Our second visit to the Letterbox, this time with friends. The food was every bit as delicious as the first time and great service. Thanks for a lovely evening.

We have enjoyed many delicious breakfasts and dinners here but our Valentine's Day meal surpassed them all!When mulling over what to post I wanted to highlight one particular component or course but I can't; the whole meal was well put together, cooked to perfection and beautifully presented.I have never had such tasty mushroom soup, the duck breast was melt-in-the-mouth, the cardamom shortbread is a new found favourite, the sorbets refreshing and lastly...........who knew I could like oysters?!!Bravo Ali and well done one & all!

I come here a lot and have never had a bad experience. Brilliant food and drinks plus the best service - always a smile and great interaction with the kids. Thanks!!

I have to say the first time I came here I expected Balerno's converted post office bistro to be a quaint place with an average menu. I have oTo admit I was pleasantly surprised. The owner is incredibly friendly. The food is brilliant and freshly sourced. So local that often some of the fruit and veg is from the local primary school vegetable patches. This is certainly a place to eat at before it becomes so well known that you can no longer book a table. (nb it is BYOB but this is not really an issue as Balerno is so small that there are several shops nearby for alcohol)

We were delighted with our meal the food was seasonal, fresh, well seasoned and colourful. I had crispy duck breast which was served with earthy local beetroot, carrot puree and salty crispy butternut squash crisps....a work of art on a plate and the flavours to match. My husband had pig cheeks, black pudding, kale and apple jus...soft tender cheeks that melted in the mouth. We started with Glen Coe mussels which had a soft creamy flavour served with a broth and lightly toasted brioche. And for desert bramble parfait with chocolate soil and mint..the mint allowing the flavour of the bramble to burst through. And a delicious chocolate brownie with vanilla ice-cream. I will have no hesitation to recommend the Letter Box Bistro to my guests at our self -catering flat.Thank you a real treat ,and great friendly efficient service.

It has been a while since we had dinner there as we are always too late to book, but as usual the food does not disappoint. Considering this restaurant is a post office during working hours, they make a great use of the area to make it a welcoming place to eat, with candles and subdued lighting. The staff could not be more helpful and we both had the pork cheek dish, that was a superb mix of flavours and just the right amount of food. Excellent presentation and we thoroughly enjoyed our evening. That is now two great restaurants in Balerno, and really worth a try. Great!

15 of us descended on the letterbox after a great walk in the Pentlands we were made very welcome, perfect surroundings, can recommend the scones and cheese cake consumed by our group were delicious. Would definitely recommend this Bistro.

Absolutely fantastic little bistro with friendly helpfull staff. Food is excellent: local produce, tempting cakes and scones and the chef takes a genuine interest in quality. Can just pop in for a coffee if you so desire. Familes welcome. Can post your letters on site as a bonus

I visited here on a Saturday evening with friends to try the seasonal tasting menu.The food is very good and beautifully presented. I feel there could have been bread at the beginning and a few more carbs as the men in our group were complaining about not feeling full enough!We were one of two tables booked that evening which was a shame as you would expect a place like this to be packed on a Saturday evening and therefore the atmosphere was lacking slightly.