The Spence in Edinburgh, City of

I had a wonderful experience. The food was delicious and the service was excellent. Highly recommended! جربوه 👌🏻

Beautiful spot. We had the steak special and the agnolotti. Would definitely come again to try the brunch menu. Highly recommend booking in advance.

Amazing and luxury place really, the food was reslly delicious and the staff were really friendly.

Highly recommended a warm friendly atmosphere, excellent staff, delicious food in beautiful surroundings.

The place was quiet, the service was nice, and the food was very delicious. I ordered eggs with avocado and eggs with truffles. The people with me praised them very much. An additional sharing dish was sweet potatoes with hummus. It was salty, but I personally like salty.

I had tea at the Spence. I love afternoon tea and have a hobby of trying the best afternoon teas in the UK. The room where I had the eagerly anticipated the meal was pleasant. The service began well, the waiter seemed eager to please. But after effusively plying me with assurances of her willingness to make certain that I would be taken care of, the first course, a tiny amuse bouche, arrived 30 minutes later. The amuse bouche wasn't bad, a savory mushroom soup like concept. Truffles, as it was described, it was not. At least not compared to the fresh and dried truffles I've tasted from France, Italy and the U.S. My tier of food arrived in another 20 minutes. Mind you, I was there during tea-time hours but the room was not busy and there were plenty of empty tables. I first had the croissant sandwich with smoked salmon. Was the croissant left out in the weather to acquire a stale, papery chewiness? Sure tasted like it. Was the smoked salmon of the tasteless variety? Yes it was. Watching water boil would better stimulate my taste buds. Then there was a meat pasty. Can't remember what she said about what kind of meat. If she said it came from a greasy and gamey animal, she scores points for accuracy. I was hungry so ate around the dour little meatball but the pastry had been made with a heavy hand and clung grimly to my esophagus as I tried to detach it with tea. There was another delicacy that I can't remember. Likely the mind wants to save from me from yet another underwhelming experience. The clotted cream was good, not exceptional, but tasty. The jam was meh. But I am biased because I have had some of the best jams in the world so very few jams can meet the standard. The scone was disappointing. The hotel may want to reconsider where they source their baked goods. The warm, buttery, flakey, light deliciousness of a wonderful scone was not to be had. It was dense. And I was sad. I only tried one of the sweets because they all sat there looking like grossly over-sugared intestinal bombs. I took one nibble of the macaron and my teeth revolted. Think gavage and a bag of sugar being poured down. A great macaron is never too sweet. At this point I couldn't stomach another bite. My Earl Grey was bitter, perhaps an appropriate metaphor for the experience. Don't waste your money here.

We had 2 dinners Here, and Both were amazing! The Service Staff were very Professional and friendly. Our waitress was very Kind and Even Made a List of places for us to visit, since it was our First time in the city. The Atmosphere was very cozy yet chic. The Food and Cocktails were delicious. The also have an amazing selection of Desserts. I would definately come here again. The Spence is a Must visit for anyone coming to visit the City.

Very pleased with our visit. The room is a good place to spend a few hours, got a great feel to it and you just feel good in there. Food and service to match, it all was flawless from start to finish. Stone bass tartare and the strawberry Milf ( something like that anyway) were superb. We like champagne, it was a great list and the pricing was very favourable meaning you really could indulge. Some places double up on cost price, but these didn’t meaning we could enjoy what we wanted without feeling ripped off. Yes it was as good as it gets, the service was excellent too, thank you

That was a surprisingly rough meal. First on the positive side, the dining room is beautiful . The rissoro was rich but good. We were staying at the hotel and had a $200 dining credit. We ordered the chateaubriand and it tasted like the meat was way past its sell by date and very sour. We tasted a little bit of it (two bites max) and felt unwell so asked for the bill. The server brought us the wrong bill for another table and did not inquire at all about why the Chateaubriand was untouched but just took the plate away. I had to go up and tell her that the meat was off. She then acted like I was some kind of grifter who was trying to get this steak for free and brought me the bill ((with the steak removed) with no pen and no apology. Evidently the $200 dining credit would have covered the bill so that was not the outcome I wanted. Instead, I was trying to point out that there was something wrong with the meat and that perhaps there had been a refrigeration issue to protect other diners. We had to borrow a pen from the bar and left both having not eaten much and feeling slightly nauseous with no suggestion of any alternative food at all. I think the hotel in the end won out because we have this unused dining credit now and we have no desire to return... (This is a later edit). I wrote the above when feeling frustrated that a special meal had gone wrong. However, there are two things I should add: a) I think what happened is just a mismatch of expectations and culture. In the UK you are not meant to complain at restaurants. So my complaining was transgressive of British norms. And perhaps that is why the server was so unreactive. While I had the expectations based on what would have happened if a US high end steak house had served odd-tasting chateaubriand where the server and front of house would have at least acted like they were very sorry. b) As I checked out of the hotel the front of house manager came and apologized for what had happened. Unfortunately my train was leaving in 6 minutes and I had to run so couldn't interact in the way which would have been far more courteous on my part, but I very much appreciate the gesture.

Se reunió con amigos que viven en la ciudad y recomendó el restaurante. Es un entorno impresionante con personal profesional. La comida + vino eran deliciosos. Ligero refunfuño fueron los cócteles que eran un poco tacaños (por el precio! ).

Muy impresionado después de nuestra primera (y definitivamente no última) visita a The Spence/Gleneagles Townhouse. El interior es muy impresionante, un montón de espacio - además de la calidad de la comida y el servicio, definitivamente vale la pena venir para una ocasión especial. El personal en todos los niveles era tan profesional y agradable de principio a fin, y no podía fallar el servicio en absoluto. Sentimos que estábamos en manos muy capaces y atentas. Daría una mención especial a Olivia, cuyo servicio fue excepcional. Fácilmente una de las mejores comidas que hemos tenido en Edimburgo! No me molestó pagar por una comida de 3 platos en absoluto. Los postres eran fantásticos y a la par con los otros platos. Incluso los lados eran increíbles, en particular la patata delfinosa y el brócoli. Obviamente, el menú viene con un precio (ligeramente) más alto, pero esto se refleja en la alta calidad de la comida / bebida y el servicio, y definitivamente vale la pena.

Impeccable service in a beautiful setting. The venison was perfect, lots of wine and food at a comfortable, upmarket but relaxed restaurant. If you fancy a treat go ahead and book.

Cannot fault The Spence at Gleneagles Townhouse, the service and attention to detail is fantastic, I took my mum here as part of her birthday and they went out their way to make her feel so special. The setting, decor and food/drink is perfection!

I didn't like the breakfast the toast was burnt and the eggs tasted bad

Absolutely loved having dinner at The Spence. The service was fantastic - attentive and friendly. The menu was varied and the food delicious, hot and presented beautifully. Good cocktail and wine list. Gorgeous restaurant and would recommend. I’ll definitely be returning

I had a good experience there and the service was really great. They surprised me with a cake for my birthday

We had high hopes for our Valentine’s dinner, and while the food was excellent—especially the chateaubriand—the service left us disappointed. At first, everything was great, but partway through the meal, the service suddenly declined. It felt as though our waitress had gone on a break with no one covering her section. Our plates were left sitting on the table for a long time after the mains, and we weren’t even asked if we wanted dessert—we had to get up and ask ourselves. It was frustrating, especially given the occasion, and we left feeling like we’d wasted a lot of money on what ended up being a poor service experience. A real shame because the food was fantastic, but unfortunately, the lack of attention to service really let the evening down. We did communicate the issue with the manager who was very helpful and kindly let us go for a drink in the exclusive rooftop bar. This was greatly appreciated but it was difficult to move past the poor service during the meal. Would not return unfortunately.

Comimos aquí por invitación / sugerencia de un amable colega y me encantó. Re - siempre que las salas bancarias, cuando se hace bien, siempre hacen lugares animados y atmosféricos para comer y mientras está ocupado la acústica parecía suave. Personal muy agradable. Precios - particularmente dada la ubicación - muy razonable. Teníamos el Stone Bass y el Risotto, con lados de la delfina y el brócoli. Absolutamente delicioso. Sin duda uno para una visita de regreso y gracias a nuestro amigo Dugald para un tiempo encantador.

Amazing restaurant in central Edinburgh. The food was lovely. The staff was very careful and kind. I definitely recommend this place!

Great service! We only had desserts this time, and the service was much better compared to our last visit. I would highly recommend this place.

This place was exceptional—impeccable food, flawless presentation, and outstanding staff. The only downside, through no fault of theirs, was an idiot diner at the next table who was a real nuisance.

Everything excellent! All dishes were great!

All good but do NOT get the truffle risotto, it was literally quinoa. Service was ok but for somewhere like this you expect more.

It is an excellent restaurant, and their service is excellent. We enjoyed it and liked the food. The inside of the restaurant is beautiful, the people are helpful, and its prices are the same as other restaurants. It is best to reserve a table on a busy day. The day we went, it was empty.

We had a quick after dinner supper and drinks. Ambience was nice and prices were economical. If you’re here in Edinburgh, you have to drop by.

Great place for an afternoon tea Note must reserve a day before

Amazing food, fantastic service, and a stunning venue. Everything was perfect. Grazie👌

We had such a lovely afternoon tea at the Spence, which I would highly recommend. The highlight of our trip was really the service, our waitress was absolutely incredible and gave us some lovely recommendations, and the rest of the staff were just as friendly and welcoming.

All was good, had an excellent lunch.Thank you

Anniversary overnight stay lovely room and dinner breakfast good as well . Every member of the team.made you feel.special .

We went for a drink and the truth is that we would like to return the next time we go to Edinburgh. Places of which there are few left, where the atmosphere, the treatment and the quality mix to give you an unparalleled experience. 100% recommended, even if it's just to have a drink.

The food was incredible, and the service was top-notch. As a solo female traveller, I felt incredibly comfortable. There was a cozy and quiet atmosphere, and the staff was kind and helpful. I have an allergy, but they were even able to change the dishes I wanted to an allergen-free version, and they all tasted phenomenal. Definitely recommend this restaurant if you’re in town!

We had such a lovely visit over the weekend. Food was delicious and our cocktails made perfectly. Amelia who served us was so professional and kind. We can’t wait to come back again soon.

I saw this restaurant on Tiktok and booked for dinner during my trip to Edinburgh. This was an 11/10 experience. Absolutely wonderful atmosphere, attentive wait staff, and delicious food. I had the bread, tortellini and the cheese to finish. Highly recommend making a booking on your Scotland travels.

Magical place, really nice and the food was good

Absolutely stunning! Great service. Food was phenomenal, had the mushroom arancini and the monkfish. Monkfish was beautifully put together, one of the best meals I’ve had. Thank you for a lovely evening

Exceptional experience! The most stunning interior with amazing staff to match. The food and cocktails were incredible. Amazing attention to detail and providing the best dining experience. Would highly, highly recommend.

We went here for our anniversary dinner as a treat. The atmosphere was great—comfy seats and cushions—and the Christmas decorations made it even better. The appetizer (seaweed-cured Shetland salmon) was beautifully presented and full of flavour. For my main, I had the spelt and black truffle risotto. While the flavour was great, it was excessively salty—I struggled to finish it after just a few bites, and I usually season my food quite salty at home! I also found some gritty bits in the risotto, possibly hard shell or stone, which wasn’t ideal. My boyfriend ordered the sirloin, medium rare, but it came cooked rare. These seem like basic issues that shouldn’t happen, especially at this price point. Overall, I’d give it three stars. I’d happily return for drinks because of the lovely atmosphere, but probably not for food.

A magical place! Top notch service! We had a great time, everything was perfect!

The food wasn't memorable to be quite honest. My cocktail was nice though. I liked how there was a mix of casual and fancy dressed folk dining. The staff was very friendly.

First impressions, this place exudes quality. We only came in for a coffee and a pastry and were half expecting to be turned away, but the staff were super welcoming and attentive. The interior is abaolutely stunning and the fireplaces made it feel really cosy. While it was expensive, we still felt we got our money's worth. Coffee and jam selection, 9/10, delicious flaky pastry and the jam selection was a nice surprise. pain au chocolat, 9/10, served warm, so crispy on the outside, and satisfying to chomp through. It was huge as well! cappuccino and espresso, 9/10, really good quality coffee, depth of flavour without being over the top. Just generally everything you want from a cup of coffee. Overall this place was a real treat. Sure, the coffee was twice as expensive as a regular place, but was the experience twice as good? Yes, yes it was. I felt like a princess.

A must do. Tips dinner over our week visit to the city. Had dinner in 22/12/24 - the atmosphere was beautiful. The food amazing and the service provided by Lucy P was unmatched in Edinburgh.

The burrata and the risotto were plain and without any flavor. Bummer, because the place is beautiful !

For that special occasion it is the best place to visit. Dress code is essential unless you are staying in the hotel.

We were extremely disappointed with our afternoon tea experience. The service was awful. My youngest daughter asked for cream with her tea, but it never came until we flagged the waiter down. Even then, no spoons were provided, and she had to stir her tea with a knife. After we received our scones and pastries, the three adults ordered tea—but it never arrived. We waited an hour and 20 minutes before receiving our first cup of tea, by which time we had already eaten most of the food without it. Throughout the meal, the staff failed to clear away used plates or our empty champagne glasses, leaving the table cluttered. To make matters worse, when they boxed up our leftovers, the crab bites were packed with the pastries. By the next morning, everything stank of crab and was inedible. For over £400, this was shockingly poor. We’ve been to many afternoon teas, and this was by far the worst.

Went in to see if I could get a table the receptionist went to find me one,went in for drinks ended having a pudding to.

We had a splendid lunch at the Spence. Atmosphere here was relaxing and comfortable. The place was beautiful! Special mention to Paul who assisted with our orders and his service was impeccable. He made sure our needs were attended to, especially those of my children. I personally love the Stone Bass dish and the Choux bun dessert.

The best restaurant we visited in Edinburgh!

Fantastic! One of the best meals we've ever had in Edinburgh and would highly recommend to anyone. Service was so nice and the atmosphere was lovely.

Very nice interior and design. The food was good. The pastries were really delicious.

Very friendly and attentive staffs. The service was excellent.

A magnificent setting, a refined cuisine, a warm and efficient service, all this makes you spend an unforgettable evening. Note that we had asked the day before to have a table near the fireplace at the back of the restaurant, and satisfaction was given to us despite a permanent crowd. A very fine menu, where after sharing 4 Bread & Snacks as a starter, we continued our meal with the Roast Monkfish, the Stone Bass and the Spelt & Black Truffle Risotto, perfectly cooked fish with a festival of delicate flavors and spices . As dessert, our choice fell on a Valrhona Single Origin Chocolate Tart, as well as the Chestnut & Vanilla Mousse. As indicated, it was a magnificent evening!

Atmosphere is amazing, friendly staff and quality food

Lovely place but it is expensive, also a club/hotel.

The place is very charming, and the food is delicious. ✨✨

The coffee from the end I asked for a cappuccino. The employee said that their coffee is from Brazil and they are proud of it and they roast it in their own way and the breakfast is delicious. Scrambled eggs are a masterpiece 🙌🏻

One of the most incredible dining experiences I've had. The concierge at The Balmoral hotel booked a Sunday roast dinner at The Spence for us. It was a hit! The architecture and vibe were phenomenal. We were dressed nice-casual and that was OK. The waiter was very helpful and he shared a little bit about the building. His knowledge of the menu and beverages was helpful to guide us. He was attentive and very pleasant. I had a Sunday roast and it was prepared perfectly. My wife had an assortment of vegetarian sides and she was quite pleased as well.

Incredible afternoon tea for my birthday. Absolutely delicious and the staff is really kind 🫶🏽

Food was great. Disappointed with the service. Servers never checked on us and we kept having them flag them for tea or drinks. Would have expected better service for the price you pay for afternoon tea.

Very satisfied. A really nice shop. I definitely want to come again.

Euan was phenomenal! The food was incredible! Highlights were sourdough, venison, and surprisingly the cabbage!

Nice place and wonderful staff we had a good time

The food was good. The service was great, but very slow. We loved the ambience! What a great afternoon tea experience!

I enjoyed a wonderful breakfast at this elegant restaurant. The food was absolutely delicious, and the retro decor added to the charm. It's recommended to make a reservation.

The experience was amazing overall. The staff members were polite and entertaining. The food was delicious, and the dining hall was beautiful.

In a word: underwhelming. Too expensive for what it offers. Nice atmosphere and wonderful staff, however in my opinion the food was not at the expected level. Not bad by any means but... underwhelming.

Food was good, coffee was amazing. Service was fair. Atmosphere was unbelievable

Came here for afternoon tea. Absolutely stunning place, great service, tea and vanilla cheescake were delicious! Can only recommend to visit this place, it's a gem.

A beautiful space with a variety of very well prepared dishes. Our server was very good though there were a few times I had to wait to get his attention when I needed him.

The place is very beautiful and the service is excellent As for the breakfast options, they were limited and confusing It contains different types and names of pork, so ask beforehand I expect dinner or lunch would be better

Food and drinks were subpar. Service was extremely slow. Took more than 30 minutes to order then over an hour to get our mains.

Food was of good quality but not remarkable compared to what is available in Edinburgh. Mains were not hot, no check in from the copious waiting staff. Not a bad meal at all and beautiful surroundings but poor value for money overall.

We really enjoyed place. Staff atmosphere food a everything you desire. Special thanx to Bart!

We had a fantastic time! Thank you.

A great delight in wonderful surroundings and many thanks to all the staff from reservation reception to table servers.

Where Taste Meets Artistry Elegant dining hall, gorgeous staff and great food in presentation and taste

Beautiful and the atmosphere is upscale

Absolutely stunning ambiance and aesthetics! I loved dining at the Spence for the vibes alone. The Sailor cocktail was delicious but the food was a bit underwhelming. I had to get fries (which were quite good) to feel full despite ordering 5 dishes as portions were tiny and not satiating. The lamb was tough and the cabbage portion size was odd compared to the garnishes. The spinach tart was yummy and the scallop ceviche was the best bite I had here. I would come back for just drinks or for tea.

Very pretty interior and good food, service was not quite there, and we had long waited for food and wine, that said it was busy when we had our table. The food and presentation does the talking, would recommend.

I went to the spencer today. The ambiance was good. The service was good. Staff were courteous. But the food was average at very best to taste. The quantity was too little for the price. It's just a hall area with seating all around. I didn't mind paying for the food, but it looked to me a ripoff for the food quantity they are serving. The taste as well of the items I ordered were rather bland not worthy of a fine dine.

Fabulous afternoon tea including the rose champagne, perfect for my sister's 60th birthday. We all enjoyed it, the service was excellent and once replete we had doggy bag for the remainders...

Took the raw spicy beef as was one item others seemed to enjoy. Thought it was OK. The chips are a filler, which you need. Seen better decor in other old banking halls. Wouldn’t rush back

We had a lovely meal here to celebrate our wedding anniversary. The vegetarian options were good, and the team were attentive without being intrusive. Special thanks to Euan for looking after us so nicely.

Visited the restaurant for our anniversary . The waiter Calvin was 5 stars ++he was attentive , friendly , was extremely knowledgeable about the history of building , surroundings ,the restaurant and rhe food on the menu , his recommendations from the menu were amazing, he made our dining experience very relaxed and enjoyable, the food was amazing . with certainly be back .

Absolutely beautiful service. Food was timely and cooked to perfection

My sister and I had lunch at The Spence on June 2023. The setting is impressive although when we were shown to our table we were shocked that the next table was approx 6 inches from our table. We both love food and are not fussy eaters but felt the lunch menu was limited. I chose scallops and a prawn/pasta dish from the 'specials' menu. My sister chose a crab dish on a crumpet. My scallops were coated in a thick glutinous sauce-not very nice. My sister's crumpet seemed stale. When our main courses arrived My sister's halibut was perfect. My prawn dish didn't have a single prawn. By the time my dish was replaced, my sister had finished her dish- not a lovely shared dining experience experiencewhik

The most beautiful restaurant in Edinburgh. Our server was super kind and helpful. Honestly service in general was amazing. They knew we were celebrating a graduation and gave us champagne on the house. I don’t know who our server was but it was a young lady in her 20s, please give her a promotion or something because she was the sweetest. Table for dinner on June 11th around 8pm I think under Yip. You come here for the ambience, food was okay

The Spence was a beautiful venue for our wedding dinner. We booked one of the private rooms (behind a secret bookcase door!) and had a reduced a la carte menu for guests on the night, which the chef was able to amend to fit our preferences. We had a dedicated waiter for the evening, who was very professional and knowledgeable, and were able to enjoy the evening at a relaxed pace. All the food was stunning and there was an extensive wine list, as well as great alcohol free options. Booking the dinner and organising details was really well handled by Hannah in the events team, and overall we couldn’t have been happier about our evening with the Townhouse.

Another mediocre and expensive experience in Edinburgh. Took a group of Americans here for high tea. All are major hospitality executives in Las Vegas, keen for a typical British experience. It was incredibly embarrassing to showcase our terrible local service. Wrong tea, food took a hour to arrive, ten different waiters all doing nothing, then, finally, a girl comes up to apologise but says, cheekily “I think we got there in the end.” Did you? At these prices, I don’t think so. After a decade in the States it’s a real eye opener to see how bad our local scene is.

Service was amazing! Very nice atmosphere and vibe. I was expecting the food to be better for a Michelin star restaurant. The dishes we got lacked flavor.

Amazing food service and venue.

I had an amazing visit with my partner, the food was great and all the staff were super lovely and attentive. Special shout out to Henry, who took amazing care of us! We hope to come back soon to this absolutely visually stunning venue! Thanks again.

3 of us attended the restaurant today for late lunch. For main course one of us had chicken with sweet corn and mushrooms costing £29. When it arrived it was a plainly cooked chicken breast with a garnish of sweetcorn and mushroom. Another of us had feta and spinach tart with broccoli spears costing £18. The tart was very small and the size of what would normally be served as a starter. When we queried the insubstantial portions with the waiter he advised that we had to add side dishes to make up a main meal! This would have added £12 onto each dish, and the food, although well enough cooked, was not in any way exceptional to justify exorbitant pricing. The third person in our group was happy with their tagliatelle. The interior of the restaurant is lovely and ornate and on a previous visit I was impressed by the quality of the food. But today we felt badly let down and ripped off. We will not return.

Had a fantastic meal with our family. All six of us had something different and all were nice and hot.

The meal was fabulous and service great. We came for my birthday celebration and was recognized and given a delicious chocolate treat. The one small flaw was the small selection of dessert wines but that didn’t spoil the meal.

Me and my girl bestie reserved for lunch to celebrate our birthdays and we are so happy that our request for corner seat was granted! The place is elegant yet cozy. The interior reminds me of gallerie la fayette in Paris. Stunning architecture! There’s a bar in between and beautiful comfy seats around. The staff are lovely and attentive. The food is delicious and presentation is top notch. I was only let down by the drinks because there’s only limited selection of mocktails for the ladies who don’t drink alcohol and the drink presentation could be improved by little nice garnish, just to match the elegance of the place. Unfortunately, me and my bff had to rush to leave to catch our train so we didn’t had the chance to stay for desserts. But also to our lovely surprise, the staff prepared complimentary chocolate mini cake with candles for the both of us and had it packed for take away! Such a beautiful gesture and I certainly fell in love with the place! Overall, I want to come back and hopefully next time we’ll bring our husbands for a lovely mini honeymoon check-in. We were told there is a spa and roof deck view for guests. So hopefully soon we’ll comeback! 💖

Beautiful food served by attentive staff in an exquisite setting.

This place is fabulous and one of my favourite places to eat ever. The food was perfect but the real star is the amazing staff team. Thankyou ,Jess, for making us feel so welcome. There are lots of great restaurants in Edinburgh but none , I suspect, that are as attentive and welcoming as this one.

The British cheese selection was to die for! Couldn’t have had a better experience in an absolutely stunning setting

We made a reservation 1 month in advance for our wedding anniversary. The food was good, we did not like the dessert, and the cocktails were not successful either. We found it sloppy and indifferent, it was not a place worth the price for us.