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The Cottage at Royal Terrace, a low stone cottage with two chimneys among trees, a gravel path between lavender to its open door.
Edinburgh

The Cottage at Royal Terrace

A restaurant in William Playfair's gardener's cottage of 1836 in Royal Terrace Gardens, with seasonal tasting menus and a communal table.

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Welcome

The Cottage at Royal Terrace is one of the loveliest settings for a meal in Edinburgh, a little stone cottage designed by William Playfair in 1836 as the home of the gardener of Royal Terrace Gardens.

You reach it through the gardens from London Road, and inside you can take a table of your own or join the communal table and dine with friends you haven't met yet, which makes it a lovely place to eat on your own, too. The menus follow the Scottish seasons, with local produce and finishing touches picked from its own kitchen garden. Lunch and early evening bring two courses or a five-course tasting menu, and from 6.30pm the full seven-course tasting menu takes over. There's a peaceful garden outside for drinks and snacks, too. The Playhouse is a five-minute walk along London Road, so it suits an evening at the theatre. It's directed by Peter Adshead, whose career runs through Michelin-starred dining rooms, and it opens from Thursday to Sunday, so book ahead.

Close byCafe CaltonAn all-day cafe on top of Calton Hill, with a terrace and views over the city, open every day for breakfast, lunch and cocktails at sunset.2 min by roadSee itCafe Calton's terrace on top of Calton Hill on a sunny day, people at tables looking out over the city to the Firth of Forth.
Before you go

Open from Thursday to Sunday, for lunch from Friday and dinner every one of those evenings.

After 6.30pm it serves only the full tasting menu.

Where
1 Royal Terrace Gardens, reached from London Road, Edinburgh EH7 5DX.
Open
Thursday 5pm to 8.30pm; Friday to Sunday 12.30pm to 2.30pm and 5pm to 8.30pm. Six days a week in August.
Menus
Two courses for £25 from midday to 5.30pm; a five-course tasting menu for £55 at every service; seven courses for £85 from 6.30pm.
Pre-theatre
Tables at 5pm and 5.30pm, Thursday to Saturday; the Playhouse is about 400 metres along London Road.
Dietary needs
A vegetarian menu that can be made vegan or dairy free, with 48 hours' notice.
Dogs
Welcome in the grounds, not in the restaurant.
Access
A small step at the entrance; an accessible toilet, through narrow doorways.
Parking
Pay and display on London Road, or the Q-Park at the Omni Centre, five minutes' walk.
Phone
07864 103547

Opening hours

Their website
Monday
Closed
Tuesday
Closed
Wednesday
Closed
Thursday
5pm–8.30pm
Friday
12.30pm–2.30pm, 5pm–8.30pm
Saturday
12.30pm–2.30pm, 5pm–8.30pm
Sunday
12.30pm–2.30pm, 5pm–8.30pm

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Where it is

In Royal Terrace Gardens, reached from London Road, about fifteen minutes on foot from Waverley Station.

Close byLondon Road, Calton Hill and the top of Leith Walk.
  1. Sliding ladder against floor-to-ceiling bookshelves beside a window overlooking a church spireTopping & CompanyA family-run bookshop of more than 70,000 books in a former bank on Blenheim Place, open every day until nine.Under a mile 1 min by road
  2. Edinburgh PlayhouseEdinburgh PlayhouseA giant picture palace of 1929 at the top of Leith Walk, modelled on New York's Roxy, saved from demolition and a theatre since 1980.Under a mile 1 min by road
  3. Twelve TrianglesTwelve TrianglesA scratch bakery of slow, cold-fermented sourdough and pastries, begun by Emily Cuddeford and Rachel Morgan, with bakeries across Edinburgh.Under a mile 1 min by road
  4. The Broughton's deep blue pub front on Broughton Street, its name in gold above the windows and Welcome over the door.The BroughtonA smart dining pub on Broughton Street, in the Michelin Guide for 2026, with a Sunday roast that The Times named among the best in the UK.Under a mile 2 min by road
  5. Barista pulling espresso shots on a chrome machine with stacked cups nearbyAnte CaféA coffee shop and bakery below Spry wine bar on Haddington Place, at the top of Leith Walk, with bakes made the same day.Under a mile 2 min by road
  6. Spry WinesSpry WinesA neighbourhood wine bar and bottle shop of natural wines at the top of Leith Walk, opened in 2019, with a café and bakery called Ante in the basement.Under a mile 3 min by road
  7. Calton HillCalton HillA volcanic hill beyond the east end of Princes Street, crowned with monuments and with panoramic views over Edinburgh to the Firth of Forth.1 mile 4 min by road
Directions
The dining room at LYLA on Royal Terrace, round tables laid with white cloths under a tall arched window, with lamps glowing on the pale walls and a glass-shelved bar to one side.RestaurantsLYLAA step away
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Man standing outside The Street bar, with rainbow murals and pavement seatingRestaurantsThe Street0.3 miles
A table laid for two by candlelight in Montrose, with wooden chairs and a fire burning in the old stone fireplace behind.RestaurantsMontrose0.3 miles
A slice of New York-style margherita pizza on Flùr's printed paper, on a table in the Bonnie and Wild food hall.RestaurantsFlùr0.3 miles
The counter at Little Fitzroy, with its drinks and food board, bags of coffee beans and shelves of cups behind.CafeLittle Fitzroy0.4 miles

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