Bagpipes play in Edinburgh. I am smiling. The sun is shining. And much like the artwork on the wall next to me at The Palmerston, I am ‘full of hope and potato.’
I also notice, since my last proper visit here a few years ago, Edinburgh seems to have undergone something of the millennial monopoly. You know what I’m talking about, right? Converted townhouses serving small plates, minimalist coffee shops with sexy but monosyllabic baristas, concept stores selling artisan ceramics and natural wine.
Residential streets from Leith to Stockbridge suffer from what one might call the ‘great queue epidemic’ as thirty-somethings in oversized work wear and Arc’teryx beanies wait for Instagram-boast worthy pastry lamination to take-away. The Palmerston Edinburgh’s West End answer to one such hot spot. However, this isn’t a place jumping on a trend. In fact, it might be the one that started it.
Co-founded by James Snowdon and Lloyd Morse in August 2021 in a former 19th century bank, the spot is part-bakery, part bistro, part butcher, part pub, and a whole lot welcoming. No matter whether you’re dining for the first, third, or thirteenth time, this team serve you like a local.
They’re a bunch who understand the ropes of hospitality. Snowdon worked in kitchens at the likes of Primeur and Spring, Morse was Restaurant Manager at popular spots Bao, Bubbledogs and The Harwood Arms, while General Manager Rebecca James brings her wealth of wine expertise from the likes of The Bon Vivant Group, Wedgwood, and Hawksmoor. I’m not surprised at all this place is successful.
The décor is somewhere between European café and British dining room; possessing pillars of deep green marble, rich wooden panelling, and monochrome flooring while the walls house a collection of characterful art by Glasgow-based artist Stewart Swan. Including the kuwaii-style potato man who continues to smile at me throughout our meal.
The team proudly champions local, low-waste cooking and relies on Scottish producers to source the best ingredients. It’s British-led yet calmly European. Fare changes daily–but your finances are set to stay incredibly stable while dining too.
To start with, there’s everything from curried parsnip soup to fried pig’s head. We opt for the utterly seasonal cured wild trout with pickled golden beetroot, and grilled asparagus with ajo blanco. I somehow manage not to guzzle all the sourdough before starters arrive, meaning I scoop leftover ajo with its remaining crust. I delight in the smoky, creamy flavoured sauce. My reward for not being a premature gannet (for once), I guess. The bread alone is worthy of a paragraph. Not surprising given the place’s pastry backbone.
For mains, it lands a little more on the comforting side. I opt for tagliatelle with braised chicory and fragrant ricotta while my plus one keeps things hearty with slow-roast lamb, barley and chard. It’s all incredibly well-priced at £19-£30 pounds for a very filling plate. (Similarly, their set lunch comes in at under £30 for two courses). Everything here is both accessible for diner and wallet. The wine list is extensive but easy; filled with delicious, deserved favourites. I quaff a perfectly crisp ten-pound Sancerre and enjoy a similarly priced Pinot Noir with mains. I plan to return for their dessert Riesling.
Talking of dessert. There’s at least two lots of rhubarb on the menu; both a tart and sorbet version. My two favourites. Big brownie points. Even better still, I return to the scene of the crime next day and get relive it all in again in the flavour of a pastry fresh from the very counter I dined at the night before.
So maybe The Palmerston started Edinburgh’s millennial bakery-obsessive monopoly? Who knows. Who cares. They’ve set the tone brilliantly, and they’re not going anywhere. Despite setting themselves up on the location of a former bank, they’re not exactly the Debt Collector. If anything, they should be awarded the Community Chance Card.
Well-priced, incredibly welcoming, and won’t cause you to fall out with all your relatives. You might not collect £200 as you dine here, but you could pleasantly end up with change from it while enjoying a lovely dinner for two.
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1 Palmerston Pl, Edinburgh EH12 5AF; The Palmerston
