The Kitchin topped our list of must-visit restaurants in Scotland, drawn by the reputation of its celebrated chef, Tom Kitchin, who has trained under renowned chefs like Pierre Koffmann, Alain Ducasse, and Guy Savoy. Located in the picturesque area of Leith, on the outskirts of Edinburgh, the setting promised a memorable dining experience.
Upon arrival, we had high hopes. However, by the evening’s end—as we passed by Restaurant Martin Wishart in the taxi back to the hotel and exchanged a look—we both thought, “We should have booked that instead.”
Initially seated in an awkward spot next to the restrooms overlooking the bar room, we envied those casually enjoying a drink. Thankfully, we were soon relocated to a corner of the restaurant. Despite the better seating, the service was disorganized and overly staffed; a new face appeared at our table so often, we lost count after the seventh person.
Hand-dived Orkney Scallops – Vegetables – Vermouth – Herb Sauce
The bustling atmosphere reached sometimes 80 decibels on my Apple Watch Ultra, making conversation challenging. This might have been overlooked if the food had been excellent. Unfortunately, it was not. The signature dish, hand-dived Orkney scallops, served in their shells, was lukewarm and got cold quickly.
Other dishes followed the same pattern, served barely warm on cold plates, and turned cold before we could finish eating.
Venison – Kohlrabi – Venison Jus
But at that time, our ears had had it. We skipped dessert for the cheese service and asked if we could have it in the bar area. They looked puzzled but said okay. Entering the empty bar room was pure bliss. For the first time that evening, we could relax.
We both agreed that Restaurant Lyla was so much better than this busy ‘cruise ship experience.’ Realizing that we are not the target group for the restaurant.
Cheese serving at the bar.
This is one of Scotland’s most famous restaurants and it aims to be a restaurant for everyone, except for the price tag. The people who go here think it is just fab and can say that they have been to The Kitchin.
But for us—picky Swedish foodies—it simply did not cut it. Hopefully, it was a one-off.
Anyway, we didn’t want to risk it, so we decided to cancel our upcoming reservation at Scran and Scallie, another restaurant by Tom Kitchin in Edinburgh.
First time
End of April 2024
Dinner, À La Carte
One star
See picture
Good selection
Solid 78 dB and more
No
No