The Palmerston
Quick info
About The Palmerston
On Palmerston Place in Edinburgh, The Palmerston is a restaurant with a menu that changes daily around area-sourced ingredients. Courses arrive with complimentary sourdough bread and butter between them, and the kitchen's recurring dishes include lamb prepared as roast, shoulder or loin, alongside hake as a main course. A three-course lunch menu runs as a lower-priced alternative to the dinner offering. Seating takes in both tables and bar seats, and the restaurant operates on a walk-in basis. It fills up regularly, and a waitlist system comes into play once fully booked, with bar seats sometimes offered to those waiting. The decor keeps to an old-fashioned style throughout the dining room.
Good to know
“Classic restaurant with old-fashioned decor & daily-changing menu of area-sourced dishes.”
- ReservationsWalk-in only
- AccessibilityWheelchair: restroom, seating
Reviews
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention sourdough bread and butter, lamb roast/loin, three course lunch menu and hake with lentils.
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention sourdough bread and butter, lamb roast/loin, three course lunch menu and hake with lentils.
Customer Review Summary
The lamb draws the most praise, whether roasted, as shoulder, or in the loin with lentils, described repeatedly as tender and beautifully cooked. Close behind, the complimentary sourdough bread and butter come up again and again as a standout touch, alongside well-received mains like the cod with beans, hake with lentils and kale, and porchetta. Several also single out the three course lunch menu as good value compared to dinner pricing, and the venison and rabbit leg with chickpeas and chorizo earn mentions too. Service is consistently called attentive and friendly, with staff explaining ingredients and preparation and one reviewer noting the team emailed to offer bar seats off a waitlist. One diner, while praising the hospitality, felt the food itself didn't match expectations, calling it a matter of personal taste rather than a fault. Multiple reviewers mention reserving ahead, as tables filled quickly even on a weekday, with one recalling staff refolding a napkin during a bathroom break.
Customer Review Summary
The lamb draws the most praise, whether roasted, as shoulder, or in the loin with lentils, described repeatedly as tender and beautifully cooked. Close behind, the complimentary sourdough bread and butter come up again and again as a standout touch, alongside well-received mains like the cod with beans, hake with lentils and kale, and porchetta. Several also single out the three course lunch menu as good value compared to dinner pricing, and the venison and rabbit leg with chickpeas and chorizo earn mentions too. Service is consistently called attentive and friendly, with staff explaining ingredients and preparation and one reviewer noting the team emailed to offer bar seats off a waitlist. One diner, while praising the hospitality, felt the food itself didn't match expectations, calling it a matter of personal taste rather than a fault. Multiple reviewers mention reserving ahead, as tables filled quickly even on a weekday, with one recalling staff refolding a napkin during a bathroom break.
Featured reviews
- Google user
“The restaurant- Tha Palmerston- was suggested by a friend we just met. We made a reservation (highly recommended). We sat at the bar. I ordered the 2-3 course menu. My spouse ordered the lamb shoulder. Both we very delicious and fresh. We loved it so much, on our last day in Edinburgh we reserved a table one last time. This time I ordered the Hake with lentils and kale. My spouse ordered the 3 course meal, as he loved it just as much as his own the day before. I highly recommend this restaurant for meeting, events, dates, etc. The staff is friendly and accommodating.”
- Google user
“Had such a great lunch at The Palmerston. If dinner feels a little too expensive for you, go get the three course lunch. You can tell how good the ingredients they use are. The pasta was a top tier dish. I also stopped by a couple mornings for some pastries and coffee.”
- Google user
“I had dinner at Palmerston with high expectations, given its excellent reputation. Unfortunately, the food didn't quite live up to the hype for me. That said, I appreciate that this is very much a matter of personal taste rather than any fault with the restaurant. What truly stood out, however, was the service. Every member of staff was exceptional—warm, attentive, knowledgeable and genuinely welcoming without ever being overbearing. Their professionalism made the evening a thoroughly pleasant experience, even if the food wasn't entirely to my taste. While I may not return for the menu, I certainly wouldn't hesitate to commend the team for delivering first-class hospitality.”
- Google user
“The sourdough bread is very soft and they are generous with the butter, really good. The lamb loin with lentils was excellect. Tender juicy meat. The monkfish was also very well cooked. Coffee was good and so was the chocolate chip cookie (soft chewy kind). Can't find anything bad to say about this place.”
- Google user
“an absolutely scrump-diddly-umptious meal!! got bread for the table immediately after getting sat and both the bread and the butter were soo good. we got the lunch menu and the lamb both of which were soo good. the servers were so helpful! 10/10 would defo recommend!!!”
Amenities
- Wheelchair accessible restroom
Show more amenities
- Accessibility· 1
- Wheelchair accessible seating
Location
Restaurants near The Palmerston
- Fava Restaurant - Greek Kitchen4.61,3440.1 miWheelchair accessible
skepasti wrap, gyros portion, feta and chilli fries
- Xiangbala Hotpot4.69540.2 mi
hot pot, soup base variety, fresh ingredients
- The Painted Rooster4.68550.3 miOutdoor seatingVegan optionsVegetarian options
avocado toast or bagel, smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel, specialty coffee and lattes
| Place | Rating | Distance | Mentioned in reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| The PalmerstonWheelchair accessible | 4.5992 | — | sourdough bread and butter, lamb roast/loin, three course lunch menu |
| Fava Restaurant - Greek KitchenWheelchair accessible | 4.61,344 | 0.1 mi | skepasti wrap, gyros portion, feta and chilli fries |
| Xiangbala Hotpot | 4.6954 | 0.2 mi | hot pot, soup base variety, fresh ingredients |
| The Painted RoosterOutdoor seating · Vegan options · Vegetarian options | 4.6855 | 0.3 mi | avocado toast or bagel, smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel, specialty coffee and lattes |
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