Ondine

Fish, Scottish·
££££
·
Gold Award
·
Edinburgh, EH1 1AD ·Website·Call0131 226 1888

SquareMeal Review of Ondine

Gold Award

Occupying a first-floor space above Victoria Street with wraparound views of Edinburgh's landmarks, Ondine is a “sleek but unpretentious” space with a curved crustacean bar holding centre stage, plus a jazzy helping of baroque fabrics and jaunty art. Interiors are predominantly black and white with contemporary chairs and tables, for a classic monochrome feel with a modern edge.

This is “a proper seafood restaurant” declares chef/proprietor Roy Brett, who learned his trade with none other than fish guru Rick Stein, and is renowned for his use of sustainably sourced, “super-fresh” produce (Ondine is accredited by the Marine Stewardship Council which sets a standard for sustainable fishing). In fact, all ingredients here are carefully selected to be of the highest. A small family-run Newhaven fishmonger provides the majority of the restaurant’s catch while meat, fruit and veg are locally procured where possible and showcase some of the best of Scotland’s impressive larder.

Reasonable fixed-price lunch and pre-theatre deals (£24 for two courses or £29 for three) might bring Loch Fyne oysters with salami followed by brown crab risotto or curried mussels in a coconut and coriander broth, with lemon meringue pie or passionfruit pavlova for afters.

Things move up a notch in the evening, when the kitchen offers more flashy stuff ranging from dressed brown crab or tempura squid with Vietnamese dipping sauce and crispy chilies to a hot roasted shellfish platter cooked in white wine, garlic and parsley or a monkfish curry with aubergine and cashew nut. Although meat eaters might be offered steak tartare made with Orkney beef served with a hen’s egg and chips, Ondine is really about “the best seafood served by the friendliest staff”.

For avid seafood fans Ondine put on a daily oyster happy hour, where you can treat yourself to these shellfish delicacies for just a £1 a pop.

Good to know

Average Price
££££ - £50 - £79
Cuisines
Fish, Scottish
Ambience
Luxury, Romantic
Food Occasions
Dinner, Lunch
Alfresco And Views
Great views
Special Features
Counter dining
Perfect for
Celebrations
Food Hygiene Rating

FAQs

Who is the chef at Ondine?

Chef Proprietor Roy Brett

Helpful? 0

Do they cater for vegetarians?

They do not cater for vegetarians, there is however a vegetarian starter on the menu.

Helpful? 0

Location

2 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh, EH1 1AD

0131 226 1888 0131 226 1888

Website

Opening Times

Lunch
Mon 12:00-15:00
Tue 12:00-15:00
Wed 12:00-15:00
Thu 12:00-15:00
Fri 12:00-15:00
Sat 12:00-15:00
Sun Closed
Dinner
Mon 17:30-22:00
Tue 17:30-22:00
Wed 17:30-22:00
Thu 17:30-22:00
Fri 17:30-22:00
Sat 17:30-22:00
Sun Closed

Reviews

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5 Reviews 
Food/Drink
Service
Atmosphere
Value

Sergio D

22 March 2018  
Excellent menu, ambience, service and entertainment.

Anon

21 March 2018  
Great atmosphere awesome food and drink.

Helen V

21 March 2018  
Paco's has never failed us with great food wide range of drinks a great ambience and a very entertaining decor ,we see something different in the decor each time we go there , the service is so pleasing happy attentive staff , for what you get id say great value for money.

Gary S

07 March 2011  
Food & Drink 3
Service 3.5
Atmosphere 3
Value 2.5
booked this restaurant as it's next door to Hotel Missoni, where we were staying, and it's a fish restaurant. Although the restaurant continued the Hotel's cool and chic feel, we found the food didn't live up to its reputation. If you are not into crustacea (there were four lobster dishes on the menu) naped in garlic butter there was little choice of fish. Shellfish platters and fish curry aside the only choices were sea bass or plaice. We both pumped for the sea bass.(I believe farmed), which was average. A meal for 2 cost £150 (thanks largely to an expensive wine list) and I think there are much better alternatives nearby.

Daniel O

12 September 2010  
Food & Drink 5
Service 4.5
Atmosphere 5
Value 4.5
We ate at Ondine whilst in Edinburgh on a little honeymoon. It was recommended to us by the lady who ran the guesthouse where we were staying. She said it was a special place and indeed, it was just right for our special Honeymoon meal. Just after we sat down, two rather stylish businessmen arrived, one having told the other was vegetarian. After looking at the menu, this matter arose. There ensued a conversation where the host, proclaimed, without any malice, ‘…but I though vegetarians ate fish…’ followed by ‘Hang on, …so you dont even eat chicken?!?’. It certainly made us smile. Still, it seemed the guest was happy, as Chef seemingly arraged something just as delicious as the rest of his menu for Mr Vegetarian. We were booked in for the early sitting, and arrived to see a cool, classy but textured interior and smart, smiling staff. Being on the first floor, with glass throighout gave a lovely light and airy feeling. Throughout the meal had fantastic service, with all the staff knowledgable and attentive, especially the waitress who looked after us. One of us was always going to have the fish soup to begin, and it was delicious being fragrant, creamy and very moreish! My starter the potted shrimp was lovely, and not greasey at all, which can sometimes be its downfall. My wife had the fish curry which was delicate and flavoured. Different from the asian restaurant version that I'd tried, in that the curry was delicately and beautifully placed on the fish rather than being a stew. I chose the fish of the day, Plaice served with a peperonata, which was fantastic. It is clear that Corporate Social Responsibiility matters to the establishment, with envelopes for donations to protect the local fishermen on each table. I just wonder if they couldn't go further, and increase the numbers of fish on the menu from sustainable stocks. We had a terrific meal, with great service. The manager came over at the end, and we were delighted to tell him how much we'd enjoyed our visit. One slight blemish was the length of time it took to get our bill, but overall, this was a very minor point. However, it did stop me giving top marks on the service. It seems, the awards this restaurant has picked up many awards in its short time, which I'm sure are to be joined by others very soon!
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0131 226 1888 0131 226 1888

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