Moss

Stockbridge has been slowly stockpiling some of Edinburgh’s best restaurants, and Moss fits right into this quiet corner of the city. It’s the brainchild of chef Henry Dobson - a 26-seat farm-to-table restaurant (the farm in question being his family’s own Angus farm) that offers a masterclass in hyper seasonal and sustainable dining.

The space channels Nordic minimalism, with natural touches to further reflect the Scottish landscapes. Branches hang from the ceiling, whilst the tables are made from fallen trees from the farm. Shelves line the walls, brimming with jars of infusions, vinegars, and dried herbs, all adding to the promise of a menu that’s packed full of foraged, preserved, and pickled ingredients. Even the crockery is homemade, hand-thrown by Dobson’s wife, Leith-based potter Akiko Matsuda.

Unlike many of its tasting-menu neighbours, Moss is strictly an a la carte affair, offering a tight and considered selection, with just one meat, fish and veg option per course (plus a single dessert). Dishes are proudly Scottish, though there are gentle nods to Dobson’s Japanese travels, with a hand-scrawled cover that showcases each ingredient's origin; many hailing from mere miles away.

We start with Cumbrae oysters, wrapped in whisper-thin tempura batter, paired with a creamy halibut-head sauce and dotted with chive oil. It’s delicate, though a sharper hit from the pickled shallots would have pushed it a tad further. The BBQ waffle is a standout: a brioche-style waffle topped with wild garlic chimichurri and potted brisket, artistically decorated with everything from duck liver parfait to floral hazelwood fudge and forget-me-nots. Each bite is a funky mix of sweet and savoury, deeply inventive and masterful in its construction.

Each dish outdoes the one before it, and by the time we get to the sea trout we’re well convinced by Dobson’s creativity. Cured sea trout is served two ways: one side smoked, the other butter-basted, both falling apart at the slightest touch. Paired with strawberry puree, watercress yoghurt, and shoreline herbs, it arrives as some sort of abstract pointillism; fun and colourful, with flavour to match.

Moss is inventive, and quietly brilliant, with welcoming service and the kind of neighbourhood price point that feels insanely good value for money. It may be the new kid on the block, but it’s already stamping its mark on the city.

Known for creative cooking, Moss is a neighbourhood restaurant in Stockbridge that only uses Scottish ingredients and drinks from the British Isles. It comes from Henry Dobson, formerly of Noma in Copenhagen, and his wife Akiko Matsuda, a ceramicist originally from Japan. Despite his fine dining pedigree, the menu at Moss comes in at a more pocket-friendly price tag, though rest assured the quality is comparable to tasting menu fare across the rest of Edinburgh.

Dobson is joined in the kitchen by a team who have experience in varied Michelin-starred restaurants across the UK. While the menu is Scottish through and through, it’s underscored with the hallmarks of modern European cuisine, namely in the form of Nordic and Japanese influences. From the menu come plates of bone marrow focaccia with beef garum and mugolio butter, beetroot with whey fudge, and smoked duck with cherry blossom and rhubarb. Mains meanwhile, offer up the likes of roe deer saddle with dauphinoise chips and winter leaf gnudi with Jerusalem artichoke and an onion and cep broth. As for the drinks, expect Kentish wines, pet nats from Monmouthshire, and beers from Dundee.

The sincerity of Dobson’s farm-to-table approach makes Moss quite unusual. With links to his family farm in Angus, Moss is able to make use of a rich store of Scottish ingredients and work within an incredibly short supply chain. As it stands, the restaurant sources around half of what is needed from the farm, using local suppliers to deliver the rest, but is working towards total self-sufficiency.

The dining room reflects the local, relaxed, style of the restaurant. The decor is pared back, featuring simple light wood-topped tables, bentwood chairs, and dark stained flooring. Plus, made by Akiko, all ceramics have been hand-built with an intentional asymmetrical design to create a natural feel.