Merienda

Situated in Stockbridge, Merienda is only a 10 minute walk away from the city centre. The restaurant is fairly small but is set up to allow more than enough space for social distancing. On top of this, the Merienda team have put a few extra precautions in place, all without impacting the dining experience! When we arrived at the restaurant we were encouraged to sanitize our hands, we had our temperature checked and we were asked to keep our face masks on whilst moving through the restaurant. Whether you're looking for a light meal or a full dining experience, the menu is served Mediterranean style with small plates based around 5 different sections; Merienda Staples, Fields and Gardens, Farms and Pastures, Rivers and Seas, and Sweetness. We decided to go for the full dining experience and ordered 6 plates each, plus a dessert to share. After grazing on so many delicious plates, it was difficult to choose a favourite, but if we had to pick 1, it would have to be the star of the show - the dessert - White chocolate & cranberry croissant butter pudding. Everything about the menu was incredibly fresh and it was interesting to know that all the ingredients are sourced locally throughout Scotland, served in their own style! The servers were extremely attentive and (personally for us) we enjoyed the pace in which all the dishes were served, as this allowed us to not rush our meal and appreciate the flavours the chef had put together for us.

Good experience. Great tasting food using local ingredients with a Mediterranean feel. All combines to make lovely looking dishes ranging from sea to land. Makes for a good range of small dishes. Recommend 5 dishes each leaving room for dessert - which was worth it! Restaurant itself is relaxed with good décor. Staff friendly and attentive.

I went to this lovely place with my boyfriend for dinner and we were not disappointed. We were greeted warmly by Emma( she was just wonderful) ,who guided us through the menù and wine. The food was spectacular, we had 4 courses each and certainly our best dining experience ever. Looking forward to back soon.

We had a lovely meal: everything looked amazing and tasted even better. I never eat puddings, but these were the best I've ever eaten. Plenty here for vegetarians and omnivores alike. Relaxed atmosphere and friendly and informed service by the lovely Leanne (not sure how her name is spelled). We were delighted with our meal.

I had one of the best meals I’ve ever had in Edinburgh at this restaurant last month. The menu is so inventive and the food incredibly delicious. The owners were really warm and friendly and the waiting staff really knowledgeable about all the dishes. Perfect for an intimate dinner with friends, loved-ons or a special occasion. Will certainly be recommending it to all our friends in Edinburgh and already planning a return visit for the next time I’m in town.

My husband and I are here on a whim after walking from Dean Village on our first day in Edinburgh. They had just opened for the day, so we were their only customers. Our waitress was very friendly and helped us choose four delicious tapas items from the menu. I’m a rather picky vegetarian, and they had loads of options that looked amazing! We loved that we could just see the chef making our dinner in the kitchen behind the bar. Our food was brought out and it was SO. GOOD. We seriously considered coming back there for dinner the next night (but sadly didn’t have time to make it back to that part of town). Everything we ate was delicious, and so we decided to have dessert (cheesecake) which was, of course, amazing. During dessert, a gentleman who I believe may have been the owner came to chat with us about our trip, and gave us some recommendations 😊 We had a great experience at this restaurant and highly recommend it to anyone in Edinburgh!

Had lunch here recently as recommended by a girlfriend and went with no expectations. What a delight and a really special find. The plates were like a chocolate box of surprises and I selected three plates of crab and octopus, salmon and Waldorf salad. The presentation was exquisite and the taste was sublime. Quality ingredients over quantity and I suspect this little gem will not be kept secret for long. Bravo for setting up something unique. Highly recommend

Stunning food and a warm reception. A beautifully cooked menu which explores all nature has to offer. A real dining experience made all the better by the delightful Leanne on front of house and the most Spanish looking Scot one could meet in Robbie in the kitchen. Not one of our 12 dishes was disappointing and the wine may hed beautifully. I will return