Café Saint Honoré

A hidden gem nestled in the corner of Thistle Street with delicious food and an awesome staff!
I heard about Café St Honore and their dairy free menu one day, so I decided to take a chance. The dairy free menu is really just a menu with all the courses that can be altered TO dairy free, so it was a tiny bit disappointing to me that it wasn’t the super helpful, allergy friendly menu, but it was better than nothing!
After some help from a very nice waitress who assured me that the chef will be extra careful with my food (she also said he was magic and can make anything that suits anyone’s dietary needs), I settled on the Angus Beef Breaseola with red onion jam, leeks, and vinaigrette. It was absolutely AMAZING! The onion jam was really good and its sweetness was a nice contrast with the leek’s bitterness. It was a nice portion, too– it filled me up well!
While Café St Honore is not super allergy friendly, the chef can alter your dish to your needs and still have it taste delicious!

Visited here for dinner on a colleagues recommendation last Friday during a one night stay in Edinburgh.
The place itself is tucked away on a little side street just behind George street (lots of lovely pubs). It is small, candlelit and plays the part of fancy little French bistro in every way! Menu can look a little pricey, but they have a café classics menu which offers two or three courses for a very reasonable £18/​23 respectively. Not as many options, but I really enjoyed my meal!
Starter of smoked beef with sundried tomatoes was light and fresh, with a lovely smokey flavour and served with peppery rocket. For main I had the venison Shepard’s pie which was rich, gamey with meat that just melted in your mouth. Mash topping was smooth and salty, with just the right amount of crisp from a good grilling. Dessert was a perfect vanilla crème brûlée — any French restaurant worth its salt should be able to nail this dish, and café saint honore was no exception!
Wine selection was varied and quite well priced, and staff was quite knowledgable in advising a selection to perfectly match my menu choices.
Highly advise a visit if you are in Edinburgh! Booking recommended :)

I have a soft spot for this place, as it’s one of the first places my wife and I ate in after we moved to Edinburgh. I think it can be said of Café Saint Honore that it’s not exactly a firecracker of a place. It’s a reasonable, decent, conscientious French bistro, but if, like me, you love that kind of thing, it’s a gem.
The two times I’ve eaten here, I’ve eaten very well, and so what if my mind wasn’t blown by the wacky creativity? I’m not that kind of diner, for one thing, but what I do look for are craft and balance, and these are absolutely on offer.
The place is a little bit cramped, to my mind, but that’s part of the fun. There are mirrors everywhere, and I hate mirrors, but so what, I don’t have to sit facing them. The last time I went, I had a starter of smoked duck salad and a main course of roast beef; not exactly the most imaginative ordering, on my part, but the duck salad was beautifully judged (smoked duck can sometimes be like eating duck that’s been on a 40-​a-​day Marlboro habit, but this was aromatic and tender) and the roast beef was like being given a big warm hug from a beloved French mother-​in-​law. I wish I knew how good restaurants are able to deliver perfectly cooked roast beef on order; I seldom cook it at home because it’s so hard to get right, but this was outstanding.
The wine was great, the service was friendly and helpful (we found it a bit hard to get their attention, but then we always find that in restaurants, so it could be just us) and we had a lovely time. I look forward to my next visit.

Great find tucked away down a little cobbled lane off Thistle Street. I arrived for lunch on a Thursday with 3 colleagues, having booked ahead the previous day for a table of 7. It’s a fairly compact dining room inside so I’d no doubt wreaked havoc with their careful seating planning by turning up as a 4 (in my defence, the others bailed on me with only 5 min notice!), and yet I was received with a gracious smile, only a momentary forehead wrinkle and pause, then gestured towards a table for 4.
The service from then on was a little slow, particularly when there’s only max ten tables in the place! But they did eventually bring over some menus and later refill bread and water. My boss is quite thrifty so we’d chosen it for the superby-​valued express lunch deal, with 2 courses for £14.50. And what good value it was (if not as ‘express’ as you might expect from the name). The food was wonderful, and that’s even after expectations were raised by knowing it’s the restaurant of 2014’s Scottish Chef of the Year. I’d also suspected we might get hamster-​sized portions to nibble on but they were almost too generous. My colleagues were all slightly jealous of my tomato and crowdie (apparently it’s a cheese!) starter which was bright and fresh. Then we all chose the venison stew for main, nicely avoiding any food envy. It was so tender you could actually eat it without a knife, though also so rich that I couldn’t quite finish the large plate.
The interior of the place is almost stuck in a time warp, with this very olde worlde Parisian bistro feel to it. The incongruity of being in such a romantic little place with my boss and two other guys from my team was actually quite entertaining, in fact looking around most people on a weekday lunchtime seemed to be there on a work day to take advantage of the (not so-)express lunch. I liked the fact that they don’t pack the tables in despite it being a small place, so it stays quite intimate and classy and I suppose helps them maintain the quality of the food — it really felt like they took time and care over each plate. Highly recommend for the value for money — I left suitably stuffed and found myself wishing my office had somewhere for an afternoon nap when I got back to work.

I have always wanted to come here as I have heard so much about them. Very intimate restaurant and tables are spaced comfortably apart.
I had the trout tartare as a starter. Light refreshing with just amount of seasoning to bring out the wonderful flavour of the trout.
My main was the steamed east coast plaice. I don’t know how they do it. I have to say wow with a standing ovation. It is the most perfectly cooked fish I have ever eaten. It basically just … melts in your mouth. Even the large prawns are perfectly cooked. Smothered in a creamy Sauce and underneath, a bed of vegetable that still retains its crunch. I was in heaven.
To finish off, I ordered the mint crème brûlée. Not the best in Edinburgh I have to say. But the starter and main has won my heart so I will let this one go.
This has got to be one of the highest rated restaurant on my list. Unfortunately, I was masturdating (yes it’s a word) so I didn’t get to see and try other dishes. However, I will definitely be back again to try the others. It is just perfect.

Very nice bistro. Central location but not on the main drag.
Starters: cullin skink and beetroot and goat cheese salad.
Beef steak and salmon for mains.
Unpretentious flavors well executed Treacle tart for dessert. Good value for money. Interesting atmosphere. Highly recommended.

Café St Honore, it’s been on the bucket list for a long time so was delighted to have an excuse to visit this week with a few friends. Chef Neil Forbes has established himself as one of the countries too chefs, known from local produce and sustainability. From Slow Food to the Sustainability Restaurant Association he has been a vocal advocate of all that’s good about Scottish food right now.
The setting feels like a village bistro is the Loire valley, the service is attentive but relaxed and the wine list is balanced from affordable to the slightly more extravagant.
The Café have a Classics menu which changes on a seasonal basis and it’s has to be said it really is a delight. At £18 for two courses or 3 courses for £23.50 available all night it’s also a bargain.
For my starter I opted for the hot smoked mackerel salad. I am a fan of all things smoked it has to be said but this salad was so light and the fish was delicious. The balance of the flavours with the peppery rocket was well… nom! Not the most eloquent word but you get it.
For main I went for a superb dish of plaice, one of my favourite fishes to find it on a menu for this price was a lovely surprise. Served on creamed leeks with a potato rosti and bacon the balance was as you would expect from this chef just right!
The other main on the menu which I tried and loved so felt I had to share was a venison cottage pie. Tradition with innovation and local produce… for me that sums up this place.
I am for sure going to come back and try the a la carte but for now I will just reminisce and enjoy the memory of my lovely meal.
In the end Café St Honore come Highly JD Recommended!

This place has been on my ‘to do’ list for ages and I finally had the chance to come for a bank holiday lunch with a friend of mine. I liked it! The atmosphere was probably more intimate rather than lively and the service was friendly and top notch and they were more than accommodating when i wanted to choose food from 2 different menus.
The food was of excellent quality. I liked the dense, warmed bread given at the start. Nice touch. My confit of duck was lovely, crispy skin and fell off the bone the way it should. I just wish it had come with the traditional puy lentils instead of mustard mash but that said, I ate every scrap and enjoyed it! My friend had the pork belly and said it was delicious.
The menu is very fishy so if you don’t like fish or seafood you might struggle with the food choices as its a smallish menu. However I managed to find something i really wanted from both the al a carte and bistro lunch menu and they were happy for me to pick from both. The wine wasn’t too expensive, there was a good range for every price bracket.
Would recommend.

Last time I was here must have been 15 years ago and the interior hasn’t changed a bit. An Edinburgh institution, the mirrored walls and old-​fashioned turn of the century décor is like stepping into a time machine. The menu has changed though, updated with a lighter hand and more local produce in evidence.
I was with a small group for a Christmas dinner, and we were all very satisfied with our meal. I started with Stornoway black pudding salad, perfectly cooked. most and flavourful. A classic beef bourguignon to follow with the meat almost melting in your mouth. Christmas pudding and cardamom ice cream rounded off the meal nicely, although I was casting envious glances at the cheese selection — definiately looked like a winner.
Despite it being a Saturday night and full, service was excellent, from the moment we stepped in. Still one of the best city centre restaurants if you fell like a treat.

I ate in here almost a year ago, and had always planned to write a review. At the time, I was not on Unilocal,so I think I reviewed it elsewhere, but I felt now that I’m Unilocaling all the time, I should pay tribute to this outstanding eatery.
Set in Thistle Lane, this restaurant offers not only outstanding cuisine and service, but a truly memorable dining experience.
I was there with a party of 8 — and the first thing that impressed me was the service; efficient, friendly, quick — some of the staff are like magicians, performing slight of hand, refilling your glass without you even noticing.
The cuisine served here is what you’d expect from a French restaurant, but what it manages to do so very well, is have an authenticity that you’d be hard pushed to find outside France itself. Having lived in the aforementioned country for a year, I’d consider myself well-​versed in genuine Frenchness, and this delightful eatery gets it bang on.
Put simply, they know what they are doing here — everything is cooked with flair, charm and skill. The service is among the best I’ve ever received. If you’re in Edinburgh, and want a meal out that feels like a special occasion, this is definitely nombre une!
An amazing sensory experience!

I will admit, I was a little apprehensive about dining at Saint Honore. First, the location. When I looked up the map on my iPhone, I was kind of shocked to see it located in an alley. Of course, I thought perhaps it had the location wrong. However, the approach was right, and I was even more skeptical walking down a dark, wet alley past the backsides of other restaurants and garbage bins toward the end of the street. Finally, we saw a lit storefront, and there was the café!
The menu changes daily, and the offerings may turn some off as they seem to be quite specialized for the day. However, we were very happy to have stayed. I had the lamb, which was roasted perfectly. It was served with a piece of rolled lamb’s belly (in the style of a rolled pork belly) and fried. My friend had veal, which was very nice in a mustard sauce. Both dishes were well prepared, and very tasty.
For dessert, I had a chocolate tart which seemed to be of a classic French style, and my friend had a Rhubarb tart which looked more like a Bakewell style tart. Again, both very nice, and very delicious.
Overall, an excellent meal, even with a curious location.

Funny thing about Edinburgh…some of the best food I had on my trip was at French restaurants and not Scottish! And Café Saint Honore was no exception!
Located a little off the beaten path (the address says Thistle Street but it’s more on an off shoot alley of Thistle but that may be just how they do it here) Café Saint Honore did it up right for me on my last night in Edinburgh.
This charming place is quaint mixed with some Old World Charm that makes it the perfect place for a special dinner or date. We sat on the main level in the front room and had both excellent service and excellent food.
The bread comes up warm and crunchy served with fresh butter. The wine list is not huge but large enough where you can find something that is perfect for your evening. It was warm on the night we were there and the house Sauvingon Blanc, while a little fruity, was quite good.
For my starter I went with the risotto with goats cheese and my friend had the pork rillette. Both were good and very flavorful. I had the sea bream served over vegetables as my entrée and my friend went with the lamb. Here again– they were cooked perfectly with plenty of contrasting flavors.
For dessert they served something of a deconstructed strawberry shortcake and clotted cream. Delicious! Somehow the berries in Scotland are so much sweeter tasting than the ones I get at home.
A lovely restaurant, a lovely setting. If you like French food– Café Saint Honore should be on your list to try.

This is really a delightful restaurant. It has all the style and ambience of a real traditional Parisian restaurant.
The food is freshly prepared daily from local suppliers and really is top notch!
I am not a fan of meat cooked really rare but my two companions both ordered the steak and were extremely impressed. The tartlet I ordered to start and chicken for main was delicious and very moist! My cousin (all the way over from Sydney was really impressed, as he felt it really special place to get taken too for a celebratory meal).
I must admit, the only down point on our last visit (I’ve been a few times) was that a large group of people were seated next to us, so we felt the service kind of lacked and spoiled the atmosphere a little bit. Saying that, we did have an enjoyable evening, I just feel it’s a little too small for large groups. It’s certainly more for an intimate evening — and definitely will be very busy come Valentine’s day!
I would definitely recommend this hidden gem — and watch out for the lovely harley davidson parked up outside — that made my night!

So good I had to revisit.
The café has a real sense of being in Paris, you feel they’ve brought it over brick by brick.
The food is prepared beautifully, well designed menu, lovely atmosphere.
You won’t be sorry.

I really enjoyed the food, and thought the Unilocal Eats menu was good, but it lacked a little something for me. We summed it up: «we can’t argue with the quality of the food on offer, so we’d recommend you make a visit, soon. When you do, we hope you find the place imbued with a slightly livelier spirit than we found on our visit.»

Yum Yum and Yum.
I had been meaning to go here for quite some time when Café St Honoreès chef Neil Forbes made some food at the Edinburgh Farmers Market. I loved it.
So, as apart of the Unilocal Eats offer, I made my reservation here on the first day of the offer to see what it would be like.
I felt as though I had gone back to paris, the mirrored walls with the lighting and décor felt like a true french café. As I arrived, I had no problem being brought to my table, and with theyre expectation of my arrival they knew where I would sit right away with my candle lit. The service was great, after I ordered my wine my glass never went empty. However, they didn’t seem as though they were hovering.
They were also very organized with the Unilocal Eats Menus and had them printed and ready to give to us. I ordered the Pumpkin Soup whilst my boyfriend ordered the Game Terrine. I was happy with my choice since as delicious as his starter was, I didn’t realize his game would be cold. Obviously I didn’t know the definition for terrine but generally when people say game I say ‘yes please!‘
The soup was perfect, amazing texture and so buttery and smooth. I don’t think I could have improved it in any way.
For the Mains we both enjoyed the Plaice. It was a full fillet and was cooked perfectly. It was served with watercress and potatos. I was very impressed with the way the fish was cooked since the bones were still in, but you could pull the meat apart without munching on any bones (not ideal date food etiquette) but as i said, this wasnt the case!
I finished with a artisan roast coffee (jennys fav!, haha)
Overall the staff were fantastic, very friendly and even offered to order us a cab afterwards to get us home as we got our bill. Great evening, go here! I’ll definitely go back soon

Flawless really. Great service, excellent food, classic setting. Looking forward to next time (and hoping there is one).

The defining factor of this restaurant is the décor. It feels like you’ve stepped back in time to old fashioned, romantic Parisien bistro, and really transports you to another world. I had the pleasure of dining here for a very important anniversary of my aunt and uncles about a year ago, and it was really a great experience.
I don’t particularly eat French food as a rule, and would probably never choose to eat somewhere like this on a whim, but this restaurant will definitely go down as one of my absolute favourites. For a start, it’s a hidden treasure. It sits down a little inshot off of Thistle Street, and to be honest, it looks like a bit of a dodgy place to put a restaurant. However, as soon as you go inside the place it takes your breath away.
The menu is expensive. Way too expensive for a casual dining experience, but, as this was a special occasion, the meal had to follow suite. Put it this way, I’m glad I wasn’t picking up the tab!
The menu actually changes a lot, sometimes daily, depending on the produce that can be obtained and the seasons. I like the idea of this, as it always ensures that the food you get is fresh and cooked there and then, which can mean the service is a little slower than elsewhere. I can tell you now, it is definitely worth the extra 15 minutes wait, as the food is simple and flavourful, and feels like a really special dish.
The standout for me was the North Sea Fish pie, which was packed with mussels, white and smoked fish, and creamy potato. It was perfectly seasoned, I didn’t even have to add my own salt or pepper (which for me is a big deal, I am a seasoning addict!) and the portion was small, but perfectly formed. A glass of Pinot Grigio (which I later found out was a whopping £9 for a 250ml glass) was the perfect accompaniment. Everyone at my table thoroughly enjoyed what they had, and my Dad still talks about his steak to this day! The sign of a stellar establishment.
Make the wee bit extra effort to hunt this hidden gem out. You may need to take a few extra pounds, but for a special occasion, I wouldn’t recommend anywhere else.

Tucked away down a side street close to the centre of Edinburgh, Café St Honore is a real gem, made famous by Alexander McCall-​Smith in 44 Scotland Street. The atmosphere is quite broody with candles and ambient lighting, so perfect for a romantic night out. The staff are attentive and friendly and the food was good. The menu consists of mostly local fare — a lot of fish, haggis and fresh local vegetables — and is tasty with not too large portions. The crème brûlée was divine. Water and bread are provided for all tables and the wine list is extensive with a good few decent choices (I am not a wine drinker so cannot comment on the quality of the wine particularly). Overall a pleasant place to spend an evening.

Went to Café St Honore as part of the Dine around 2009 promotion. This offers 2 courses for £15. As ever we went at lunchtime & the saving was not massive as they do offer a lunchtime menu at a reasonable cost. The ambiance was lovely, the staff were friendly & welcoming & the tables beautifully set. We has a choice of 2 or3 items for each course. I started with the soup of the day whichwas mushroom. It was delicious. Hubby had the smoked trout salad which looked fantastic too. At this point in time I should point out that all of the ingredients are locally sourced, or as many as possible. The quality is outstanding. My only disappointment was the risotto, I don’t think it was made with proper risotto rice & the texture was just not quite right. Also being made with smoked haddock it was a bit too salty. I should on reflection have chosen something different as I always have this dish when I go to Skippers & in my eyes it can’t be beaten.
That said we had a lovely meal & the bill was as we expected. Well worth seeking out if your in the area. Booknig recommended!

This restaurant is tucked away and very nice. The food and service are excellent. Really top class, bread is made daily and the menu changes daily too. There are always fresh ingredients. Dishes are such as beef burgoine, a variety of fish dishes, coq au vin. It is a truly wonderful place to go for a meal. It is slightly more expensive than other restaurants perhaps but worth it.

Excellent for lunch or dinner, with extremely authentic décor.
Popular with the local business crowd so pre-​booking is a must.
Knowledgeable & friendly staff make dining here a very pleasant experience & it won’t be long before I go back.