About
Situated on the Leith waterfront, The Shore is the ideal destination for those wishing to spend an evening in Edinburgh���s historic port. Boats line the harbourside where the sun sets slowly on hot summer nights, making The Shore a quiet and idyllic location: perfect for a relaxing evening and an intimate meal. The ambience is warm and charming, enhanced by the traditional and candlelit d��cor of informal 18th century wood panelling, huge mirrors and real fires. The cuisine fuses classic British dishes with a modern European twist; we love the pecan-crusted fillet of ostrich, served with blue cheese dauphinoise potatoes and green beans. After dinner, head to the bar, where live entertainment
Special Diets
Vegetarian Friendly, Gluten Free Options
Meals
Lunch, Dinner, Late Night, Drinks
CUISINES
Bar, Seafood, European, British, Pub, Scottish
FEATURES
Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Free Wifi, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service, Live Music, Jazz Bar
Reviews (700)
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10
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LanguageEnglish
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Traveler rating
380
146
38
16
10
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Reviewed July 6, 2023

our first night in Edinburgh and the Shore was within walking distance of our hotel Malmaison. We had the fish and chips which was exquisite. The best we've ever had! The restaurant atmosphere was great. We love eating local. Our waiter was patient with us...since we were not locals. We recommended to others in our group. Would have returned if we were staying in town longer.More

Date of visit: June 2023
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Reviewed July 1, 2023 via mobile

I had previously had a wonderful time at The Shore when my partner and I brought some friends and had a lovely casual dining experience. I figured this would be a safe bet for some relaxing comfort food when we returned. We ordered the lamb...shank and the duck breast. 40 minutes later we were still waiting. Food arrived after we asked for an update, but the duck breast was cold and the mash with the lamb shank had gone dry. When the waiter came to collect our plates and asked how the food was we had to admit we weren't happy and she gave the excuse that "These dishes take a long time to cook"- which is fine for home cooking but frankly not for restaurant dishes. She then summoned the head waiter to speak to us and things got really nasty. He leaned on the wall behind me (a quite small woman), towering over me and blocking me in while aggressively demanding to know what the problem was. I asked him if he was trying to intimidate me before he backed off and tried to explain "That's a perfectly normal way of leaning on a wall". He eventually agreed to just charge us for the wine but it was a terrifying experience and as we left I just wanted to get as far from the place as possible. We won't be returning, and the head waiter frankly needs evaluating.More

Date of visit: July 2023
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Reviewed June 9, 2023

I am from Edinburgh, but have been living in Luxembourg for the last 23 years and this is my place to go when I come home. I LOVE the mussels here.. I won’t go anywhere else… The service is also great and the guys are...very handsome … ok that’s a plus for the ladies 😂😂More

Date of visit: June 2023
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Reviewed May 29, 2023 via mobile

We absolutely love this place . Dined here often after a prolonged wait for our Visa . The service is exceptional with Danny in particular being beyond helpful and so accommodating whilst also trying to train new staff . All staff provided the best of...hospitality for which we were very grateful . The food is fabulous as are the wines and drinks all served up in a wonderful old bar and restaurant . Great atmosphere and live jazz on offer a few times during the week too . The best things come in small packages and The Shore for us was the highlight of our dining experiences along the shore . Our only complaint was the service charge which was added . We always like to tip well for such excellent service and a cash tip ensures it goes to the right people and the amount reflective of our service appreciation . Thank youMore

Date of visit: May 2023
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Reviewed May 7, 2023 via mobile

Food and staff were both excellent. Not impressed with 10% being added to the bill though. Bill came to £80, so £8 added. The waitress and cook were so accommodating, changing an item on the menu for me that I would have left a tenner...tip. I much prefer to leave a cash tip on the table to ensure the staff actually get it.More

Date of visit: May 2023
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Reviewed April 13, 2023 via mobile

We enjoyed a wonderful traditional meal with fabulous food and drink, The service was first rate and the whole place had a busy but cosy atmosphere, with the live pianist being the icing on the cake!

Date of visit: April 2023
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Reviewed April 7, 2023

Called in for late afternoon meal. Good points - Food was delicious. Bad points - Very expensive and small portions. Fish and chips £16.50 Cod £20.00. I was astounded at the size of the meals, mine, a bit of skinny fish and 14, yes 14...chips. The wife's was hardly any better. The fish and chips was only half the size of the portion that I get at my local restaurant, also cheaper at £13.99 and mushy peas included. Mushy peas were £1 extra at this Shore bar. VERY CHEEKY. And to add insult to injury they levied a 10% service charge which I very nearly told them to get lost, but bit my tounge and said nothing as I am a nice guy. So definitely not recommend this place unless you like being ripped off and having a childs portion.More

Date of visit: April 2023
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Reviewed March 15, 2023

what a wonderful lunch - food was excellent. i had a strange request as i wanted the salmon which came with a pea risotto - i don't like peas - the chef made a pea less risotto for me - made my day/ staff were...great - will definitely return xMore

Date of visit: March 2023
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Reviewed March 3, 2023 via mobile

Late and last minute - arrived in Edinburgh, dropped my belongings off at the hotel and came across this friendly place. Was seated in seconds, and given (I believe) that they where finishing serving food they gentleman with glasses was more than happy to serve...me with a smile. Starter, main and cheeseboard where delicious and I will be returning before I leave Edinburgh.More

Date of visit: March 2023
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Reviewed February 13, 2023 via mobile

We dined her as two couples, the room and bar is lovely. The menu is limited but good. We had a selection of chicken, cod and fish pie. The food was lovely. The wine was pricy and overheard later there was a house wine on...offer which we didn’t know about. The experience was ‘nice’ just seemed to lack atmosphereMore

Date of visit: February 2023
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Reviewed February 13, 2023 via mobile

The Shore in Leith is an example of how the gentrification of the area might cause confusion. What I mean is that it has now become very difficult for the casual visitor to identify a straightforward pub as opposed to a gastro pub or restaurant,...and a stroll around the old harbour area is vastly different from the days where there was an abundance of “lively” dockside pubs from which to choose. The Shore is a fine example of the genre and, on a quiet Thursday afternoon, although there were no diners present, there was no “pub” atmosphere for the casual drinker and, in truth, no discernible atmosphere at all. Four of us were in situ and whereas the service was welcoming and friendly, such personal attributes couldn’t spread to the distinctly dull, “non pub” atmosphere. And in the interests of completeness I should add that my choice of ale was equally disappointing as it was a distinctly underwhelming brew. As the many positive reviews testify, this is clearly a fine place to come for a meal and a drink, but for a casual pints it doesn’t really fit the bill for me.More

Date of visit: February 2023
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Reviewed January 4, 2023 via mobile

Everything except my starter was really tasty and well worth what was paid. My scallop starter (which was at 12.50 the most expensive on the menu) consisted of 2 very tiny scallops, a few small bits of bacon and a swirl of cauliflour puree! The...others priced around £8 were real value for money especially the huge bowl of mussels.More

Date of visit: January 2023
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Reviewed December 29, 2022

Came across this restaurant while waiting to check in at a nearby hotel. Really glad we did! The service and food quality was exceptional and reasonably priced. We had the Hake and Steak and both were top class. The staff were very accommodating and helpful....We will definitely be back.More

Date of visit: December 2022
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Reviewed December 12, 2022 via mobile

Quaint quirky great atmosphere. Beautiful bar & restaurant. We are staying in Leith and chose to eat locally, perfect choice. We had the onion soup, crispy pork, goats cheese soufflé, venison, flat iron steak and fish pie. All absolutely delicious. Well done to the chef,...because he had his hands full with a very large order from another table. After reading a review of the crème brûlée we decided, even though we thought we were full, to give it a try, excellent, another delicious dish. The service was superb, from the man behind the bar to our bee keeping glider pilot Jake, such an interesting entertaining gent, so friendly, he only added to what was a superb evening. We will definitely returnMore

Date of visit: December 2022
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Reviewed December 9, 2022 via mobile

Lovely little restaurant! Food was amazing. Mussels, venison steak and clementine Creme brûlée were absolutely exquisite. Best Creme brûlée ever. Service was fantastic and staff were all lovely. We loved the food and ambiance and would highly recommend booking as not many tables. Also live...jazz being played in bar which added to the lovely atmosphere. Thanks for a lovely evening.More

Date of visit: December 2022
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Questions & Answers
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vordisb
January 6, 2019|
Answer
Response from NorthStar157422 |
Around 9pm
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Denise D
August 8, 2018|
AnswerShow all 4 answers
Response from Isabel W | Reviewed this property |
I honestly don’t know. We walked.
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2zenek143
May 11, 2018|
Answer
Response from DPee2013 | Reviewed this property |
Hi....I would say that it would be a tight squeeze for ten because it is a very small restaurant. You would definitely have to ring ahead and book. I have only ever eaten in the bar, which is very small.
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THE SHORE, Edinburgh - Restaurant Reviews, Photos & Phone Number - Tripadvisor

Frequently Asked Questions about The Shore

The Shore is rated accordingly in the following categories by Tripadvisor travelers:
  • Food: 4.5
  • Service: 4.5
  • Value: 4
  • Atmosphere: 4.5