Monteiths is a Scottish restaurant and cocktail bar hidden down a narrow close off Edinburgh’s Royal Mile. A decorative willow entrance leads into an intimate dining room, bar and Whisky Snug that feel removed from the busy High Street. The elegant but warm atmosphere suits both relaxed dinners and special occasions.
Local sourcing and provenance guide a menu shaped around Scottish meat, game, fish and vegetables. Haggis, smoked haddock and whisky cured salmon introduce regional flavours, while venison, lamb, pork, sea bass and salmon appear as substantial mains. Seasonal accompaniments and carefully made sauces keep the focus on the central ingredient.
Small plates and oysters allow a lighter visit, while the main menu and Sunday roast support a longer meal. Vegetarian dishes are included, and the kitchen asks guests to raise allergies and dietary requirements with their server. The use of local suppliers helps the selection change naturally as produce moves through the year.
Cocktails are a defining part of Monteiths, joined by an extensive whisky list, Scottish beer, cider, wine and alcohol free drinks. The Whisky Snug provides a quieter space for a dram, while the restaurant links those drinks directly to the food. Monteiths balances Old Town atmosphere with modern Scottish cooking and a bar confident enough to stand on its own.
Address: 61 High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1SR, United Kingdom
Monteiths Menu
Starters
Gordal Olives
Islay Oysters (4)
natural / horseradish cream & caviar
Grilled Sourdough
whipped smoked brown butter
Shetland Mussel Rosti
mussel butter sauce, bacon & chive crumb
Haggis
swede, fried potato & jus
Hand Dived Scallop
cullen skink broth & sea herbs
Whipped Goat’s Cheese
salt baked beetroot, pear & smoked almonds
Steak Tartare
harissa, game chips
Mains
Pork Belly
salt baked beetroot, crackling & jus
Sea Trout
pink grapefruit, samphire, dulse & butter sauce
Venison
tarragon, wild mushroom & blackberry jus
Cod Bordelaise
pearl barley, confit onion, pancetta & red wine jus
Pearl Barley Barlotto
forestière mushrooms & tarragon
Fillet Steak
black cabbage, peppercorn sauce, bone marrow & potato pavè
Sides
Broccoli
miso & smoked almonds
Fried Potatoes
rosemary salt
Gem Salad
caesar, lardons, anchovies & parmesan
Hand Cut Chips
sea salt & malt vinegar
Wild Mushroom
tarragon cream
Radicchio Salad
pink grapefruit & pickled fennel
Puddings
Vanilla Bean Custard
blackberry meringue
Chocolate & Miso Caramel Tart
vanilla bean ice cream
Raspberry Butter Cake
honey ice cream
Apple Tarte Tatin
Blue Murder
Scottish Cheeses
St. Andrews cheddar, Clava brie, Blue Murder
Cocktails – Strong / Boozy
Heather Honey Old Fashioned
Highland Park 12, heather honey syrup & Angostura Bitters
Bramble Glen Boulevardier
Glendronach 12, Campari, Cocchi Torino, Angostura Bitters, orange bitters, simple syrup & Ardbeg Spritz
Rum & Fig
Flor De Cana 12, Crème de Fig, Demerara sugar syrup, Angostura Bitters & orange bitters
Clarified Mezcal Margarita
Mezcal, Cointreau, sugar syrup, lime juice, notes of passion fruit, clarified with milk
Red Wine
Amodo Pinot Noir, IGT Pavia 12.0%
Ruby red with notes of blackberries.
Luis Felipe Edwards Reserva Merlot, Colchagua Valley 14.0%
Dark forest fruits & plums, toast & spice.
Bodegas Verde Syrah, Spain 15.0%
Ripe cherry, blackberries and a hint of spice.
Luis Felipe Edwards Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, Chile 14.5%
Black cherry, dark plum with eucalyptus & vanilla.
Corbières Rouge Organic ‘Les Pipelette, France 13.5%
Deeply red with raspberry, pepper & notes of violet.
Battle of Bosworth Organic Shiraz, Australia 14.5%
Damsons, blueberries & dark chocolate.
Barbera d’Asti, Enrico Serafino 14.5%
Licorice, tart cherry & blackberries.
Zuccardi Malbec, Argentina 14.0%
Cherries, black pepper & tobacco.
Journey’s End The Cape Doctor Cabernet Sauvignon, South Africa 14.0%
Blackcurrant, cassis & spiced oak.
Amarone della Valpolicella, Italy 16.0%
Cherries, raisins & spice.
Blason d’Issan, Margaux, France 13.0%
Cassis, plums & hints of mocha.
White Wine
Quinta das Arcas Arca Nova Branco, Vinho Verde 10.5%
Herbal citrus & a touch of spritz.
Kleine Zalze Cellar Selection Bush Vines Chenin Blanc, Coastal Region 13.0%
Ripe tropical fruit & vanilla sweetness.
Picpoul de Pinet, Petite Ronde 12.0%
Citrus, stone fruit & floral.
L’Aristocratico Pinot Grigio Trentino DOC 12.5%
Apple, lemon, pear & nectarine.
Leftfield Sauvignon Blanc, Nelson 13.0%
Citrus, melon & gooseberry.
Luis Felipe Edwards Gran Reserva Chardonnay, Chile 13.5%
Pineapple, white peach & nectarines.
Domingo Martin Albarino, Rías Baixas 13.0%
Peach, pears, vivid lemon & mineral acidity.
Gavi di Gavi, Enrico Serafino 12.5%
Floral, citrus aromas & minerally dry.
Organic Luigi Valori Abruzzo Pecorino DOC, Italy 13.5%
Pears, citrus & fresh peach.
Journeys End V1 Chardonnay, South Africa 13.5%
Citrus, orange blossom & oak.
Meursault, Louis Jadot, France 13.0%
Ripe pineapple, citrus & toasted hazelnuts.
Fizz
Bottega Millesimato Spumante Brut 11.0%
Apple, peach & floral.
Bottega Poeti Prosecco DOCG 11.5%
Green apple, pear & citrus.
Taittinger Brut Réserve, NV 12.5%
Elegant, dry & fresh with green fruit & citrus.
Beer & Cider – Non Alcoholic
Brooklyn Special Lager Effects 0.4%
330ml, New York, USA
Guinness 0% 0.0%
440ml, Dublin, Ireland
Whisky – Lowlands
Referred to, with tongue-in-cheek, as breakfast whisky, the Lowlands distilleries offer light, gentle & floral malts. A great place to start on your whisky journey.
Auchentoshan 3 Wood
Rich & syrupy, with fruitcake, toffee, & a lingering sherry warmth.
Bonnington
Bright & juicy with muscat grape sweetness & a hint of spice.
Holyrood Embra
Lightly peated with lemon zest, dark chocolate & a dry smoky finish.
Lochlea
Soft cereal & fresh apple with layers of vanilla, cream & baking spice.
Whisky – Campbeltown
Campbeltown sits on the Mull of Kintyre & the single malt whiskies from the region reflect this with a slight coastal character.
Glen Scotia Guyana
Seaside salinity with toffee, vanilla, & a peppery oak finish.
Kilkerran
Oily & briny with subtle peat, honey, & lemon zest.
Whisky – Highlands
Whisky from the Highlands takes on many shapes & forms. Because the region is so vast it is difficult to make sweeping statements.
Aberfeldy 12
Honeyed & rich with soft spices, citrus peel & a creamy body.
Ardnamurchan
Smoky & sweet with maritime notes & tropical fruit.
Blair Athol
Earthy & nutty with raisins, sherry & a herbal undertone.
Dalmore 12
Chocolate orange, rich sherry, & a touch of spice.
Deanston 12
Rich & creamy vanilla. Along with malted biscuits & toasted oak. Lingering finish of citrus & spices with hints of nutmeg.
Highland Park 12
Floral notes with citrus & a honeyed sweetness.
Glencadam 10
Bright citrus, creamy malt & a touch of white pepper.
Glencadam 13
Fresh orchard fruit & creamy vanilla with soft spice.
Glenmorangie A Tale of Ice Cream
Fruity & sweet with orange, honeycomb & cream soda.
Old Pulteney 12
Briny & fresh with lemon zest, toffee & coastal salt.
Macallan 12 Double Cask
Balanced oak & sherry with honey, vanilla & citrus.
Whisky – Speyside
Speyside plays host to more than half of Scotland’s distilleries. Due to this there is a greater variation than any other whisky region.
Balvenie 12yr Double Wood
Sweet with dried fruit, spice, & smooth oak.
Balvenie Caribbean Cask 14
Tropical fruit & toffee over creamy vanilla & spice.
Benromach Virgin
Toasted oak & cinnamon with banana, honey, & smoke.
Craigellachie 13
Meaty with apple, sulphur & peppery spice.
Glen Grant 12
Fresh orchard fruit with vanilla & almond notes.
Glen Moray Twisted Vine
Sweet red wine influence with berries & spice.
Glenallachie 8
Toffee & spice over gentle sherry sweetness.
Glendronach 12
Rich with sherry, raisin, & chocolate.
Glenfiddich 12
Pear & green apple with a floral, creamy finish.
Glenfiddich 15
Honey, spice & sherry oak complexity.
Glenfiddich 18
Dried fruit, baked apple & soft spice.
Longmorn
Rich malt & vanilla with floral & citrus notes.
Tomintoul
Light & creamy with toffee & a nutty finish.
Whisky – Islay
Islay (pronounced Eye-La) is usually associated with peated single malt whisky.
Ardbeg 10
Intense peat smoke, citrus & espresso.
Ardbeg Uigeadail
Dark fruit, treacle & powerful smoke.
Ardnahoe Peaty
With herbal smoke, sea air & vanilla.
Bruichladdich Islay Barley 2014
Malty & fresh with apple, biscuit & gentle coastal notes.
Lagavulin 16
Rich peat, iodine, & long smoky finish.
Laphroaig 10
Smokehead Medicinal peat, seaweed & sweet vanilla.
Smokehead
Fiery peat, sea salt, citrus, & spice.
Whisky – Blends, Irish & American
Monkey Shoulder
Easy drinking blended malt with honey, vanilla & fruity notes.
Jameson
Floral fragrance, peppered with spicy wood & sweet notes.
Maker’s Mark
Balanced vanilla sweetness & subtle fruity hints.
Woodford Reserve
Gentle, balanced bourbon with warm spice. Great in an Old Fashioned.
Woodford Rye
Spicy rye with notes of pepper, marzipan, pear, & almond.
Rittenhouse Rye
Flavours of dried fruits & soft spices with orange peel & cinnamon.
Soft Drinks – Bottled
Irn Bru
330ml
Coke
330ml
Coke Zero
330ml
Diet Coke
330ml
Sicilian Cloudy Lemonade
275ml
Blood Orange Soda
200ml
Ginger Beer
200ml
After Dinner
Heather Honey Old Fashioned
Highland Park 12, heather honey syrup & Angostura bitters
Tiramisu Martini
Disaronno, Baileys, cinnamon, syrup, Aztec Chocolate Bitters, espresso shot
Sunset Old Fashioned
Highland Park 12, Cherry Heering, Luxardo Maraschino, Aztec Chocolate Bitters
Liqueur Coffee
Espresso & cream, choice of Jamesons, Baileys, Tia Maria or Drambuie
Classics
Daiquiri
Bacardi Rum, lime & simple syrup
Cosmopolitan
42 Below, Cointreau, cranberry, lime & simple syrup
Whisky Sour
Buffalo Trace Bourbon, lemon, egg white, simple syrup & Angostura Bitters
Amaretto Sour
Disaronno, lemon, egg white & simple syrup
Flight
A trio of selected whisky & cheeses paired to enjoy on their own or after dinner | 34
Bonnington Muscat Cask Lowland
An easy drinking style scotch with aroma of sweet plums, stone fruits & sherbet give way to a taste of caramel, sticky dates & savouriness.
Glencadam 10 Single Malt Highland
A classic style highland malt, with citrus elements & subtle spice, which is notably light & delicate in style. It has a grassy freshness & citrus tones with hints of spicy oak.
Glen Moray Twisted Vine Speyside
Uniquely aged in Cognac casks; leaves an overall fruity essence that lingers. Subtle raisins & nuttiness combine with hints of dark fruits, fading into a sweetness with traditional Speyside warmth.
Cocktails – Sour / Sharp
Scottish Aviation
Hills & Harbour Gin, Braemble & Cherry Heering, lemon juice & simple syrup
Blood Orange Paloma
Cazadores Blanco Tequila, Cointreau, blood orange soda & lime juice
Electric Lady
Achroous, Campari, house orange cordial & lemon juice
Lime & Lemongrass Mule
Infused Haku Vodka, lime oleo & ginger beer
Cocktails – Sweet
Skittle Swizzle
Skittle Infused 42 Below, raspberry purée, lemon juice & vanilla syrup
Pine & Thyme Daiquiri
Pine & thyme infused Bacardi Rum, lime, simple syrup
Bees Knees #2
Caorunn, lemon juice, heather honey & orange blossom
Pisco Fizz
Caramelised plum syrup, Pisco, Peychaud’s, egg white, lemon & soda
Whisky Specials
Bards Rob Roy
Glenmorangie, Cocchi Torino, Giffard Caramel Toffee Liqueur, sugar syrup, Angostura Bitters
Sunrise Old Fashioned
Glendronach Port Wood, Bitter Truth Apricot, Riquinquin, peach bitters
Sunset Old Fashioned
Highland Park 12, Cherry Heering, Luxardo Maraschino, Aztec Chocolate Bitters
Peated Sour
Laphroaig 10, lemon juice, sugar syrup, egg white, Angostura Bitters & Braemble liqueur
Beer & Cider – Bottled
Innis & Gunn Lager 4.6%
330ml, Edinburgh, Scotland
Ossian Golden Ale 4.1%
500ml, Edinburgh, Scotland
Guinness W.I. Porter 6.0%
500ml, Dublin, Ireland
Thistly Cross Cider 4.4%
330ml, East Lothian, Scotland
Non-Alcoholic Cocktails
Lime & Ginger Noscow Mule
Lime oleo & ginger beer
No-Jito
Lime, mint, soda
Cosnopolitan
Cranberry & lime