The Tower

4.3 (201)

£26 to £40

British

The National Museum of Scotland, Chamber Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF

About this restaurant

Romantic
Good for special occasions
Great for scenic views

Perched on the roof of the Museum of Scotland, the Tower Restaurant boasts striking views of Edinburgh’s famous castle and city skyline. The sleek, contemporary interior features Scottish leather, oak tables, violet suede and a mosaic bar – ideal if you’re looking to impress friends or family. Run by Scottish restaurateur James Thomson, the Tower has become a must-see venue for celebrities and visitors from across the UK, as well as a firm favourite with the locals. The menu features the best available seasonal produce, with local seafood, game and Angus beef prepared in the Tower’s signature unfussy style. Favourites include navarin of lamb with confit of celeriac and baby onions; calves liver with Ayrshire bacon; and brioche doughnuts with espresso ganache.

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Additional information

Dining style
Fine Dining
Price
£26 to £40
Cuisines
British
Hours of Operation
Daily 12:00 pm–4:30 pm Daily 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
Website
http://www.tower-restaurant.com/
Payment Options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual

Location
The National Museum of Scotland, Chamber Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF
Area
Newington
Parking Details
Street Parking
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Cocktails, Full Bar, High Tea, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Weekend Brunch, Wine

Rock Oysters
from Carlingford or Sound of Cumbrae Choose either or a mixture Shallot and pickled vegetable vinegar, Tabasco
- (6)GBP 17.95
- (9)GBP 25.95
- (12)GBP 33.95
King Prawns on Garlic ToastGBP 15.95
chilli, spring onion, avocado, brown bread
3 'The Ethical Shellfish CO.' ScallopsGBP 21.00
shellfish velouté, lemon and garlic potato, crispy ham
Belhaven Brown Crab CocktailGBP 14.50
Marie Rose sauce, egg, lemon

Starters

Arnold Bennett OmeletteGBP 14.50
smoked haddock, béchamel & cheese sauce
Goat's Cheese ParfaitGBP 9.75
beetroot chutney, brioche croutons, micro-rocket
Trio of Scottish SalmonGBP 12.95
home-cured, mousse, Loch Duart smoked
Dingwall HaggisGBP 10.95
potato, spiced pineapple, whisky jus
Marinated CourgetteGBP 7.95
roasted red pepper, rocket and pine nut salad
Spiced Celeriac and Apple VeloutéGBP 7.50
smoked paprika oil

Grill

The Tower is a proud member of the Scotch Beef Club and source only the finest Scottish beef from local suppliers. Choose – hand-cut chips or pomme purée; Choose – béarnaise or peppercorn sauce

8 oz Rib-Eye SteakGBP 38.50
Himalayan salt aged Scotch beef, supplied by award-winning Simon Howie Butchers
8 oz Sirloin SteakGBP 38.50
Himalayan salt aged Scotch beef, supplied by award-winning Simon Howie Butchers
7 oz Fillet SteakGBP 42.50
Scotch grass-fed beef dry-aged for a minimum of 28 days by craft butchers J. Browns
18 oz Chateaubriand
Himalayan salt aged Scotch beef, supplied by award-winning Simon Howie Butchers. Organic mixed leaf salad, hand-cut chips or pomme purée, béarnaise or peppercorn sauce
- For TwoGBP 88.00

Mains

Gressingham Duck BreastGBP 31.95
celeriac purée, braised red cabbage, kale, jus
Haunch of Cairngorm VenisonGBP 34.50
roasted beetroot, glazed Chantenay carrots, spiced carrot purée
Winter Squash and Chestnut RisottoGBP 23.50
parmesan shavings
Whole Sea BassGBP 29.50
baby capers, crayfish, beurre noisette (served on the bone)
Cauliflower 'Steak'GBP 21.95
Seasonal mushrooms, crispy kale, creamy truffle sauce. Available vegan
Pan-Seared Fillet of North Sea CodGBP 25.50
baby capers, heritage potato, chorizo, tomato & red pepper chutney
Tower Shellfish BouillabaisseGBP 28.50
king prawns, mussels, hand dived scallop, crayfish, potato fondant

Tower Sunday Roast

both served with roast potatoes, steamed Chantenay carrots, tenderstem broccoli, Yorkshire pudding and gravy

Himalayan Salt-Aged Scotch Sirloin of BeefGBP 20.00
Whole Gartmorn Free-Range ChickenGBP 44.00
for 2 people to share

Tower Classics

Omelette Arnold BennettGBP 14.50
smoked haddock, béchamel & cheese sauce
Tower Shellfish BouillabaisseGBP 28.50
king prawns, mussels, hand dived scallop, crayfish, potato fondant
Grilled Toulouse SausageGBP 23.50
wholegrain mustard mash, caramelised onions
Borders Beef BourguignonGBP 23.50
wild mushrooms, bacon lardons, mashed potato, baby onions

Puddings

Peanut Butter ParfaitGBP 8.95
chocolate sauce, salted caramel popcorn
Home-Made Ice-Cream & Sorbet
ice-cream – vanilla, tiramisu, raspberry ripple; sorbet – cherry, pineapple, passion fruit
- 3 ScoopsGBP 6.00
Classic Banana SplitGBP 8.50
almonds, cherries
Madagascan Vanilla & White Chocolate CheesecakeGBP 8.50
poached pear, raspberries, meringue
Juan's Vegan Carrot CakeGBP 8.50
coconut, pineapple gel, carrot sorbet
Fennel Crême BrûléeGBP 8.75
blackberry gel, fennel crisp
Ian Mellis Cheeseboard
(see our cheese menu for today's selection) crackers, oatcakes, quince jelly, grapes
- Choose 3GBP 9.95
- Choose 5GBP 12.95

Sides

£3.95 each

Mixed Organic Leaf Salad
Hand-Cut Chips
Honey Roasted Parsnip
Pomme Purée
Cauliflower Cheese
Steamed Broccoli with Toasted Almonds

Table D'Hote Menu

3 courses £38

Course #1

3 Carlingford Rock Oysters
Chicken & Ham Hock Terrine
piccalilli, croutons
Spiced Celeriac and Apple Velouté
smoked paprika oil

Course #2

Grilled Toulouse Sausage
wholegrain mustard mash, caramelised onions
Pan-Seared Fillet of Hake
crushed heritage potatoes, crayfish, saffron butter sauce
Winter Squash and Chestnut Risotto
Parmesan shavings

Course #3

Callebaut Dark Chocolate Terrine
Maldon salt, honeycomb
Isle of Mull Cheddar and Blue Stilton
quince jelly, homemade oatcakes
Assiette of Puddings
for two to share; peanut butter parfait, rice pudding brûlée, tiramisu ice-cream

Light Lunch - Theatre Supper

Any 2 courses £19.95. Available noon - 6.30pm / 9.30pm - 10.30pm. Add a glass of Billecart-Salmon Champagne to this menu for just £7

Course #1

Butternut Squash & Curry Oil Soup
Home-Cured Salmon
cornichons, capers
Spiced Merguez Sausage Stovies
oatcakes

Course #2

Coq au Vin
mashed potato, smoked streaky bacon, mushrooms, baby onions
Tower Fish Cake
leek & béchamel sauce, pickled gherkin
Wild Mushroom and Truffle Oil Tagliatelle

Drinks

Fraise d'AmourGBP 12.00
strawberry & passion fruit purée, Billecart-Salmon Champagne
Celtic KissGBP 12.50
Famous Grouse, Glayva, Heering cherry liqueur

Reviews

OpenTable reviews from verified diners

Reviews from people who have dined at The Tower.

4.3

(201)

4.2Food
4.3Service
4.3Ambience
3.7Value

Noise • Moderate

201 Reviews

A
Andres
London2 reviews
5.0
Dined on 26 February 2020
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Excellent setting, tasty menu and cocktails. Great service. Pricey though! But A+ for overall quality and experience.
Is this helpful?
IR
IanR
Northern Ireland8 reviews
4.0
Dined on 24 January 2020
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Excellent experience, a tad on the expensive side, but you get what you pay for. Service was excellent and so were the views.
Is this helpful?
A
Anonymous
Edinburgh/Midlothian11 reviews
5.0
Dined on 6 December 2019
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Perfect meal in a perfect setting I'd recommend 100%
Is this helpful?
KM
KitMac Gold
Seattle / Eastern Washington7 reviews
3.0
Dined on 8 September 2019
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 4
There was some good and unfortunately, not so good with our meal. Everything would of been better if we had good service, but it was awful. I just don’t think our waitress cared or she was completely disinterested in making a pleasant experience for us. We started with the oysters and they were very good. For the main dishes, the sea bass and cod with chorizo were also very good. Everything was just mediocre, and for the price it should of been outstanding. We had gone for the view of the castle, but we were seated in an area that you couldn’t see the castle, so we were bummed about that too. We won’t go back.
Is this helpful?
MM
MaxM
Charleston30 reviews
5.0
Dined on 5 September 2019
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
This is our second time in Edinburgh and the first time that we had dined at The Tower. The service was excellent and very attentive. The food was great. There is nice view of Edinburgh Castle too.
Is this helpful?
SE
StuEdinburgh
Edinburgh/Midlothian9 reviews
4.0
Dined on 29 August 2019
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
Amazing views, great service and delicious food - definitely recommend!
Is this helpful?
SJ
SantJordi
Virginia16 reviews
5.0
Dined on 23 August 2019
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
It was another great meal. Somehow we managed to be there when the fireworks at the castle were going off
Is this helpful?
P
Prof
Edinburgh/Midlothian18 reviews
5.0
Dined on 14 August 2019
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
A special birthday for our youngest son (21) and the Tower certainly lived up to expectations!
Is this helpful?
KJ
KathrynJ
Edinburgh/Midlothian2 reviews
5.0
Dined on 6 August 2019
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Lovely restaurant with helpful, informative staff. The food was delicious and well presented.
Is this helpful?
RK
RebeccaK
Houston26 reviews
5.0
Dined on 15 July 2019
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Wonderful dining experience. Would love to go back across the pond to visit again. The food was delicious, the service was impeccable and the view was so lovely!
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Additional information

Dining style
Fine Dining
Price
£26 to £40
Cuisines
British
Hours of Operation
Daily 12:00 pm–4:30 pm Daily 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
Website
http://www.tower-restaurant.com/
Payment Options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual

Location
The National Museum of Scotland, Chamber Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF
Area
Newington
Parking Details
Street Parking
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Cocktails, Full Bar, High Tea, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Weekend Brunch, Wine

Not available on OpenTable

Unfortunately, this restaurant is not on the OpenTable booking network. To check availability, please contact them directly.

Is this your restaurant?

Claim this listing

The Tower

About this restaurant

Not available on OpenTable

There’s more to explore

Additional information

Crustacea

Rock Oysters

King Prawns on Garlic ToastGBP 15.95

3 'The Ethical Shellfish CO.' ScallopsGBP 21.00

Belhaven Brown Crab CocktailGBP 14.50

Starters

Arnold Bennett OmeletteGBP 14.50

Goat's Cheese ParfaitGBP 9.75

Trio of Scottish SalmonGBP 12.95

Dingwall HaggisGBP 10.95

Marinated CourgetteGBP 7.95

Spiced Celeriac and Apple VeloutéGBP 7.50

Grill

8 oz Rib-Eye SteakGBP 38.50

8 oz Sirloin SteakGBP 38.50

7 oz Fillet SteakGBP 42.50

18 oz Chateaubriand

Mains

Gressingham Duck BreastGBP 31.95

Haunch of Cairngorm VenisonGBP 34.50

Winter Squash and Chestnut RisottoGBP 23.50

Whole Sea BassGBP 29.50

Cauliflower 'Steak'GBP 21.95

Pan-Seared Fillet of North Sea CodGBP 25.50

Tower Shellfish BouillabaisseGBP 28.50

Tower Sunday Roast

Himalayan Salt-Aged Scotch Sirloin of BeefGBP 20.00

Whole Gartmorn Free-Range ChickenGBP 44.00

Tower Classics

Omelette Arnold BennettGBP 14.50

Tower Shellfish BouillabaisseGBP 28.50

Grilled Toulouse SausageGBP 23.50

Borders Beef BourguignonGBP 23.50

Puddings

Peanut Butter ParfaitGBP 8.95

Home-Made Ice-Cream & Sorbet

Classic Banana SplitGBP 8.50

Madagascan Vanilla & White Chocolate CheesecakeGBP 8.50

Juan's Vegan Carrot CakeGBP 8.50

Fennel Crême BrûléeGBP 8.75

Ian Mellis Cheeseboard

Sides

Mixed Organic Leaf Salad

Hand-Cut Chips

Honey Roasted Parsnip

Pomme Purée

Cauliflower Cheese

Steamed Broccoli with Toasted Almonds

Table D'Hote Menu

Course #1

3 Carlingford Rock Oysters

Chicken & Ham Hock Terrine

Spiced Celeriac and Apple Velouté

Course #2

Grilled Toulouse Sausage

Pan-Seared Fillet of Hake

Winter Squash and Chestnut Risotto

Course #3

Callebaut Dark Chocolate Terrine

Isle of Mull Cheddar and Blue Stilton

Assiette of Puddings

Light Lunch - Theatre Supper

Course #1

Butternut Squash & Curry Oil Soup

Home-Cured Salmon

Spiced Merguez Sausage Stovies

Course #2

Coq au Vin

Tower Fish Cake

Wild Mushroom and Truffle Oil Tagliatelle

Drinks

Fraise d'AmourGBP 12.00

Celtic KissGBP 12.50

Additional information

Not available on OpenTable