Honestly can’t say enough good things about my experience at heron. The service was warm and friendly - never stuffy - you can tell the love for the dishes, ingredients, and spirits they have. The food simply put was phenomenal. Each course was a delight and most has lovely surprises (in a good way). Be sure to get the tasting menu (a phenomenal value) and come ready to indulge fully (I found the portions generous!). Will be making a point to always make time for Heron when in Edinburgh. This place is special.

I did a little research before heading to Edinburgh to meet friends staging a production for Fringe and found this little gem. Since it was a last minute trip and wasn't able to plan dinner reservations with more time, I was destined to dine alone. But being the first to arrive for dinner, i was shown to a table front and center looking at Water of Leith. Since i dined there over two months ago August 02, 2023, following are my notes from dinner. Strawberry cocktail, tart and light. Lots of empty foam though. So instead of the block of ice we get half glass of foam. First snack, jalapeño granite with cucumbers. Light and refreshing good palette cleanser. The jalapeños add a little kick that was nice. Bread and butter. Butter looks like a meringue. Lobster dumpling with caviar and crab tarlet with tomatoes gelée. The lobster tasted like a wonton with lobster. The crab tart was interesting. Mackerel, cured in soy. I am not sure what else is in it, but is very good. The fishiness is removed somehow and there is a sweetness to the sauce . It had ponzu gelée. Potato in cream fresh and a whole bunch is other stuff topped by an oyster leave. Not sure I've had that before but it tastes like the ocean. The cream was yummy. And the ocean tasting leave interesting. Fish course. Amazingly cooked. Extra crispy skin and buttery almost creamy flesh. With the tiniest of croutons that add a layer or crunchiness. Bathed in a chicken and olive stock. Yummy. Saltiness of the olive washed off somehow, you taste a little of olive salt when bitten but otherwise well balanced, tricky to achieve with the amount of olives in the sauce. Quail course. Not sure what it has. Let's see...the au jus delicious. Quail was OK. The cherry was a surprise and the BBQ mushrooms were good. Deer loin, celeriac puree and grilled with summer truffle. Mushrooms and candied walnuts. Tender loin, delicious sauce and can't go wrong with celeriac puree. Didn't taste much of the summer truffle. But still quite good. First dessert. Berries and caviar made of the berries. Mille feuille, gelato and mascarpone espuma. The gelato sitting on fine pine nuts and white chocolate. Espuma delicious. Mascarpone mille feuille was OK Petit four. I'd definitely recommend the place. Staff and service was cordial and welcoming. I'd go back