A FRENCH BISTRO ON THE ROYAL MILE
Seasonal cuisine, fine wines, and the warmth of a true Parisian bistro served from breakfast through dinner in the heart of Edinburgh.
OUR STORY
A FRENCH RESTAURANT ON GEORGE IV BRIDGE, BY THE ROYAL MILE
Le Bistrot sits inside the House of France on George IV Bridge — the former Lothian Chambers, right where George IV Bridge meets the Royal Mile, in the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town.
We opened in 2018 with a simple idea: classical French cooking, served properly, in a room that feels elegant without being formal. Coffee and patisseries from 8.30 in the morning, lunch from midday, dinner from four. The same kitchen makes all of it, fresh to order. Moules frites, beef bourguignon, steak frites, coquilles Saint Jacques, French onion soup, tarte au citron — classical French food, made properly, a few steps from St Giles’ Cathedral and a short walk from Edinburgh Castle
TRY THE AUTHENTIC FRENCH EXPERIENCE
MAKE A RESERVATION
Lunch from midday, dinner from four. Book a table and we’ll take care of everything else. Secure your booking at Le Bistrot and immerse yourself in the food, wine and warmth of a true French bistro – all set in our charming Old Town setting.
LUNCH & DINNER ON THE ROYAL MILE
OPEN ALL DAY
Whether you’re after a proper sit-down lunch, an unhurried dinner, or something worth celebrating — we’re open every day and there’s always a table with your name on it. Everything is cooked to order, the wine list is worth exploring, and the room is exactly what a French bistro in Edinburgh’s Old Town should feel like.
YOUR SPECIAL
CELEBRATIONS
A birthday, an anniversary, a promotion — or simply a reason you’ve decided to invent. We’re good at occasions. Private tables, set menus on request, and a wine list that rises to the moment. Talk to us and we’ll make it work.
FROM 12:00 to 16:00
LUNCH
Two courses for £24.95, three for £28.95. French onion soup, Beef Bourguignon, Moules Marinières, steak frites — proper French cooking at a price that makes a long lunch feel like a reasonable decision.
FROM 16:00 to 21:00
DINNER
Scallops with black pudding and saffron foam. Confit lamb shank. Duck breast with orange sauce. A Châteauneuf-du-Pape if the evening calls for it. Steps from Edinburgh Castle, inside the French Institute on George IV Bridge.
OUR GALLERY: THE ROOM, THE FOOD, THE WINE
A FEW GLIMPSES OF LE BISTROT
This is what a French restaurant in Edinburgh’s Old Town looks like when someone actually cares about it.
The food, the room, the wine — it all belongs together.
KEEP INFORMED
WORTH KEEPING AN EYE ON
New menus, wine evenings, Fringe specials, and the occasional thing we’re just excited about. No noise — only news. Leave your email below and we’ll be in touch when there’s something worth saying.
FIND US
We’re at 59-63 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh EH1 1RN-inside the French Institute. The entrance is on George IV Bridge, not the Royal Mile side. Walk in through the Institute and the restaurant is straight ahead. If in doubt, give us a ring and we’ll talk you through it. Edinburgh Castle is about 100 metres up the hill, St Giles’ Cathedral is just behind us. There’s pay-and-display parking nearby, and the area is well served by buses along the Bridges and the Royal Mile.
