LeftField
Mediterranean menu meets Scottish seafood at this elegant Bruntsfield bistro.
Edinburgh is hailed as one of the greenest cities in the UK, with its seven hills and sweeping grassy expanse flanking the Meadows and Bruntsfield Links. But it’s not often that one can enjoy this vista from the warmth of a beautiful restaurant with an excellent glass of wine in hand. So Leftfield feels like quite the novelty, even for an Edinburgh resident like myself.
Leftfield’s name reflects its position, folded onto the left corner of Bruntsfield Links. It’s also a nod to chef Phil White’s approach to cooking: mixing classical techniques with a slightly ‘left field’ twist. Having worked at some of Edinburgh’s most consistently celebrated restaurants, including Café St Honoré and Fishers in Leith, Phil co-founded Leftfield in 2017 with his life and business partner Rachel Chisholm, who oversees all aspects of the front of house. The menu, featuring seafood, meat, and vegetarian dishes, draws on Phil’s European travels, particularly in Mediterranean cities, while the wine list focuses on minimal intervention bottles from small producers across a variety of regions.
Restaurant Manager Veronica Luque Perez warmly guided us to the main dining space, which is calm, welcoming and modern. The restaurant recently underwent a renovation to embrace the brightness of its enviable location. Butter-toned walls with sweeping windows flanked by boxes of seasonal flowers frame the undulating green like a cinema screen. The space seems to blur the boundary between outside and in, making for an alfresco-feeling dining experience without the wind or wasps.
The menu is cosmopolitan in style, with a selection of snacks and sharing platters, although individual starters and mains are also available if you prefer. To whet the appetite, we started with house pickles, a vibrant selection of zingy, fresh vegetables infused with hints of aniseed and curried spices. The charred baby gem with mint, peas, and Rainton Tomme was just the ticket for a summer starter, its smoky, crunchy, and creamy combination surprisingly indulgent for such a ‘simple’ dish. Scottish seafood features prominently throughout the menu, such as the hand-dived scallop served beautifully in its shell with ribbons of pickled cucumber, crispy garlic, ginger, and chilli in a light cream sauce.
For main, the seafood platter was sadly out of stock on the day and so we opted for individual mains instead. The burrata, served with pickled confit, sweet and juicy heritage tomatoes and fresh spring herbs was a standout, while the sea trout was delicately cooked, resting on softened broad beans with cubes of salty chorizo. For a side, crushed roasted new potatoes with Rainton Tomme and truffle were salty, rich, and satisfyingly oily.
For dessert, the chocolate mousse, made with rich, high-quality dark chocolate and flecks of cacao nib for texture, was paired with fresh strawberries and buttery shortbread. The basque cheesecake with rhubarb compote was rich and creamy, with a deeply caramelised, almost charred crust. The sharp-sweet rhubarb slightly overpowered the subtle cheesecake, but offered a bold contrast and seasonal brightness.
It’s clear that great thought has gone into every aspect of Leftfield, from the close-knit team, to the dreamy interior, to the elegant menu. It’s neighbourhood restaurants like this that Edinburgh needs, that invite locals to experience dining in the city with a new perspective.
Serving lunch Friday–Sunday and dinner Thursday–Sunday
Leftfield, 12 Barclay Terrace, Edinburgh EH10 4HP
To book, phone 0131 563 1792 or book online at www.leftfieldedinburgh.co.uk