Stockbridge Eating House
A place to rediscover the joy of good, honest food.
The canary-yellow shopfront on St Stephen Street in Stockbridge still bears the signage of its previous tenants — ‘Bell’s Diner,’ a local institution in Stockbridge for 50 years. Inside, Stockbridge Eating House has started a new legacy while paying homage to the old, and it’s already making an impression.
Opened in autumn 2024 and run by a close-knit team of five, Stockbridge Eating House brings a fresh perspective to the Edinburgh food scene. There are no frills here, and no need for them. The food is hearty and delicious, the service warm and speedy. Its bistro-style interiors, with wooden furniture and crimson- checkered tablecloths, are bright and simple.The menu, scribed on a blackboard over the ghosts of menus past, changes daily, dictated by the local produce available. Everything here is done simply, and done well.
Mackerel and monkfish cheeks, lamb kidneys with leek vinaigrette—just some of the imaginative dishes on the lunch menu on the overcast Sunday afternoon of our visit. A rare mainstay is the bone marrow; silky-soft, fatty goodness scooped straight from the bone, served with crunchy toast dripping in parsley butter and a side of anchovies. The devilled mussels, also served on thick toasted bread, were vibrant orange with a warming kick.
Like the rest of the menu, the sharing main dish changes daily depending on what the chefs receive. And on this day was aged mutton chops in a rich gravy, served with a mountain of some of the best chips I’ve ever had, alongside a side of shredded cavolo nero. Plus, a generous glass of Bobal wine was the ideal companion.
When food is this good, there is always (yes, always) room for dessert. The day’s offering featured the season’s first rhubarb, sourced from an allotment just down the road, served as a rosy-pink compote over a bed of cool, creamy rice pudding. Alternatively, there was apple tarte tatin, its deeply caramelised fruit baked into flaky pastry, and accompanied by honey ice cream. Both delicious and evoking childhood nostalgia.
Each dish at Stockbridge Eating House tempt the diner “Go on, tuck in, enjoy”. Plates are passed across the table for friends to try, wine stains and oil droplets accumulate liberally on the tablecloth with each course, a signature of a meal much relished. This is certainly a place to rediscover the joy of good, honest food. Harriet Bourhill
www.stockbridgeeatinghouse.co.uk
This article featured in the March/April 2025 issue of Edinburgh Life.