Forth Floor Restaurant

Forth Floor wasn’t really my cup of tea but that doesn’t mean it won’t be yours. This flashy restaurant is situated at the top of Harvey Nichols. — Cocktails, green smoothies, brunch and burgers are all a possibility. I went for afternoon brunch in the form of eggs florentine and a clean and green juice.
I loved the juice; it was fresh and zesty, and a great pick me up. — So good that I’d slurped up every sip before the arrival of food. Oops! The eggs florentine was a decent eggs on bread offering. Although I have to say I like my eggs runnier, and the Hollandaise could have been a little thicker. Still, that’s a matter of preference and, with fresh smoked salmon on the side, this made for an adequate brunch.
I’ve no real complaints in terms of service but our waiter had gone to get dessert menus for us and had forgotten and by that point, we’d had the chance to change our minds and resist the lure of the fruit scone. Also, it would have been nice to have been offered table water. Forth Floor was a-​okay for brunch but I don’t think it’s got anything on the plethora of independent spots available in the city. For that reason, I think I’d opt for one of those next time.

When we were seated we asked for a window seat and the greeter huffed and told us we would have to be gone in 45 minutes. 15 minutes later no waiter had appeared. We finally got our drinks: an undrinkably sweet concoction of their own making and a disappointing sazerac. However, the lovely bar staff were happy to replace the sweet drink with a glass of prosecco and the views were as stunning as you would expect.

Not been for a while to the restaurant. Went with my mother and the teenagers and the dinner was simply outstanding. Great table overlooking Bruce Munro’s stunning catching the light art installation down in st Andrew square. Spoiled by 3 yes 3 amuse bouches: salmon mousse in an edible spoon, a yellow courgette velouté and a goats cheese cookie. I had asparagus with truffle and leeks as a starter. Harry had duck, Ellie had a lovely bocconchini salad and my mum had smoked trout to great delight. All 3 of them had the beef and Yorkshire pudding, I had to try some of the beef for research purposes! I had rose veal with sweatbreads which was so tender. Eschewing desert as ever, I had 4 cheeses some honeycomb, chutney, quince and crispy flatbreads. Mum and Harry had lemon soufflé and Ellie had hot chocolate with passion fruit mousse topping and a large sandwich style profiterole. Service was attentive but not over the top, and washed it down with some champers. Highly recommended and time for a revisit for those who have been caught up in the wave of new places to eat across Edinburgh.

This restaurant is a awkward one, however I do find it a reliable restaurant for friendly professional service and good food.
I should expand. I find it awkward as its part of a department store, its quite expensive, the menu is a little limiting and it has the feel of a bistro café bordering on silver service. If I would have rated it on my first experience, I might have given it a 4 (i.e. yeah that was ‘nice’).
However though, I have found myself eating there 7 – 8 times in the last couple of years, probably more than any other lunch style restaurant. So I don’t think I would be fair in rating it as such. It made me realise when writing some of these reviews, that as restaurant goers we shouldn’t always benchmark a rating of ‘what we want’ against ‘what we received’. If we should do this, then we run the risk of incentivising restaurants to serve batch processed food in unimaginative surroundings staffed by people who’s happiness/​demeanour is set by the managers standard operating procedures (i.e. fast food restaurants).
So back to the Forth Floor Restaurant. Well, considering the above, I would say the following:
This is an easy restaurant, with amazing staff who are both friendly and seem like the devoted a lot of time to their training. This comes through the confidence as well as genuine happiness that is quite evident. The restaurant is often busy at lunch, especially on the weekends, however I have never waited for more than 5 minutes for a table. The food is elegantly presented and has the taste that bespoke attention was paid the dish in the kitchen. The restaurant has arguably a better view that Chaophraya (sp?) and a wonderful outdoor terrace. If it is a warm summers day, or you Scottish and warm equates to anything over 8 degrees, then ask for the terrace, you won’t be disappointed. The food is expensive, but I have found worth the price.

Brilliant top floor location and wonderful views over Edinburgh st Andrews Square, Jenners & Old Town.
We visited with 3 people on reservation and we were allocated a large round table in the far end left corner. Which could easily sit 10 – 12 and was to big to sit close together for the 3 of us — doing so would have us all more or less facing the same direction. In order to face each other we needed to space out so that it looked more like a boardroom than restaurant table. No other (smaller) tables were available. They keep changing the menu so I cannot vouch for future meals but we had for starters a pâté and I had pheasant breast — the presentation was unique and certainly appetising. The taste less so. I know I like things spiced up a bit but do have a palate of tasting and this lacked seasoning. I had a steak and carrot & potato mash for main. nothing special, clean plate and again underwhelming on taste. Anita had the salmon — which was a little dry according to her. I cannot remember what my friend had. we shared an bowl of ice-​cream — a la Dame Blanche which was creamy and actually very tasty — good dark bittersweet chocolate sauce over vanilla flavoured scoops.
The service cannot be faulted, they were at hand with filling glassed — placing serviettes, discreet cleaning and crumbing down. Cannot be faulted.
Will I be back? Not very likely anytime soon, but seeing the other reviews– I may hopefully try a different menu when visiting again.

It’s quite difficult to review the Forth Floor, because much like Dave S. I had quite a mixed experience. We met Executive Chef Stuart Muir, who talked with great passion and enthusiasm about his beautifully sourced ingredients. But the tasting menu that followed was bizarrely over-​complicated, with flavours crashing into each other like runaway dodgems.
Overall, we said: «the tasting menu at the Forth Floor is a confused creature. While the dishes are relentlessly interesting and very pleasing on the eye, their tapestry of flavours isn’t woven with anything like the required accuracy and balance. Dishes are riotous, but not in a good way. I will definitely return, though, because I imagine their fruit de mere, which keeps things simple and showcases their superbly sourced ingredients, will be an absolute joy. For truly balanced and elegant fine dining dishes, look elsewhere.»

I’m so mixed on the Forth Floor. The views are really fantastic… some of the best you will find in the capital city. The staff was very friendly, and as a plus or minus you are steps away from all the high-​end shopping that Harvey Nichols offers.
That said, I was a bit disappointed with the food itself. Edinburgh is such a great foodie city with excellent well priced restaurants, whereas Harvey Nichols charges well Harvey Nichols prices… rather over priced for what you get. The food wasn’t bad by any means, it was just rather average… you could be well in any high-​end department store restaurant. My salmon looked a bit pre-​packaged, and the steak was cooked properly but really was just ok. I did enjoy my side of mixed greens though!
The crowd at dinner was also rather sparse for a Saturday night — not happening at all. I can see coming back here for lunch especially for the views, however, I would skip returning for dinner.

I went recently for a birthday meal with my husband and family. I have to say that I was quite let down by the service and the quality of the food. I though this was meant to be a fine dining experience, i have had better foos at burger king

Dropped in here with my sister and brother in law to check out the fantastic views over the city. The fresh salmon salad, cooked salmon with garlic mash and grilled sea bass were cooked to perfection. Review is for the brasserie, not the pricier restaurant which should have a different entry.

I went recently for a pre-​Xmas meal with my boyfriend, having been to both the brasserie and the cocktail bar previously.
We started with cocktails in the bar, which were very tasty and the service couldn’t be faulted.
When we came through to the restaurant we were seated promptly and the sommelier was very helpful in assisting our wine choice, without trying to up the price.
The quality of the cooking was excellent, with good ingredients and immaculate finishing. I had a pork belly main, followed by their very fine cheese board with homemade crackers, while my boyfriend had pigeon and a stunning toffee and salt parfait.
My main complaints are primarily around the service, which seemed to veer between exceptions and awful with nothing inbetween:
— The waiter upended the wine bottle into my partner’s glass including all the sediment. When we complained we were first told this was normal for an aged Rioja and anyone who knew wine would know this (we weren’t drinking Rioja), then told that we shouldn’t really complain because the wine was fine. (I countered that the wine was fine, but the pour was bad & all we were looking for was someone to pass it through a tea strainer…)
— The dessert wine and port didn’t turn up at the same time as the desserts. We waited and chased, but given my partner’s dessert had ice-​cream, we couldn’t wait any longer. When the dessert wine finally turned up, it was clearly oxidised, so we sent it back & said not to bother, but they still brought it back. I pointed out that we’d cancelled the order and was informed by a surly young waitress ‘why does it matter, you are not paying for it anyway?’
— Following complaint, the waitresses made faces and were generally surly. This is not what I expect from a restaurant of this grade.
— Portions really could be more generous. Particularly if I’m paying £3.50 for a portion of potatoes to share, I’d like more than I could eat myself. (FWIW I’m 4′ 11″ and female so I doubt this is a big ask.)
Despite all of the above I’ve still given it 4 stars because the food is genuinely excellent, the venue spectacular (but get a window seat) and the wine good. The neighbouring cocktail bar is also a bonus.
Would I go back? Absolutely. Would I go back again if I get more surly waitstaff when there’s an error? Not so sure — definitely something they need to sort out.

Food was very nice. Presentation was very fancy. We had no reservation as it was a last minute decision to eat something after a few hours of shopping in Harvey Nicks. We were seated promptly which was very much appreciated. It started to become awkward when the wait staff stared at us while we ate. There were not many people eating in and they stood a few steps away staring as if just waiting for us to hurry up our lunch as soon as it was served. I hope they would stop doing that.

The service here was terrible. Multiple waiters not knowing what each of them is doing. However, the food WAS pretty good. But don’t go here if you are really hungry, the portions are quite small. The view is really nice and the overall atmosphere was great. They just need to get better at waiting on tables.

This restaurant is one of Edinburgh’s gems. It has brilliant views of the city form the balcony, and is really quite cool!
It is split into two parts, one slightly cheaper and one more expensive, but both are really wonderful. The food is amongst the best I’ve had in Edinburgh and the service is un-​faultable (is that a word?).
As has been said, the cocktails are to die for. My mum and I are actually in the brochure in hotel books sitting at this bar sipping Martinis — no autographs please.
Seriously, one of the best places in the city. If you want to come then be sure to book though. My gran has trouble eating some foods, so we didn’t really know where to take her for dinner when she came to Edinburgh… but we took her here and she loved it! Especially the mashed potatoes for some reason!!!
10 out of 10!

Ok, Ok — I have to be honest, I came here as part of a relatives birthday celebrations and as such realise that there is very little chance that I would be dining here again unless somehow I manage to shake off the fact I am a debt riddled student.
The Forth Floor is classy. And exclusive. And oozes style from every one of its glass topped, metal finished surfaces. The food is simple sublime — from what I could tell it seems to be modern Scottish cuisine, and it really is delicious. The coctails however, are better — just give them a try. Trust me.
This restaurant isnt ‘average’ as some of the other reviews have called it — its amazing, but sadly, I dont think I will be back for a while.

I’ve been to the Forth Floor Restaurant many a time, courtesy of my mother’s preference for Harvey Nick’s browsing and kind invitations to lunch on a fairly regular basis. I’ve enthusiastically consumed both lunch and dinner here, so can attest to the fact the food is ace, along with the cocktail menu, which is pretty snazz too.
Fishcakes, always good. Caesar salad, the classic lunchtime favourite, also never a letdown. The rib-​eye steak and frites, also the target of a good wolfing down in the past. Nothing on the menu here has ever offended me, or has really ever been bad, in simple terms. One of the biggest pulls of the Forth Floor Restaurant, and certainly one of its most striking points, is its top floor location overlooking St Andrew Square, plus you even manage to get a wee peep at Fife as well. On a good, clear, sunny day, when you’ve got time for a leisurely lunch (whether liquid or not), who wouldn’t be keen for an outdoor seat on a balcony, from which you can gaze at the awesomeness that is the Edinburgh skyline? You know you would.

The Forth Floor is THE place to come for cocktails in Edinburgh. Everything about this places screams style, quality and exclusivity.
You get to the Forth Floor (so called because it’s on the fourth floor and has amazing views out to the Firth of Forth and over to Fife, weather permitting) by taking a lift from the Harvey Nichols entrance on Multrees Walk. There is something a bit special (and slightly eerie) about being in a department store at night, especially one as fancy as Harvey Nichols. The food in the restaurant is of excellent quality, but it does come at a price. You’d be wiser eating in the Brasserie and saving your money for the cocktails. The barmen here really do know their stuff when it comes to mixology. The list of drinks is comprehensive, but if there is nothing that takes your fancy on the cocktail menu then tell them what you like and they’ll create something magical for you. Herbs are ground in a morter and pestle and you’re encouraged to have a good sniff as the ingredients are expertly mixed up in front of you. Once your cocktail is made, it’s served with a wee dish of nibbles that’s replaced as soon as you’ve finished them (I’ve been known to get through quite a few of these).
Bring visitors from out of town here to wow them with the incredible views of Edinburgh, it looks all the prettier with a delicious cocktail!

I am very surprised to see this restaurant described as average. I ate here as part of a package I got when I booked a stay at the Glasshouse Hotel and I thought the food was superb.
I had scallops to start, risotto for my main and crème brulèe for dessert and everything was divine! Unfortunately I can’t remember the specific fancy twists to each dish but the whole menu was based around Scottish cuisine with a contemporary twist. The atmosphere is very modern and chic with the orange lighting and panoramic windows giving stunning views out over Edinburgh.
Unfortunately service was quite slow but the restaurant was jam packed so I guess it is maybe to be expected. After dinner we moved over to the bar and had the most delicious cocktails I have ever tasted. You can pick anything from the cocktail menu and it will blow you away but if you see nothing you fancy the bar staff are experts and you can just tell them the kind of thing you like and they’ll rustle something wonderful up for you.

I find this an average place to dine. Food is certainly very fresh. It serves modern chic Scottish cuisine. The restaurant is located top floor or Harvey Nichols. I got to say, the service wasn’t too great here. But, the skyline is very nice. I would stick with the brasserie rather than the restaurant. Same food but for a lesser price.

The Forth Floor Restaurant is located on the top floor of Harvey Nichols and as you would expect it is one of the best restaurants in Edinburgh, attentive but not obtrusive staff, wonderfull views with a skyline of rooftops extending to the Castle in the south and the Forth in the North, while the restaurant is light and airy. And of course there is the food carefully chosen ingredients, great flavours and elegant presentations. Very, very chic. For lunch we started with gin martinis straight up with a twist of lemon, follwed by half a dozen oysters and then a half lobster each accompanied by a glass excellent sauvingon blanc. Simple fresh and wonderful, and amazingly good value costing around £70.
Foot note at weekends be sure to book especially if you want to sit out on the terrace and unless you are only want a coffee dont be diverted by the brasserie which has grown in size in recent years and more and more has the feel of a school dining hall but go for the restaurant.

This place is great entertainment! The cocktails are delicious and you can spend hours just watching the incredible people that come and go here. People-​watching at its best! Gets very busy on a Saturday afternoon, but its very fun. The views down to Leith are fantastic too. There is a restaurant next door if you get peckish and the prices are not too over the top either.