New restaurant Montrose in Edinburgh’s Abbeyhill district is closely related to Michelin-starred Timberyard, as discovered by Richard Bath. This new venture stems from a similar ilk that restaurateurs capitalize on, following their fame as a springboard to expand their restaurant empire. After owning and operating Atrium, Blue, and the Timberyard in Edinburgh over the past 30 years, serial restaurant entrepreneurs Andrew and Lisa Radford sought to build on the Michelin star gained by Timberyard last year. Their newest venture opened in November and is located at the top of Easter Road in the Abbeyhill area. Montrose is housed in a two-floor repurposed café, bold with its design, retaining stone walls and huge wooden A-frame joists. Similar to Timberyard, Montrose offers a blend of precision and simplicity in its food, along with the trademark chunky prices. The restaurant has been doing solid business since its opening a month before Christmas and has seen a good number of returnees. The archetypal customers are young professionals, and the venue was full despite a freezing Wednesday evening in early February. The meal at Montrose was innovative and enjoyable, from the lovely home-made sourdough bread with nduja butter to the sublime chunk of cod. However, the tasting menu at Montrose is £75 per person, and total expenses for a meal, including cocktails, coffee, and obligatory service, amount to roughly £170 per person. While Montrose may garner some awards in the future, the prices make it a little vexing to the customers.
Montrose, Edinburgh: A Scottish Field Review
