Cardinal - Long live the tasting menu!

A first‑anniversary dinner that proved tasting menus are far from dead — Cardinal delivered charm, confidence and some of the most thoughtful pairings to be had in Edinburgh

For our first wedding anniversary, we treated ourselves to the tasting menu at Cardinal. We'd loved Heron and were keen to try Tomás Gormley's latest venture. As we arrived, Maribou State drifted over the speakers, a band we'd chosen for our wedding music, and we knew we were in the right place.

At £89 for the food and £55 for wine pairing, it certainly wasn't a Frugal Foodie night out, but compared to what you get elsewhere, we thought this was reasonable for the standard of offering. I always love to get the paired wines if I can, as it can really enhance the food, but you can also discover pairings and wineries you would never have found on your own.

We also splurged on the additional lobster course for £20, as we were celebrating, but resisted the £20 paired Champagne – it's not our Golden anniversary after all!

While many on the food scene are suggesting that the tasting menu is dead, I’m a big fan and hope they stick around, mainly because I get to try everything and I don’t have to make any decisions – it does make for a relaxing night when every choice is made for you, especially when you can trust the chooser.

Gormley and his staff didn't let us down – every dish was a hit, from the Smoked Cod Roe 'snack' at the start to the Financier with Apricot and Blackcurrant Leaf Ice Cream for dessert. We were particularly impressed by the seasonal first dish, Asparagus with Almond, Lemon and Grape – picking up on the almond, this was expertly paired with an Andalucian Palomino wine – and the Sea Trout Agnolotti with Sorrel, bringing memories of a similar dish in Rome made with nettle.

Cardinal also offers a new £25 market menu for lunch on Thursday, Friday and Saturday – which sounds like an absolute steal – and a three-course set menu for £55 at weekday dinner and at early dinner on weekends before 6pm.

Heron was awarded a Michelin star after our visit back in 2022 and I wouldn’t be surprised if we convey similar good luck on Cardinal – I’d recommend getting down there before the prices go up!

Cardinal Restaurant Ltd.14 Eyre Place, Edinburgh EH3 5EP