Discovering the best dishes at The Mussel & Steak Bar

The Grassmarket

What comes to mind when you think of the Grassmarket? Groups on a walking tour, maybe – or perhaps it’s the pubs and bars, leading into Cowgate. Tourists? Definitely!

I’ve passed the Mussel & Steak Bar on the corner of West Bow numerous times, heading out to meet friends or simply walking around the city. Honestly, I’ve not given it much consideration, mainly because of the touristy feel to the area. And while they get their fair share of visitors crossing the threshold, their now 20-year tenure says a lot about their continued popularity with locals, too. A previous colleague explains it’s one of her favourite lunch spots in Edinburgh (the “awesome” mussel pots getting a special mention).

A guest trying the mussels

Arriving one spring evening to a piper playing outside, my fiancé Andrew and I were keen on seeing what it was like. Granted, the evening’s focus was on canapés – a selection of what the restaurant had to offer – rather than a sit-down meal. So, while it was a bit trickier to enjoy the full dining experience, on the plus side, we could try a wider variety of dishes. 

Unsurprisingly, the focus is on steak and seafood – mussels and prawns, pork loin and rib-eye. If given the choice for an evening out, mine would be the king scallops to start (grilled with garlic and parsley butter) and venison, rare (with red wine jus and spring onion mashed potatoes) – it’s 50/50 between the peppercorn or whisky sauce. Andrew’s? Haggis Wellington to start, tying in with the restaurant’s theme of sourcing only local produce, and pork surf ‘n’ turf: a combination of Scottish pork loin, mussels, prawns and your choice of sauce. If you’d like a wee preview before going, here’s the full menu online.

Plus points: a genuinely friendly welcome; the option to sit outside on sunnier days; the restaurant is independently owned (always a win for me); the fresh Scottish ingredients; and appreciation of local custom despite the touristy location.

Recommendation: while bigger than expected, the upstairs section felt a bit old-fashioned – when choosing to sit-in, I’d try for the downstairs area.

The verdict: it’s now firmly on our radar and somewhere we’d consider going when out in town. Eating in would give us a fuller appreciation of the menu and venue. 

The Mussel & Steak Bar 110 West Bow, Edinburgh EH1 2HH 0131 225 5028

Opening hours: Monday to Sunday: 11:30 am to 3 pm (lunch) and 5 pm to 10 pm (dinner)