The Lighthouse Restaurant on Fingal floating hotel

On the bow of the boat

Permanently berthed at Alexandra Dock in Leith, Fingal is a luxury floating hotel with a storied past—and a shimmering present.

Originally commissioned by the Northern Lighthouse Board in 1963, the vessel was acquired in 2014 by The Royal Yacht Britannia Trust. Following a £5 million transformation, this former lighthouse tender reopened to the public in 2019 as a superyacht-style retreat, complete with the 2 AA rosette The Lighthouse Bar & Restaurant.

Fingal exudes art deco elegance. A red carpet leads guests aboard to reception, where a glass tubular lift ascends to the deck. At the bow, the restaurant and bar await. Staff wear discreet gold tridents—Fingal’s insignia—on their lapels. Surfaces gleam, glasses sparkle, and the ceiling ripples like the ocean.

The culinary helm is steered by Head Chef Pedro Barreira and Restaurant Chef Andrea Sendon Alonso, both from Galicia in northwest Spain. Their menus shift with the seasons. Pedro explains:

“Growing up in Galicia gives you a real connection with the land and sea. Locally sourced food and drink is very much part of our culture and is something we’re extremely proud of. I hope to continue that tradition and work with Fingal’s galley team to create the finest quality Scottish menus that are bursting with seasonal flavours.”

We visit to taste autumn.

Beside the ship, a small ‘meadow’ has sprouted—garden beds (and a greenhouse) planted by staff to show what’s possible in compact spaces. Though harvest is past, my Lighthouse Martini features Fingal Meadow homemade vermouth, alongside Fingal Gin, Italicus, and a drop of sea bitters. It’s crisp, dry, and poured from a lighthouse-shaped glass bottle.

To start: sumptuous slices of Achroous gin-cured Wester Ross Salmon, elegantly arranged with dots of intense Amalfi lemon gel and delicate molecular tonic caviar. Liz opts for the Pork Raviolo—silken pasta enveloping a generous, moist filling with mushrooms and a Parmesan foam. 

My main of Peterhead Lemon Sole is bold in flavour and generous in size, served with roasted pak choi, Shetland mussels, and a bountiful Champagne beurre blanc. Liz’s Gressingham Duck Breast is paired with confit leg croustillant, blackberry, chervil root, and anise sauce. She says the tender meat is “so easy to enjoy with its rich sauce and  little herby confit leg patties sandwiched between crisps.”

For dessert, a refined Basque cheesecake arrives with a scoop of honey ice cream, made from Fingal’s own hives while Liz has Mont Blanc with blackcurrant sorbet. Presentation is striking and meticulous although Liz doesn't think they quite hit the high notes struck in the previous courses.

Fingal glows with the warmth of autumn and we enjoyed tasting the season; from crisp vermouth, to the woodland notes of duck and blackberry, and the honeyed finish of dessert.