It’s a brave chef who opens a fine-dining restaurant by the Water of Leith at the Shore, overlooking Restaurant Martin Wishart: the Michelin star holding elder statesman of the Edinburgh restaurant scene located just up the street. But this delightfully relaxed restaurant (open, bright, split level - there’s a grand staircase going nowhere) has its own Michelin star. The menu is a roster of good Scottish ingredients: Orkney scallops, Cumbrae oysters and Sika deer, with the occasional exotic, like plum with langoustine or koji bringing a mysterious umami boost to turbot, grape, almond and salsify, but look out for supplements on the tasting menus.

Like its feathered, long-legged namesake, this modern Scots restaurant from Tomás Gormley and Sam Yorke, Edinburgh’s culinary double act of the moment, has a serious eye for fish and sticks its neck out above so many others. Heron has only been on the Leith scene for a year, but already it’s scooped a Michelin Star and the duo serve in-the-know locals who aren’t afraid to dip their beaks into playfully layered dishes, such as Orkney scallop with ponzu, or beautifully executed market fish with clams and salty fingers. Even the opening statement is sourdough served with a dollop of brown crab butter.

Buzzy fine dining restaurant with soothing views over the Water of Leith. Why we love it: Heron has made some serious moves since opening in 2021. It won a Michelin star in 2023, – chefs Sam Yorke and Tomás Gormley were the youngest in Scotland to receive the recognition – and spotlights farm to table dining, meaning everything on the menu is inconceivably fresh.

Leith, at one point slightly hack-y stand-up comic shorthand for ‘the bad bit of Edinburgh’, has in truth always been home to an array of wonderful pubs, cafés and restaurants – but Heron is genuinely world-class. Michelin-starred and critically-fêted, the bright and cleanly-designed corner restaurant is home to an obsessively refined and perfected menu, featuring confidently minimalistic dish names (think ‘Octopus | Chilli | Soy’ – or, if you’re tackling the equally superb vegetarian menu, ‘Potato | Isle of Mull Cheddar | Chive’). The short, sharp cocktail list offers two variations on the negroni and two on the martini – an assured sign of quality – and the wine list is a lovingly-curated treat.

The newest restaurant on our list, Heron has attracted rave reviews from The Times, The Scotsman and Scottish Field since opening in July 2021. Under the direction of Chefs Tomás Gormley and Sam Yorke, the chic venue with Water of Leith views, has a minimalist Scandi feel and an artful approach to the presentation of its dishes. Organic fruit and vegetables, wild fish and seafood, game and heritage breed meat come from artisanal suppliers including Free Company, Phantassie Organics, East Coast Cured, Macduff Butchers, Company Bakery and Castle Game.

During your gourmand trip to Edinburgh, one spot you’ll likely hear about constantly is Heron, a Michelin-starred gem in Leith, the city’s vibrant port district boasting the UK’s highest concentration of Michelin-starred restaurants per square metre outside of London. Initially established by Sam Yorke and Tomás Gormley, with Yorke now at the helm, Heron proudly showcases Scotland’s youngest-ever Michelin-recognised chefs’ charming farm-to-table concept. Langoustine squid ink croustade at Heron

A relaxed fine dining restaurant, Heron, on The Shore, Leith is one of Edinburgh’s hottest new restaurant openings. Two incredibly talented chefs, Tomás Gormley and Sam Yorke have joined forces to open the restaurant as joint head chefs. Heron offers farm to table fine dining with an a-la-carte menu, bar snack and tasting menu that changes every few weeks, showcasing the best of Scotland’s seasonal produce including organic fruit & vegetables, wild fish & seafood, game & heritage breed meat.

A welcoming neighbourhood restaurant by The Shore in Leith, Heron may be a high-class eatery but it definitely doesn't come across as stuffy. You can dine here from Wednesday to Sunday, with added lunch service on the weekends, and no matter what time of year it is you can always expect the finest seasonal Scottish produce on your plate. They've got menus to suit every dietary requirement here, served in the form of a twelve-course tasting experience which starts from £95 per person.

What: Heron in Leith is a sweet seaside spot just outside of Edinburgh city centre and recieved its Michelin star in 2023. Tomás Gormley and Sam Yorke have created a pared-back, Scandi-style dining room in which they serve their contemporary take on fine dining food. With a knack for intensifying flavour, we’d suggest going for the gutsy tasting menu from the team (with drinks to match, if you’d like), to get the full multi-sensory experience.

No neighborhood across the world, we’d argue, has come to symbolize the powers of gentrification quite like Leith. The port of Edinburgh, and epicenter of its traditional industries, Leith has gone from being a tourist no-go to the most happening spot in the city. Testament to this change is its three Michelin starred restaurants, rendering it one of the most high-end gastronomic scenes across the country.

Just when we thought The Shore’s fine dining scene couldn’t improve further, Tomas Gormley and Sam Yorke expanded their successful lockdown meal kit business, into Heron. They launched in July 2021, transforming the previously unlucky corner space, overlooking the Shore, into the restaurant everyone wants to dine in. Across an a la carte, tasting and bar menu the dishes ooze elegance and imagination.

Also located on Leith’s shore, Heron is a relaxed fine dining restaurant with high ceilings and soft lighting, where the emphasis is placed on beautifully balanced dishes that showcase Scotland’s quality seasonal produce. This Michelin starred restaurant offers both a tasting and à la carte menu, with pescatarian, vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free menus available. View this post on Instagram

Found in Edinburgh’s historic port town (and foodie central) Leith, Heron has a strong focus on seafood, with dishes such as smoked haddock chowder and crispy squid making an appearance on the menu. It also places an emphasis on Scottish cuisine with local ingredients and flavours. And while its food is high-end and refined, it’s also known for being affordable and accessible.

Located in the heart of Leith, Heron brings a warm, neighbourhood ambiance with a touch of modern elegance. Here you’ll find a bright and inviting interior complemented by attentive, yet unpretentious service. Heron’s culinary philosophy centres on showcasing the finest Scottish produce, with dishes like wild sea bass and Fife’s seasonal berries taking centre stage.

Heron is a Michelin starred relaxed modern restaurant with views overlooking the picturesque Water of Leith. They offer an a la carte and tasting menu that changes continuously, showcasing some of Scotland’s highest quality seasonal produce with their own unique and contemporary approach. There may be cheaper places to eat in Edinburgh but none as memorable.

This corner restaurant in Leith is very much a contemporary fine dining experience. Its modish styling and warm vibe create a relaxed setting for chef Sam Yorke’s technically deft one Michelin star cooking. Enigmatic menu descriptions, such as monkfish with “Squash ǀ Mussel ǀ Chipotle ǀ Juniper”, barely hint at the creativity, therein.

It was opened in 2021 by Acorn Award-winning chefs Tomás Gormley and Sam Yorke, after their successful lockdown food business Bad Seeds. Michelin said: "Two elements shine through from the two very focused chef-owners in the kitchen: they have all the techniques, but they also understand flavour – it’s how a dish tastes that counts.

The Heron in Leith is the brainchild of two of the city's most exciting chefs in Tomás Gormley and Sam Yorke and is an exciting addition to the city's Michelin Star echelons. The Michelin Guide singled the restaurant out for its "prepared, balanced, and delicious dishes". Heron offers both tasting menus and an à la carte menu.

She was joined by comic Jay Lafferty, Kayus from the band Young Fathers and Sam Yorke, the inspirational chef from Heron. And they chose Junk, with their soft shell crab and a WOW filled tatty scone, as the 2022 Scottish champions. With Kochchi, and that polenta cauliflower, taking the People’s Choice.

In the spirit of its namesake, Heron perches intently on the Water of Leith, peering out towards the cranes and dockyards of Edinburgh’s old port. On brighter days, light floods into the airy, high-ceilinged dining room thro… Read more. 87-91 Henderson Street, Leith, Edinburgh, Lothians EH6 6ED

Newbie Heron on The Shore is very special too, with a relaxed minimal interior and views of the river. The menu is small with an emphasis on seasonality and showing off the very best local suppliers with flair and precision in the kitchen.

When Heron opened in July 2021, it quickly became a staple of the Edinburgh culinary scene. The restaurant, by Tomas Gormley and Sam Yorke, is a Leith favourite. And its simple yet beautiful interior design lets the food really sing.

Beautiful, seasonal tasting menus in a pared-back modern dining room give Heron its timeless appeal that make it as equally suited to dates as it is for sophisticated parties when you really want to impress.

Tomás Gormley, who was awarded a Michelin star at Capital eaterie Heron in 2023, will launch Cardinal on Eyre Place in March.