The Experience
Brasserie Prince is the brasserie-format restaurant at The Balmoral — Edinburgh's most famous hotel, whose clock tower has kept Scottish time (set three minutes fast to ensure travellers don't miss their trains) from Princes Street since 1902. Where Number One is the Balmoral's formal fine-dining establishment, Brasserie Prince is designed for more frequent use: a generous menu, a convivial room, and the hotel's characteristic luxury service applied to a relaxed format.
The kitchen produces Scottish brasserie cooking with the quality baseline that The Balmoral's kitchen infrastructure sustains: excellent Scottish beef from Highland suppliers, fresh seafood from the Firth of Forth and the Scottish coast, Perthshire game in season, and the haggis, neeps, and tatties preparation that any hotel claiming Scottish identity must execute with genuine conviction.
The Brasserie's room — designed with the Scottish baronial aesthetic that The Balmoral maintains — is among the most visually impressive casual dining rooms in Edinburgh: dark panelling, tartan accents handled with restraint, the warmth of a room that knows it occupies an extraordinary building. The bar is properly stocked with Scottish whisky.
For a team dinner requiring the backing of Edinburgh's most prestigious hotel address without the formality of Number One's tasting menu format, Brasserie Prince provides the perfect solution. The à la carte format accommodates diverse preferences; the hotel's service standard ensures consistency.
Best Occasion: Team Dinner
A team dinner at Brasserie Prince benefits from the combination of The Balmoral's institutional authority and the brasserie format's flexibility. Each person orders according to their appetite and preference, the service is professional enough to manage a large table smoothly, and the Scottish produce gives the meal cultural substance.
What to Order
The Scottish beef — sourced from the Highlands and prepared with the straightforward confidence that quality beef deserves — is the anchoring dish. The fish and seafood preparations reflect access to the Firth of Forth's supply. Begin with the haggis preparation — the Balmoral's version is the most elegant expression of the national dish in Edinburgh.
