Two esteemed restaurants in Edinburgh, featured in the Michelin Guide, have unexpectedly ceased operations permanently, leaving the local community in shock.
The Gardener’s Cottage, nestled within a quaint park structure close to the city centre, and The Lookout, which boasts a spectacular panorama of the Scottish capital from its perch atop Calton Hill, received high acclaim from gastronomic critics.
In terms of reasoning, no further information has been disclosed, as a simple statement on the restaurants’ official websites indicates they are ‘now permanently closed’.
A brief note additionally expresses gratitude to patrons for their support throughout the years.
One enthusiast commented on social media: ‘I adored The Gardener’s Cottage and would frequently recommend it to my B&B guests. I assumed they would exist indefinitely.’
The Lookout’s website still contains information regarding upcoming Hogmanay festivities scheduled for less than a month from now.
Priced at £350 per person, the gala featured a distinctive menu including venison tartar and Perthshire pheasant, with an assurance to conclude the evening viewing the New Year fireworks display over Edinburgh Castle.
A local couple expressed they were ‘devastated’ by the abrupt closure, particularly as they had recently received a £100 voucher to utilize there as a birthday present.
Nicola Molloy revealed to Edinburgh Live: ‘I intended to make a reservation to redeem the voucher, but I encountered an online banner stating it was permanently closed, and now I just wish to know how it will be honored.’
The Gardener’s Cottage was inaugurated in Royal Terrace Gardens by proprietors Edward Murray and Dale Mailley in 2012.
It quickly garnered praise from the notoriously discerning Sunday Times restaurant critic AA Gill, who lauded the cuisine as ‘exceptional’.
Six years later, Mr. Mailley launched The Lookout as part of the redevelopment of the historic City Observatory.
This establishment earned commendation in the Michelin Guide for its ‘modern, minimalist dishes’.
The chef also opened another restaurant within the city, named Stockbridge Eating House, on October 17.
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