The Little Chartroom is a french restaurant in Leith, Edinburgh. Rated 4.8 stars from 458 Google reviews. Known for wine pairings that justify the cost and cooking that's skilled enough to copy. Best for special occasion dinner and group dinner (8+ accommodated with banquette seating). Ranked #7 of 16 in Leith. Price range: £100+.
Rankings updated April 2026
The Little Chartroom
Zone Ranking
Ranked weekly from live Google review data
in Leith
Holding steady
Quick Verdict
Yes. Reviewers return because the cooking is skilled enough to teach you something, the wine pairings justify their cost, and the service matches the food—which isn't always true at this price point.
You want to eat French food where every dish has been thought through, you're willing to pay for it, and you want the wine list to matter as much as the menu.
About The Little Chartroom
The Little Chartroom is a 40-seat French restaurant in Leith where the chef works visible from the counter seating, and the wine list is taken seriously enough that they'll email it to you after you leave. You're paying £100+ per head, but reviewers consistently mention walking away with recipes they want to recreate at home—the mark of cooking that's thought through rather than just expensive. The three-course lunch menu is the entry point; the five-course tasting menu with wine pairings is where people describe "faultless" execution. Dishes mentioned by name include an artichoke pudding that "blew me away", a chawanmushi-style onion custard starter, and bay leaf infusion pavlova. Service is described as "genuinely welcoming" and "personable"—staff who "bounce off each other seamlessly" rather than performing. The dining room is bright (fine for lunch, less cosy for dinner, according to one reviewer). They accommodate dietary requirements without the usual high-end restaurant eye-roll. Counter seating lets you watch the team work; banquette seating works for groups of eight. This isn't a place trying to impress you with portion size or spectacle. It's a place where flavour combinations surprise you in ways that work.
What Stands Out
Wine pairings that justify the cost
Multiple reviewers specifically praised the matched wines: "Matched wines were very good", "The wines in particular were fantastic", and one noted they swapped a pairing suggestion (Asti spumante) for something better, which "was amazing". The venue attributes highlight "Great wine list" as a key feature.
Cooking that's skilled enough to copy
Reviewers explicitly mention walking away wanting to recreate dishes: "I walked away with 2 recipes, so this gets double thumbs up", and another: "I like to be able to take away at least one idea at this price. We got two brilliant ideas, perfectly executed." Specific dishes praised include artichoke pudding, chawanmushi-style onion custard, and bay leaf infusion pavlova.
Service that's genuinely attentive without theatre
"Really welcoming, genuine service", "staff were really personable and attentive, and all bounced off each other seamlessly", and when a party member had gluten-free requirements, "the restaurant did a marvellous job of accommodating her. Often, higher end restaurants can't quite support certain diets, but TLC bent over backwards."
What Customers Say
We went for the more modest 3 course set lunch menu with paired wines.
Really impressed, had the 5 course tasting menu & wine pairings and everything was faultless.
We had a fantastic lunch this afternoon.
Real quotes from Google Reviews
Practical Information
Contact
Frequently Asked Questions about The Little Chartroom
Yes. Reservations are required for all service times (brunch, lunch, dinner), and the venue doesn't offer online booking—you'll need to call or visit their website to arrange a table.
The three-course lunch menu is the entry point and reviewers consistently describe it as excellent value relative to the five-course tasting menu. One visitor noted it as "the more modest" option but still praised every dish. You can add oysters or cheese course if you want to extend it.
Yes. Counter seating is available and reviewers mention it as the spot to watch the kitchen work—one diner described sitting at the counter and watching "Roberta and her team work their magic."
Cosy and warm for groups; bright during the day (one reviewer noted it's "fine for lunch" but "would not have been cosy for dinner"). Reviewers describe it as "relaxed", "romantic", and "trendy" depending on the time and party size.
Yes. A party member with gluten-free requirements was accommodated extensively—the restaurant "bent over backwards" according to the reviewer, which they noted is unusual at this price point.
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