Emma Canalside dining on the outskirts of Edinburgh
The Bridge Inn at Ratho is easily reached by car and public transport but it seems like a world away with its canalside location. You certainly wouldn’t think you were still in Edinburgh.
Being Glaswegian we’d never ventured down the wee road which is signposted from near the airport, so for the benefit of others like us, here is what you’ll find…
Alongside the canal views, there is a large beer garden, which is both dog and child-friendly, and there’s a variety of seating to cater for serious lunching or for those just popping in for a beer or cuppa.
Inside the historic building, there is both a bar and restaurant area. The bar is to the front and left of the main entrance, on the car park side of the building, while the larger restaurant is on the right-hand side and goes all the way through to the back of the building, with the large beer garden behind located here.
The restaurant is spacious so thankfully the tables and chairs aren’t crammed in together, there is room to move about and you’re not going to overhear all of your dining neighbours’ chat.
We got in just before the lunchtime rush, which was on a weekday, so we’d recommend booking as it got busy quickly. They also have some food-related pictures on the walls to set the scene, and a large map from times gone by on one of the walls, ideal for map geeks like us.
We picked a couple of drinks; they had one cask ale on, which was a recent collaboration between Stewart Brewing and Stoats to make a Raspberry and honey porridge oat ale, so we made sure to order that. It was a pink hazy colour with a creamy head and pronounced raspberry taste. Soft and fruity, sweet but slightly tart, it would be a good one for the beer garden on a sunny day. Our other drink was a Watermelon Sugar cocktail, which was refreshingly fruity and much needed for the humid weather.
Menu
Cocktail Menu
Food Menu
Review of the food at The Bridge Inn, Ratho
Starting with an Anster cheddar scone served with Scottish smoked salmon, pickled cucumber and seaweed butter. Cheese scones seem to be more of an East Coast thing and not something we see very often in Glasgow and this one was on the small side but tasted fresh and mildly cheesy. The salmon was of good consistency and the pickle and seaweed flavours complimented the fish.
Our other starter was Pan-fried Scottish scallops, warm pea puree, pea and shallot salad and Ayrshire bacon crisps. The Ayrshire bacon crisps topped off this pea and scallop dish beautifully. Not only does it look good, but there were layers of texture from the crispy bacon, the soft and caramelised scallop, and the creamy pea puree. This was delicious.
The first of our mains was Smoked haddock, Mornay sauce, creamy mash and poached egg. An enticing fillet of ‘yella fish’ that’s been coated in a creamy, cheesy sauce topped with a poached egg and fried onion. Potato, onion and smoked fish always go great together and this was no exception, a well-executed dish full of comforting flavours.
We also had Summer squash strudel with squash, lentil and vegan cheese, romanesco sauce, tenderstem broccoli and hasselback potatoes. Opting for a vegan option because it sounded interesting, this is a dish that wouldn’t look out of place on an autumn menu either. The crisp pastry encased a moist filling, easily munched. The broccolini was nicely cooked and Hasselback potatoes always taste amazing and are incredibly moreish so the only criticism is that there weren’t more on the plate!
We ordered a side of chunky fries too, because well, we’re carb addicts and these chunky, crisp and fluffy chips allowed us to fulfill our carb quota for the day!
Then it was onto dessert – Strawberry Eton Mess with Blacketyside strawberries, sweetened Graham’s Family Dairy cream and homemade meringue. It was a big portion, but most of it was cream, with the strawberry and meringue on top. We would’ve preferred a more even distribution of fruit and meringue with the pieces already mixed in the bowl. The strawberries were lovely though.
Finally, Chocolate & raspberry – a chocolate bombe, with dulche de leche mousse, genoise sponge and chocolate ganache encased in a chocolate shell. Crisp chocolate with a smooth decadent interior, tart raspberries and raspberry coulis. Felt seasonal and very tasty.
As we travelled by public transport and had half an hour to wait for the next bus (they are every hour) we moved out of the restaurant and onto the terrace for some tea and sunshine on one of the few dry, sunny days recently. The tea is from Wee Tea Company tea in Dunfermline while Falkirk’s Henry’s Coffee Co supply the coffee. Tablet also came with our tea.
Just as well we sat outside, as we witnessed the local swan family taking the youngsters out for a swim.
Overall Verdict
The Bridge Inn is a well-maintained historic building in a serene part of Edinburgh – you’d hardly think Scotland’s busiest airport was just a couple of miles down the road. The restaurant is well-kempt and spacious, and we were welcomed on arrival. The menu provided a lot of choice, with a fair amount of fish dishes. Provenance is noted for a number of the dishes, much of it from Scotland, which is great. Prices are to be expected for the standard of food – it has 1 AA rosette but could easily push for 2. The food was really good so we enjoyed all the courses but the cheese scone starter could’ve been bigger and had more flavour, and the Eton mess could have been mixed better. Service was friendly and at a decent pace but it did get surprisingly busy for a weekday so bear that in mind if you plan to have 3-courses and travel by bus like us. The beer garden is massive and its canalside setting makes it perfect for outdoor eating and drinking, it’s just a shame that this year’s summer was such a washout, still, there’s time for a few sunny days left yet! We would happily return to the Bridge Inn, Ratho again for food, especially if the sun does make an appearance when we’re next in Edinburgh.
Book a table
Click here to book a table at The Bridge Inn, Ratho
Where
The Bridge Inn, 27 Baird Road, Ratho, EH28 8RA. We travelled by bus. The only option is the Lothian Country number 70 bus which runs between the Gyle Centre and Hermiston Park & Ride every hour.
We dined as guests of The Bridge Inn, Ratho. Frankie says that the review is true as his hoomans came home with full bellies.
