Côte Brasserie exudes the charm and elegance of a quintessential French bistro, bringing a slice of Parisian life to the heart of Edinburgh. With its classic decor, featuring plush furnishings, tiled floors, and softly lit ambiance, Côte Brasserie captures the spirit of a true French café.

The menu is a celebration of traditional French cuisine, offering dishes like steak frites, moules marinières, and crème brûlée, all crafted with authentic recipes and high-quality ingredients. Even the wine list showcases the finest selections from various renowned French vineyards.

A visit to Côte Brasserie is an invitation to savour the taste and atmosphere of France, making it a beloved spot for those who appreciate genuine French culinary experiences.

Review of Côte Brasserie, Edinburgh

Situated on Frederick Street, this delightful brasserie has designed a cosy outdoor seating area, but the true allure lies inside. With tables by the windows, inviting nooks perfect for savouring olives and a chilled glass of wine, bar seats for friends to enjoy cocktails, and spacious seating booths towards the back, the interior exudes a captivating charm.

We grabbed a cosy nook and got tucked into a three course dinner.

First up, drinks.

Their drinks menu will have you licking your lips in anticipation. Their cocktails sound incredible, almost like dessert – try the Cinnamon Bun Espresso Martini or the Chocolate Old Fashioned (both £10.95). The wine list is equally impressive, featuring sparkling, champagne, white, red, rosé, and orange wines at great prices. Of course, they also offer a selection of gins, beers, and ciders, as well as soft drinks and mocktails. As someone who loves a good mocktail, I must say Côte excels in this area. I tried the French Macaron-tini (£9.95), and it was superb – a well-balanced, albeit sweet, mocktail. It was also very pretty!

At Cote Brasserie, the starters are designed to tantalise your taste buds and set the stage for a delightful meal. You’ll find classics like French Onion Soup (£8.50), rich and savoury with caramelized onions, topped with Comté rarebit sourdough baguette slices. Chicken Liver Parfait (£9.50) brings a rustic charm with its flavourful texture, accompanied by pink pepper butter, grape chutney and pickled vegetables with toasted sourdough baguette.

Cote Brasserie have introduced some new dishes and we didn’t hesitate to try them out.

Warm Baked Beetroot (£7.95) - dressed beetroot wedges on lemon and herb aioli with julienned pear, pistachio dukka and pickled shallots topped with crispy panisse. A delightful dish where the beetroot was earthy and sweet, enhanced by the warmth of baking helping to intensify those natural sugars. The pistachio dukkah brings a nutty, savoury crunch which complements the softness of the beets and creaminess of the aioli.

Brulée Camembert (£10.25) - caramelised cheese, grape chutney, walnuts and toasted sourdough baguette. This offers a delectable blend of all the textures and flavours you want from a cheese. The cheese is ooey gooey, with a cheese pull that will make anyone smile. The chutney and the walnuts were just perfect accompaniments.

Main dishes here offer a delightful array of flavours, showcasing the rich and diverse culinary traditions of France. You’ll find Steak Frites (£17.50), a classic dish featuring a perfectly grilled steak with garlic butter served with crispy, golden fries. For those who prefer lighter fare, Tuna Niçoise (£17.50) offers a vibrant mix of tuna, egg, green beans, baby gem, baby potatoes and tomatoes, with a tapenade with herb aioli.

New to the menu is Moules Frites A la Curry (£17.50) - mussels steamed in a lightly spiced aromatic curry sauce topped with fresh apple batons and served with curry leaf frites to soak up that delicious broth.

We tried a new dish and a classic staple from their menu.

Butternut Squash Tarte Tatin (£15.95) - sage, salted caramel and red onion tarte tatin topped with whipped goat’s cheese and toasted almonds, with a green salad. This offered a delightful harmony of sweet, savoury and nutty flavours. The pastry was still crisp underneath and the butternut squash was soft and sweet. The goats cheese really tied it all together.

Confit Duck a l’Orange (£20.50) - On a bed of braised red cabbage with a bitter orange sauce and gratin dauphinois. The duck was cooked to perfection, falling off the bone. The orange flavour was consistent throughout and it was beautifully presented. Great dish.

The side dishes are a must and I’m annoyed at myself for not ordering the Curry Leaf Frites (£5.50) with a lightly spiced aromatic curry sauce, as they sound so good. There is also a side of Tenderstem Broccoli (£5.95) if you feel the need to be a little healthy.

We ordered the Truffled Cauliflower au Gratin (£5.50) - roasted cauliflower, truffle cheese sauce and a rosemary crumb, and the French Beans Amandine (£4.75) - with confit shallots, crispy onions and toasted flaked almonds. A side of Gratin Dauphinois come with the duck main too.

The green beans were served just how I like them, retaining some crunch. The dauphinois potatoes were nice and creamy but the cauliflower was a let down. Still nice, I just couldn’t taste the truffle and the portion size was small.

The photos of their desserts on their online menu, will leave your drooling. The Yuzu Grand Macaron (£9.25) and the Salted Caramel and Madeleine Creme Caramel (£9.50) both look insanely delicious but with the amount of calories per dish listed on their menu, it drives the fear into you and makes you choose something a little less calorific.

Cafe Gourmande (£8.95) - a selection of mini desserts. Raspberry macaron, pistachio profiterole and a warm butter madeleine with an espresso. I am such a fan of madeleines, that I opted for this simple selection and a coffee plus it was only 288 calories!

Passion Fruit and Lime Leaf Creme Brulee (£8.50) - a traditional burnt French custard infused with passion fruit and lime leaf, served with vanilla-poached pineapple. This is another new menu item and it looked gorgeous and quite festive. Beautiful layers of flavour with the passion fruit shining through.

Cheese

I need to give their “Vitrine a Fromage” a moment. Located in the front half of the restaurant just opposite the bar area, sits this display case of mouth watering, drool worthy cheeses. From Brie aux Truffes to Roquefort Miraval to Chavre Buchette Frais Cendres to Delice de Bourgogne. They have a serious cheese showcase and I so want to return here, grab a glass of wine and just sit and eat cheese!

Overall, Côte Brasserie ranks among the top dining spots in Edinburgh. It exudes an incredibly cosy and welcoming atmosphere, with friendly staff always on hand to offer guidance on menu and drink selections. The restaurant is priced in the medium range, and for the most part, the portion sizes are generally good – you'll leave feeling satisfied without being overly full.

THINGS TO NOTE ABOUT COTE BRASSERIE EDINBURGH

• Their menu is approx 89% gluten free

• They cater for vegetarians and vegans

• They are wheelchair accessible and they do have a ramp to allow easy access up the few steps and into the restaurant

• They are not dog friendly

Cote Brasserie, 51 Frederick Street, Edinburgh, EH2 1LH www.cote.co.uk

My Spoon Award : Silver Spoon 8/10

I was invited by Cote Brasserie to review their menu.

Food and drink were complimentary but the views are very much my own.

TartanSpoon is an Award-winning blog that brings you reviews and recommendations on the very best places to eat, drink and stay in Edinburgh, Scotland and beyond.

Adele is a writer, reviewer and judge living in Edinburgh. She sits on the Committee for the Guild of Food Writers (Scottish Events), is a Great Taste Judge for the Guild of Fine Food, Scottish Bakers, Scotland Food & Drink Excellence Awards and a Judge for the Gin Co-operative awards. Should you wish to work with, invite or collaborate with TartanSpoon, please email tartanspoon@yahoo.co.uk