Since opening in August 2021, The Palmerston quickly became one of Edinburgh’s most popular restaurants, and often a first stop for many visitors from out of town.
It isn’t difficult to see why, housed in a former bank, the space has been handsomely upholstered into a welcoming, all-day space that serves coffee and excellent pastries in the morning and effortlessly shifts into a busy brasserie and restaurant for lunch and dinner.
At the heart of it all are co-founders James Snowdon and Lloyd Morse. Hailing from Australia, Morse’s soulful, French-leaning style has been informed by cooking at restaurants like Spring and Primeur in London, but also by a deep appreciation of unpretentious, classic French cooking.
Snowdon, meanwhile, is an Edinburgh native, who decamped for London in 2011 after catching the hospitality bug at Hotel du Vin, working at establishments like Bubbledogs and Bao before landing a gig as the General Manager at the Michelin-starred Harwood Arms. The pair’s big-hearted approach to running The Palmerston has won the restaurant a loyal cast of regulars, while being recognised at The National Restaurant Awards several years – and counting – in a row.
“When I think about Edinburgh, I always say to people, it’s not a city, it’s the biggest town you’ll ever know,” he grins. “I left to go to London, and I never thought I’d move back up. But there’s always been that pull, something that brought me back.”
“The restaurant industry is probably the greatest one I've worked in. It's like a proper community,” he continues. “People are out to help each other. They're supporting each other. And I always felt in London that you're trying to get all the customers to come to you, and everyone's fighting for an extra 50 pence here and there. It's all about numbers. Whereas in Edinburgh, the whole industry just gets on with each other and really goes to rally each other up.”
A game changing moment for Snowdon was a first visit to Timberyard. Having known the restaurant’s opening chef James Murray, who had been a sous chef at Lyle’s in London, the visit blew him away and entirely shifted his perspective on Edinburgh’s potential as a restaurant town.
Fast forward almost a decade later, and Snowdon has settled back into life in Edinburgh, with a wildly successful restaurant and more on the way, with the hotly anticipated gastropub The Cooper’s Rest tipped to open in early 2026 in partnership with Newbarns brewery in Leith.
“The plan is just to open a pub that does class food, and very simple food,” he says. Snowdon recognised that a great drinking pub with food to match had eluded him. "There’s no where you can go and sit down and have a proper long Sunday lunch".
Snowdon plays almost as hard as he works, and rediscovering Edinburgh’s restaurants and bars have been one of his great pleasures. His infectiousness in talking about his favourite places makes it impossible not to fall in love with the city and its passion for looking after its guests.
Here’s where James likes to go on his days off.
For breakfast – Norah
Snowdon likes to visit this new neighbourhood café in Newhaven from chef Claire Hanrahan, which does bi-weekly pop-ups on a Monday evening in addition to comforting breakfasts and lunches. “It’s only a couple of months old but it ticks all the boxes,” he says. “Simple dishes serving food with no pretence with a nod to Claire’s Irish upbringing. I’ve eaten here a fair bit since it opened. It serves sausage, egg and chips all day – can you blame me?”
3 Pier Pl, Newhaven, Edinburgh EH6 4LP
For celebrations and showing out-of-towners a good time – Sabzi
For showing friends from out-of-town a good time, he loves Sabzi, an award-winning Punjabi restaurant on Ferry Road that’s been owned and run by the same family for decades. The menu changes each week, but expect North Indian fare like pani puri, butter chicken and South Indian-style fried fish, as well as playful twists like a chip ‘chaat’.
“They’re open Wednesday through Sunday, and the food is brilliant,” he enthuses. “You’ll be there having your dinner, and you mention the word ‘golf’ to them. Next thing we've got a half hour exchange about it. It’s just really nice, because it’s just this family kind of vibe. I absolutely love it.”
162 Ferry Rd., Edinburgh EH6 4NX
Most underrated – Fin & Grape
“Honestly, I think Fine & Grape is probably one of the most underrated [restaurants] in Edinburgh,” he says. “Stu’s amazing, it’s my favourite seafood place in the city.”
The wine-focused seafood restaurant in Merchiston has built a cult following on the strength of chef Stuart Smith’s elegant seafood cookery and an impressive wine list, plus a rotating list of specials that keeps regulars returning. “Stu’s cooking is probably the best fish cookery in town,” he says. “He’s a chef, and he’s always watching service, and the food is delicious. And again, it’s just comforting.”
19 Colinton Rd, Bruntsfield Pl, Edinburgh EH10 5DP
For fine dining – eòrna
For fine dining, Snowdon likes the chef’s counter at eòrna in Stockbridge. “It’s higher end, with a tasting menu,” he says. “But there’s genuine hospitality. It was opened by a good friend a few years back. And it’s an instant classic, I’ve had some amazing meals here. Brian [Grigor, chef] and Glen [Montgomery, sommelier] are a brilliant duo.”
68 Hamilton Pl, Edinburgh EH3 5AZ
The one you won’t see on a guide – Rice Noodle Bar
“It’s just a big, massive, family-style Chinese restaurant,” he says. “The beef tendon skewers are the absolute goat – I can eat them for days. It’s one of the first things that comes out, it just melts, and it’s like, ‘holy sh*t, what is this?"
Along with the grilled skewers – perfect for digging into with a few cold beers – Snowdon also rates the hand-pulled noodles at this unassuming restaurant on College Street. Elsewhere on the menu, regional Chinese dishes rarely seen in the U.K. abound, with a focus on popular hot and sour rice vermicelli noodles from Guizhou.
University of Edinburgh, 11 S College St, Edinburgh EH8 9AA
Beers and haggis – Kay’s Bar
For beers and haggis, he recommends the historic Kay’s Bar, beloved for its superb selection of cask ales and guest beers. “It only does lunch Wednesday to Friday, and it serves massive plates of haggis, neeps and tatties,” he smiles. “You get the microwave dinging like there’s no tomorrow — it’s perfect, not touristy. It took me four years to realise they did lunch, and even longer to actually go.”
39 Jamaica St, Edinburgh EH3 6HF
Snowdon laughs, pint in hand, still finding new corners of the city to love. Because if The Palmerston is anything to go by, Edinburgh’s in very good hands, and even better spirits.
Members can find some of these great recommendations on 㽶ý in Edinburgh this month.
