No.1 The Grange
1 Grange Road
Edinburgh
EH9 1UH
+44(0)131 667 2335
Overall score: ★★★★☆
Disclaimer: In exchange for this post, My dining companion and I dined here free of charge. The opinions expressed in this article remain my own.
No.1 The Grange is a cosy wee pub/restaurant on the corner opposite the National Library of Scotland in Newington, with big warm welcoming booths and comfy chairs perfect for snuggling up in. It’s got a nice atmosphere about it, and its the perfect place for enjoying a chilled-out meal after a long day sightseeing or taking in Edinburgh’s Old Town.
For being primarily a pub, No.1 The Grange has a fairly adventurous menu with a few options for vegans clearly marked.
Vegan food at No.1 The Grange
No.1 The Grange has a few options for vegans, encompassing a wide range of cuisines from all over the globe. At the time of writing, these are:
Starters
- Roast cauliflower, pesto, macadamia and apple salad
- Hummus, mushroom and hazelnut tapanade, marinated olives and crispbread
Mains
- Sweet potato and onion bhaji, cumin and chilli potatoes, saag, fresh coriander and mango chutney
- Udon noodles with turmeric and ginger king oyster mushroom, five-spice tofu, spring onion, black sesame and chilli oil
Sweets
- Caramelised banana, shortbread crumb, caramel sauce, sweet cream
- Trio of homemade ice cream (vegan options available)
My dining companion Lucie eyed the caramelised banana dessert right off the bat, so we took in the first two courses mindfully so we could leave room for something sweet at the end!
I started with the tapenade, hummus and flatbread starter. It was a nice portion to start the meal, and the hummus had a nice citrus flavour that made it very moreish. I may have been guilty of spooning it right off my plate, even when I had run out of flatbreads to dip with…
Lucie had the cauliflower salad, which was flavoured with garlic. I could tell – because I could smell it from across the table! This was absolutely not a problem for my garlic-loving chum, who thoroughly enjoyed the lot. She also really loved her mushroom udon noodles that followed, which had a lovely golden colour thanks to a nice addition of turmeric. The mushrooms also added a nice level of texture to the dish which she absolutely raved about.
I had the sweet potato bhaji and potatoes for my main course, which were a little too brown for my liking, but they came with a delicious spinach and coriander sauce and a lovely mango chutney.
Finally – the part we were both very excited about: the caramelised banana. It was a work of art on the plate, and it tasted as good as it looked. I sneaked a taste of the shortbread crumb, which was nice and sweet. I finished with a much tamer dish of sorbet, and had a really tasty (albeit not very photogenic!) bowl of strawberry mint flavour, which I really recommend you try.
Thanks again to No.1 The Grange for having us. A great establishment with a friendly team that has a solid vegan offering.
Choice: ★★★☆☆
Menu info: ★★★★★
Deliciousness: ★★★☆☆
Value for money: ★★★★☆