Dinner at the Witchery’s Secret Garden

By: Christina Szewczuk
August 15, 2024

We had the opportunity to enjoy a Scottish fine dining experience at Edinburgh’s famous restaurant, The Witchery by the Castle. There are two dining spaces here, the main restaurant and the Secret Garden area, where we dined. As it states in the name, the Witchery is located at the base of Edinburgh Castle and is accessed by walking through Boswell’s Court, an authentic close. Walk through the close and it opens up to a gorgeous courtyard entrance with flowers and gothic clerestory windows set in stone walls. As you walk through the door to check in, you’ll descend a staircase into the seating area, which feels like walking into a magical fairytale. Large church candles and fresh flowers adorn the expertly set tables. The surrounding castle-like side buildings are visible through the large windows. Wood panels salvaged from a fire at St. Giles Cathedral add medieval charm to the upscale feel of this intimate, romantic restaurant.

The building housing the Witchery dates back to the 16th century. The area surrounding the Witchery was central to the witch trials and many of the accused were put to death near where this restaurant stands today. This is where the name originates, paying homage to the thousands of people put to death for being witches and warlocks in the 16th & 17th centuries. This building also once served as a rectory for a church.

Additionally, there are 9 unique, richly decorated suites nestled with in the walls of the Witchery. It is ideal for a romantic weekend getaway! You can book a stay in this “haunted” hotel and/or dine in the restaurant. (But you’ll have to leave the kids at home as this is an adults-only hotel.)

Available seatings here are lunch, Afternoon Tea, and dinner. Our dinner here was nothing short of exquisite. First, we were served Rosemary and Olive Oil focaccia rolls with in-house made whipped butter. As an appetizer, I opted for the Shellfish Bisque. Our main courses were Grilled Lemon Sole with lobster, cucumber and caviar for Sam; Larry went with the Barbecued North Sea Halibut with asparagus and champagne sauce and I opted for the 30 Day Dry Aged Fillet of Scotch Beef with carrot, cep puree and rosti potato. All were thoroughly enjoyed by us.

We decided to order dessert as well. My husband ordered a mocha which came with a tiny lemon petit four cake. Sam and I split a delectable apple-based dessert served with ice cream and vanilla custard sauce.

This is a high end restaurant with impeccable service, top notch food and a hefty price tag. It is ideal for couples or small families with older teens. (I would not recommend it for younger children.) This restaurant is a great choice if you’re looking for a unique dining experience, a celebration/special occasion meal, or a “splurge meal”. The level of service, ambiance and quality of meal makes it worth every penny. Everything that graced our lips was expertly crafted and the wait staff provided us with excellent service. We could not have asked for a better experience. After dinner, we took a stroll down the Royal Mile for some last chance shopping and sight-seeing. This was a spectacular way to close out our trip to Scotland!