Purslane
- Telephone 0131 226 3500
- Food served Tue–Sun noon–1.30pm, 6–9pm. Closed Mon.
- Website www.purslanerestaurant.co.uk

Popular, relaxed local gem offering deftly executed contemporary Scottish cuisine on one of the city’s most eclectic streets.

The 2019/20 edition of The List's Eating & Drinking Guide is out now – only £5.95 (+p&p).
It's rare to find a place where you can feel confident about ordering a chicken breast, but Paul Gunning's Purslane is one of them. In the hands of this experienced chef, the everyday staple is enhanced by sautéed wild mushrooms, baby turnips, shards of crispy pancetta, aubergine purée and moreish foams. With a jus to tie it all together, the dish is simply sensational. It’s just one of the many surprises found in this understated Stockbridge gem. Down a flight of stairs, the bijou, warmly lit restaurant is inoffensively decorated in neutral tones; it’s soon clear that the food does all the talking here. Cheese gougère canapes set the scene, followed perhaps by a moist sea bream amuse-bouche. Clued-up diners might opt for the five or seven-course tasting menu to ease decision making. They both feature intensive bursts of flavour delivered in a selection of sized-down à la carte dishes, such as plump scallops with freshly diced peppers and dollops of a tangy romesco sauce or a refined take on a comforting and smoky Cullen skink. Take it easy on the extras, though: the hazelnut parfait with gingerbread, brandy snap and frozen yoghurt is a masterpiece worth saving room for.
- Private dining: Up to 26 covers
- Provides: Free wi-fi
- Music on stereo: Easy listening
- Capacity: 24
- Largest group: 26
- Open since: 2011
- Number of wines sold by the glass: 80
- House wine: £24 per bottle
Reviews & features
Valentine's Day - where to take your date

Some seductive suggestions for what to do on or around February 14th
Experience a May-December relationship... or at least, vicariously experience someone else’s. Among the several films the Glasgow Film Theatre are screening to get you into the Valentines spirit on 14 Feb (including Brief Encounter and French…
Paul Gunning's Purslane celebrates the small things in life

Starters and desserts a success, although mains need some work
Below street level on narrow, quirky St Stephen Street in Stockbridge in Edinburgh is a tiny restaurant. Until recently it had been home to Redwood, in which Californian chef Annette Sprague charmed diners for a couple of years but near-enough exhausted…