Malvarosa — Restaurant in City of Edinburgh

We went to Malvarosa during our road trip with three friends and were staying in Edinburgh for couple of nights. The hotel we were staying in had a very sad menu, so we started looking what's near by. We randomly found this place on google. It is situated away from the hustle bustle of central Edinburgh and takes about 15-20 mins drive to reach here.

From the moment we stepped inside, we knew we were in for something special, but our experience exceeded even our highest expectations. It was very cozy vibe, with both the girls at the front and the chef owner in the kitchen.

The food and drinks were of course very very good, however, what truly set our evening apart was the personal touch provided by the chef-owner himself. Not only did he take the time to chat with us, he also joined us at our table for a delightful laugh and lively conversation. His warmth and humour turned an already wonderful meal into an unforgettable experience. We had a lot of wine which was so so good. As the evening drew to a close, he surprised us with a generous offering of a fine Spanish liqueur, a gesture that perfectly encapsulated the genuine hospitality of this family-run establishment. It was the perfect end to a perfect night.

Absolutely a must go to when in Edinburgh. We will be going back to Malvarosa, whenever we are back in Edinburgh. Keep up the good work...

Went in for lunch. Very small menu of tapas - about 6-7 options - but fine. Only one other table in. We order drinks and they were eventually brought over - he proceeded to spill a drink onto on of the group. No real apology. No attempt to rectify this. He took the drink away and finished it himself behind the bar.

We order. And wait. 35mins for 7 tapas dishes. Well actually 6 because one didn’t come. The chicken was dry, overcooked and tasteless. It didn’t cut, it tore apart. Potatoes were fine. Can’t comment on the chorizo as it didn’t come. So he asked the 2 in the kitchen to make it. 15mins later, we’re finished and he comes to clear the table despite knowing we’re still waiting on a dish. As he’s taking plates and cutlery, out comes “chef” with the chorizo. I refused it. We were done. She went “okay” and walked away. Didn’t care. They had been chatting away in the kitchen and we could see they weren’t cooking it as it’s open.

Server was useless. 2 tables and he tried to give us their food. No apologies. No rectifying the situation. The deal was 2 dishes and coffee - we weren’t even offered it. No idea where the good reviews come from as if you can’t handle 2 tables and a 7 item menu without a long wait then how do you manage dinner service?? Don’t bother honestly. So inauthentic in...

We had waited for so long to go to this place as some people recommended it to us. Last night we finally did, and we were so excited to try their food, however we got so disappointed by this place.

We got there and we waited for our drinks order to be taken, however it was so later on that we even had time to decide for our food, so we ordered both just in case.

Drinks (only two vermouths so no cocktails) took about 20 minutes to arrive, and after that food took about 40 minutes or more. We did point out to the staff that we had been waiting for a while, and both the waiter and the chef (who we presume is the owner too), told us it was going to be a couple of minutes, but no apologies given. Rather, we were met with a jokey attitude which was not well received since we were very hungry after all the wait.

It took as much time for someone to realise we also had no drinks left. When the food arrived, it was very tasty but the wait and treatment received had spoilt it all already.

Once we finished the food, were given the digestif and dessert menu without being asked. At that point, we just asked for the bill and went to the fish and chips next door as we were still hungry. Deeply, deeply...