The Friery — Restaurant in City of Edinburgh

Heads up, if you're getting food here, make sure to keep an eye on it as it's being prepared.

I went to get lunch here and as I was waiting I noticed the chef cough into his bare hand and immediately used the same hand to assemble burgers and make pizzas. It was a hard phlegmy cough, not just a quick or light cough, as if that necessarily matters.

When I brought this to the attention of the others, one of which I believe was the owner, they acted as if I had inconvenienced them somehow and said that I should have said sooner if there was a problem, as though it was my job to monitor their employees. I was trying to be discreet and wait for the customers inside to leave rather than make a scene but they immediately drew attention to it of everyone in the shop and asked what I wanted them to do about it.

They offered to make another one and bring it to me after but I declined and asked if a refund was possible as I'd spent my lunch break waiting for a meal I didn't feel comfortable eating and I wouldn't have had time to eat it (even if I was willing to trust them to make it again without spit). They reluctantly agreed but I could feel everyone staring daggers at me.

I don't feel as though I was being rude or unreasonable at any point, any other shop would have taken the matter seriously and offered compensation without the awkward spotlight or taking offense. As someone who has many years of experience in food and service, I felt that the whole encounter was unprofessional. Restaurants should be expected to maintain proper hygiene and food safety standards at all times.

They may have just been having a bad day and hating work, or they just didn't expect someone to complain about the way they normally do things. I'm sure the staff there are great people, as I've heard a lot of good things about them from others, so it's definitely nothing personal but this interaction definitely left a bad taste in my mouth. Unfortunately being that this was my first experience with them, I don't think I'll be...

Firstly the staff are amazing, have great banter and are really friendly, also the place is spotless and I have never experienced and hygiene issues ever However since the new ownership took over there has been a change, the pizzas taste nothing like they did before, not sure if it’s cheaper ingredients being used for cost cutting but I have stopped using the friary to get a pizza, and its the same staff making the pizzas as before so not sure why this has happened but it’s not great, we also ordered a donar wrap I was asked if I wanted 2, I didn’t realise why until I got home, then it was clear the portion size didn’t match the price that was paid, maybe this is just some teething problems and the issues with food could be easily fixed, hopefully the new owners will listen to customers feedback and/or get advice from existing staff as it was a great chippy and could easily be restored to its former...

So went tonight for the grand re opening as it has changed hands.

First appearance. Shop looks amazing ! Nice and modern but not one of those in your face LED tacky shops. Classy but modern.

Staff are were well presented and very humble with a great welcome ( even got a cupcake )

Food this is what you are really reading for. The food is class. So I got the fish and Chips decent fish and chips nice and fresh the wife gor a sausage supper yet again nice and wasn't dripping in oil and the wee man got chips and cheese couldn't get that one wrong so spot on with your traditional stuff now here's the twist .... katsui curry with chips and chicken ... from a chippy ... this had to be tried and my God I didn't regret it.

Over a very very happy customer who will certainly be back again.

Keep up the work guys and your...