Stockbridge is well appointed for bars and restaurants and often provides us with a one-stop shop for a great night out. A favourite stopping off point is Hamilton’s Bar and Kitchen on Hamilton Place, where we often partake in a few drinks and enjoy their regular live music sessions. We love the bar but have never dined in the restaurant for some reason; so when we received an invitation to go along and sample their cocktail list and food offering we were delighted to accept.
Cocktails at Hamilton’s Bar and Kitchen
Hamilton’s Bar and Kitchen is part of the same group as Treacle and The Blackbird, both of which are well known for their excellent cocktails and we couldn’t wait to try a couple. The menu splits into three sections – UP – drinks shaken or stirred and served short without ice, Short – shaken, stirred or built and served short with ice and Long – drinks shaken or built and served long with ice. We liked this way of categorising the options as all too often when you order a cocktail you have no idea what sort of serve will arrive.
Raymond was driving so he opted for a Brewdog Nanny State – it’s one of the better non-alcoholic beers with a bit more flavour. I was the passenger and was able to enjoy an Aged Rob Roy, served short without ice. A mix of Monkey Shoulder, Cocchi Americano, Cocchi di Torino and Bitters seemed a good deal at £7. The cocktail was incredibly smooth and had the perfect balance between sweetness and sourness with an earthy, but refreshing citrus taste to finish.
The Menu at Hamilton’s Bar and Kitchen?
If you’re in Stockbridge and you’re hungry, then Hamilton’s will have something for you to eat. They serve food seven days a week with their breakfast menu available from 9 am, lunch from noon and dinner from 6 pm right through until 10 pm. The dinner menu offers small plates, big enough to share plates and large plates which are more like a main course for one.
Small Plates
We decided on two small plates to start with which turned out to be really decent sized starters. My kale, tarragon and celeriac risotto with parmesan was hearty, flavoursome and creamy and had nice chunks of celeriac throughout. I’m not a great lover of tarragon as sometimes it can overpower the dish but on this occasion the balance was perfect. The texture was further enhanced by the crisp melted parmesan cheese on top. It was a filling starter and would be ideal as an early evening lite bite.
We loved the fact that Hamilton’s food offering is quite casual and while you can enjoy the dishes as a more formal meal many menu options would make perfect finger food whilst enjoying a few drinks with friends. Raymond chose a “small plate” of beer battered pigs cheeks with chilli glaze and four crisp balls of tender pork arrived steaming hot and drizzled with the chilli sauce. The meat was melt in the mouth as was the light and crunchy batter – he will definitely be back for more of these tasty morsels.
Large Plates
For my main course I took a fancy for Scottish Ale battered haddock, twice cooked chips and mushy peas – sometimes you just need fish and chips! The fish was moist and flaky and the ale batter perfect – very light and crisp right through to the fish. The chips were fresh potatoes, hand chipped by the looks of them and then double cooked resulting in a mix of crisp smaller thinner chips and softer bigger potato wedges. A sprinkle of salt and vinegar, some mushy peas, a wee dod of tartare sauce and a pint of Innis and Gunn to wash it all down and I was in heaven.
Raymond chose the roast chicken, honey roast parsnips, mulled pears, thyme and walnuts for his “large plate.” The aroma from the chicken was very inviting and it was tender, juicy and went well with the spicy pear. The toasted walnuts gave the sweet parsnips an added crunch and overall this dish was a really tasty mid-week treat.
Find our more information about Hamilton’s Bar and Kitchen and book a table.
We have always enjoyed visiting Hamilton’s Bar and Kitchen and will definitely return to eat again in the future. It’s a great place to meet friends and enjoy some chilled out chatter, a few drinks and a nibble or two regardless of the time of day. The fact that they serve good food from 9 am right through to 10 pm, seven days a week makes it an excellent choice whatever the occasion.
Hamilton’s Bar and Kitchen
16-18 Hamilton Place,
Stockbridge,
Edinburgh
EH3 5AU
Tel: 0131 226 4199
[/su_gmap]Many thanks to Hamilton’s Bar and Kitchen for inviting us along to sample their cocktails and menu.