Ondine Oyster & Grill in Edinburgh have been awarded the Best Restaurant in Scotland title and listed in the Top 100 UK restaurants at the Estrella Damm National Restaurant Awards, at The Stratford Hotel in London.
The awards are judged by their elite panel of chefs, restaurateurs, and food writers throughout the UK. Organised by industry title Restaurant Magazine, the awards launched in 2007 and celebrate the brilliance, vibrancy, and the best of the UK dining scene.
Ondine Oyster & Grill opened in 2009 by owner and chef Roy Brett in the Old Town and has become an institution in the Scottish capital, renowned for its seafood and shellfish, the judges said.
Mr Brett said: “We as a team are absolutely delighted to not only feature in the Top 100 UK restaurants but also be awarded the ‘Best Restaurant in Scotland’.
“Following the last year of lockdown and the pandemic as well as external scaffolding covering the entire restaurant, which is out of our control, we are thrilled to celebrate Ondine Oyster & Grill as a team and to continue doing what we love.
“Following our re-opening, I said we maybe can’t control what is happening outside the restaurant, but we can control what is happening inside which remains true, more than ever. Together as a team, we will continue to strive to do what we do best.”
It recently re-opened its doors following a major transformation of the look and feel of the restaurant, "taking diners on a unique and magical dining experience with a twist, as the opulent space has been converted to emulate a ship at sea".
The exterior is currently covered in scaffolding attached to neighbours' property, which prompted the restaurant to change its appearance.
Following a full modernisation of the restaurant, oyster bar and private dining area, Ondine will also have more of a focus on meat after addding a new robata grill, which involves cooking over hot charcoal on an open fireplace.
As more meat is introduced to the menu, the name of the restaurant has also been adapted to Ondine Oyster & Grill.
Ondine was placed at 72, and the Inver, Strachur, Argyll & Bute, was at number 85 on the Top 100.
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