The ‘fabulous’ Scottish restaurant and bar that’s celebrating 200 years

It’s rare these days, especially in cities, for historical interiors and places to be completely preserved. With the ever-changing landscape of the high restaurant; historical buildings can often be lost to chains and development. This was almost true for Edinburgh’s Cafe Royal, a restaurant and adjoining bar which has been located on West Register Street in Edinburgh since 1826.

Edinburgh's Cafe Royal came under new management in May 1979 - the Oyster Bar restaurant in West Register Street.

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Originally housed across the road, it moved to its current premises in 1863 as the Cafe Royal Hotel but almost became a Woolworths in the 1960s when the then-owner wanted to sell the building. Thankfully a petition of over 8000 signatures, and with help from the city, the building was saved and Cafe Royal stands unchanged.

The Cafe Royal, on West Register Street in Edinburgh, was crowned as ‘Restaurant Bar of the Year' at the Drink Awards Scotland. Photo: The Cafe Royal

Just a stone's throw from Princes Street, the Cafe Royal Hotel was designed as a gas and bathroom appliances showroom for owner Robert Hume by architect Robert Paterson but opened as the hotel in 1863. Inside the unchanged baroque designs showcase Victorian Edinburgh and it’s hard not to be drawn in by the stained glass windows, marbled bar, ceramic murals, wooden panelling and ornate cornicing; all which give the restaurant and bar its distinctly Parisian feel.

Cafe Royal exterior | contributed

In the bar, the six Royal Doulton ceramic tile portraits - based on paintings by John Eyre - were made for the Edinburgh International Exhibition of 1886, which was held in the Meadows. They were bought by architect James Macintyre Henry and are a rare example of artefacts from the exhibition. They depict famous investors such as James Watt who invented the steam condensing engine; William Caxton who introduced the printing press to England and George Stephenson the ‘father of railways’ and a pioneer of the locomotive engine.

The ornate and historical interiors continue in the restaurant, which has large 19th century stained glass windows of sportsmen by Ballantine and Gardiner. The sports depicted include tennis, archery, hunting, rugby, lawn bowling and cricket.

The Oyster Bar at the Cafe Royal in Edinburgh, famed for its stained glass panels. | TSPL

Famed for these ornate Victorian interiors, exceptional seafood, real ales and Scottish whiskies, Café Royal has welcomed generations of locals and tourists alike since it opened in 1826. Locally sourced in Cumbrae, Café Royal’s Scottish Rock Oysters still form a central part of its food offering with over 1,000 oysters sold each week.

The Cafe Royal was featured in the 1981 film Chariots of Fire, where the wood-paneled Oyster Bar stood in for a high-end London restaurant.

Now owned by the Metropolitan Pub Company, an arm of Greene King, the restaurant and bar remain largely unchanged from their Victorian days; and are still as busy as ever. Throughout this year the team are celebrating the 200th anniversary with special menus including a ‘200 Years’ drinks menu, featuring both classic and contemporary serves including a Champagne Cobbler, Vesper Martini and a Knickerbocker rum cocktail as well as dishes such as‘200 Years’ seafood platter, langoustine in burnt butter sauce and smoked ham hock and ox cheek stovies.