Tasting Menu with Wine Pairing at Cannonball by Contini

20:15
May 24, 2024

PR invite // All thoughts and opinions are, of course, my own.

In spite of having worked right next-door to the Cannonball restaurant, I have actually never set foot inside, so I was really excited to check it out when the invite dropped into my inbox. We would have the pleasure of trying out the seasonal tasting menu and on one rainy Friday we walked up the royal mile to enter the building.

The Cannonball restaurant also has a sister restaurant where I actually had a dinner with two of my bridesmaids the evening before my wedding. The food there was really nice and I loved the atmosphere so had high expectations already. The restaurant can be found up two flights of stairs and downstairs there is also a bar. The interior design feels inviting and I love how they’ve kept some of the historic details of the building, but combined it with a more modern approach.

We were shown to a lovely little table by the window, which overlooks the entrance to the castle. It’s a really cosy and romantic atmosphere so really perfect for a date night. Especially on a rainy day like the one we had. There’s nothing I’d rather do than hide away indoors and enjoy good food and wine with my husband on a dreich day in Edinburgh. One thing worth mentioning is that the gorgeous view of the castle is restricted during the summer months due to the stands for the Royal Military Tattoo performances, so just bear this in mind if you book a table with the hope of a castle view.

Our dinner started with a refreshing little Aviator cocktail. It was nice to see a mini cocktail as an aperitif and set the scene nicely for what was to come. The staff was really attentive throughout the meal and checked that the pacing of service was okay and even fixed a slighty wobbly table, which we hadn’t noticed until they pointed it out.

My favourite dish of the evening was the duck, but each dish really had something interesting and unique to them. I wasn’t expecting curried apricot, pickled turnip or spent coffee syrup but it all worked beautifully. The wine pairings also worked well and for someone like me (who is a nightmare when it comes to making decisions) a tasting menu and paired wines is ideal since it’s all been decided for me…

I’d definitely come back to the Cannonball for another date night. Price wise the tasting menu is £75/pp and wine pairing is £50/pp. A combined food + drink experience for £125/pp in Edinburgh is not bad in my opinion for a special occasion. I think this would suit those who enjoy exploring flavours together in particular, who doesn’t want to have to pick each dish but happily would experience the set menu and romantic atmosphere at the Cannonball restaurant.