Benugo Historic Scotland

We saw afternoon tea at Edinburgh Castle promoted in an Historic Scotland Friends email and thought ‘Why not?’ This meant a special trip to Edinburgh from Glasgow on 28 December 2023 as a festive treat. We had a good time walking past the shops (and going into some of them) on the way up to the castle. However, that was the highlight. We got into the castle with no trouble at our allocated time just after 1:30 pm. There were no signs as to where we had to go or information on the ticket. Guides from the castle were able to point us in the right direction and we arrived at 1:45 pm for our allotted time of 2:00 pm. We were told we couldn’t wait indoors and had go out into what was not a very pleasant afternoon. We came back at 2:00 pm but it was still about ten minutes before we were shown to our table. It then took ages for someone to take our drinks order and we finally got our tea and coffee at 2:35. And then the food didn’t arrive. After reminding the staff that we didn’t have anything to eat, it was eventually delivered to our table fifteen minutes later. Another couple, who were visitors to Scotland, were on the table next to us had to wait even longer. The food was variable in quality. The sandwiches were disappointing. They appeared to have come out of the chiller, had little taste, and looked to have been made from ordinary sliced bread. The rest of the food was satisfactory, and we appreciated the changes made because of my wife’s allergies. The staff were all very pleasant but the whole afternoon seemed disorganised. Maybe we were unlucky and there were staff shortages on the day we went. Whatever the reason, having made the trip, we were disappointed with the whole experience. We couldn’t recommend it.

We arrived at 1:20 for our 1:30 pm reservation and were rudely told to come back because we were too early. Despite waiting inside by the bar area, the waitress did not make us feel welcome and ignored us. We then waited 20 minutes for our food and drinks, with my wife having to ask multiple times for milk for her tea. The service was disappointing, with the same waitress being rude and forgetting our orders. Overall, it was not a great experience considering the cost. This was meant to be a special treat during our visit to the castle, but unfortunately, it ended up ruining our day.

The restaurant had a nice atmosphere, but the room was quite cold even with a thick jumper on. The mulled wine, gin, and service were excellent. However, the afternoon tea was mediocre. As someone who is coeliac and vegetarian, I was disappointed with the lack of variety in the sandwiches and cakes provided. All sandwiches had a cheese and sundried tomato filling on white bread, and all cakes were chocolate-based. There was no gluten-free mince pie offered, which was unexpected so close to Christmas. The scone was decent, but nothing special. My friend found the macaroon on her plate to be dry and stale. Overall, considering the price of £50 per person, the experience was disappointing.

The savory dishes were enjoyable, but my husband found that the bread in one of the sandwiches was stale. The dessert options were not very good - only one out of four was decent, and the macarons tasted stale. The scones were okay, but the clotted cream had a thick yellow crust on it. However, the espresso martini, tea, and service were excellent. Overall, I would not recommend splurging on the tea at this restaurant.

The afternoon tea at the Edinburgh Castle is lovely AND delicious! Having the opportunity to stop here and rest awhile was perfect after climbing up to the castle and exploring. The selection of teas was excellent (I had mango strawberry) and the sandwiches, scones, and desserts were great. They don't rush you so you can sit and enjoy the view as you leisurely dine. Combine it with your visit to the castle so you won't have to climb up there twice!