‘Sophisticated and intriguing’ Edinburgh restaurant Eleanore to close and become bistro
An award-winning restaurant is set to close for a refurbishment to become a neighbourhood bistro.
Roberta Hall McCarron and Shaun McCarron’s award-winning restaurant Eleanore will close at the end of January for a refurbishment, reopening in March with a renewed focus on a warm, neighbourhood bistro.
This move marks a return to the spirit of its beginnings as The Little Chartroom in 2018, with a more relaxed, accessible way of dining.
The evening tasting menu will be dropped in favour of modern Scottish interpretations of bistro classics, allowing for a more flexible, informal service. A place guests can visit for a quick bite, a leisurely supper, or a glass of wine and snacks at the bar.
Seasonality remains at the heart of the kitchen, with head chef Hamish McNeill running the pass, supported by the current Eleanore team.
The frequently changing menu will prioritise quality and detail, but with a more comforting, generous style of cooking.
Guests can choose between a two-or-three course set menu, with snacks available as add-ons, including oysters with rhubarb ponzu and hot sauce, and ox cheek croquettes with salsa verde.
Starters nod to bistro classics with a modern edge, beef tartare with kale and kohlrabi, or mussel Thermidor.
Mains are hearty, from confit duck leg with puy lentils and watercress to a rotating specials board of sharing steaks and indulgent, limited-run dishes.
Desserts lean towards the nostalgic, with crowd-pleasers such as sticky toffee profiteroles.
On Sundays, Eleanore will serve a special lunch menu, working closely with The Little Chartroom and Ardfern to utilise whole animals across all three kitchens.
Wine will play a central role, with a concise list of around 25 bottles complemented by simple aperitivo cocktails. Wines will be available by the glass, carafe and on draught, with selected bottles offered via Coravin.
Much of the list will be drawn from Helix Wines - the importing business founded by The Little Chartroom alongside Ardfern and The Little Chartroom head sommelier Finn Porelli and operations manager Johanna Cole - and will feature producers including Tre Monti (Emilia-Romagna), Cortes de Cima (Alentejo) and Cuvée Hélixe Pierrot-Batteux Champagne.
The refurbishment will include a full kitchen refit with a new Electrolux suite and a reworking of the dining room to echo the feel of the original Little Chartroom, bringing back the banquette.
The kitchen counter will be removed to make way for a dedicated bar, a space for pre-or-post dinner drinks, or for walk-in guests to enjoy snacks and a glass of wine.
Warm, dark wood tones and touches of oyster-white will soften the room, which will remain intentionally intimate at just 20 covers, with 16 table seats and 4 stools at the bar, in addition to some standing ledge space for guests to enjoy their drink before sitting down.
Roberta Hall McCarron said: “We wanted to take Eleanore back to its roots, giving guests the freedom to shape their own experience, from how long they stay to what they spend.
“There’s a lot of nostalgia tied up in this restaurant for us, and this felt like the right moment to reinterpret that in a way that reflects how people want to eat now.
“By bringing our kitchens and wine collections closer together across Eleanore, The Little Chartroom and Ardfern, we can operate more thoughtfully and pass that value on to our guests, without compromising on quality.”
Eleanore is Roberta Hall McCarron’s second restaurant, opened in 2021 and named after a childhood boat owned by her family. Listed in the Michelin Guide, it was named Restaurant of the Year at the Edinburgh Restaurant Awards in 2022, within six months of opening.
Roberta Hall McCarron and husband Shaun own The Little Chartroom, Eleanore and Ardfern, all based in Edinburgh.
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