I stumbled into Pier House on its first day of opening; it wasn’t the plan for the day, but I had to go in.
Replacing a rather good seafood restaurant, Pier House has spent the last few weeks behind windows blocked by decorative posters in the window promising coffee and breakfast. As you approach it today, even with those posters down and the refurbishment over, you’ll still think coffee. The website says “Coffee House”.
I went for lunch, and coffee wasn’t on either of the two menus.
However, it certainly is a coffee place, and the secondary bar closest to the door has been transformed into a mini cafe. While I was there, about a dozen tourists, some with dogs and many with kids, wandered in to ask for coffee or coffee to go. Pier House is dog-friendly.
Perhaps people wandering in will be a problem because the restaurant area’s tables and chairs go all the way up to the door. It just takes two steps for a tourist to be among the diners, and many roam around asking for coffee (hey, I’ve been there) until intercepted by a waiter.
Pier House lunch
The lunch menu is surf and turf. Since Pier House opens until 10pm (it also opens at 7am every day), that’s also the dinner menu.
There’s a starter section, sections from the sea and from the land, with salad, side dishes, a mixed grill option, fruits de mer, and one (really) vegetarian option called out.
The drinks menu ranges from champagne (up to £80) to wine and spirits, with a focus on gin and whiskey, cocktails (usually £9), liqueurs, beer, non-alcoholic, and soft drinks.
The breakfast menu finishes at 11:30, but it offers tea and toast for about £6 and croissant and jam for about the same. There’s also a traditional breakfast, a Mediterranean breakfast (£11), pancakes, rolls, and a few other options. A bunch extension adds more pancakes than you can get at breakfast.
I went with pan-fried hate fillets, which arrived on a pleasingly high pile of potatoes and green beans with a sauce. It was good! The question is whether good is good enough for a seafood restaurant surrounded by seafood specialists by a harbour.
Importantly, I am reviewing Pier House after only one visit and basing this on their debut hours. I probably ate the first pan-fried hake fillet that came out of their kitchens.
Pier House did well overall. Yes, there were wobbles, as I didn’t get my Diet Coke, but that was struck from my bill without any drama, and we did have those coffee-seeking tourists wander around the seafood restaurant while the staff puzzled at the register. In the totality of the visit, those felt like minor issues.
Pier House vibe
Perhaps most promising is that Pier House had a good vibe. The views of the harbour are great, and the giant coffee-meets-seafood window in front of the restaurant lets diners see them while allowing the light in.
The staff were friendly, and while I heard one woman moan when a visiting dog whined, I liked the combination of smiles and wagging tails. In fact, locals like me were popping in and recognising some of the staff, which is another good sign.
I liked that my missing diet Coke wasn’t questioned, fixed, or apologised for. I also liked that, as with the previous tenant, you could see the kitchen and your food being made. It’s clean!
I like the bar area, and that there are stools there, and I like that there’s a separate coffee nook.
Things to do in Newhaven
The trams now connect Newhaven to the city centre, and Ocean Terminal is actually being renovated. From Pier House, or the tram stop that services it, you can walk to Port of Leith Distillery or the Royal Yacht Britannia.
If you don’t want to go that far then there’s the David Lloyd gym but that’s members only and the walk out to Lighthouse Park which is free.
Newhaven Harbour is an instagram must and you can walk along the coast to the next one, Wardie Bay, which is less picture postcard but home to some wild swimmers.
The nearest hotel is a good one, and that’s the Premier Inn by the waterfront.
Overall
I’m going to come back. In particular, I think the idea for Pier House is that you don’t need to plan a seafood lunch by the harbour because you can pop in for coffee at the spur of the moment.
You can meet a friend for drinks and pancakes at breakfast. There’s a gym nearby, and I imagine we’ll enjoy some post- or pre-workout meals here.
On the other hand, there are also some really compelling alternatives in the area, so we will have to see how Pier House copes and grows.
A review of Pier House
Summary
A newly opened surf-and-turf/coffee house combo that opens early and closes late looks gorgeous and serves generous portions.
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You’re not a local if you think this is “by Granton Harbour”!
Hi -, I am local and Pier House is on Newhaven Harbour, you can eat there and throw tennis balls at the fishing boats (but don’t).
Granton Harbour/Wardie Bay is up the road on the other side of Old Chain Pier.
Pier House Edinburgh is one of my favourite sea food restaurants in Edinburgh. Whenever I have friends coming to visit the city, I always recommend Pier House Edinburgh as the first choice if they want to have the most wonderful sea food experience here in Scotland. Besides the most delicious food and considerate service, the environment is unique , unbelievably spacious with an ocean front view. Sunny or rainny, windy or cloudy, dinning at Pier House viewing the sea would always give you a romantic and unfogettable feeling which matches so well with the high quality and elegant dishes. The fresh and elegant sea platters as well as many other attractive choices such as mussel pots, the whole catch of the day fish, steaks etc. will make you feel it is so challenging to make a choice. Prices are unexpectedly favourable considering the quality and elegance of the food, the uncomparable atmosphere and professional services. Try once and you would fall love with it.