With a reputation as the place to go for a glamorous night out, Tigerlily is the kinda spot where you get dressed to the nines. The interior is extravagant, the bar is lavishly tiled and there’s even a secret garden space for cocktails… but what about the food? We went down to the city centre hotel to see if Tigerlily could be an Edinburgh all-rounder.
From the lavish bar areas to the decadent restaurant, Tigerlily has every corner covered.
Seated in a plush circular booth, we couldn’t help but feel fired up for a night out - especially when presented with the new ‘After Dark’ drinks package to accompany our dinner. We opted for the Electric Strawberry - a fizzy Grey Goose vodka number with flavours of fresh strawberries, earthy rooibos and warming tonka bean, pre-mixed by the bar staff and brought to the table in an ice bucket. The sharing option (£40) serves 4-5 people, so ideal for a group - although between the two of us, we were topped up all night long.
Tigerlily’s menu boasts of being ‘without borders’; blending ingredients, cuisines and flavours for an exciting fusion experience. There’s a wide variety of options and plenty of plant-based dishes too. To start, we ordered the yellowfin tuna tartare (£9.50) served with avocado cream, roasted aubergine and a heap of crispy straw fries, as well as yellow lentil dahl (£8) with a coconut rice fritter and roti bread. The tartare was juicy, fresh and spicy in flavour, while fries brought texture and crunch. The dahl was creamy and rich, with beautifully soft lentils, a sticky fritter of rice and a pastry-esque triangle of roti for mopping it all up. Portions were plentiful too - you certainly wouldn’t go hungry here.
From signature creations to classic cocktails, the drinks list is extensive.
Main courses are extremely varied, with dishes drawing inspiration from all around the world. Three Little Pigs (£18.50) was a celebration of the pig, serving up pork belly, a ham hock croquette and a marsala-glazed pig’s cheek with potato gratin, spinach and apple puree. The meat was delicious; crisp and juicy belly, creamy and cheesy croquettes, tender and soft cheek. We weren’t disappointed by the buttermilk chicken burger (£14.50) either, which paired a huge breast of juicy chicken in crunchy batter, slices of avocado and tomato and a slathering of garlicky ranch dressing to make a brioche bun really come alive.
Dessert is optional - but if you’ve got room, you should give it a go. We were stuffed, but had to squeeze in the chocolate fondant (£7) to share. We swapped the peanut-butter ice cream for salted caramel - a truly indulgent end to the meal. It was dense and rich, with a silky, saucy centre that spilled out over the plate... completely unnecessary, absolutely worth it.
Not just a fun bar, Tigerlily's restaurant touts a menu of fusion specialities and globally-inspired dishes.
The DesignMyNight Digest
If you’re planning a date that lasts the whole night or a glam evening out with the girls, consider going the distance with Tigerlily. From pre-drinks in the glitzy front bar to a delicious dinner in the main restaurant area, this glamorous hotel is indeed an all-in-one.
