Celestia, one of the new kids on Edinburgh’s dining block, has unveiled a new lunch menu showcasing the restaurant’s renowned modern Indian food. Morag Bootland escapes her desk to find out what’s on the menu for daytime diners.
Lunch is the new dinner. Especially if, like me, you’re quite a long way over 40 and like to be in your pyjamas by 8pm at the latest.
So, trotting along to Celestia, which recently won Best Newcomer at The Asian Curry Awards, at 1pm on a rainy Monday really put a spring in my step.
Celestia is hidden away on Eyre Place in the New Town, so unless you live in the neighbourhood, you’d be forgiven for not having noticed it popping up in April 2025. The sister restaurant of highly regarded modern Indian restaurant Cilantro on Leith Walk, Celestia has just launched a new lunch menu that’s ideal if you need a quick bite in the middle of the working day, or you’re in the market for a more leisurely affair.
We are in the former category, so dive into menu choices with gusto on arrival. The menu is pleasingly simple and you can choose one dish from each of the columns – appetiser, main and accompaniment. There are veggie (£15.95), or non-veggie (£19.95) menus and each has a choice of three starters, three mains and three accompaniments. There are also lunch plates ranging in price from £11.95 to £13.95, which include Masala fish and chips and Jashila chicken tikka with Indian bread for those who don’t have the time to be indecisive.
Fresh, crispy poppadoms and a chutney plate with a deliciously garlicky chutney, chilli sauce and a minty raita are demolished while we deliberate.
We eventually plump for onion fritters, which were mildly spiced, warming, perfectly crisp and ideal fodder for a dreich day. And bhatti murgh, which was so good that it deserves a review of its own, the large pieces of chicken were chargrilled on the outside and yet almost impossibly moist. Again the spicing was delicate and the dish was beautifully presented with a fresh and zingy raita dip on the side and a sprinkling of pomegranate seeds.
Our starters had certainly set the bar high, but we were far from disappointed by the palak paneer, a glorious bowl of spinach, rich with garlic and cumin with bite-sized blocks of cheese that elicited much amazement as to how something so healthy could taste so good. Not to be outdone, the Scottish lamb curry was earthy and rich, studded with generous chunks of meat and really did our local produce proud.
Special mention must go to the service, with owner Mohammed Abbas providing a very warm welcome and taking very good care of us indeed. If you happen to be in the area, or even if you’re not, sampling the lunch menu in this wonderful neighbourhood restaurant should certainly be one to add to your to do list.
Celestia, 18 Eyre Place, Edinburgh, EH3 5EP. www.celestiarestaurant.co.uk
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