Ka Pao Edinburgh

Ka Pao opened at Edinburgh's St James Quarter in March 2022, bringing its Southeast Asian-inspired sharing plates to Scotland's capital for the first time. The name Ka Pao, a play on the Thai word for holy basil, has become synonymous with Scotland's thriving dining scene having quickly built a reputation for its bold flavours, low-key setting, and good-night-out vibes.

The kitchen is led by Executive Chef Sandy Browning who has a passion for the techniques and flavours of Southeast Asian cooking central to Ka Pao's style, with a regularly changing menu that honours the team's time living and travelling throughout the region.

The menu unites the very best of UK produce with ingredients, flavour combinations and cooking techniques gleaned from the team's travels and experiences working in Northern Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore, as well as from sampling the uniquely knit Asian influences found in Australia's modern cuisine. Signature dishes include corn ribs with salted coconut, shrimp and lime; Ka Pao's own recipe grilled pork and bone marrow sausage; and braised chicken and apache potato massaman curry.

The 98-cover restaurant and bar space combines bold terrazzo and ceramic surfaces with bespoke architectural metalwork and mid-century furniture, and is flooded with natural light thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows that stretch the length of the restaurant.