American chef to bring restaurant to Edinburgh

Acclaimed American chef Rodney Wages has confirmed the opening of his first UK restaurant, Avery, in Edinburgh's Stockbridge on 21 May. 

Avery Edinburgh is the evolution of Wages' Michelin-starred restaurant of the same name, which launched in San Francisco in 2018. Last year, the chef decided to close the San Franciso outpost and relocate to Edinburgh, having fallen in love with the city on a family holiday in 2022. 

Before opening Avery, Wages honed his craft at some of America's best restaurants, including The French Laundry, Benu, Saison and Atelier Crenn. 

Dining at Avery

The 15-course tasting menu will change regularly to spotlight seasonal ingredients, with a particular focus on Japanese cooking techniques. Avery's menu combines menu mainstays from San Francisco with new creations inspired by the fruits of Scotland's land, sea and air. 

Signature dishes include tortellini in brodo – handmade tortellini willed with a broth of cultured butter and mushrooms, served in a broth infused with roasted garlic, burnt onion butter and chives; and cheese tart, a reimagining of classic pecan pie with toasted pecans, honeycomb, cognac and sharp Loch Arthur Cheddar. 

Also on the menu is æbleskiver, a Danish pancake filled with Scottish spider crab, grilled Swiss chard and roasted garlic; live scallop with cherry vinegar, preserved cherry blossoms and raw sesame; 'Bits and Bobs from the Sea' with poached mussels, grilled langoustine and fresh cockles sitting in a seaweed and chorizo broth; and gorse-infused custard on a vanilla genoise with macerated rhubarb, raspberry and cognac sauce, mint oil and herbs. 

A Champagne-forward wine list will complement the menu, with particular attention given to French, Italian and Californian wines. Sake is also central to Avery's drinks programme, with an extensive selection in the cellar to be paired with the menu. 

The intimate 20-cover restaurant will combine dark paintwork with bright accents of colour from paintings by San Francisco-based artist Victor Reyes. Ceramics, tableware and furniture have all been transported from America to bring the spirit of San Francisco to the Edinburgh restaurant. 

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