Keep up to date with new bar and restaurant openings in Edinburgh on this page of Hidden Edinburgh. And to keep up to date with everything happening in Edinburgh by making sure you are a member of our Facebook group.
Ka Pao
Glasgow’s foodies have been raving about Ka Pao for years now, so it was high time that the brand launched in the capital too. The team chose the St James Quarter as its home, to bring cooking techniques and recipes gleaned from travels across Northern Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore, as well as some Australian influences. Edinburgh’s born Executive Chef Sandy Brown is at the helm, with a frequently changing menu that’ll keep you coming back for more, over and again. Seating 98, the bespoke space has been designed by Stuart Black, Head of Interior Design at Mosaic.
Tantra
Bringing a new concept to Edinburgh, Tantra offers the very best in Indian cuisine with a twist. Situated on the historical Castle Street with Edinburgh Castle in eyeshot it makes for the perfect date night location for canapés and cocktails, sharing rich dishes to enjoy with family and friends or popping in for an express lunch.
The Palmerston
The restaurant, which was a former 20th-century bank, has a real ‘neighbourhood’ vibe and the minimalistic, somewhat industrial décor adds character. The bank’s original vault is now the wine cellar. Super cool! Laid-back dining is what’s on offer and the restaurant will not only serve evening meals but run an all-day service; from coffee and freshly baked pastries for brekkie or the commute, through to an informal bar for drinks and light lunches. There is also space for private events too. Showcasing the best food and drink from across Scotland and beyond, seasonal menus will feature produce from suppliers including award-winning Ardoch Hebridean Sheep and Edinburgh’s famous Welch Fishmongers.
www.thepalmerstonedinburgh.co.uk
Bonnie & Wild St James Quarter
Bonnie & Wild, (read more here) the food hall, that is home to Scotland’s top class independent food and drink producers, providers and purveyors, opened this month and is creating an exciting buzz throughout the city and it is clear to see why. The diverse and innovative menus, beautiful venue and high quality offering are unquestionable and with eight chef-led food stalls, four speciality retailers and three bars, Bonnie & Wild’s Scottish Marketplace is one of the biggest and most exciting venues to open in recent years.
Renowned chefs including Gary Maclean, National Chef of Scotland, Peter McKenna of The Gannet, and BBC chef Jimmy Lee have each taken key concessions at the Scottish Marketplace, which had its soft opening this morning, enticing eager guests hungry to experience the wide range of dishes on offer. Now that it is officially launched, the venue is open daily, 9.30am until late.
Solti
This brand newcomer to the Edinburgh dining scene is the sister restaurant to the family-run Gautam’s. Found in the vibrant Southside, it’s bright, welcoming and fashionable with a great cocktail menu to boot (try the South Asian take on a whisky sour). Dine a la carte in the evening from their menu that includes classics like Kormas, Baltis and Masala dishes, or opt for one of their many fusion dishes using Nepalese flavours with Scottish ingredients like their Haggis Pakora, Salmon Tikka or Lamb Kathmandu. For lunch go authentic tapas style and try a few sharing dishes – all artistically presented.
Superico
Superico offers a full-spectrum food and drink experience across two venues in central Edinburgh.Just a few doors apart, SUPERICO BAR & LOUNGE at 99 Hanover Street and SUPERICO RESTAURANT at 83 Hanover Street, complement each other with their shared ethos of attentive service and a relaxed yet upbeat atmosphere.
The reimagining of Edinburgh institution 99 Hanover Street, run by Juan José Castillo Castro for the last 4 years, is part of a long-term plan to expand the Superico brand to more sites.
The interior is the work of Jaco Justice of Edinburgh-based Studio Ja!Coco! and makes reference to South American symbolism and geography with a palette of earthy yet contemporary pinks and ochres. Whilst a breath-taking 2-metre-diametre Japanese paper supermoon by Italian product-design veteran Davide Groppi glows from the centre of the room.
Hemingways
Hemingway’s, a brand-new bar and restaurant overlooking The Shore, is set to become the go-to place for sophisticated yet relaxed drinking and dining in Leith. Hemingway’s offers a regular menu of speciality cocktails and seasonal small plates from their luxurious library-inspired bar and restaurant. The drinks menu is equally as inspiring, with a selection of bespoke house cocktails served alongside premium spirits and speciality wines and beers. As the name suggests, the venue has been inspired by the great Ernest Hemingway. There are plenty of book-themed touches to look out for, as well as several Instagram-friendly photo moments to snap during your visit. In addition to the spacious bar and restaurants, guests will also soon be able to enjoy food and drinks on the new terrace, overlooking the Water of Leith. Set to open this autumn, the picturesque terrace will be transformed to suit each season, with outdoor heating allowing it to be used all year round.
Le Monde
The doors have reopened to a world of colourful cocktails, delicious dining and luxurious interiors, as the classic George Street boutique hotel Le Monde reopens its bar and restaurant after the biggest refurbishment in its history. The new look Le Monde transports guests to a place of relaxed, global glamour, offering a taste of far off cities with its new food and drink menus. The transformation is led by Le Monde’s spectacular new cocktail menu, which promises a journey of discovery to some of the world’s most cosmopolitan cities. From Cairo to Casablanca, Reykjavik to Rio, Beijing to Barcelona…Le Monde’s bar team has searched the globe for inspiration, creating their own luscious versions of lesser known drinks from each city: the ones with a great story to tell, loved by locals and served up in favourite nightclubs, hotels and hotspots around town. Le Monde has also unveiling a mouth-watering new small plate dining menu, inspired by favourite world flavours and made with locally sourced Scottish produce.
Browns
Browns Edinburgh re-opened its doors last week following a major refurbishment, revealing its beautiful new look to the people of Edinburgh. Nestled among the neo-classical town houses and pretty Georgian squares of New Town, the beautiful new look takes inspiration from 1920s interiors. Echoing art deco styling with high ceilings, black and white tiled floors and opulent gold finishes, the refurbished restaurant and bar provides a simply stunning backdrop to enjoy the refreshed food and drink menu. Open all day, from breakfast through to dinner, visitors to the newly refurbished Browns will be able to enjoy classic British dishes and fresh seasonal delights, as well as a delicious afternoon tea that’s the perfect treat for any day of the week.
Surf & Turf Holyrood
Macdonald Rusacks Head Chef Glenn Roach launched the Surf & Turf restaurant concept to the St Andrews hotel in May 2019 and due to the popularity of the menu, the new concept has been expanded, to the Macdonald Holyrood Hotel, Edinburgh. The new menu takes its inspiration from Scotland’s larder – from succulent and mouth-watering Aberdeen Angus Steaks supplied by ScotBeef to world-renown seafood such as hand-dived North Atlantic Scallops wild trout, salmon, oysters and langoustines supplied by George Campbell & Sons.
Damm27
Damm27 opened on Edinburgh’s Southside in April this year after an extensive refurbishment. The result is a stylish, contemporary bar and bistrot that offers all-day dining, with a menu inspired by classic European dishes. Open seven days a week, the relaxed approach to eating and drinking begins with coffee and European papers every morning, and continues with menus that run all day from brunch to lunch to dinner. On Friday and Saturday nights the resident DJ shakes things up whilst the Bottomless Brunch on Saturday mornings keeps the celebrations going. On Tuesdays, Lobster is the star of the show. It’s a time to rejoice in the simple pleasure that is fresh lobster and crisp white wine. Served with fries, garlic butter and a bottle of excellent French sauvignon blanc it costs £50 for two. Pop the cork on a bottle of Perrier Jouet for an extra £25. As well as exceptional food, Damm27 offers an imaginative cocktail list, a well-edited and affordable wine list, and an impressive selection of exclusive-to-Edinburgh European gins and spirits.
Cafe Ink
Edinburgh Printmakers recently moved into its new £11m home in Fountainbridge, offering a creative hub in the capital and now artists and locals alike can enjoy the new café, which has opened within the building called, Café Ink.
Café Ink has 56 tables, as well as additional seating in the courtyard space for al fresco days. The menu has been designed to offer healthy, homemade, delicious dishes from breakfast through to early evening. A sustainable focus has been incorporated into the design of the café with old doors found in the building being upcycled into tables and all glassware is made from recycled glass.
Graze By Mark Greenaway
The five-star Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh has announced that celebrated Edinburgh chef, Mark Greenaway, will open his new venture within the hotel in mid-April.
‘Grazing by Mark Greenaway’ will offer its clientele the opportunity to relax, unwind and of course, eat, at a leisurely pace within a space accessible to all. The menu, which reflects the laidback, ‘grazing’ concept, will showcase a mix of traditional, modern and sharing plates, incorporating locally sourced ingredients and unique concept dishes created by Mark.
The restaurant, previously occupied by the Galvin brothers, is located on the ground floor of the hotel and will close for refurbishment on 1st April. Reservations for Grazing by Mark Greenaway will open on in April.
www.markgreenaway.com/grazing-menu-main
Born in the Borders Bar Waverley Mall
Born in the Borders is a multi-award winning brewery set on the banks of the River Teviot in Jedburgh. The brewery brings together everything that is grown, made, spun, produced, cooked and created in the area. However, you don’t need to travel to the Scottisj Borders to experience Born in the Borders great beer and spirits, head along to their bar in Waverley Mall to enjoy a pint or cocktail – along with lots of other goods and wares produced in the Borders.
www.bornintheborders.com/waverley-mall/
Condita
New to the Edinburgh dining scene Condita is a very intimate dining experience with just six tables which offers a five or eight course surprise tasting menu.
The restaurant uses produce from a 19th century walled kitchen garden in the Scottish Borders alongside the best meat and fish that is available in Scotland. The kitchen also uses a forager for wild ingredients. Dinner is cooked by Conor Toomey who has previously worked as Head Chef at the five star The Isle of Eriska hotel near Oban.
Guests are served by Conor and his team who talk guests through the dishes. Service is friendly and the ambience very relaxed and convivial. There’s no written menu but guests are given on arrival a hand-drawn bookmark, dated the evening that they dine, which gives tantalising clues as to what the next dish might be.
Dinner at Condita has to be pre-booked and is served Tuesday to Saturday. Five courses £50 or eight courses £80.
The Lookout By Gardeners Cottage
The Lookout by Gardener’s Cottage has been one of Edinburgh’s most anticipated restaurant openings, and now it has opened it’s doors to the public to enjoy breakfast, lunch or dinner surrounded by floor-to-ceiling views of Edinburgh and beyond. Built on a cantilever so the restaurant is partially suspended over Calton Hill’s northwest slope, the restaurant will open 5 days a week, offering an approachable, relaxed dining experience.
The lunch and dinner offerings are centred on a seasonal and inventive a la carte menu, complemented by a prix fixe menu. Breakfast will also be served from 10am. Diners can expect to see dishes like Douglas Fir-cured sea trout with sauerkraut, seaweed and rye bread; Gigha halibut, butternut squash purée, golden sultanas and brioche and clam vinaigrette; lobster smoked over oak with seaweed butter; Tweed Valley mallard roasted on the crown; and spiced pumpkin and chocolate tart, star anise and molasses ice-cream with pear, honey and walnut crumble.
The Lookout by Gardener’s Cottage is a partnership with Collective, the organisation that has redeveloped the City Observatory site on Calton Hill into a new home for contemporary art. As well as the purpose-built restaurant, the world-class development incorporates the restored City Observatory and City Dome, along with new purpose-built exhibition space The Hillside.
Borough
Borough has open its doors for the first time in the foodie neighbourhood of Leith. A modern European menu of bold, precise flavours is spearheaded by Head Chef Darren Murray, formerly of award-winning restaurant, Norn. Dishes include appetisers, such as charcuterie, and a selection of savoury and sweet plates such as Courgette Tart with Nasturtium and Mackerel Tartare with Green Strawberry and Elderflower. Further highlights include Borders Pigeon with Beetroot and Black Pudding and Monkfish with Cauliflower and Truffle.
The menu will change frequently to showcase a commitment to seasonality and local sourcing. All dishes can be paired and enjoyed with Borough’s extensive selection of fine wines – with over 20 available by the glass.
With a list including a sparkling wine from Burgundy, a New Zealand Pinot Gris and Montepulciano d’Abruzzo from Tullum, Italy, wine lovers will find something to suit every taste. The cocktail and spirits list boasts an equally international line-up including Brooklyn Gin – which forms the basis of the Borough Brooklyn Negroni; taking inspiration from another of the world’s ‘hotspot’ foodie boroughs.
