The Skinny Guide to Edinburgh 2022 by The Skinny

Credits

Rosamund West Editor-in-Chief

Peter Simpson Digital Editor, Food & Drink Editor

Anahit Behrooz Events Editor

Tallah Brash Music Editor

Harvey Dimond Art Editor

Jamie Dunn Film Editor, Online Journalist

Heather McDaid Books Editor

Arusa Qureshi Fest Editor

Lewis Robertson Digital Editorial Assistant

Jamie Wilde Venues Editor

Dalila D'Amico Art Director, Production Manager

Phoebe Willison Designer

Sandy Park Commercial Director

Tom McCarthy Creative Projects Manager

George Sully Sales and Brand Strategist

Christian Gow Marketing & Commercial Assistant

Find your nearest copy of our free monthly magazine, The Skinny, here:

Edinburgh City Guide

Laurie Presswood General Manager

Contents

10 Map — 12 Heads Up: Essential Edinburgh highlights

Area-by-area

17 Old Town by The Skinny Team

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33 West End by Tallah Brash

50 Abbeyhill by Tallah Brash

22 New Town by Rosamund West

36 Tollcross, Bruntsfield & Marchmont by Anahit Behrooz

41 Gorgie, Dalry & Fountainbridge by Peter Simpson

54 Leith by Jamie Dunn

29 Southside by Anahit Behrooz

46 Stockbridge & Canonmills by Rosamund West

61 Portobello by Peter Simpson

Glasgow City Guide

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67 Daytrips! Some suggestions of places to explore beyond the city boundaries, plus tips on how to get there. 73 As the Edinburgh Art Festival returns, we pull out some highlights from the programme. 76

he Edinburgh Fringe is back! Is it? Yes, apparently so! It’s T back and it’s 75 – we’re excited, here are some tips.

80 We look forward to the Edinburgh International Film Festival’s return to its August slot. 84

Contents

Photo: David Montieth-Hodge

Cultural guide

Edinburgh Fringe Virgin Money Street Events

eturning to its Edinburgh College of Art home, Edinburgh R International Book Festival’s 2022 programme is packed with highlights.

86 A quick guide to the Edinburgh International Festival programme. 89 We take a tour through Edinburgh’s finest clubs and live music venues. 94 Index

The Gruffalo, and Bemz for Edinburgh International Book Festival

98 Edinburgh on Screen: A look at four film favourites located in Auld Reekie.

The Illusionist

Illustration Hazel Laing is an illustrator from and based in Midlothian. She uses a big mix of paper cuts, print, crayon and pencil to create her playful illustrations. Edinburgh City Guide

I: @hazelmakespictures behance.net/hazellaing

Map Find the exact location of every venue listed via the QR code. Original map courtesy of Google maps

Stockbridge & Canonmills

New Town

West End

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Gorgie, Dalry & Fountainbridge

Old T

Southsid

Map

Leith

Abbeyhill

Town

Portobello

Edinburgh City Guide 11

Heads Up

Heads Up Edinburgh Festivals! Did you hear Edinburgh has some festivals? No? Well. In July-August, the city plays host to a frankly ridiculous number of major international festivals – six at official count (unless you count the Tattoo, which we do not). Take your pick from: Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival (15-24 Jul), Edinburgh Art Festival (28 Jul-28 Aug), Edinburgh International Festival (5-28 Aug), Edinburgh Festival Fringe (5-29 Aug), Edinburgh International Film Festival (12-20 Aug) and Edinburgh International Book Festival (13-29 Aug). Collective Located in a former observatory perched atop Calton Hill, Collective gallery is surely one of the most scenic art spaces in the world. The surrounding views are some of the city’s finest, and the spaces within have been adapted to present a visionary programme mixing international talent with a mission to foster emergent local art practices.

Collective Gallery, Calton Hill

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Water of Leith Starting from the leafy haven of Colinton Dell, follow the Water of Leith path all the way to The Shore. The route allows you to see Edinburgh in its many forms, often far removed from the tourist trail. On the way you may spot kingfishers, herons, submerged shopping trolleys, the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, allotments and a series of Antony Gormley sculptures.

Image: courtesy of The Pitt

Photo: Clark van der Beken

Water of Leith

59 Productions, The Harmonium Project at Edinburgh International Festival

The Pitt

Fireworks

Street Food For al fresco dining choices and impressively decorated vehicles, visit one of Edinburgh’s street food markets. Leith Arches have a range of options just off Leith Walk, and the Neighbourgood Market in Stockbridge fills the local rugby ground with a huge selection of vans (until 17 Jul). Top pick from us is The Pitt; head to the legendary warehouse and yard in Leith before it closes on 28 August.

Photo: Anna Henly Edinburgh Farmers Market Photo: traveltwo

Photo: Zuza Galczynska Portobello

Photo: Bayo Adegunloye

The Shore

Portobello Not content with a castle and a mountain in the centre of town, Edinburgh also has a beach within walking distance. Along Portobello Promenade you’ll find an old-school arcade, Victorian-era Turkish Baths, and plenty of places to eat and drink, including delicious pizza at Civerinos Slice. You’ll see locals taking a dip, even into the coldest months, so bring your swimming cossie. Fireworks Every. Single. Night. During the Edinburgh Tattoo (5-27 Aug) (which we will say no more about) there’s a nightly firework display signalling the end of its military festivities. Pretty spectacular for a visitor, pretty annoying if you live here and are, for example, just trying to get a child to go to sleep. The best view is probably from Princes St or Calton Hill, with enhanced displays taking place at the 9pm Friday and 9:30pm Saturday performances.

Edinburgh City Guide

The Shore When The Proclaimers came up with the lyrics to Sunshine on Leith, they were surely having a pint down by Leith’s historic port. On any sunny day in Edinburgh (and some of the dreich ones too), you’ll find people on The Shore, sitting on the banks of the Water of Leith, their feet dangling, or spilling out of the many restaurants and bars that line this cobbled waterfront.

Markets Edinburgh’s weekend markets are great for browsing, picking up some special ingredients for the week ahead, or simply grabbing a Scotch egg the size of your head. Head to Grassmarket and Leith on Saturday, or the fullto-bursting Stockbridge on Sunday. There’s also the Edinburgh Farmer’s Market at Castle Terrace on a Saturday morning for fans of fancy meats and cheeses.

Heads Up

Image: courtesy of Edinburgh Farmers Market

Photo: Eoin Karen

From charity and vintage shop crawls to weekend markets, art galleries on tops of hills, beaches, distilleries, ghost tours and all-night bakeries, Edinburgh has it all

Heads Up

Charity and Vintage shop crawl What better way to kill the fast fashion industry dead than with some secondhand gems? Edinburgh has some excellent pre-loved clothing shops: vintage enthusiasts should head to institution Armstrongs (there are four different branches scattered through the Old Town and Southside). For complete steals, meanwhile, hit up the charity shops: there are beautiful pieces to be found especially along Nicolson Street (thanks students!) and Stockbridge (thanks rich people!).

Distilleries and Breweries

Cast Photo: Dorian Musslen

Distilleries and Breweries Edinburgh is packed with innovative breweries and distilleries, so get acquainted. Pilot’s shop hatch sells beer direct from the Leith brewery, while Campervan and Bellfield offer on-site taprooms. Edinburgh Gin runs tours of their West End distillery, Pickering’s Gin will show you around their distillery at Summerhall, and Vault City’s taproom in the West End literally has more beers on tap than chairs to sit on.

Charity and Vintage shop crawl Photo: Meritt Thomas

Ice cream with a castle backdrop Mary’s Milk Bar on the Grassmarket serves up some of the best ice cream you’ll ever eat – step inside and you’ll find an incredible selection of flavours, all made on the premises. Outside there’s an iconic view of Edinburgh Castle against which to photograph your scoop. Top tip: the Grassmarket is a main road, for the love of God look both ways as you cross the street.

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National Museum of Scotland

National Museum of Scotland Located on Chambers Street, the free-to-enter National Museum of Scotland is both a treasure trove of historical artefacts and a singular architectural gem. Notable spaces include the vast, Victorian-era, glass-roofed main hall, and the 1990s extension which draws on Scottish medieval architecture. There’s also a life size cast of a T-Rex skeleton and did we mention it’s free?

Heads Up

Photo: Julia Solonina

Photo: Becca McHaffie

The Seven Hills of Edinburgh Edinburgh claims to have been built on seven hills, much like other great world cities such as Rome, Jerusalem and eh... Seven Hills, Australia. We would mildly query this, however you’ll have great fun scaling first Arthur’s Seat, then Calton Hill, heading up Blackford Hill for the best view in the city, then maybe having a think about the rest.

Calton Hill

Photo: Toa Heftiba

4am Storries pie Wander down Leith Walk past closing time and you’ll see a golden light from a lone storefront. Follow that light, for there is much sustenance at the end of it in the form of Storries (279 Leith Walk), an all-night bakery that’s been keeping late-night revellers well-fed for decades. Mince and macaroni pies are the mainstays, but if you’re feeling adventurous, try the lasagne pie.

tle view, Gassmarket

Scotch Pie

Photo: Aly Wright

Photo: Jose Pablo Iglesias

Jupiter Artland

Ghost Tours The area around Edinburgh has been inhabited for probably thousands of years, and that area has seen atrocities including but not limited to: hundreds of years of witch persecution; various plagues; the people of the city dealing with said plagues by bricking people into vaults; innumerable medieval battles and a weird period of corpse robbery. Edinburgh is really really spooky – why not take a tour and be terrified?

Edinburgh City Guide

Ghost Tours

Jupiter Artland It would be easy to leave Edinburgh having only visited the city’s quaint, historic corners. For something more avant-garde, however, take a 45-minute bus to Jupiter Artland, a sculpture park and exhibition ground located in West Lothian. There’s an outdoor art trail featuring pieces by Tracey Emin, Anish Kapoor and Rachel Maclean, wonderland-like sculpted gardens, and strange, quirky art exploding out of unexpected corners.

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Old Town The Old Town is built around the Royal Mile, which is one Scots mile in length – approximately 200m longer than one of your English miles. At the top lies Edinburgh Castle, which you may have heard of. At the bottom sits the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Scottish Parliament and Holyrood Park – home of the city’s aspiring mountain, Arthur’s Seat

he area is also a focal point of the city’s late night scene, with the subterranean-feeling Cowgate providing a readymade pub crawl from Pleasance to stag

party favourite the Grassmarket. For a comprehensive guide to the Cowgate’s many nocturnal attractions, check out the Gigs and Clubs Venues Guide on page 89.

Edinburgh City Guide

Old Town

here’s not a lot of green space in the Old Town – it is, after all, a medieval settlement. Seek out the Castle Esplanade for views across the city to Fife, the Pentlands and beyond, and a meandering walk down to Princes St Gardens. Greyfriars Kirk graveyard is a spooky place to explore, and has some sort of Harry Potter connection. Fun fact – everywhere in Edinburgh now has some sort of questionable Harry Potter connection.

Food

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hen it comes to the food on offer in Edinburgh’s Old Town there is a lot to choose from. For when you’re on the go and trying to pack in as many of its attractions as possible, a loaded jacket potato from The Baked Potato Shop (56 Cockburn St), or a cheeky wee scotch pie from Piemaker (38 South Bridge) are a must. If it’s a sweet treat you’re after, MOO Pie Gelato (26 St Mary’s St) specialise in outrageous ice cream cookie sandwiches, and joining that queue you see in The Grassmarket outside Mary’s Milk Bar should be a top priority. Mary trained in gelato at the Carpigiani Gelato University in Bologna so she knows a thing or two about making delicious ice cream, and she’s inventive with the flavours too – almond and miso caramel or peaches and olive oil, anyone? Every Saturday The Grassmarket also plays host to the Grassmarket Market (10am-5pm), which as well as including an abundance of local crafts, design and makers stalls, offers a great foodie snapshot of the city with different food stalls on offer each week. Also on Saturdays, just

Photo: Tallah Brash

Go outdoors

Edinburgh Castle esplanade looking towards Royal Mile

a five minute walk away you’ll find the Edinburgh Farmers’ Market (9am2pm) at the Castle Terrace Car Park, with local produce on offer as well as a hot food truck. And if you’d rather not be eating on-the-go, or outdoors for that matter, then our favourite Old Town restaurants cover myriad styles and world cuisines. For a little taste of America, head to Bubba Q (213 High St) for some top notch barbecue, fill yourself up on chicken wings at Wings (5 Old Fishmarket Cl) or hit The City Cafe (19 Blair St) for an American-style diner complete with jukebox, burgers, pancakes, milkshakes and Coke floats aplenty. Viva Mexico (41 Cockburn St) is where to head for tasty burritos, enchiladas, fish tacos and margaritas while El Cartel (15 Teviot Pl and 1 Roxburgh’s Court) will provide the freshest of Mexican street food at any of their Edinburgh locations; Hanam’s (3 Johnston Ter) has traditional Kurdish grill and Middle Eastern food; for an Indian ‘twist on tapas’, head to the inimitable Mother India (3 Infirmary St); the original Civerinos (5 Hunter Sq) have all your pizza needs covered, and for more classic fare, with a focus on local produce, The Outsider (15 George IV Br) is for you.

Old Town

Edinburgh City Guide

Photo: Toa Heftiba

Victoria Street 19

Photo: Alex Renfrew

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Old Town

Drinks

he Old Town is hilly, alley-tastic, and many of its bars and cafes are very small. Bow Bar (80 West Bow) is one of the best – great pints in a lovely cosy environment, with the classic Edinburgh pub dimensions (the size and shape of a large-ish classroom). Deacon Brodies (435 Lawnmarket) and The Waverley Bar (3 St Mary’s St) are also great options if you’re after the textbook ‘pint in Edinburgh’ experience. Want to modernise a little? Go for cocktails at The Devil’s Advocate (9 Advocate’s Cl) or Dragonfly (52 West Port). The former has a great outdoor patio; the latter is right in the shadow of the Castle. Diverse menus and a bit more space to breathe can be found at OX184 (184 Cowgate) and Under the Stairs (3A Merchant St), and fans of boundary-pushing beer should head to Salt Horse (57 Blackfriars St) for schooners from the UK’s best craft and small breweries. For night owls, Sneaky Pete’s (73 Cowgate) is the place to be, with a roster of gigs and club nights that could fill an entire Edinburgh visit on its own. Around the corner, The Banshee Labyrinth (29 Niddry St) is spooky, dingy, and loads of fun, with a free cinema that screens films late into the night, and Bannermans (212 Cowgate) is a late-night haven with a gig room, decent drinks prices, and a mildly confusing two-sided bar. Away from beer, Room and Rumours (25 East Market St) pair great coffee with delicious, Instagramfriendly doughnuts, while Gordon Street Coffee (6 Market St) brew a delicious cup of coffee with the added bonus of seeing (and smelling) the beans roasted in-house if you arrive at the right time. Can’t get a spot in The Milkman (7 Cockburn St)? Just go to the other Milkman at the other end of the road (52 Cockburn St); excellent espresso awaits. Need some fruit and

Dragonfly

veg? Hula (103 West Bow) have smoothies and juices to help you through the earliest mornings. Want a rest? Procaffeination (4 St Mary’s St) is an oasis of calm right in the middle of it all.

Indie shops

ome sections of the Old Town are an obstacle course of tartan and Princess Diana boutiques, but once you learn to navigate your way through, there’s a real treasure trove to be found. For Scottish memorabilia, head to Red Door Gallery (42 Victoria St): they have a selection of gorgeous prints by local artists, from unique takes on Edinburgh’s iconic cityscape to more abstract designs. Looking for an even rarer find? Located on the other side of the Grassmarket is Armchair Books (72 West Port), a rickety antiquarian and second-hand bookshop, filled floor to ceiling with gems. There are plenty of old illustrated fairy tales (some incredibly reasonably priced), innumerable paperbacks crammed in corners, and an entire Scotland section including – if you’re very lucky – old Ordnance Survey maps of the city and surrounding landscape. For something a little edgier, dig into the Scottish and international music scene

Photo: Ruth Clark

ith its Escheresque staircases, impossibly narrow alleyways and higgledy-piggledy street design, the Old Town is one giant, jaw-dropping visitor’s attraction in itself, but within it you’ll find lots to do. You can have your mind warped in the halls of optical illusions at Camera Obscura (Castlehill) or by learning about the beginning of the cosmos at Dynamic Earth (Holyrood Rd). Explore Auld Reekie’s macabre history by taking one of its many Ghost Tours, venturing into the hidden streets beneath the city via The Real Mary King’s Close (2 High St) or descending into The Edinburgh Dungeon (31 Market St), where the darkness is even more frightening than the actors dressed as Burke & Hare. Or if you’re more interested in modern atrocities, there’s always a visit to the Scottish Parliament building (Canongate), where the avant-garde architecture splits the city even more vehemently than a Hibs v Hearts derby. Also worth a visit are St Giles’ Cathedral on the High St (the Avengers fought there once), Holyroodhouse opposite the Parliament (one of Liz’s more humble palaces) and The Scotsman Steps, a gorgeous stairwell from artist Martin Creed made of myriad types of marble. They will lead you to the Fruitmarket gallery (45 Market St), one of the city’s foremost contemporary art spaces. The Old Town is home, too, to a pair of the city’s most darling kirkyards, Canongate Kirk and the aforementioned Greyfriars. Standing sentinel at the entrance to the latter is a statue of much-loved wee dug, Greyfriars Bobby. But for the love of God, don’t rub his nose for luck – COVID, remember! Oh, we almost forgot. There’s the Castle too, but it’s hard to miss.

Edinburgh City Guide

Fruitmarket

Things to do Old Town

at indie record shop Underground Solu’shn (9 Cockburn St), or check out Delicate Rébellion mag’s concept store (21 East Market St) for a carefully curated stock of print publications and lifestyle products. If you’re looking for more practical wares, there are plenty of indie boutiques dotted around. For a quirkier vibe, head to iconic Edinburgh vintage emporium Armstrong’s (81 Grassmarket) or sustainable boutique Godiva (9 West Port) for truly unique pieces. Visit Pieute (19 Candlemaker Row) and Pie in the Sky (47 Cockburn St) for graphic tees and printed dungarees, and if you’re feeling like something a little more refined, MYSA (31 Cockburn St) is your best bet, offering plants, home decor, and tchotchkes in a beautifully designed space. Finally, if all of this seems to be playing it a little too safe, don’t be afraid to push the metaphorical boat out at Sauce (23 Candlemaker Row), a hole-in-the-wall selling – of all things – all manner of marinades and spice blends. And practically opposite is Black Moon Botanica (50 Candlemaker Row), an eclectic, thoughtfully curated boutique perfect for picking up tarot cards, crystals and – appropriately – handmade candles.

New Town

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Completed around 1850, Edinburgh’s New Town is not as new as its name might suggest. Designed as an escape from the medieval streets on the other side of the Nor Loch (now Princes St Gardens, then a pestilent swamp formerly used for witch trials), its Georgian grid plan is both an architectural gem and a physical demonstration of political propaganda, with street names chosen to solidify the Act of Union

Edinburgh City Guide

New Town

Go outdoors

rinces Street Gardens lie on either side of the National Galleries of Scotland, and offer a pleasant space to walk or sit in the shade of Edinburgh Castle. There’s a playpark, public toilets and cafe in the West Gardens, plus the restored Ross Fountain looks great on the ‘gram. Beyond the centre, enjoy gazing upon the fences of the many and various private parklands which are only accessible to keyholders from very specific catchment areas.

Drinks

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he Rose Street pub crawl is legendary among stag dos – we don’t recommend you do that, as the pubs are largely homogenous, but rock bar The Black Rose Tavern (49 Rose St) and ‘Edinburgh’s most outstandingly preserved Edwardian pub’ The Abbotsford (3 Rose St) are both worth a visit. If it’s Victorian grandeur PLUS oysters you’re looking for, the tile and gilt-covered Cafe Royal (19 W Register St) is the place for you. On the same block, The Voodoo Rooms (19a W Register St) offers similar gilt-covered vibes, but with a focus on cocktails and a live events space. Opposite, Lady Libertine in the basement of the Edinburgh Grand (25 W Register St) is also good for fine wines and fancy times. Looking for more cocktails? Some of the city’s finest purveyors are on Queen Street The subterranean Bramble (no. 16a) is internationally renowned for its mixology and cosy nooks, with a rotating menu of delicious cocktails also available at its above-ground sister Lucky Liquor Co (no. 39a). Panda & Sons (no. 79) really commits to the speakeasy concept – access is via a fake

barbershop storefront – while the atmospheric Nightcap (3 York Pl) at the other end of the road has seats outside and in. Deeper into the New Town, a local Victorian pub experience can be had in the cosy and very red Kay’s Bar (39 Jamaica St). The Cumberland (1-3 Cumberland St) features possibly the city’s best beer garden; observe the area’s unique sartorial style, from Barbour jackets to the ubiquitous red trousers of the off-duty men of means. Broughton Street is a destination in itself, home to lively bars, restaurants and small businesses selling local produce and design. On the corner, The Street (2b Picardy Pl) is a lively contemporary bar with a downstairs nightclub space, while Pickles (60 Broughton St) does amazing cheese, meat and wine platters. On a side road, The Outhouse (12a Broughton St Ln) has a relaxed atmosphere and good beer garden. Continuing a trip through Edinburgh’s

New Town

Image: courtesy of Superico

excellent coffee shops, if you can dodge the persistent chains. Fortitude (3c York Pl), Wellington Coffee (33a George St), Lowdown Coffee (40 George St), Cairngorm Coffee (41a Frederick St) and Artisan Roast (57 Broughton St) are all local favourites.

Food

Superico

Image: courtesy of Lucky Liquor Lucky Liquor

Edinburgh City Guide

historic architecture told through the medium of pubs, the art deco Barony Bar (81-85 Broughton St) is a local insitution. At the bottom of the road, airy Harmonium (7-11 E London St) offers drinks, an all-vegan menu and occasional gigs in its basement venue. The area is also well served for

s you’d expect from the city centre, there’s a wide variety of food on offer in the New Town. There are all the usual chain restaurants clustered around St Andrew Square – Dishoom, Wahaca, Franco Manca etc. You definitely want to try something more locally owned, though. For a sit down meal with a touch of class, Superico (83 Hanover St) serves Chilean-style small plates including excellent ceviche and (if you’re lucky) their millefeuille chip, along with delicious cocktails including the inimitable pisco sour. On Thistle Street, Fishers in the City (no. 58) celebrates Scottish seafood in a stylish bistro environment – their mussels are some of the best in the city. Opposite, Noto (no. 47a) focus on sharing plates, small domaine wine producers and bespoke cocktails. Tucked away on Rose Street Lane, Hakataya (122 Rose St S Ln) is a much-imitated sushi and ramen joint in a sleek minimal space. Speaking of institutions, no night out is complete without a trip to Edinburgh’s premier disco chippy, Cafe Piccante (19 Broughton St). They will provide you with the deep fried Mars Bar Scottish people don’t actually eat, and also offer a pay it forward scheme where you can buy a meal for someone in need. Down the hill, Fhior (36 Broughton St) serve up a menu

New Town

Image: courtesy of Maki & Ramen

of delicious small plates centred around carefully sourced local produce in an airy, minimal environment. New eyesore shopping centre the St James Quarter also houses an extensive food court featuring a surprising number of local favourites. Maki & Ramen Highlights include Ka Pao’s pan-Asian menu, the presumably self explanatory Maki & Ramen, the Thursday for the full range of fancy ubiquitous Bross Bagels and muchsausages. And while not technically an trumpeted fine dining Bonnie & Wild. indie, Scottish record shop institution FOPP (3-15 Rose St) can provide all the Indie shops local music and film you could possibly need. ooking for booze? Bon Vivant’s Companion (51 Thistle St) offers an Things to do array of fine wines, beers and spirits, including an extensive selection of n the Mound sit the neoclassical Scottish gins while Vino (30 Broughton National Galleries of Scotland, St) is a local independent chain home to such artistic treasures as Da providing expertly chosen wine and beer. Vinci’s Madonna of the Yarnwinder, Looking for meat? Newly renovat- Gauguin’s Vision after the Sermon, and ed Broughton Market (97 Broughton Botticelli’s Madonna and Child. St) is a local institution – go on In front, on Princes Street, sits the columned Royal Scottish Academy, home to a year-round programme of contemporary Scottish art. On Queen Street, you will find the Gothic spires of the Scottish National Portrait Gallery. Inside, a great hall features a processional frieze depicting great Scots from history, and an extensive collection of portraiture over three floors. Standing on Picardy Place, you may enjoy the monumental bronze sculptures by Eduardo Paolozzi, The Manuscript of Monte Cassino. And, of course, the majestic golden turd atop the St James Quarter.

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Image: courtesy of Scottish National Gallery

Scottish National Gallery

Edinburgh City Guide

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Southside Home to Edinburgh University and much of the Edinburgh Fringe, the Southside is where to find cheap eats, green spaces and a laidback air

dinburgh’s Southside is right in the thick of the action; a buzzing, central neighbourhood that nevertheless feels local rather than touristed. Home to the main campus of Edinburgh

University, this is where the students hang out, so there’s a wealth of diverse and notably cheap eateries, and excellent cafes perfect for bunking down with a good book or two. It’s also home to the

Edinburgh Festival Fringe, as the typically peaceful green expanses of The Meadows and George Square Gardens are transformed into a veritable carnival of performance tents and street food stalls.

Edinburgh City Guide

Southside

Getting there, and getting away

he Southside is a short walk away from, well, pretty much anywhere central, and almost every bus route passes along its main artery, the confusingly named North Bridge/ South Bridge/Nicolson Street/South Clerk Street (it’s all one road, we’re just quirky that way). By the same logic, it’s also easy to leave, although if you’re looking for a more interesting exit, hire a bike and sail down the Innocent Railway Tunnel, once home to Scotland’s first railway station. Not only does the Tunnel feature a rotating gallery of street art and Gaelic graffiti, but it also leads to a cycle path round the back of Arthur’s Seat that can take you to the beaches at Musselburgh or Portobello, or to Rosslyn Chapel of Da Vinci Code fame.

Drinks

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he drinking landscape in the Southside is – thanks to its high student density – pretty laid-back, but this is by no means code for boring. The area boasts some of the city’s artsiest, quirkiest, and honestly plain weirdest bars, revealing a side to Edinburgh that is far removed from the polish of the New Town or the charming cobbles of the Old. As the name suggests, Paradise Palms (41 Lothian St) has a tropical dive bar feel, with Hawaiian shirts and stuffed animals sagging from the ceiling and an excellent array of spirits crowding its neon bar. There are similar vibes at the chaotic Dog House (18 Clerk St), while The Royal Dick bar in the Summerhall arts complex (1 Summerhall) is inspired by Summerhall’s previous life as the university’s veterinary school. Also of

note is subversive pub Brass Monkey, with actual beds to lounge in (14 Drummond St), and the ever-reliable Dagda (93 Buccleuch St) and The Auld Hoose (23 St Leonards St) for a solid pint. For a less boozy day, there’s many a cafe to while away a drizzly afternoon. Thomas J Walls (35 Forrest Rd) and Kilimanjaro (104 Nicolson St) both offer a great brunch menu and relaxed atmosphere, while coffee enthusiasts with a taste for the industrial should head to Union Brew Lab (6 S College St) and Cult Espresso (104 Buccleuch St).

Indie shops

here’s not a ton of shopping to be found in the Southside, but there are a few cute indie places worth poking your head in en route to the next cafe. Edinburgh’s radical, queer bookshop Lighthouse Books (43 W Nicolson St) is a veritable haven of excellent reads and community spirit. Five minutes away is Tills Bookshop (1 Hope Park Cres), with a great secondhand collection that often includes new releases, and a newly transformed ex-policebox filled with translated reads just across the road. There are also two Armstrong’s vintage shops filled with retro gems (14 Teviot Pl, 64 Clerk St), while the Great Grog Bottle Shop (2 Dalkeith Rd) and Jordan Valley (8 Nicolson St) are must-stops for foodies.

Things to do

he Southside is typically the heart of the Fringe, and some of its best venues are located here. Summerhall boasts one of the festival’s best programmes as well as regular exhibitions, while Assembly Roxy (2 Roxburgh Pl), The Queen’s Hall (85 Clerk St), and

Photo: Shannon Tofts

the Festival Theatre (13 Nicolson St) are all within a short stroll of each other. The National Museum of Scotland (Chambers St), Dovecot Studios (10 Infirmary St), Talbot Rice Gallery (South Bridge), and Surgeons’ Hall (Nicolson St) span everything from avant-garde art to gruesome human remains and dinosaur bones. And during the relative warmth (although please manage your expectations) of the festival summer, the tree-lined expanse of The Meadows and the crags of Arthur’s Seat have been transformed into some of the city’s key hangout spots.

Southside

Image: courtesy of El Cartel El Cartel

for as little as a pound and change; The Original Mosque Kitchen & Cafe (50 Potterrow), whose plates piled high with homemade curry come to a fiver; pizza slices at Civerinos Slice (49 Forrest Rd); a modern take on Thai food at Ting Thai Caravan (8 Teviot Pl); and delightfully aesthetic bakes at 101 Bakery (101 Newington Rd). Civerinos also used to be in residence at The High Dive Bar (81/85 St. Leonard’s St), but that has now passed into the more than capable hands of Sando, whose Japanese-style sandwiches will change how you think of the lunchtime staple forever. For something a little more sit-down (but still very cheap), Syrian restaurant Erbil (55 W Nicolson St) offers an incredibly friendly atmosphere and some of the best Middle Eastern food in the city, while Ikigai Ramen (13 W Crosscauseway) is cosy in both vibes and warming meals. Kim’s Mini Meals (5 Buccleuch St), meanwhile, is one of Edinburgh’s hidden gems, whose innocuous front hides a renowned family restaurant widely considered one of the best in the city. El Cartel (15 Teviot Pl) crafts its tacos like little works of art, with great attention paid to unique flavours and details.

Food he Sudanese Nile Valley Cafe (6 Chapel St) offers freshly-made falafel wraps piled high with grilled aubergine and special peanut sauce, while The Shawarma House (119 Nicolson St) does exactly what it says on the tin. Popular with students are Sister Bao (32 S Clerk St), with steamed buns

Dovecot Studios

Edinburgh City Guide

West End Edinburgh’s West End is a hive of arthouse cinemas, picturesque courtyards, great coffee and some brilliant pubs

eyond its dominating office blocks, big hotels, busy roads and commuter train station at Haymarket, Edinburgh’s West End has a

lot going for it. From its theatres, arthouse cinema and celebrated concert venues, to the National Gallery of Modern Art in the picturesque

Dean Village, there’s also an abundance of excellent coffee shops, bakeries, bars and restaurants waiting to be explored.

Edinburgh City Guide

Drinks

n the shadow of Edinburgh Castle you’ll find proper boozer the Blue Blazer (2 Spittal St) with rotating cask ales and an impressive rum selection. For vintage arcade games alongside that pint, visit NQ64 (25 Lothian Rd), while country pub vibes can be found at Teuchters (26 William St). Offering up traditional Scottish fare in mugs, their cask ales are only one-upped by their single malt whisky selection; play the Hoop of Destiny (booze hoopla!) to be in with a chance of winning a rare nip. Craft beer fans should head straight for The Hanging Bat (133 Lothian Rd), The Wee Vault (7A W Maitland St) or the Innis & Gunn Brewery Taproom (81-83 Lothian Rd), while gin lovers should try The Jolly Botanist (256-260 Morrison St) or the tasting tour at the Edinburgh Gin Distillery (1A Rutland Pl). For grown-up cocktails with an Italian twist there’s Hey Palu (49 Bread St). To get that caffeine fix, a few minutes from Princes Street Cairngorm (1 Melville Pl) is a must, as is Fauna (19a Queensferry St), while near the Edinburgh College of Art, you’ll get a wicked cup from The Source Coffee Roasters (4 Spittal St).

The sweet-toothed should head for Tasty Buns (67 Bread St) for their cake within a cake within a cake creations (imagine a turducken, but with baked goods!). And the OG coffee and cake hangout in the area, Lovecrumbs (155 West Port) is a charming spot decked out in mismatched furniture. Just down the road you’ll find their sister cafe, the stylish Nice Times Bakery (147 Morrison St), while near Haymarket be sure to visit Little Collingwood (10 Haymarket Ter). Run by the team behind Abbeyhill’s Little Fitzroy, flat whites and vegan bakes are all served out of a teeny tiny hatch in the excellent Stag Barber hairdressers.

Food

ome of our favourite eateries can be found in the West End too. Specialising in Syrian and Levantine cuisine, the shawerma and mana’eesh (Palestinian flatbread) at Taza in Town (69 Bread St) are unreal, as is their veggie meal for two. You’ll find American-style burgers at Bread Meats Bread (92 Lothian Rd), Thai street food at Ting Thai Caravan

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Photo: Fredrika Carlsson

Tasty Buns

West End

Photo: Abi Radfor Timberyard

(55-57 Lothian Rd), fragrant bowls of pho at Vietnam House (1-3 Grove St), Greek gyros at Ola Kala (202 Morrison St), Punjabi cuisine at Omar Khayyam (1 Grosvenor St), Japanese sushi and ramen at Umai (6 Queensferry St) and authentic Mexican food at Taco Libre (3 Shandwick Pl). For a slightly more high-end dining experience try The Palmerston (1 Palmerston Pl) or the five-course tasting menu at Timberyard (10 Lady Lawson St), and for the best takeaway breakfast in the city grab a morning roll with homemade tattie scones from Preacher’s (24-26 Lady Lawson St). For artisan bread and delectable pastries, head to the weekend market at award-winning Company Bakery (5 Devon Pl).

Haymarket Ter) or Paper Tiger who have two shops in the area (6a Stafford St; 53 Lothian Rd).

Things to do

een art lovers will want to visit the National Gallery of Modern Art (73 Belford Rd); set aside plenty of time to explore its surrounding sculpture park with works by Henry Moore and Scottish-Italian Eduardo Paolozzi, as well as Charles Jencks’ breathtaking landform. While you’re in the area have a proper wander around Dean Village, a former grain milling village on the Water of Leith. While in town, cinephiles will want to take in a movie at the Filmhouse (88 Lothian Rd), the main hub for the annual Edinburgh Indie shops International Film Festival (12-20 Aug), while across the road you’ll find the ith an excellent section devoted grand Usher Hall which has hosted to Scottish artists and passion- everyone from the Royal Scottish ate knowledgeable staff, make sure National Orchestra to The Flaming you leave town with a musical souvenir Lips and Lorde over the years. Flanked from Assai Records (1 Grindlay St). by a theatre on either Book lovers should visit Edinburgh side – Traverse Books (145 West Port) with its shelves Theatre (10 stacked high with rare and secCambridge St) and ond-hand books, and photography The Lyceum (30b fans should stop in at Agitate (20 Grindlay St) – it’s a Haymarket Ter); for cute gifts and great part of town to artisanal crafts head to Pippin (30 soak up some culture.

Edinburgh City Guide 35

Tollcross, Bruntsfield & Marchmont

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Tollcross, Bruntsfield and Marchmont are three interlocking Edinburgh neighbourhoods with an intensely local feel and plenty to discover

ollcross’ vibrant intersection is filled with independent cafes and excellent charity shops, but climb a few minutes up the hill to

Bruntsfield and the tenements immediately get fancier, the brunch spots more refined. Marchmont, meanwhile, is the perfect marriage between the

two: a deceptively quiet area filled with young students and unexpectedly quirky boutiques.

Edinburgh City Guide

Tollcross, Bruntsfield & Marchmont

Food and drink

beware, all who enter), but there are a few chill drinking holes. Cloisters Bar rougham Street is the food hub of (26 Brougham St) is just like your Tollcross: you can pick up literal regular pub, except it’s located in the mounds of noodles from Thailander cobbled former cloister of the church (no. 25) for less than a tenner, or for a next door, while The Ventoux (2 tiny bit more at Ong Gie (no. 22a), or Brougham St) is the perfect place to get stuck into some of the realest duck into after a meal at one of Greek food in Edinburgh at charming Brougham Street’s many eateries. taverna Taxidi (no. 6). Located almost opposite each other, For Asian food made practically in Bennets Bar (8 Leven St) has a dark front of you, head to Dumplings of wood, dark academia vibe, while The China (60 Home St), Korean BBQ (3 Blackbird (37 Leven St) offers a Tarvit St), sushi at Yamato (11 Lochrin creative cocktail menu inspired by the Ter), or relative newcomer Cafe odd book or two. Pomelo (21c Strathearn Rd), whose And for the daytime hours, you’re hand-pulled noodle are the stuff of spoilt for choice for cafes: the tiny legend (their dinner hours are short so KONJ Cafe (67 Home St) serves utterly make sure to book). Walk up to authentic, home-cooked Persian food Bruntsfield for a fancier vibe: there’s including aromatic Persian tea and fine dining and wine at Decanter (183 handmade treats; Don’t Tell Mama (64 Bruntsfield Pl), well-crafted Japanese Home St) has a great coffee selection cuisine at the laidback Harajuku and a long bar perfect for checking Kitchen (10 Gillespie Pl), and very emails or staring out at Tollcross, and reasonably priced vegetarian fine Seven Neighbourhood Cafe (7 Home dining at Edinburgh staple St) does quite possibly the best all-day Hendersons (7-13 Barclay Pl). And for breakfast going, catering for vegans an inescapably neighbourhood vibe, and carnivores alike. And finally, for Three Birds (3 Viewforth) is tucked at the coffee snobs (sorry, connoisseurs), the bottom of a tenement building and there’s nowhere better in the city than offers a rotating seasonal menu of Detour Espresso (39 Argyle Pl) with creative Scottish dishes. their cinammon buns or Machina Tollcross isn’t exactly nightlife Espresso (32-38 Marchmont Road) or central (except for ATIK which... Artisan Roast (138 Bruntsfield Pl), both of whom roast and blend their own coffee.

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Image: courtesy Don't tell Mama

Don't Tell Mama

Indie shops

ollcross/Bruntsfield/Marchmont is one of the best areas in Edinburgh for off-beat boutiques and local, independent designers. Lupe Pintos (24 Leven St) keeps the local area well-stocked with hard to find Mexican and North and Central American ingredients, from incredibly specific hot sauces to a large bin filled with corn tortillas and tacos. There’s more foodie treats up the road in Morningside at I.J. Mellis (330 Morningside Rd), just one of several of

Things to do

his really is a local’s area and, as such, there aren’t many tourist attractions. However, there are unmissable local activities to feel part of the in-crowd. Blackford Hill and the surrounding Hermitage of Braid nature reserve offer some of the best views of Edinburgh (including of Arthur’s Seat). For damper days, try the Cameo (38 Home St) and Dominion (18 Newbattle Ter) cinemas: both are housed atmospherically in renovated theatres but the Dominion has the extra advantage of being independent and featuring squishy sofas instead of the usual seats. And finally, for something extra weird, check out Wild West (off Springvalley Gdns), a 1990s advertising gimmick which has left an entire side street in affluent Morningside looking like a Sergio Leone set.

Edinburgh City Guide

the local cheesemonger’s branches dotted around Edinburgh, plus thoughtful gift ideas at chocolatier Edwin and Irwyn (416 Morningside Rd) and wine specialists Drinkmonger (11 Bruntsfield Pl). For the artistically inclined, Edinburgh Art Shop (129 Lauriston Pl) has everything you could possibly need for capturing the beauty of the cityscape around you, from charcoal sticks and luxurious sketchbooks for a quick doodle, to clay and screenprinting materials if you’re feeling extra inspired. More on the experience side of things is Doodles (27 Marchmont Cres), a paint-your-own ceramics workshop with a delightful primary school studio vibe: you do the painting, they’ll do the firing and finishing. Prefer looking at art to making it? The wonderfully named Flamingosaurus Rex (22 Bruntsfield Pl) up towards Bruntsfield is an eclectic gallery filled with prints and unique tchotchkes made by local artists, while Curiouser & Curiouser (106 Bruntsfield Pl) has an

Tollcross, Bruntsfield & Marchmont

Photo: Neil H Cameo

ever-rotating collection of prints, cards, candles, and carefully curated coffee table books. Finally, if you’re on the hunt for something a little more practical, Snapdragon (146 Bruntsfield Pl) is a dinky plant shop filled with fresh and dried bouquets and hardy little potted plants perfect as gifts or for squirrelling away in your own home. Indie bookshop Edinburgh Books (219 Bruntsfield Pl) has a great selection that belies its size, including an array of children’s and picture books, while for the music fiends, Thorne Records (125 Bruntsfield Pl), Greenhouse Records (10 Barclay Ter) and Ilium (100 Marchmont Cres) are all great stopping points: the latter opened over the pandemic and stocks cool clothing, locally roasted coffee, and both classic and contemporary vinyl.

Gorgie, Dalry & Fountainbridge Great food and drink, easy access to some of Edinburgh’s best outdoor spaces, and loads of animals – welcome to Gorgie, Dalry and Fountainbridge, areas to the west of the city centre that have plenty to offer

his part of town has seen big changes in the past ten or 15 years. Fountainbridge’s old industrial buildings have been replaced with new hotels and apparently endless student housing, while Dalry and Gorgie are

slowly feeling the pinch from leafy Bruntsfield and some big-money developments in the West End. Still, these are primarily working-class parts of town, serving diaspora communities from across Europe, Asia and Africa with

shops, cafes, barbers, bars and restaurants. There’s great food and drink to be found, plenty of access to green spaces of a variety of shapes and sizes, and a surprising amount of wildlife on hand.

Edinburgh City Guide

Gorgie, Dalry & Fountainbridge

Image: courtesy of Grow Urban Grow Urban

Food & drink

clothing, and a cafe that does a pretty mean flat white. alry Road is home to the best Elsewhere, there’s also a diverse pizza in the city. In fact, Pizzeria range of Asian cuisines to be found, 1926 (85 Dalry Rd) might be one of the from Japanese classics at Maki & best pizza places in the country. It’s Ramen (97 Fountainbridge) to northern the full Napoletana experience; simple Chinese specialities at Wing Sing Inn but brilliant, and highly recommended. (147 Dundee St), traditional Cantonese While you’re here, check out its sister dishes at B&D’s Kitchen (214 Dalry Rd) venues: Locanda de Gusti (102 Dalry to the anything-goes hot pot of Rd) brings the seafood side of Naples’ Xiangbala (63 Dalry Rd). For a drink, food culture, while Wine & Peach (91 you can’t go wrong at the Athletic Dalry Rd) offers Mediterranean small Arms (1 Angle Park Ter). It’s a classic plates and cocktails. Over the road, old-school pub with a regularly-rotatyou’ll find an outrageously good ing cask ale list, as well as an extenvalue lunch at Mia Italian Kitchen sive whisky selection. Gastropub fans (96 Dalry Rd). should head to The Caley Sample If all this Italian food chatter has Room (42 Angle Park Ter) and The inspired you to do some cooking, Fountain (131 Dundee St), or if you’re Fruttivendolo (110A Dalry Rd) is feeling fancy, visit Rooftop 51 (2 Freer stocked to the brim with mediterreane- Gait) on top of the new Moxy hotel in an groceries, fruits, vegetables and Fountainbridge or hop on a bus to treats. Speaking of food shopping, Corstorphine for exciting wines at Dalry is also home to Little Rascal (113D St John’s Rd). one of Scotland’s best Hula (94A Fountainbridge) serves low-waste supermarkets up great breakfast options and in the form of Locavore excellent coffee in a space best (118 Dalry Rd). It’s a huge described as ‘tropical neon explosion shop with a vast range of chic’. Grow Urban (92 Grove St) is a organic produce, fresh fantastic independent plant shop that food, ingredients, doubles as a takeaway coffee spot household stuff, – come for a flat white, leave with a

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Edinburgh City Guide

Gorgie, Dalry & Fountainbridge

Photo:Tallah Brash Love Gorgie Farm

ficus. The Beer Cave (43 Dalry Rd) is a well-stocked indie bottle shop with a broad range from local breweries and those from further afield.

gallery spaces, a cafe, and a pretty nifty gift shop. Keep heading west and you’ll hit the newly-rebranded O2 Academy Edinburgh (11 New Market Rd), semi-regular host of live gigs and some of the larger stand-up comedy Go outdoors shows at the Edinburgh Fringe. You’re on the right side of town ur Gorgie/Dalry/Fountainbridge zone is encircled by green spaces, for Edinburgh Zoo (134 Corstorphine Rd), with its exotic fauna, delightful nice walks and outdoor spots. The landscaping and penguins who literally Union Canal starts at Fountainbridge strut around like they own the place. and goes west through some leafy, But for somewhere with a more bucolic scenery. Continue far enough laidback feel, we recommend Love and you can join the breathtaking Gorgie Farm (51 Gorgie Rd). Water of Leith path south to Colinton and Balerno, or north through the Dean Run by a mix of staff and volunVillage, Stockbridge and on to Leith. teers, there’s a real community In terms of parks, you’re spoiled atmosphere to Love Gorgie Farm, which for choice. Harrison Park is a wellhas been around in one form or another kept neighbourhood park that stays for decades and is home to a surprising sunny past 10pm in the summer range of animals in its warren-like nights; Saughton Park has a beautiful- layout. Feed the goats, watch the ly restored rose garden, a vast alpacas ambling about, get a close-up playpark and a much-loved skate park; peek at some prehistoric-looking while Colinton Dell is a bumpy, lumpy turkeys; it’s a menagerie that Dr forest with Scotland’s largest mural in Doolittle would be proud of. Open daily, its historic railway tunnel. free entry, donations are welcome. The Farm is, of course, open-air; if the Things to do weather won’t play ball, get into some animatronic wildlife dinburgh Printmakers (1 Dundee at the dinoSt) moved to this neck of the woods saur-themed in 2019, breathing new life into a indoor mini-golf former rubber works. Away from the of Volcano Falls print studios of the title, you’ll find two (Fountainbridge).

Edinburgh City Guide

Stockbridge & Canonmills

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If you head north downhill through the New Town, you will eventually come to Stockbridge and Canonmills. These historic residential areas have a bit of a village vibe and are home to a startling number of charity shops, independent bars and eateries, plus a wide range of increasingly niche bookshops

Go outdoors

Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

Edinburgh City Guide

tockbridge is home to a few top-class traditional pubs. On St Stephen St, The Antiquary (72 St Stephen St), locally referred to as the Tic, is a basement pub of the real ale, Sunday roasts and board games variety. At the end of the street, The Bailie (2 St Stephen St) is an unreconstructed boozer which serves hearty pub food. At the other end, St Vincent (11 St Vincent St) offers a dark and cosy Scottish pub with an extensive menu of burgers, wings and delicious drinks. If it’s wine bars you’re after, you will find a few gems here. Good Brothers Wine Bar (4 Dean St) have a

Photo: Micheile

Stockbridge & Canonmills

carefully curated list, served with a small plates menu unning between the centring local produce. For two areas is the Water cheese, fine wines and of Leith, the scenic antipasti, head to Smith & waterway that flows from Gertrude (26 Hamilton Pl) or its source in the Pentland cosy Bacco (136 Dundas St). Hills to the Port of Leith via the Hector’s (47-49 Deanhaugh St) eponymous bridge. From Stockbridge, offer a contemporary pub environment follow it past neoclassical folly St with a menu of well-made classics. Bernard’s Well, through Dean Village Over the road, The Stockbridge Tap and to the Scottish National Gallery (2-6 Raeburn Pl) similarly offers a of Modern Art. From Canonmills, it will refurbed traditional pub with an take you to Leith, past allotments and extensive selection of… taps. Back on through parks, as part of the north St Stephen St, The Last Word Saloon Edinburgh cycle network following the (44 St Stephen Street) serves a old train lines. sophisticated take on classic cocktails In Stockbridge, the vast Inverleith in a dark and cosy basement. Park has a pond (including a family of Over in Canonmills, One swans), playpark, tennis courts, rugby Canonmills is a light and airy corner pitch, allotments and bowling club. In bar with a focus on craft beer served Canonmills, find George V Park, a alongside a street food-inspired menu. self-contained dell, with playparks and Clark’s Bar (142 Dundas St) has a sports equipment. traditional interior with craft beer on The Royal Botanic Garden tap and a small plates menu. Edinburgh (Arboretum Pl) is a place for If you’re looking for coffee, you’ve scientific study and conservation, but come to the right place. Body swerve the also a free-to-enter garden. There are Caffè Nero and Costa and head straight exhibition spaces, a cafe and a for Fortitude (66 Hamilton Pl), Cowan & restaurant; the Botanics are also home Sons (33 Raeburn Pl) or Artisan Roast to some very engaging squirrels, and (100a Raeburn Pl). In Canonmills, The assorted waterfowl. Bearded Baker (46 Rodney St) and Hata (5 Rodney St) will both sort you out with Drinks coffee and baked goods.

Stockbridge & Canonmills

Food

restaurants: local institution Bell’s irst off, Stockbridge bloody loves a Diner (no. 7) cake shop. The selection at The serves burgers Pastry Section (86 Raeburn Pl) is that some claim to incredible, from delicate lemon be the city’s finest, Kim’s Bulgogi (no. meringue pies to Persian love cakes, or 11) offer quick Korean classics and check out La Barantine (27b Raeburn Rokko Rokko Desu (no. 112) is your Pl) for French patisserie and local go-to for ramen. Söderberg (3 Deanhaugh St) for Novapizza (42 Howe St) in Scandinavian-style pastry. NewlyCanonmills serve up delicious vegan licensed Grams (68 Hamilton Pl) focus pizza, or if it’s meat you’re after The on vegan, gluten-free or high-protein Smiddy BBQ (22 Dunedin St) will bakes, and for a savoury snack check provide you with an array of Texas-style out family-run Italian joint Cafe Gallo barbecue, slow-cooked meats and sides. (96 Raeburn Pl). For sit-in, The Pantry (1 NW Indie shops Circus Pl) has excellent brunch and lunch options, while Nok’s Kitchen (8 or all the delicious cheese you Gloucester St) serves up some of the could desire, check out I.J. Mellis city’s best Thai food and Kenji Sushi (6 Bakers Pl) or George Mewes (3 Dean (24 Deanhaugh St) provides fast, Park St). For drinks, visit Vino (26 NW reasonably priced Japanese food. Earls Circus Pl) or newly opened Winekraft Burger Co. (74 Raeburn Pl) comes (6 Brandon Ter) in Canonmills. The highly recommended for juicy burgers Beerhive (24 Rodney St) is a muchand crispy waffle fries. Keep going loved beer and wine shop stocked with along Raeburn Place and you will find interesting local and international cans. the Neighbourgood Market, serving up An Independent Zebra (88 a variety of Scotland’s finest street Raeburn Pl) sells work by local small food on a rugby pitch until 17 July. design businesses, and Caoba (56 St Stephen Street is home to a Raeburn Pl) is jam-packed with series of small but perfectly-formed brightly coloured Mexican homewares. On St Stephen Street, Golden Hare (no. 68) is a cosy bookshop with a perfectly selected range, while Ginger and Pickles (no. 51) focus on beautiful children’s books, and VoxBox Music (no. 21) sell a carefully curated selection of new and used vinyl. In Canonmills, Duncan & Reid Antiques (5 Tanfield) are a treasure trove of curios. The charity shops have a lot of good stuff, the local residents being relatively affluent. The specialist Oxfam Music and Books shops are particular stand-outs, as are the Bethany and Shelter stores. Stockbridge Market (Saunders St) runs every Sunday, featuring a wide range of artisanal I.J. Mellis foodstuffs and wares.

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Image: courtesy I.J. Mellis

Abbeyhill Big hills, great sandwiches, exciting galleries and historic pubs all await in Abbeyhill

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aking its name from the nearby ruins of Holyrood Abbey, Abbeyhill is one of the oldest parts of the capital. A mostly residential area made up of classic Edinburgh tenement flats, you’ll find the

super quaint Abbeyhill colonies here. The colonies are perhaps now best known for the annual Colony of Artists festival (17-18 Sep) where locals turn their homes into mini exhibition spaces, opening them up to the general public.

Casting the net a little wider, our Abbeyhill section borders the New Town – where you’ll find the start of the city’s main LGBTQI+ thoroughfare – and the boundary of Leith, halfway down Leith Walk.

Go outdoors

Abbeyhill

Hill is also home to two seasonal fire festivals – Beltane and Samhuinn. t’s not often you find an easily If you just want a quiet park climbable extinct volcano (!) in the where you can sit on a bench, read a middle of a city (!!!), but, well, welcome book, eat a sandwich and enjoy a cold to Edinburgh and its iconic Arthur’s can, Regent Road Park is the best in Seat. Set in the grounds of Holyrood the area, complete with a knockout Park, put aside most of a day to view of the Salisbury Crags. properly explore the city’s biggest green space and its highest peak. As Food well as the lion-like Seat, the park also boasts the ruins of a 15th century s well as sharing its name with chapel, three lochs and the impressive the home of Hibernian football Salisbury Crags, accessed via the club (aka Hibs or The Hibees), Easter Radical Road. Plan your day wisely and Road is a great place to head for a you’ll have time for a pub lunch, a pint coffee or quick bite. The fresh focaccia and a game of skittles at The Sheep sandwiches stuffed with melt-in-theHeid Inn (43 The Causeway). mouth mortadella, peppery salami or Excellent views can also be taken artichoke pesto from Polentoni (no. in from atop Calton Hill, one of the 38) are worth walking across town for. easier hills in the city to climb with A few doors down you’ll find both step and path access available. Australian-inspired coffee locale Little Modelled on the Parthenon in Athens, Fitzroy (no. 46); with their expertonce you hit the summit be sure to ly-made coffees, sandwiches, and laugh hard at the National Monument well-stocked cake counter, there’s of Scotland, aka ‘Edinburgh’s plenty of vegan options too. Go the Disgrace’. It will forever remain other way and you’ll find the ‘bakery unfinished due to money running out and provisions’ outpost of Twelve during its construction almost 200 Triangles (no. 22) where you can pick years ago. In the former City up some local produce alongside your Observatory you’ll find the gorlong black and pastry. geous Collective, a key Edinburgh Art You’ll also find Coffee Tepuy, Festival venue since they moved into Scotland’s first Colombian speciality the building several years back. Calton coffee shop and producer in the area

Photo: Sandy Ravaloniaina Edinburgh City Guide

Salisbury Crags

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Abbeyhill

Photo: Siobhan Nevada SPRY Wines

(2 Crichton Pl), while more sweet treats, like rich ricotta-filled cannoli, can be found next door at the family-run Sicilian Pastry Shop (14 Albert St). If you’re after something more substantial, you’ll find delicious tacos at Bodega (14 Albert Pl), and the best poutine in the city at Canadian-style diner Down the Hatch (13 Antigua St). For a dining experience with a difference, try the seasonal set plates at The Gardener’s Cottage (1 London Rd), while back on the Walk, you’ll find the recently opened eleanore (30 Albert Pl), an exciting spot for foodies run by two chefs who made their mark running TLC on the Prom in Portobello during the height of the pandemic.

offering a vast selection of German beers. At the top of the Walk you’ll find the start of an area lovingly referred to as the ‘Pink Triangle’, devoted to LGBTQI+ bars, clubs and restaurants – head to CC Blooms (23 Greenside Pl) for their drag nights.

Indie shops

e sure to plan ahead for after the bars close and pop into the well-stocked Cornelius (18 Easter Rd) for some local beers or SPRY Wines (1 Haddington Pl) for some natural wines to sit in or take away. Valvona & Crolla (19 Elm Row) is also a must. Founded in 1934, this cured meat, cheese and wine haven is Scotland’s oldest delicatessen Drinks and Italian wine merchant. For books, head for Topping & f you fancy a proper pint as well as Company (2 Blenheim Pl) or the some great food, the beer garden and quaint Typewronger Books (4a taproom at The Bellfield Brewery (46 Haddington Pl) where indie books and Stanley Pl) is a no-brainer. The typewriter maintenance are the name of neighbouring Safari Lounge (21 Cadzow the game. And if you’re a vinyl enthusiPl), with its kitsch animal print decor, ast, second-hand record shop Vinyl pull a great pint too; their tacos, French Villains (5 Elm Row) will likely help plug fries with jungle sauce and mussel some gaps in your record collection. popcorn are all *chef kiss*. Swedish bar Joseph Pearce and the ‘proper pub’ vibe of The Windsor (23, 45 Elm Row) are popular with the locals too, as is The Tourmalet (25 Buchanan St), a loosely Tour de France-themed bar

Edinburgh City Guide 53

Leith

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Leith is distinct from Edinburgh, made up of minidistricts each with their own character. Multicultural Leith Walk and Great Junction Street lead to the old port, home to the Ocean Terminal shopping complex and The Royal Yacht Britannia. Sandwiched between is The Shore, where you’ll find fine pubs and restaurants overlooking the Water of Leith. From there, it’s a short walk to seafront Newhaven

Go outdoors eith Links and Pilrig Park provide leafy escapes from the busy thoroughfares, while South Leith Parish Kirk has a gorgeous 18th-century kirkyard teeming with a prodigious family of squirrels. If aquatic views are more your thing, Wardie Bay is home to a lovely little beach popular with wild swimmers, and the path along the Water of Leith allows for a serene perambulation through the northwest of the city. And if you’re feeling adventurous, jump on a bike and make your way to the lovely village of Cramond.

One of the most exciting new restaurants in this neck of the woods is Sabzi (162 Ferry Rd), which serves up a vibrant and weekly-changing menu of Punjabi dishes that often take on a Scottish twist. Another of our favourite Indian restaurants down this way is the grill-specialist Desi Pakwan (61 Leith Walk). Here you’ll find flavourful on-the-bone curries and tender tandoori served in a welcoming atmosphere which is especially mouthwatering thanks to the aromas Food coming from the open kitchen. You’ll find a similarly low-key vibe at STACK Leith boasts loads of great eateries (42 Dalmeny St), a tiny spot serving up where you can leave with change from wildly tasty dim sum. a tenner and still be satisfied. Razzo Leith is not without fine dining (59 Great Jct St) should be your go-to joints though. Situated by The Shore, for astonishing Napoletana-style pizza, Heron (87-91A Henderson St) delivers although you’ll also find delicious, on-trend, relaxed dining using local authentic pies at Origano and La ingredients, while around the corner Favorita (236 and 325 Leith Walk). on Great Junction Street there’s Sticking with Italian, Cafe Domenico’s Aurora (no. 187), a tiny spot with an (30 Sandport St) is a lovely, old-school ambitious menu. The pick of the macaroni and gravy joint with cheqbunch, though, is Roberta Hall’s uered tablecloths, an intimate atmosaward-winning cuisine at The Little phere and a reassuringly small menu. Chartroom (14 Bonnington Rd) It also serves massive sandwiches, – getting in there is the hard part, though, given its massive waiting list. Photo: Tallah Brash

On-the-go eats Bundits (48 Constitution St) is a former pop-up turned permanent Leith fixture serving smooth, fluffy bao buns with incredible Asian-inspired fillings – the Korean fried chicken is knockout. Street food of a Venezuelan flavour is served up at Orinoco (281 Leith Walk), where the comforting arepas are huge and packed with flavour. Right next door you have an absolute Leith institution: Storries (279 Leith Walk), a no-nonsense bakery whose delicious (and ridiculously inexpensive) Scotch pies have kept Leithers wellfed for decades.

Edinburgh City Guide

Bundits

Leith

but even they don’t rival the hefty pieces from the heaven-sent Alby’s (8 Portland Ter).

Leith THE SKINNY 56

Leith has an abundance of great bakeries, in fact, and coincidentally many begin with the letter K. For delicious pastries and cakes, there’s Krema Bakehouse (21 Leith Walk). Turkish bakery Kukina (356 Leith Walk) specialise in mouthwatering savoury pastries and bread dishes like gözleme, börek and lahmacun, while Kvasa are sourdough experts serving beautiful bread and sweet treats – their sourdough focaccia is a stunner. Add to these Ks hidden gem Bakery Andante (8 N Leith Sands), the exceptional Mario Patisserie (27 Henderson Gdns), Crazy Croissant (5 Bernard St) who sell… well, you can guess, and Mimi’s (63 Shore), famed for their knockout scones and huge selection of traybakes. The Fishmarket (23A Pier Pl), the legendary chippy in Newhaven so good the council are building a tram

network to its door, is another Edinburgh institution. And if you want to polish off any of the above with some gelato, head to Crolla’s (1 The Shore), a late-night gelateria serving traditional (and some not so traditional) Italian ice creams and desserts.

Drinks

ou’ll probably be looking to wash all that delicious food down with a few pints, and that’s where Leith really comes into its own. Whether it’s an old-school boozer, elegant wine bar or snazzy cocktail joint you seek, this part of town has you covered. The Port O’ Leith (58 Constitution St) is a local landmark and always lively, as is The Mousetrap (180 Leith Walk), which in normal times is one of the last pubs in the area to call last orders. The vibe is more relaxed at The Lioness of Leith (21 Duke St) and Leith Depot (138 Leith Walk). The latter is much-loved, not least for being the last hold-out on a block of real estate whose avaristic owners would like to tear it down to

further off the beaten track you’ll find The Bullfinch (2-4 Bath Rd), which boasts surprisingly fancy food and a fantastic beer garden. Of course, it may be an espresso hit you’re after. Leith is littered with great cafes to while the afternoon away with a book or to caffeinate ahead of a busy day. First point of call should be The Hideout (40 Queen Charlotte St) – inside you’ll find a cosy room dressed in vintage furniture with tasty coffee, scrumptious cakes and a first-class breakfast game. More utilitarian in style is Williams and Johnson (Custom Lane, 1 Customs Wharf), all sleek concrete and streamlined furnishing. There’s nothing simple about its coffee, though, which is rich and delicious – the space also houses a small gallery at the back. On Leith Walk you’ll find Artisan Roast (no. 72-74) and the similarly named Artisan Coffee (no. 274). If you fancy doing some plant shopping with your espresso, check out the leaf-filled Seb’s Urban Jungle (no. 187-189), sister

Leith

Photo: Bayo Adegunloye

Photo: Bayo Adegunloye Smoke & Mirrors

Edinburgh City Guide

build money-making student accommodation. Teuchters Landing (1c Dock Pl), as well as having a great name, is a warren-like drinking den that’s wonderfully cosy in the winter while its terrace overlooking the docks is much-coveted on finer days. The neighbouring Lost in Leith, which is both a bar and a fermentaria, has a full array of weird and wonderful beers. Straddling Leith and Newhaven is Dreadnought (72 N Fort St), another no-nonsense boozer with a great beer selection and plenty of space for drinking outside. There’s atmosphere aplenty too at the small but perfectly formed Carriers Quarters (42 Bernard The Shore St) and similarly old-school pub The Persevere (aka The Percy) (398 Easter Rd). Further up Easter Road you’ll find the Old Eastway Tap (no. 218), which specialises in craft beer, cider and real ale. Past the inviting white and millennial pink exterior of Abode (229 Leith Walk) you’ll find a chic bar with a sharply curated wine, beer and spirit menu and life-giving cheese boards. We’re also keen on the dreamy Smoke & Mirrors (159 Constitution St). Through its fairy-light arch entrance, there’s an intimate bar bursting with character and great cocktails. Speaking of cocktails, you’d be hardpressed to find a more exciting selection than the menu at Nauticus (142 Duke St), where every concoction has a link to Leith’s rich history as a trading hub. The relatively new Bittersweet (24 Henderson St) offers a little slice of Italian aperitivo culture. And a bit

Leith

to Seb’s original Urban Jungle store on Easter Road (no. 101). There’s also the brilliant Milk (Hawthornvale). Adjoined to Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop and situated at the foot of Edinburgh’s Old Railway Path Network that runs from Newhaven to Balerno, it’s the perfect first stop for a day of gallery hopping or cycling.

Indie shops and markets

eets (49 Bernard St) is the neighbourhood’s essential stop off for wines, spirits and an impressive craft beer selection. Crate diggers, meanwhile, should find their pick in Elvis Shakespeare (347 Leith Walk) and Good Vibes Records and Books (Constitution St). The great community bookshop Argonaut (15-17 Leith Walk) has arrived on the scene with a wonderfully curated selection of fiction, non-fiction, travel writing and graphic novels. And among the high street chains of Ocean Terminal you’ll

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Image: courtesy The Pitt

find an indie spirit alive in the form of The Leith Collective, a retail space home to dozens of local artists all working together to promote their work and support the local community. Two of Edinburgh’s best indie shops are found in this part of town too, namely Logan Malloch (13 Leith Walk) and Handsel (336 Leith Walk), both of which feature a nifty selection of prints, ceramics, cards, gifts and stationery. Pascal & Co (20 Albert Pl), meanwhile, is a lovely little vintage shop with a handpicked selection of clothes, furniture and homewares. We’re also big fans of two new Leith galleries: Mote 102 (102 Ferry Rd) is a non-profit changing space offering support and a showcase to local artists and makers, while Sierra Metro (13-15 Ferry Rd) is a coffee house and gallery space where people can gather, work and connect with exhibitions and drink some fine java. Leith is also home to some of Edinburgh’s best food markets. The recently-opened Leith Arches (6 Manderston St) is already a firm favourite thanks to its mix of tasty street food and craft beer. Still king of Leith’s street food scene, however, is The Pitt (125 Pitt St), thanks to its rotating network of Scotland’s best indie food vendors and the industrial chic of its back alley location. Newer to the game is The Biscuit Factory (4 Anderson Pl), which recently opened its permanent Lane Bar. And every Saturday, get yourself down to Leith Market (Dock Pl) for some sizzling street food and scotch eggs The Pitt the size of your head.

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Portobello Oh we do like to be beside the seaside, and Portobello has all the elements you’d want from a trip to the beach. Long sandy stretches, some fantastic things to eat and drink, and great indie shops to visit while you wait for the sun to return

hree miles east of the city centre, Portobello is ideal if you want a break from the wet medieval stone of the Old Town. The focal point is, in case you haven’t guessed yet, the beach – a two-mile stretch

that’s not always great for swimming, but perfect for lounging about with a book and a coffee. The beachfront promenade is a lively mix of food, drinks, amusement arcades,

families, dogs and cyclists everywhere (so keep your head on a swivel). There’s also a healthy high street dotted with indie shops and eateries, and some very good pubs for when the rain inevitably comes on.

Edinburgh City Guide

Portobello

Photo: Callum Deas Portobello

Food and drink

– you could have crab in your macaroni cheese, you could get some shrimp own on the beach you’ll find a covered in buffalo hot sauce, or you pastel pink outpost of Civerinos could pick up a sandwich and try not Slice (47-49 Figgate Ln), serving up to cover yourself in a mist of batter slices so big that the wind might flecks and pieces of fish. Whatever you genuinely take them out of your hands. choose, a good time awaits. Weekends bring the Little Green Next door is a permanent home for Van to the beach, serving up takeaway Scottish street food legends Shrimpwreck (47-49 Figgate Ln). Their espresso by Edinburgh roasteries, and The Espy (62 Bath St) is a great menu is packed with different beachfront bar for a pint and a gaze out beach-friendly ways to eat seafood

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Edinburgh City Guide

Portobello

Photo: Marc Miller Bross Bagels

to the water. Over on the High Street, the Portobello Tap (no. 87) serve up great beers from a range of Scottish breweries, while the Forresters Guild (no. 40) has a beer garden packed with multicoloured beach huts for those days when you don’t want to put too much hope in the weather. For a beach-appropriate meal, head for the tapas at Malvarosa (no. 262), while recent newcomer Tanifiki (no. 44) is the place to relax with a coffee. There are branches of the oft-mentioned Twelve Triangles (no. 300) and Bross Bagels (no. 177) if you’re in the mood for pastry / holed bread, and, because it’s the seaside, we need to shout out one of the city’s best chip shops. St Andrews Takeaway (no. 280), we salute you.

The fresh homemade pasta from Aemilia (186 High St) was a big hit of the 2020 lockdown; they regularly sell out early at their new permanent home at the other end of the High Street, so get down early if you’re keen for some ravioli. Looking for a memento of your trip that you can drink on the train home? Beer Zoo (219 High St) is one of the city’s very best bottle shops, with Things to Do incredibly knowledgeable staff and a wide selection that includes beers and f after reading that first paragraph spirits from a host of local breweries you’ve realised you don’t have any and distilleries. beach-friendly reading material with you, And if you want a bit of a break don’t panic! The Portobello Bookshop from the sand and the waves, look out (46 High St) is here to help! The for the latest from Art Walk Porty, which independent bookshop, which opened in has in recent years grown from an 2019, has a bit of everything, from local annual celebration of the area’s artists indie magazines to genre-busting fiction, into a multifaceted programme of events and regularly hosts readings and events and residencies. This year that includes in-person and online. five residencies by local artists working

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Portobello

Photo: Jack White North Berwick

on site-specific responses to the coastline; there will be further events and exhibitions to check out at the 2022 festival, which runs 1-11 September. The Porty Light Box is a decommissioned phone box on the corner of Bellfield Street and the High Street that’s been taken on as a gallery space for the local community; it’s well worth swinging by and seeing what’s in the windows.

End, the 42 from the New Town or the 49 from the Southside. £1.80 each way, you can pay using contactless. If you fancy a swim, a surf, or just a change of pace, the beaches of East Lothian are closer than you might think. In fact, the 124 EastCoastBus from the city centre passes through Porty on its way to Gullane and North Berwick. The former is home to a beautiful, sprawling sandy beach with some of the best Getting There, water quality around; the latter is a and Going Further Afield charming seaside town with the sea to paddle in, shops to peruse, and a large ne of the best ways to get to hill (Berwick Law) to climb should the Portobello from the city is by mood take you. It’s around 75 minutes bike. Edinburgh’s city bike scheme from central Edinburgh to Gullane, then shut down last year for, let’s just say, another quarter-hour to North Berwick; ‘various reasons’, but there are still you can also get to North Berwick in 35 options available if you want to make a minutes via hourly Scotrail trains from day of it. Cycle Scotland (29 Waverley (industrial action permitting). Blackfriars St), Leith Cycle Co. (276 The best waves around Leith Walk) and Biketrax (2 can be found at Fountainbridge Sq) all offer bike hire Dunbar, a hub of – expect to pay between £20-£35 for a activity for surfers, full day’s rental, but you will get a bike paddleboarders and that a) fits your frame and has more other wetsuited than three gears and b) hasn’t recently enthusiasts. It’s been dredged from a canal. around half an hour on Alternatively, use Lothian Buses the train with either to get to Porty – the 21 goes from Leith, Scotrail or the 26 from Princes Street or the West CrossCountry.

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Once you’ve explored the centre, venture outside Edinburgh’s limits to find the beaches, mountains and cities of Scotland within easy reach

Daytripping

Daytrips!

Edinburgh City Guide

Photo: Sean Paul

Words: Laurie Presswood

Pentland Hills

Daytripping THE SKINNY

rom its location in the heart of the lowlands, Edinburgh is perfectly placed as a starting point for day trips across Scotland. For those seeking shorter journey times, the Lothians are the natural place to start. Musselburgh sits just to the east of the city, and is reachable on foot in 40 minutes from nearby Portobello, by bus from Princes Street Stop PD, or in ten minutes on the train from Edinburgh Waverley. From there you can enjoy walks on the beach, ice creams in hand. To the west of Edinburgh City Council’s domain, you can find Cramond and South Queensferry. Cramond (visited by Maggie Smith for clandestine rendezvous in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie) is the gateway to tidal Cramond Island, accessed by causeway. Text CRAMOND to 81400 for daily details of safe crossing times from the RNLI. Catch the number 29 bus from the centre to be at the beach in half an hour, or get the 41 to approach through the village itself. Meanwhile, hop aboard the number 43 to journey to South Queensferry, which houses the southern half of three enormous bridges. Stand underneath the Forth Rail Bridge feeling small, and quake in your little boots every time a train rumbles along overhead, or ascend to bridge level yourself and take a walk across the Forth Road Bridge. On 12 August, the town hosts The Burryman, an ancient annual ritual where a local man is dressed in a costume made entirely of burrs, and tours the streets being fed booze by bystanders. South Queensferry is also accessible via a 17-minute train to nearby Dalmeny, plus five minutes of walking – an adult’s off-peak day return will set you back £5.10. South of the city, the Pentland Hills play host to a 100km network of marked paths for those who have brought their hillwalking boots. With such a variety of routes to choose from, there’s a walk for everyone,

St. Andrew Beach

Photo: Amelia Claudia Courtesy of Jupiter Artlands

upside-mimi, Rachel Maclean 2021

Daytripping

Photo: Emily Crawford

Photo: Nancy Hann

Edinburgh City Guide

Glasgow, and one takes twice as long. These slower trains are usually headed for Glasgow Central – if speed is what you’re after, look for Queen Street. Either way, always check the arrival time of your train and compare with the two coming after it – you might find that a later train will get you in sooner. Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum boasts a selection of art and natural history exhibits, while the Riverside Museum, designed by Zaha Hadid, pays tribute to Glasgow’s Roslin Chapel shipbuilding past and is home to the transport museum. On the opposite regardless of your fitness level. For a bank of the Clyde, Glasgow Science gentler walk, get the 37 bus direct from Centre offers fun educational activities Princes Street to Roslin Glen Country alongside a planetarium and IMAX Park – a large expanse of ancient cinema. For more of an in-depth guide woodland that is just over an hour to Scotland’s biggest city, pick up a away from the city centre (it’s also copy of The Skinny Guide to Glasgow. home to Rosslyn Chapel, made If you want to learn more about famous by The Da Vinci Code). Scotland’s history, and are keen to Alternatively, on the other side of the explore beyond the city boundaries, Pentlands you can find Jupiter David Livingstone Birthplace in Artland, contemporary sculpture Blantyre attempts a balanced examigarden-cum-Instagram sensation nation of the life of the Scottish which also serves as home to August’s explorer. Its exhibits present Jupiter Rising festival. Catch the X27 Livingstone against the backdrop of bus from Princes Street and you’ll be Victorian-era Scotland, and uses him there in 45 minutes. as a vehicle through which to educate In the centre of Scotland lies about Scotland’s industrial past as Stirling, the old capital. Stirling is just a well as its role in colonialism. Moving 40-minute train journey from further south still, New Lanark, one of Edinburgh, and is built around what we Scotland’s six UNESCO World Heritage will, perhaps controversially, name Sites, is an 18th century mill-village of ‘Scotland’s Best Castle’. Take the tour, striking proportions. It’s accessible via and be invited to sit on a reconstruction local coach from Lanark bus station, or of the King’s throne, or stand on the direct from Glasgow’s Buchanan Street battlements and look out over miles of bus station – details for both services historic battlefields as the wind whips can be retrieved by calling Stuart’s through your hair and you imagine Coaches on 01555 773533. you’re in an episode of Outlander. Newcomers to Edinburgh might The bright lights of Glasgow are find themselves wondering what that also within striking distance of the expanse of land across the water is? capital – go museum-tripping or That’s the Kingdom of Fife. With huge shopping during the day, and drinking stretches of beautiful coastline, the and dancing later on. The journey is charming fishing villages of Fife’s East only 50 minutes by train, and off-peak Neuk are well worth a visit – but to do day return tickets are £14.20. Be the trip justice a car is advisable. careful if you’re in a rush, though Further North, you can visit historic St – there are two possible routes to Andrews via a train to Leuchars

Daytripping

Photo: Thomas Mills

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Dundee Waterfront

followed by a connecting bus – fear not, the journey might sound a tad complicated but it shouldn’t take you more than an hour-and-a-half. If you’re satisfied admiring Fife’s picturesque landscapes through the window of a motor vehicle, then a day trip to Dundee might be in order. Travel from St Andrew’s Square with Ember, the country’s first all-electric intercity bus, or get the train in a little over an hour, to approach the city over the river and take in the full splendour of this

jewel of the Tay as it was meant to be seen – from the water. The most striking feature of Dundee’s waterfront is undoubtedly the V&A – Scotland’s first design museum – and with the RRS Discovery and Jannettas Gelateria on either side, you could spend an entire day out in Dundee without having to travel more than 500 metres from the train station. Alternatively, for a proper expedition into the city, grab some fish and chips and head for the top of the Law (fish and chips optional).

Edinburgh City Guide

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Edinburgh Art Festival

City Arts This year’s Edinburgh Art Festival negotiates the course of the city’s Union Canal, marking the 200th anniversary of its opening. From the Lochrin Basin to Wester Hailes, exhibitions this year reflect on the canal’s cultural and social significance Words: Harvey Dimond

he Community Wellbeing Collective (C.W.C), a group of residents from Wester Hailes and surrounding areas, will present Watch this Space, initiated by the visual artist Jeanne van Heeswijk. Throughout the festival the space will host an array of events and gatherings led by C.W.C members, alongside weekend events by guest practitioners to expand upon themes of community wellbeing and social care. Activities will take place in Westside Plaza and online at watchthisspace.online (live from 28 July). Jeanne van Heeswijk will also present the Keynote Lecture on the opening weekend to kickstart this year’s festival on Friday 29 July.

if i cant have sunshine ill take-_, 2022 -3, Camara Taylor

Edinburgh City Guide

Finding Buoyancy is produced in collaboration with groups and individuals in Wester Hailes, alongside Glasgowbased artists Pester and Rossi. The commission consists of three elements – a set of publicly sited sails at Bridge 8 Hub and Paddle Café; a community raft called Float

Image: Courtesy of the artist and Edinburgh Art Festival

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Image: Courtesy Ishiuchi Miyako / The Third Gallery Aya

Mother’s #38, Ishiuchi Miyako

Co-commissioned by Edinburgh Art Festival and Edinburgh Printmakers, Montreal-based artist Nadia Myre will present Tell Me of Your Boats and Your Waters – Where Do They Come From, Where Do They Go? Working across print, performance and sound, Myre explores geographies spanning Scotland and Canada, referencing Indigenous storytelling and histories of migration. The exhibition will take place both along the Union Canal and at Edinburgh Printmakers.

commissions centred on the environment, translation and gentrification. Hannah Jones will present a multi-disciplinary exploration of language, rhythm and origin in response to cultural and social migration. Janice Parker works with choreography and dance as part of her socially engaged practice, while Amanda Thomson works with notions of home and movement in relation to landscape. Designer Maeve Redmond’s research-led practice unpacks how the context of a site informs our aesthetic sense of place.

Closing this year’s festival, the Endnote Lecture will be delivered by artist Hew Locke at St Cecilia’s Hall. He will be in conversation with Dr Maryam Ohadi-Hamadani from The Department of Art History at The University of Edinburgh on 26 August.

Edinburgh Art Festival, 28 Jul-28 Aug edinburghartfestival.com

Edinburgh City Guide

A multitude of exhibitions form the Festival’s partner program. Ashanti Harris presents an exciting new commission at Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop, titled Dancing A Peripheral Platform: 2022 presents the Quadrille. The commission work of four emerging takes the form of a series of Scotland-based artists sculptural and performance – Saoirse Amira Anis, Emelia works that entangle ideas Kerr Beale, Lynsey MacKenzie around grassroots cultural and Jonny Walker. The production with Harris’s exhibition reflects on the research and experience of bodily experience and West Indian Carnivals. mythologies of care and Meanwhile, at Edinburgh interdependence. Taking place Printmakers, Tessa Lynch at Edinburgh Art Festival’s considers feminist readings of home L’institut Français the city in ‘expanded print’, d’Ecosse, it promises to be an promoting alternative building expansive and multifaceted techniques inspired by play exhibition of some of the and the natural environment. nation’s most exciting artists. The show continues until 18 September. Glasgow-based artist Emmie McLuskey is this year’s At Sierra Metro In Leith, festival’s Associate Artist, and Margate-based artist Studio she will present four new Lenca presents a series of new

works confronting the complex cultural history of El Salvador. Representing Japan at the 2005 Venice Biennale, Ishiuchi Miyako will present her first solo show of photography in Scotland at Stills, which continues until 8 October. In Talbot Rice, you’ll find the first survey exhibition of Céline Condorelli, including a major new installation expanding upon her Zanzibar series (2018-ongoing), informed by the Brazilian modernist architect Lina Bo Bardi. Fruitmarket present Daniel Silver’s Looking, a major solo exhibition of large-scale ceramic works from this protegé of Phyllida Barlow. Collective have three new artist commissions considering the hidden histories and untold stories relating to their City Observatory site and wider cultural history. Explore work from Camara Taylor, Ruth Ewan and Annette Kraus in their Calton Hill space and online.

Edinburgh Art Festival

For The Future made collaboratively with artist Sarah Kenchington and a canalbased performance produced with local people in collaboration with Rhubaba Choir.

Fringe

Welcome to the Fringe! Arusa Qureshi, Editor of free-festivals-focussed magazine Fest, introduces this year’s Fringe programme

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With the very future of live performance being called into question, it makes sense, then, that when the Fringe was ready to return to its full glory, it would bring with it a programme to remember. Admittedly, as we gear up for the 75th anniversary of the

festival, it all feels a little overwhelming as everyone tries to remember how they once tackled this mammoth beast. With this, there have been numerous discussions around the future of the Fringe and what we want the next 75 years to look like. Can the Fringe be truly inclusive, fair

and sustainable in its approach? And can the lessons learned by the creative industries over the pandemic be applied to this year’s festival and beyond? Only time will tell, of course. but in the interim, there is a hopefulness that surrounds the return of the biggest arts festival in the Photo: David Montieth-Hodge

or the past few summers, Edinburgh has felt like an entirely unfamiliar place; a ghost town of sorts where the arts once roamed freely. For those who have grown up or spent a significant amount of time in the city, August in particular would always have been synonymous with the welcoming of international outlooks, the celebration of many cultures and, of course, the crowds upon crowds of people. But the cancellation of the Fringe in 2020 and the smaller-scale edition of the festival last year meant that celebratory spirit temporarily shifted to something involving more anxiety and trepidation on the part of audiences.

Virgin Money Street Events

Fringe

Photo: David Montieth-Hodge Pianodrome

world, coupled with an atmosphere that is undeniably full of an electric energy.

Everything is typically dispersed across the city over August but much of the Fringe takes place in the city centre, with venues within walking distance. New spots to check out this year include House of Oz, which is a month-long, all-Australian showcase at King’s Hall, and Edinburgh College of Art institution the

Wee Red Bar, which is playing host to a Lyceum/Edinburgh International Book Festival co-production of David Keenan’s cult classic This Is Memorial Device. You can even join in from the comfort of your sofa since TikTok will soon become the first Official Virtual Stage at the Fringe. If you’re new to the Fringe or just after some more in-depth guidance, your best bet would be to pick up The Skinny’s August issue and Fest, the latter of which publishes four issues between the end of July and August. It’s packed with all things Edinburgh Festivals from reviews to interviews and everything in between, plus – spoiler alert – some incredibly cute pups. Intrigued? Find Fest around Edinburgh weekly during the Fringe for all the finest recommendations across genres.

Edinburgh City Guide

As with any festival programme, there are too many highlights to recommend in one go but inevitably, there are shows that are already on our radar. These include Blood Harmony at the Traverse, which features the music of The Staves, Hamlet with Ian McKellen, Irvine Welsh’s Porno, indie rock musical Lizard Boy and names like Randy Feltface, Patti Harrison, Marikiscrycrycry, Sophie Duker, Alok and Garry Starr. If you’re a fan of Drag Race, you’ll be pleased to hear that both Bianca Del Rio and Jinkx Monsoon are making appearances, and Summerhall’s music programme, Nothing Ever Happens Here, is as varied and vibrant as ever with Auntie Flo, Tune-Yards, Efterklang, Deerhoof and others.

The Fringe can be pricey but if you’re on a budget, there’s no need to feel left out because PBH’s Free Fringe is back with excellent names on the line-up like Viggo Venn, Ali Brice, Sooz Kempner and Laurie Black. The usual culprits also make their grand return – The Stand and Monkey Barrel for great comedy, Summerhall for innovative theatre and dance, and unusual spaces like the Pianodrome or Assembly’s late-night 80s underground venue The Flick for generally good times.

Film

Photo: Lloyd Smith

Edinburgh Film

Raiders of the Lost Ark with RSNO

Edinburgh International Film Festival makes a welcome permanent return to the August festival bonanza Words: Jamie Dunn

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or the last decade or so, Edinburgh cinephiles have had a quiet August. The Edinburgh International Film Festival was first held in 1947, the same year as the International Festival, and both events ran concurrently until 2008, when EIFF spread its wings to a new June slot. But film fans no longer have to look on enviously at the various celebrations of theatre, comedy, dance, opera, literature and music that come to the Scottish capital every August. Last year, a mini-edition of EIFF was welcomed back into the fold, and it looks like film is here to stay. Overseeing EIFF’s permanent move to August is Kristy Matheson, the festival’s newly

appointed Creative Director. “The whole point of moving the festival back to August is really about ensuring that film is central to that broader cultural conversation that happens here every summer,” she says. “Obviously the August festivals are very important to local audiences, but it’s also hugely international. It’s a global gathering of people and talent, and I think it’s really important that film, as an art form, is in that mix.”

the cinematic achievements of women directors. “Honouring that pioneering programme,” says EIFF, “this year’s theme will acknowledge the multiplicity and variety of feminisms in contemporary society across our entire programme.”

We know that EIFF will be split into five strands this year: The Conversation (cinema to get you talking), The Chamber (arthouse cinema for the culturally curious), Heartbreakers (films about friendship, family, lovers, At the time of writing the full and cheaters), Night Moves EIFF programme has yet to be (cult, music, late-night thrills), announced, but some details and Postcards From the Edge are beginning to emerge. The (bold visions to expand theme of this year’s festival horizons). The annual Michael will look back to 1972, when Powell Award celebrating British EIFF presented the first global cinema is also changing. This film event entirely dedicated to year it becomes the

A Quick Guide to Edinburgh Cinemas

The festival comes to a close on 20 August with the UK premiere of the gorgeous sci-fi film After Yang, the second feature from Korean-American director Kogonada. “As a huge fan of Kogonada’s previous film Columbus, I could not be happier to be closing the festival with the director’s latest offering,” says Matheson. “After Yang is an exquisite jewel of a film, boasting knockout performances from some of the finest acting talents from Ireland and the UK. I’m sure audiences will share my enthusiasm for this thought-provoking and deeply moving film.”

Everyman

Edinburgh’s premier arthouse cinema, Filmhouse boasts an expertly curated programme of contemporary and classic films from all over the world, with its three cinemas screening an enviable lineup of retrospectives, festivals and themed seasons each month. 88 Lothian Rd

Edinburgh’s poshest cinema, the newly-opened Everyman screens a mix of mainstream and indie titles, but the main draw is its classy bar and restaurant. For added luxury, there’s table service from the comfort of your cinema seat. St James Quarter Vue

Cameo Edinburgh’s most iconic cinema, Cameo offers a fine selection of arthouse-leaning films and often throws the odd classic in the mix. The bar is also lovely and well stocked. 38 Home St

Edinburgh’s cheapest cinema, Vue is a no-nonsense multiplex chain that screens a wide selection of mainstream and family fare at affordable prices, with tickets starting at £4.99. Omni Centre; Ocean Terminal

Dominion

Cineworld

Edinburgh’s prettiest cinema, this gorgeous family run art-deco theatre offers the comfiest viewing experience in town, with lush sofas, ushers who escort you to your seat, and complimentary drinks. 18 Newbattle Ter

Edinburgh’s biggest cinema, not just in terms of the number of screens, but size of screens too – it’s home to Edinburgh’s only IMAX. Fountain Park

Photo: Chris Scott

In addition to After Yang, Kogonada will present a programme of some of the films that have inspired him. There will also be a full retrospective of the films by Japanese director Tanaka Kinuyo. Having acted for celebrated filmmakers like Yasujirō Ozu and Kenji Mizoguchi throughout the 30s and 40s, Kinuyo stepped behind the camera in 1953 with the star-studded drama Love Letter. EIFF will screen Love Letter, plus Kinuyo’s five subsequent features.

Filmhouse

Film

Powell & Pressburger Award, and will see five British films competing alongside five international titles.

edfilmfest.org.uk Filmhouse Cinema

Edinburgh City Guide

EIFF takes place 12-20 Aug, with the full programme announced 20 Jul

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Film

Books

Readers United As Edinburgh International Book Festival returns with a programme of in-person and streamed events, we pull out a few highlights Words: Heather McDaid

‘A

ll Together Now’ is the rallying cry of 2022’s Edinburgh International Book Festival. It’s a testament to where we are in our quote unquote return to normal, bringing authors from the world over back to the capital, and inviting readers to join in person and via their streamed events. We know by now what the last two years has taken from us, what has irreversibly changed, so in the spirit of getting together once more, here’s as many highlights we can squeeze in to do just that. The festival wastes no time: day one, two icons of Scottish

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Photo: Sarah Wood

Ali Smith

fiction – Ali Smith and Val McDermid – delve into the former’s seasonal quartet (13 Aug, 5,30pm), while David Keenan, author of ambitious This Is Memorial Device, discusses his new novel set in that same hallucinatory world (13 Aug, 8.30pm). Mieko Kawakami beams in remotely to traverse her work, including Breasts and Eggs and All the Lovers in the Night (16 Aug, 2.15pm). A literary wonder. We turn from translation to climate change’s personal and political nature with Jessica Gaitán Johannesson and Amanda Thomson (16 Aug, 2.15pm), before the inimitable Marlon James invites us into his Dark Star trilogy (16 Aug, 7.30pm), following the witch Sogolon, who bows to no man. The pandemic saw many turn their hand to something new – knitting, baking bread – but comedians Kevin Bridges and Frankie Boyle traded jokes for fiction. A double whammy sees Bridges on The Black Dog, following an aspiring writer

hoping to escape everdarkening thoughts (17 Aug, 5.30pm), while Boyle’s thriller Meantime tracks a man trying to find justice for his murdered friend (17 Aug, 8.30pm). From comedy to music, Britpop legend Pulp’s Jarvis Cocker will revisit his life’s greatest hits so far in Good Pop, Bad Pop (18 Aug, 8.30pm), as acclaimed essayist Sinéad Gleeson, who co-created This Woman’s Work on women who changed the face of music with Kim Gordon, will be joined by contributor Ottessa Moshfegh (24, 8.15pm). PJ Harvey has turned her attention from writing music to penning a long form poem, Orlam, six years in the making, and will be appearing in Central Hall (20 Aug, 9.15pm) in an event supported by The Skinny. Some of Scotland’s most exciting authors of the last few years will descend: Jenni Fagan talks on witchy historical novella Hex (18 Aug, 4pm), Graeme Macrae Burnet

Books

Image: courtesy of Edinburgh International Book Festival Oona Dooks, The Gruffalo, Bemz and Festival director Nick Barley Image: courtesy of Edinburgh International Book Festival

and Charlotte Church (24 Aug, 7pm). Poetry is there in abundance too with some linguistic brilliance: Jazz Money and Andrés N Ordorica (13 Aug, 6.15pm), Alycia Pirmohamed and Jay Gao (13 Aug, 6.30pm), Raymond Antrobus (19 Aug, 12.15pm), Ada Limón (23 Aug, 5:30pm), Hollie McNish and Joelle Taylor (23 Aug, 7pm), and Hannah Lavery (26 Aug, 12.15pm), to name but a few. With more opportunities to get all together again — whether in-person at their new College of Art venue, or digitally tuning in to catch something special — there’s plenty to choose from at this year’s Edinburgh International Book Festival. Let’s celebrate.

Edinburgh International Book Festival runs 13-29 Aug

Edinburgh City Guide

Star Alan Cumming will regale audiences with his most recent book Baggage (21 Aug, 5pm), while Torrey Peters will grace the festival with her presence after last year’s remote event (sponsored by The Skinny), to talk about the sensation Detransition, Baby with Josie Giles (22 Aug, 8pm). Peters also joins Imogen Binnie of the ground-breaking Nevada and Hollie McNish Lote’s Shola von Reinhold to discuss a golden age of trans moves from Booker-shortlisted fiction (24 Aug, 8pm). His Bloody Project to the psychoanalytical 1960s in Contemporary powerhouse Case Study to question truth Ottessa Moshfegh, author of itself (19 Aug, 1pm), while My Year of Rest and Chitra Ramaswamy’s Relaxation, will transport Homelands documents the life readers to the feudalist village and friendship of Henry Wuga, beset by natural disasters in who fled Nazi Germany in 1939 Lapvona (23 Aug, 5pm). (21 Aug, 1pm). Booker winner Another sparkling event will Douglas Stuart returns to talk be the celebration of Michael Young Mungo, the tale of two Pedersen’s prose debut Boy boys on opposite sides of the Friends, a love letter to male sectarian divide in 1990s friendship, alongside Glasgow (28 Aug, 5.30pm). Garbage’s Shirley Manson,

EIF

The World Stage As ever, Edinburgh International Festival are bringing a fantastic selection of opera, theatre, dance and music to the Scottish capital this summer Words: Jamie Dunn Photo: Eryk Lyudun

The great dancer and choreographer Akram Khan presents Jungle Book Reimagined (25-28 Aug, Festival Theatre), which reinvents the journey of Mowgli through the eyes of a climate refugee. There is more art Princess Nokia exploring the refugee experidinburgh International rapper Princess Nokia (17 ence in Refuge, a season of Festival is back with a Aug); Afro-French Cuban duo contemporary theatre, dance, world-class offering of opera, Ibeyi (18 Aug); and Romanian visual art, film and conversation theatre, dance and classical folk music supergroup Taraf de created in collaboration with and contemporary music. Caliu (10 Aug). Breaking away the Scottish Refugee Council. Festivities kick off on 6 August from Leith Theatre, jazz icon at Murrayfield with MACRO, a Herbie Hancock (7 Aug) needs There’s the usual mix of free night of contemporary a slightly bigger venue; he’s world-class orchestras and circus from Aussie troupe performing at the Playhouse. classical musicians coming to Gravity & Other Myths, plus a Usher Hall and The Queen’s cross-cultural musical EIF regular Alan Cumming will Hall, and composer Jon collaboration between Djuki be back in the Scottish capital, Hopkins teams up with Mala and five Celtic musicians. this time taking on the role of leading neuroscientists to Robert Burns in Burn (4-10 leads audiences through a The EIF contemporary music Aug, King’s Theatre). We’re told unique environment of colour programme will be back at to expect a dance-theatre and light in Dreamachine ((13 Leith Theatre and features an show that challenges the Aug-25 Sep, Murrayfield Ice eye-watering selection of shortbread tin image of our Rink). The above is just the tip boundary-pushing artists from Bard and goes beyond his of the iceberg of artists and all over the globe. Among them poetry to examine his complex shows coming to EIF this are Scottish cult indie rock inner and outer life. summer. duo Arab Strap (19 Aug); If you want to break away from Edinburgh International Festival, visionary London jazz quartet the traditional theatre 5-28 Aug Sons of Kemet (14 Aug); auditorium, there’s an legendary Detroit techno DJ opportunity to journey into the eif.co.uk Jeff Mills (11 Aug); New York

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various spaces of Leith Academy for the intriguing site-specific piece Muster Station: Leith (15-26 Aug, Leith Academy), from innovative Edinburgh theatre company Grid Iron.

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Gallery Guide

See You Down the Front! Edinburgh’s creative charm makes it home to a number of super cool music and club spots fit for all of your artistic needs. Let us be your tour guide as we ramble through the top spots the capital has to offer Words: Jamie Wilde

A little more than a stone’s throw down the road, Bannermans (212 Cowgate) is

Black Midi live at The Liquid Room

a whisky bar and raucous rock venue with a super-cool cavernous music space. Take a few steps across the road and La Belle Angele (11 Hastie’s Cl) will be in your midst. This nightclub has been an Edinburgh institution since the early 90s, despite a fire in the

early 00s nearly wiping it from existence – the space might not be what it once was, but the spirit of La Belle lives on. Expect electro, house, techno and slices of hip-hop here, and sometimes Swiftogeddon (13 Aug). Yes, that is a night dedicated solely to the hits of

Edinburgh City Guide

et’s start off in the Cowgate area of the city’s Old Town where a tasty number of venues are located just a hop, skip and a jump from one another. Sneaky Pete’s (73 Cowgate) is no stranger to packed crowds come show time. The awardwinning, 100-ish capacity venue offers the perfect melting pot for gigs of all kinds to take place as well as local club nights which run seven days a week. Formerly known as Opium, right next door to Sneaky’s you’ll find Legends (71 Cowgate). This place channels more of a dive bar feel with sweaty gigs often taking place in its upstairs venue, and rockaoke every Monday.

Photo: Martyna Maz

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Taylor Swift. The Mash House (37 Guthrie St) is also conveniently located nearby. Here you’ll find some of the best up-and-coming bands as well as club nights across its three floors, championing some of the best local DJs Edinburgh has to offer.

night revellers with monthly and weekly club nights charting sounds from Europe to Jamaica. The Banshee Labyrinth (29-35 Niddry St) is a must-visit if you're a wannabe Ghostbuster – it’s self-confessed as Scotland’s most haunted pub making the occasional gigs here that extra A few minutes in either bit spooky. Finally, The Liquid direction you’ll find The Caves Room (9C Victoria St) has been (8-10 Niddry St) and The known for attracting top Bongo Club (66 Cowgate), both touring bands since the late of which are well worth a visit. 90s and clubbing also works a The Caves is made up of the treat here. substructure of Edinburgh’s 18th century South Bridge and If you’re after a change of has recently welcomed the scenery why not head for some likes of Yard Act, while Bongo of the city’s grander venues offers another top spot for late and arts spaces. Located near

the University of Edinburgh in the Southside, a venture to Summerhall (1 Summerhall) will go down a treat; this forward-thinking, sustainable venue is all about bringing together creative minds. Its year-round programme of events is chock-full of creative goodness and its sleek Edinburgh Festival Fringe programme is poised and ready to go this August. Also in the area you’ll find The Queen’s Hall (85-89 Clerk St), originally built as a chapel before being converted into a 900-capacity live music venue. Find diverse programme schedules here that will impress all ages.

Photo: Kate Johnston

can be yours to see here very soon. Formerly known as The Edinburgh Corn Exchange, and also in the west of the city, the O2 Academy Edinburgh (11 New Market Rd) can’t be left out of this extensive list. Some of the biggest touring acts regularly visit here and a short bus journey from the heart of the capital will get you here in a flash.

Pixies O2 Academy Edinburgh, 3 Aug Mdou Moctar The Liquid Room, 16 Aug Princess Nokia Leith Theatre, 17 Aug Cate Le Bon Summrhall, 17 Aug Fleet Foxes Usher Hall, 30 Aug Coach Party Sneaky Pete’s, 14 Sep Babeheaven The Voodoo Rooms, 15 Sep Katy J Pearson The Voodoo Rooms, 20 Sep Jockstrap The Mash House, 29 Sep SOAK The Caves, 10 Oct GZA The Queen’s Hall, 13 Oct Angel Olsen Usher Hall, 20 Oct Lime Garden Sneaky Pete’s, 9 Nov Edinburgh City Guide

If you fancy some music in Edinburgh’s New Town, The Voodoo Rooms (19A West Register St) is well worth a look in. Sip on some classy cocktails here all the while checking out its opulently decorated interior and listening to musicians old and new on any given night in its Swim School @ The Mash House Ballroom and Speakeasy spaces. On one of the city In Leith, Leith Theatre (28-30 centre’s main shopping Ferry Rd) is the main venue for thoroughfares you’ll find the Edinburgh International Assembly Rooms (54 George Festival’s contemporary St). While it doesn’t offer a full programme in August. music programme, whenever Reopened in 2017, after almost there is a concert on here your 30 years closed, a trip to Leith experience will feel that bit wouldn’t be complete without more grandiose. stopping by the arts and community venue. Over in the Whether you’re visiting West End, meanwhile, Usher Edinburgh for a weekend or are Hall (Lothian Rd) is one of a local looking to explore some Edinburgh’s grandest venues, of the city’s coolest music and handily located a short walk club spots, this guide should from Princes Street. The hopefully see you right. There’s Edwardian building welcomes something for everyone here; a everyone from orchestras to chilled gig or some high rock bands and if you book intensity sweaty action into the your ticket ahead, names like late hours can be catered to Fleet Foxes, Public Service your fullest desires. See you Broadcasting and Angel Olsen down the front!

Key Live Dates:

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Edinburgh City Guide

TBM

Key: Abbeyhill

Index

Tollcross, Bruntsfield, Morningside TBM Gorgie, Dalry, Fountainbridge

Leith

GDF L

New Town

Old Town

Portobello

Southside

Stockbridge, Canonmills

West End

SC WE

Art Shops

Doodles 27 Marchmont Cres TBM Edinburgh Art Shop 129 Lauriston Pl TBM Flamingosaurus Rex 22 Bruntsfield Pl TBM Greyfriars Art Shop 1 Greyfriars OT Red Door Gallery 42 Victoria St OT The Leith Collective Ocean Terminal L

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Bars

Abode 229 Leith Walk L Athletic Arms 1 Angle Park Ter GDF Bacco 136 Dundas St SC Bannermans 212 Cowgate OT Banshee Labyrinth 29-35 Niddry St OT Barony Bar 81-85 Broughton St NT Bellfield Brewery Taproom 46 Stanley Pl A Bennets Bar 8 Leven St TBM Bittersweet 24 Henderson St L Bow Bar 80 W Bow OT Bramble 16A Queen St NT Brass Monkey 14 Drummond St S Cafe Royal

19 West Register St NT Carriers Quarters 42 Bernard St L CC Blooms 23 Greenside Pl A City Cafe 19 Blair St OT Clark’s Bar 142 Dundas St SC Cloisters 26 Brougham St TBM Dagda 93 Buccleuch St S Deacon Brodies 435 Lawnmarket OT Decanter 183 Bruntsfield Pl TBM Devil’s Advocate 9 Advocate’s Cl OT Dragonfly 52 West Port OT Dreadnought 72 N Fort St L Forresters Guild 40 Portobello High St P Good Brothers Wine Bar 4-6 Dean St SC Hectors 47-49 Deanhaugh St SC Hey Palu 49 Bread St WE Innis and Gunn 81 Lothian Rd WE Jolly Botanist 256 Morrison St WE Joseph Pearce 23 Elm Row A Kay’s Bar 39 Jamaica St NT Lady Libertine 25 W Register St NT Leith Depot 138-140 Leith Walk L Little Rascal 113D St John’s Rd GDF Lucky Liquor Co 39a Queen St NT Nauticus 142 Duke St L Nightcap 3 York Pl NT NQ64 25 Lothian Rd WE Old Eastway Tap 218 Easter Rd L One Canonmills 1 Canonmills SC OX184 184-186 Cowgate OT Panda & Sons

79 Queen St NT Paolozzi Restaurant & Bar 59-61 Forrest Rd S Paradise Palms 41 Lothian St S Pickles 60 Broughton St NT Port O’ Leith 58 Constitution St L Portobello Tap 87 Portobello High St P Rooftop 51 2 Freer Gait GDF Safari Lounge 21 Cadzow Pl A Salt Horse 57-61 Blackfriars St OT Smith & Gertrude 26 Hamilton Pl SC Smoke & Mirrors 159 Constitution St L St Vincent 11 St Vincent St SC Stockbridge Tap 2-6 Raeburn Pl SC Teuchters 26 William St WE Teuchters Landing 1c Dock Pl L The Abbotsford 3-5 Rose St NT The Antiquary 72-78 St Stephen St SC The Auld Hoose 23 St Leonards St S The Bailie 2-4 St Stephen St SC The Biscuit Factory 4-6 Anderson Pl L The Black Rose Tavern 49 Rose St NT The Blackbird 37 Leven St TBM The Blue Blazer 2 Spittal St WE The Bullfinch 2-4 Bath Rd L The Caley Sample Room 42 Angle Park Ter GDF The Cumberland 1-3 Cumberland St NT The Dog House 18 Clerk St S The Espy 62 Bath St P The Fountain 131 Dundee St GDF The Hanging Bat 133 Lothian Road WE The High Dive Bar

81/85 St. Leonard’s St S The Last Word Saloon 44 St Stephen St SC The Lioness of Leith 21 Duke St L The Mousetrap 180 Leith Walk L The Outhouse 12a Broughton St Lane NT The Persevere Bar 398 Easter Rd L The Royal Dick 1 Summerhall S The Sheep Heid Inn 43 The Causeway A The Skylark 243 Portobello High St P The Street 2b Picardy Pl NT The Tourmalet 25 Buchanan St A The Ventoux 2 Brougham St TBM The Voodoo Rooms 19a W Register St NT The Waverley Bar 3-5 St Mary’s St OT The Wee Vault 7A W Maitland St WE The Windsor 45 Elm Row A Under the Stairs 3A Merchant St OT

Bookshops

Argonaut Books 15-17 Leith Walk L Armchair Books 72-74 West Port OT Edinburgh Books 145 West Port WE Ginger and Pickles 51 St Stephen St SC Golden Hare 68 St Stephen St SC Lighthouse Books 43 W Nicolson St S Oxfam Books 25 Raeburn Pl SC The Edinburgh Bookshop 219 Bruntsfield Pl TBM The Portobello Bookshop 46 Portobello High St P Tills Bookshop 1 Hope Park Cres S Typewronger Books 4a Haddington Pl A

Cafes & bakeries

Cameo Cinema 38 Home St Cineworld 130/3 Dundee St, Fountain Park Dominion Cinema

TBM GDF

Vue Ocean Terminal 98 Ocean Dr Vue Omni Centre 61/11 Greenside Pl Filmhouse 88 Lothian Rd

L NT WE

Clothes Shops Godiva 9 West Port W. Armstrong & Son 81-83 Grassmarket W. Armstrong & Son 14 Teviot Pl, 64 Clerk St Pieute 19 Candlemaker Row

OT OT S OT

Food and Drink Shops Aemilia 186 Portobello High St P Akdeniz Mediterranean Supermarket 82-90 Leith Walk L Beer Zoo 219 Portobello High St P Beets 49 Bernard St L Bon Vivant’s Companion 51 Thistle St NT Broughton Market 97 Broughton St NT Cornelius 18 Easter Rd A Drinkmonger 11 Bruntsfield Pl TBM EasyEche Foods Limited 131 Great Jct St L Edwin and Irwyn 416 Morningside Rd TBM Fruttivendolo 110A Dalry Rd GDF George Mewes 3 Dean Park St SC Great Grog Bottle Shop 2 Dalkeith Rd S I.J. Mellis 330 Morningside Rd TBM I.J. Mellis 6 Bakers Pl SC Jordan Valley 8 Nicolson St S Lupe Pintos 24 Leven St TBM Real Foods 37 Broughton St NT

Sauce 23 Candlemaker Row SPRY Wines 1 Haddington Pl The Beer Cave 43 Dalry Rd The Beerhive 24 Rodney St Valvona + Crolla 19 Elm Row Vino 30 Broughton St Vino 26 NW Circus Pl Winekraft 6 Brandon Terr

OT A GDF SC A NT SC SC

Galleries

Agitate 20 Haymarket Ter WE Burns Monument 1759 Regent Rd OT City Art Centre 2 Market St OT Collective Calton Hill A Dovecot Studios 10 Infirmary St S Edinburgh Printmakers 1 Dundee St GDF Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop 21 Hawthornvale L Fruitmarket 45 Market St OT Ingleby Gallery 33 Barony St NT Institut Français Ecosse W Parliament Sq OT Inverleith House Arboretum Pl SC Jupiter Artland Bonnington House, Wilkieston n/a Ltd Ink Corporation 77 Brunswick St A Mote 102 102 Ferry Rd L National Galleries of Scotland The Mound NT National Galleries of Scotland Modern One & Two 73, 75 Belford Rd WE Royal Scottish Academy The Mound NT Scottish National Portrait Gallery 1 Queen St NT

Edinburgh City Guide

Cinemas

18 Newbattle Ter TBM Everyman 502 Edinburgh St James NT

Index

101 Bakery 101 Newington Rd S Artisan Coffee 274 Leith Walk L Artisan Roast 72-74 Leith Walk L Artisan Roast 138 Bruntsfield Pl TBM Artisan Roast 57 Broughton St NT Artisan Roast 100a Raeburn Pl SC Bakery Andante 8 N Leith Sands L Bearded Baker 46 Rodney St SC Cafe Gallo 96 Raeburn Pl SC Cairngorm Coffee 1 Melville Pl WE Cairngorm Coffee 41a Frederick St NT Coffee Tepuy 2 Crighton Pl A Considerit 3 Sciennes S Cowan & Sons 33 Raeburn Pl SC Crazy Croissant 5 Bernard St L Cult Espresso 104 Buccleuch St S Domenico’s 30 Sandport St L Don’t Tell Mama 64 Home St TBM Fauna 19a Queensferry St WE Fortitude 3c York Pl NT Fortitude 66 Hamilton Pl SC Gordon Street Coffee 6 Market St OT Grams Hamilton Pl SC Hata 5 Rodney St SC Hideout Cafe 40-42 Queen Charlotte St L Hula 94A Fountainbridge GDF Hula Cafe and Juice Bar 103 West Bow OT Kilimanjaro Coffee 104 Nicolson St S KONJ Cafe 67 Home St TBM

Krema 21 Leith Walk L Kukina 356 Leith Walk L Kvasa 101 Leith Walk L La Barantine 27b Raeburn Pl SC Little Fitzroy 46 Easter Rd A Lovecrumbs 155 West Port WE Lowdown Coffee 40 George St NT Machina Espresso 32-38 Marchmont Rd TBM Mario Patisserie 27 Henderson Gardens L Milk @ Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop 21 Hawthornvale L Mimi’s 63 Shore L Nice Times Bakery 147 Morrison St WE Procaffeination 4 St Mary’s St OT Room and Rumours 25 East Market Street Arch OT Seb’s Urban Jungle 187-189 Leith Walk L Seven Neighbourhood Cafe 7 Home St TBM Söderberg 3 Deanhaugh St SC Tanifiki 44 Portobello High St P Tasty Buns 67 Bread St WE The Milkman 7, 52 Cockburn St OT The Pastry Section 86 Raeburn Pl SC The Source 4 Spittal St WE Thomas J Walls 35 Forrest Rd S Union Brew Lab 6 S College St S Wellington Coffee 33a George St NT Williams and Johnson 1 Customs Wharf L

Index

Sierra Metro 13-15 Ferry Rd Stills 23 Cockburn St Surgeons’ Hall Nicolson St Talbot Rice Gallery South Bridge The Scottish Gallery 16 Dundas St

L OT S S NT

Gift Shops

An Independent Zebra 88-92 Raeburn Pl SC Black Moon Botanica 50 Candlemaker Row OT Caoba 56 Raeburn Pl SC Curiouser and Curiouser 106 Bruntsfield Pl TBM Delicate Rébellion 21 East Market St OT Handsel 336 Leith Walk L Logan Malloch 13 Leith Walk L MYSA 31 Cockburn St OT Paper Tiger 53 Lothian Rd, 6a Stafford St WE Pie in the Sky 47 Cockburn St OT Pippin 30 Haymarket Ter WE

Markets

Company Bakery 5 Devon Pl WE Edinburgh Farmers’ Market NCP Car Park, Castle Ter OT Grassmarket Saturday Market Grassmarket OT Leith Arches 6 Manderston St L Leith Market Dock Pl L Stockbridge Market Saunders St SC The Pitt 137 Pitt St L

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On-the-go

Bross Bagels 177 Portobello High St P Cafe Piccante 19 Broughton St NT Civerinos Prom Slice 47 Figgate Ln P

Crolla’s 1 The Shore L Greek Artisan Pastries 32 Portobello High St P Little Collingwood 10 Haymarket Ter WE Little Green Van Portobello Beach Promenade P Mary’s Milk Bar 19 Grassmarket OT MOO Pie Gelato 26 St Mary’s St OT Ola Kala 202 Morrison St WE Orinoco Latin Street Food 281 Leith Walk L Piemaker 38 South Bridge OT Polentoni 38 Easter Rd A Preachers Patisserie 24 Lady Lawson St WE Sicilian Pastry Shop 14 Albert St A St Andrews Takeaway 280 Portobello High St P Storries 279 Leith Walk L The Baked Potato Shop 56 Cockburn St OT The Fishmarket 23A Pier Pl L Twelve Triangles 22 Easter Rd A Twelve Triangles 300 Portobello High St P

Plants and Homeware

Duncan & Reid Antiques 5 Tanfield SC Grow Urban 92 Grove St GDF Pascal & Co. 20 Albert Pl L Shelter 104 Raeburn Pl Snapdragon 146 Bruntsfield Pl The Bethany Shop 46 Hamilton Pl

SC TBM SC

Record Shops Assai Records 1 Grindlay St Elvis Shakespeare

347 Leith Walk L FOPP 3-15 Rose St NT Good Vibes Records and Books 151 Constitution St L Greenhouse Records 10 Barclay Ter TBM Ilium 100 Marchmont Cres TBM Oxfam Music 64 Raeburn Pl SC Thorne Records 125 Bruntsfield Pl TBM Underground Solu’shn 9 Cockburn St OT Vinyl Villains 5 Elm Row A VoxBox Music 21 St Stephen St SC

Restaurants

Alby’s 8 Portland Ter L Aurora 187 Great Junction St L B&D’s Kitchen 214 Dalry Rd GDF Bell’s Diner 7 St Stephen St SC Bodega 14 Albert Pl A Bonnie & Wild St James Quarter NT 415-417 St James Square Bread Meats Bread 92 Lothian Rd WE Bross Bagels Deli St James 4 Little King St NT Bubba Q 213 High St OT Bundits 48-52 Constitution St L Cafe Pomelo 21c Strathearn Rd TBM Chez Jules 109 Hanover St NT Civerinos 5 Hunter Sq OT Civerinos Slice 49 Forrest Rd S Desi Pakwan 61 Leith Walk L Down the Hatch 13 Antigua St A Dumplings of China 60 Home St TBM Earls Burger Co. 74 Raeburn Pl SC

El Cartel 15 Teviot Pl S El Cartel 64 Thistle St NT El Cartel 1 Roxburgh’s Court OT Eleanore 30-31 Albert Pl A Erbil 55 W Nicolson St S Fhior 36 Broughton St NT Fishers in the City 58 Thistle St NT Hakataya 122 Rose St Lane NT Hanam’s 3 Johnston Terrace OT Harajuku Kitchen 10 Gillespie Pl TBM Harmonium 7-11 East London St NT Hendersons 7-13 Barclay Pl TBM Heron 87, 91A Henderson St L Ikigai Ramen 13 W Crosscauseway S Ka Pao St James Quarter NT Kenji 24 Deanhaugh St SC Kim’s Bulgogi 11 St Stephen St SC Kim’s Mini Meals 5 Buccleuch St S Korean BBQ 3 Tarvit St TBM Locanda de Gusti 102 Dalry Rd GDF Maki & Ramen St James Quarter NT Maki & Ramen 97 Fountainbridge GDF Malvarosa 262 Portobello High St P Mia Italian Kitchen 96 Dalry Rd GDF Mother India’s Cafe 3 Infirmary St OT Nile Valley Cafe 6 Chapel St S Nok’s Kitchen 8 Gloucester St SC Noto 47a Thistle St NT Novapizza 42 Howe St SC Omar Khayyam

Viva Mexico 41 Cockburn St Wine & Peach 91 Dalry Rd Wing Sing Inn 147 Dundee St Wings 5-7 Old Fishmarket Cl Xiangbala Hotpot 63 Dalry Rd Yamato 11 Lochrin Ter

Venues: August Festivals

OT GDF GDF OT GDF TBM

Venues: Comedy Clubs

Monkey Barrel 9-11 Blair St OT The Stand Comedy Club 5 York Pl NT

Venues: Live Music & Nightclubs

Bannermans 212 Cowgate OT Cabaret Voltaire 36-38 Blair St OT La Belle Angele 11 Hastie’s Cl OT Legends 71 Cowgate OT Leith Depot 138-140 Leith Walk L Leith Theatre 28-30 Ferry Rd L Sneaky Pete’s 73 Cowgate OT Stramash 207 Cowgate OT Subway 69 Cowgate OT Summerhall 1 Summerhall Pl S The Banshee Labyrinth 29-35 Niddry St OT The Caves 8-10 Niddry St S OT The Hive 15-17 Niddry St OT The Liquid Room 9C Victoria St OT The Mash House 37 Guthrie St OT The Queen’s Hall 85 Clerk St S Usher Hall Lothian Rd WE Whistlebinkies 4-6 South Bridge OT

Venues: Theatre & Dance

Dance Base 14-16 Grassmarket Edinburgh Playhouse 18-22 Greenside Pl

OT A

EICC 150 Morrison St Festival Theatre 13 Nicolson St King’s Theatre 2 Leven St The Lyceum 30b Grindlay St Traverse Theatre 10 Cambridge St

WE S TBM WE WE

Visitor Attractions

Canongate Kirk 153 Canongate OT Castlehill Castlehill OT Dynamic Earth Holyrood Rd OT Edinburgh Castle Castlehill OT Edinburgh Dungeon 31 Market St OT Edinburgh Gin Distillery 1a Rutland Pl WE Edinburgh Zoo 134 Corstorphine Rd GDF Greyfriars Kirk and Greyfriars Bobby Candlemaker Row OT Love Gorgie Farm 51 Gorgie Rd GDF Museum of Childhood 42 High St OT National Museum of Scotland Chambers St S Palace of Holyroodhouse Canongate OT Princes Street Gardens Princes St NT Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh Arboretum Pl SC Royal Yacht Britannia Ocean Dr L Scotch Whisky Experience The Royal Mile OT Scottish Parliament Canongate OT Scottish Storytelling Centre 43-45 High St OT St Giles Cathedral High St OT The Real Mary King’s Close High St OT Volcano Falls 130 Dundee St GDF

Edinburgh City Guide

Assembly George Square Gardens George Sq S Assembly Roxy 2 Roxburgh Pl S Central Hall 2 W Tollcross TBM EIBF @ Edinburgh College of Art 74 Lauriston Pl TBM Festival Theatre 13 Nicolson St S Filmhouse 88 Lothian Rd WE Hanover Tap 112 Hanover St NT Leith Theatre 28-30 Ferry Rd L Monkey Barrel 9-11 Blair St OT Murrayfield Stadium Roseburn St GDF O2 Academy Edinburgh 11 New Market Rd GDF Pleasance Courtyard 60 Pleasance S Pleasance @ EICC 150 Morrison St WE Scottish Storytelling Centre 43-45 High St OT Summerhall 1 Summerhall S Theatre Big Top Festival Sq WE TheSpace Triplex 19 Hill Pl S The Hive 15-17 Niddry St OT The Stand Comedy Club 5 York Pl NT Underbelly @ Bristo Square Bristo Pl S

Underbelly @ George Square Gardens George Sq

Index

1 Grosvenor St WE On Bap 57 Clerk St S Ong Gie 22a Brougham St TBM Origano Pizza 236 Leith Walk L Pizzeria 1926 85 Dalry Rd GDF Razzo Pizza Napoletana 59 Great Jct St L Rokko Rokko Desu SC 112 St Stephen St Shrimpwreck 44 Figgate Ln P Sabzi 162 Ferry Rd L Sando at The High Dive Bar 81/85 St. Leonard’s St Sister Bao 32 S Clerk St S STACK 42 Dalmeny St L Superico 83 Hanover St NT Taco Libre 3 Shandwick Pl WE Taxidi 6 Brougham St TBM Taza in Town 69 Bread St WE Thailander 25 Brougham St TBM The Gardener’s Cottage 1 London Rd A The Little Chartroom 14 Bonnington Rd L The Mosque Kitchen 50 Potterrow S The Outsider 15 George IV Bridge OT The Pantry 1 NW Circus Pl SC The Shawarma House 119 Nicolson St S The Smiddy BBQ 22 Dunedin St SC Three Birds 3 Viewforth TBM Timberyard 10 Lady Lawson St WE Ting Thai Caravan 8 Teviot Pl S Ting Thai Caravan 55 Lothian Rd WE Umai 6 Queensferry St WE Vietnam House 1 Grove St WE

Edinburgh on Screen

Edinburgh on Screen With its cobbled streets and Gothic architecture, Edinburgh is a dream for filmmakers. Here are four local favourites to return to that make great use of the various sides of the city Words: Jamie Dunn Cool Edinburgh: Trainspotting British cinema is a lot of things, but you’d never describe it as cool. But that all changed with the arrival of Danny Boyle’s wildly inventive adaptation of Irvine Welsh’s Trainspotting. From its blistering opening scene of Ewan McGregor running at full pelt down Princes Street while Iggy Pop’s Lust for Life blares on the soundtrack, Trainspotting delivers a nervy hit of adrenaline that’s as potent as any drug.

Pervy Edinburgh: Hallam Foe Edinburgh has a seedy side, no doubt (all those saunas aren’t for taking a shvitz). It’s never been better explored than in David Mackenzie’s adult fairytale Hallam Foe. Jamie Bell plays the titular messed up teen peeping tom, who scrambles across Old Town rooftops to spy on a woman who is the doppelgänger of his mother. It’s basically Scotland’s Vertigo, but even more twisted.

Elegiac Edinburgh: The Illusionist Edinburgh has never looked so beautiful than through the pen of French animator Sylvain Chomet. Chomet fell in love with the city while attending the Edinburgh Film Festival and was inspired to change the location of this unproduced Jacques Tati script he was planning to adapt. The Illusionist overflows with Tati’s brand of droll slapstick but the real star is the faded glamour of Auld Reekie.

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Sentimental Edinburgh: Sunshine on Leith

If you’re looking for a heart on sleeve love letter to Edinburgh, look no further than Dexter Fletcher’s Proclaimers musical Sunshine on Leith. The Reid brothers’ songs are one-the-nose but appropriately rousing use, and the big setpieces make great use of Edinburgh locations like the Royal Mile, Arthur’s Seat and The Mound. Prepare for a lump in your throat and to have a goofy smile on your face.

The Skinny Guide to Edinburgh 2022

Articles inside

Portobello

Leith

Gorgie, Dalry & Fountainbridge

Abbeyhill

Stockbridge & Canonmills

New Town

Tollcross Bruntsfi eld & Marchmont

West End

Southside

Old Town