It’s almost that time of year again as Edinburgh prepares for an influx of street performers, board treaders and audience fillers.
If you’re planning your own Fringe adventure, why not use the opportunity to discover some fresh foodie arrivals in the city?
Here are 10 bars, restaurants and cafes that have opened in the 12 months since last year’s summer season.
Downstairs at Betty's
15 Charlotte Lane
If you’ve not quite had your fill of live entertainment as the evenings draw in, make a beeline to this newly opened sing-along piano and cocktail bar where customers are invited to become the stars of the show.
Founder Matt Colagiuri, has relocated his hugely popular concept from the streets of Lisbon to Edinburgh after feeling inspired by the enthusiasm of ‘music-loving Scots’.
His motto? “no microphone, no spotlight, no judgment”.
Under the Table
3A Dundas Street
It’s the subject of this last week's Saturday column and Food Matters newsletter, but Under the Table deserves at least one more mention for that truffle pasta alone.
A restaurant that more than lives up to the praise of Hollywood director and investor, Joe Russo, place this one firmly on your 'must visit' list.
Cardinal
14 Eyre Place
Cardinal is the first solo restaurant from chef Tomás Gormley who is known for his part in launching Skua and Heron.
It’s dark, atmospheric and a 16-course tasting menu makes for quite the special occasion, although a shorter version served at lunchtime and a la carte offering are available.
The team at sister restaurant, Skua, is also running a pop-up operation at Fettle café on Marshall Street throughout the festival, serving fried chicken, flatbreads and Lobster Rolls. Find them at @coop.skua on Instagram for further information.
Encore
4 Hope Street
A speakeasy-style bar for guaranteed wow factor beneath the West End brasserie restaurant on Hope Street.
The cocktail menu and décor at Encore pay homage to 1920s Paris with both private booths and bar seating available as well as live sets from singers and DJs every weekend.
Port of Leith Distillery
11 Whisky Quay
Opened in October last year, this incredible nine-storey building made history as the UK’s first vertical distillery.
Take a break from the chaos of the festival for a tour or a spot of lunch and a dram in the mezzanine bar which offers panoramic views across the city.
Ardfern
10 – 12 Bonnington Road
Great British Menu fans will be familiar with chef Roberta Hall-McCarron who recently opened a new café, bar and bottle shop.
Visit in the morning for a selection of brunch treats like Lamb Merquez sausage muffins or later in the day for heartier fare including kedgeree fritters and curry mayo.
Montrose
1 Montrose Terrace kedgeree fritters and curry mayo
From the Michelin-starred team behind the city’s Timberyard, Montrose finds its home in a historic building which was once one of Edinburgh’s first public houses.
Set over two floors, the restaurant now offers a cosy ground-floor wine bar and intimate first-floor dining room, all within walking distance of Princes Street.
Ruma
39 to 41 Broughton Street
Opened this Spring, Ruma is a specialist Rum bar which houses over 100 bottles of the spirit sourced from all corners of the globe.
Run by two experienced operators in the Scottish bar scene, Jamie Shields and Steven Aitken, it’s a laid-back, inviting spot where “the rum does the talking”.
As you might expect, they serve a cracking menu of cocktails.
Knoops
106 George Street
Keep your sugar levels up for a day of exploring all the Fringe has to offer with a quick pitstop at Knoops.
The luxury hot chocolate chain recently opened two of its first Scottish stores in the capital offering the chance to personalise orders to taste.
Drinks can be served over ice too, just in case the sun does decide to shine.
ASKR
102 Constitution Street
The latest addition to Leith, one of UK's leading fine dining hotspots, is ASKR from chef Dan Ashmore.
Diners are promised a “unique culinary experience” centred around seasonal ingredients and the “primal art” of cooking over fire with dishes like Shetland cod with peas and pancetta, BBQ leeks with house ricotta and hazelnut pesto or pork chop with peach and cavalo nero.
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