CITY GUIDE

Edinburgh in August: the greatest place on the planet. But even if there are five shows standing between you and bedtime, you still got to eat. From speedy pitstop to welcome pint, Michelin-starred gastronomy to falling asleep into your chips’n’cheese, Edinburgh is bursting with top-notch eating and drinking options. We’ve pulled together the very best, grouped around six of the city’s prime festival venues, plus insider knowledge from our very own Team List who know the city’s noodle joints and cocktail slingers like the back of their hands. Hungry yet? Read on, and enjoy everything the city has to offer. (Jo

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Laidlaw)

ILLUSTRATIONS: SEONAID RAFFERTY

Normal drills see the Playhouse (one of Europe’s largest theatres) acting as a receiving house for musicals, comedy and large-scale touring productions. Come August, they play host to much of the International Festival’s contemporary music strand, as well as the comedy behemoth that is Forth On The Fringe.

Straddling the point where the New Town ends and Leith begins, the Playhouse faces a range of casual restaurants all perfectly adapted to the in-and-out of a pretheatre meal: tapas-focused La Sal is reliably authentic, while Laila aims for the Insta crowd with a sweet-as-candy all-day brunch menu. Around the corner, Phuket Pavilion is a reliable choice for Thai. Nearby is comedy hotspot The Stand, as well as Eastside, a friendly bar with an ambitious comedy line-up.

Leith Walk is the gateway to some of Edinburgh’s best eating and drinking: Joseph Pearce is a friendly Swedish bar with a casual menu. A few doors up is the legendary Valvona & Crolla, a stunning Italian deli and caffé where you can load up on picnic treats. Spry wine bar is also handy, a pared-back bottle shop specialising in naturally made wines (and an everchanging seasonal menu), with a downstairs coffee bar, Ante, for a quick coffee or simple breakfast. The Walnut is worth the ten minute or so stroll down the Walk and if you want a couple of hours away from it all, head to The Gardener’s Cottage.

Heading back up towards Princes Street brings you to St James Quarter which has a huge selection of food and drink. The Alchemist attracts a dressed-up crowd for their theatrical cocktails and weekend brunch, grab a bagel from Bross Bagels, or choose your own adventure in Bonnie & Wild, a reimagining of the food hall concept with local producers and street food vendors.