leith depot

Truth be told, the festivals can feel like a distant dream in some parts of Leith, which can lead to a welcome change of pace. The festival experience here focuses around small indie venues: Leith Depot itself recently fought a glorious campaign against the developers to survive and is a stellar example of a community venue, with a lively bar, decent food and an August programme focusing mainly on live comedy. Across the road is the equally vibrant Leith Arches, with its pretty, fairy-light strewn café bar.

But you’re here for the food and drink, right? Good choice. There’s a lot going on at the lower end of Leith Walk, where you’ll find Woodland Creatures, a great wee bar with a hidden outdoor space. It’s across the road from Victoria Bar, a Swedish-themed pub with a strong beer selection and no kitchen; they’ll let you order a takeaway to your table though. The Mother Superior is a genuine wee place where they know their whisky inside out; ask for a recommendation. Mind you, Artisan Roast is practically next door if you want a coffee first though.

Heading down Constitution Street, Smoke & Mirrors is a gorgeous, friendly little pub. You’ll also find Chop House Leith and The Old Spence Café nearby, both worthy of your time. Proclaiming the best chippy in town is always fighting talk, but Pierinos is pretty good (and also the best chippy in town).

Around The Shore, Toast is a modern, unfussy wine bar and Borough are doing some pretty special things. That said, the volume of competition around The Shore (a pretty hub for bars, cafés and restaurants) means there are few duds. Well-loved names like The Shore and The Ship On The Shore make their homes here, but whatever you fancy, you’re probably going to be in safe hands.

Indian Street food, tandoori grill, curry’s, fresh mocktails and more.

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Restaurants

Antonietta

331 Leith Walk, antoniettaedinburgh.co.uk

A jazzy new replacement for La Favorita, Antonietta is a riot of colour with floral tiles and coral and teal walls. The food is bright and fun too; a pink beetroot and sage aioli tops the taleggio and squash arancini, and the pizzas are a twist on the usual.

Fingal

Alexandra Dock, fingal.co.uk

Luxurious, special and definitely not something to rush through, Fingal is Edinburgh’s floating hotel with accompanying restaurant and bar. It aims to evoke the glamour of a bygone age and afternoon tea in particular is a gorgeous way to while away a few hours. There’s really nowhere quite like it.

Fishers Leith

1 The Shore, fishersrestaurants.co.uk/fishers-leith

Set in an old watchtower on The Shore, Fishers balances specialoccasion surroundings with laid-back service and precision cooking. Whether you’re planning a (pre-ordered) hot shellfish platter blow-out, or just fancy a bowl of mussels and fries at the bar, this is a restaurant for all seasons.

Origano

236 Leith Walk, origano-leith.co.uk

Handmade pasta and gourmet pizza are on the menu at this casual spot, which radiates Italian rusticana. A stone pizza oven roars away and the mood is set by flickering candlelight. Start with a piled-high meat or cheese board, then dive into cannelloni stuffed to bursting and spinacio pizza topped with a gently oozing egg.

Razzo Pizza

59 Great Junction Street, razzopizza.co.uk

Perfect Neapolitan pizzas prepared in a huge wood-fired copper oven by skilled pizza chefs: unbeatable. Order the melanzane with fried aubergine, pecorino and fior di latte, or napolitana with anchovies and capers, and pair your pizza with a glass of nero d’avola. Delivery drivers buzz in and out, but you won’t care.

Sabzi

162 Ferry Road, sabzistreetfood.com

Family-run Sabzi brings vibrant Punjabi street food and home-style favourites to north Edinburgh and the locals couldn’t be happier about it. The menu changes weekly, the dhal makhani is rich and delicious, and the masala haggis toastie with mango chutney just can’t be beaten. It closes at 8pm so get there early.

Cafes And Casual Bites

Chorrito Sauce Shop & Cantina

126 Leith Walk, chorritosauce.com

Take a seat at the tiled bar of this shiny new cantina and let the taco good times roll. The all-natural

Time To Spare

August is all about the busy-busy, but sometimes it’s nice to just take the weight off and relax. When it’s time to bin off the Chekov, book ahead and spoil yourself with one of our indulgent fine dining choices

AURORA

187 Great Junction Street, auroraedinburgh.co.uk

The juxtaposition of busy Great Junction Street and the precise elegance of Aurora’s inventive tasting menu never fails to startle. Truly transporting food.

DEAN BANKS AT THE POMPADOUR

Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh –The Caledonian, Princes Street, deanbanks.co.uk

A fine-dining tasting menu that manages to be super-luxe without being fussy; Dean Banks brings a new lease of life to the prettiest dining room in town.

FHIOR

36 Broughton Street, fhior.com

This stripped-back Scandi-style restaurant puts Scottish produce at the heart of every plate, turning out beautiful, inventive dishes that revel in their own simplicity.

HERON

87–91a Henderson Street, heron.scot

Heron can’t put a foot wrong. This airy space with Water Of Leith views is home to some of Scotland’s best contemporary cooking and a shiny new Michelin star.

THE KITCHIN

78 Commercial Quay, thekitchin.com

There are no prizes for quietly pursuing excellence daily; if there were, The Kitchin would definitely win. Sublime food and exquisite attention to detail.

THE LITTLE CHARTROOM

14 Bonnington Road, thelittlechartroom.com

A move to slightly off-the-beatentrack larger premises gave Roberta Hall-McCarron an even bigger stage to shine from. That it still feels so charmingly informal is even better.

THE LOOKOUT BY GARDENER’S COTTAGE

Observatory House, Calton Hill, thelookoutedinburgh.co

It’s a pull up the hill but the views are worth it. Save a little bit of your attention for the food though; it’s equally striking.

RESTAURANT MARTIN WISHART

54 The Shore, restaurantmartinwishart.co.uk

Restaurant Martin Wishart exemplifies luxury, classical technique and beautiful ingredients, and the veggie menu is equally carefully thought through.

TIMBERYARD

10 Lady Lawson Street, timberyard.co hotsauces are made on-site; try them with hand-pressed tacos stuffed with roast cauliflower or slow-cooked pork. The Baja fish taco with red cabbage slaw and chipotle mayo is a particular highlight.

Strictly local, strictly seasonal. Timberyard is celebrating its longoverdue Michelin star by sticking to what they’ve always done best: making the most of Scotland’s abundant larder.

Cocorico

96 Jane Street, instagram.com/cocorico_leith

The Scots-French couple behind this place used to run the Water Of Leith Bistro, so if you’ve been missing their Cullen skink and croque monsieur, then this is where to find them. Cocorico combines restaurant skills with a relaxed café style, and cakes and pastries are a speciality: get the roast plum frangipane tart.

Krema Bakehouse

21 Leith Walk, instagram.com/kremabakehouse

Slabs of red velvet cake and a rainbow of photo-perfect cupcakes might tempt passers-by into this takeaway cake shop. But made-toorder brioche (topped with fresh strawberries, or perhaps vanilla cream and piped with a filling of your choice) is the star of the show.

Printworks Coffee

42 Constitution Street, instagram.com/printworks_coffee

A good strong coffee and an egg roll from Printworks is guaranteed to set you up for the day, although you may be tempted to just hang out at a sunny outside table all afternoon. Also on the menu: homemade soup, filled wraps and addictive chocolate tiffin, served up in an attractive, airy space.

Seb’s Urban Jungle

187–189 Leith Walk, instagram.com/sebsurbanjungle

This sleek, trendy spot offers casual brunch, coffee and cake amid lush, green foliage. Verdant houseplants (all for sale) create a botanical backdrop to light meals of feta and avo on freshly baked sourdough, accompanied by single-origin Brazilian coffees. Occasional plant care workshops with BYOB and hands-on guidance add to the fun.

Williams & Johnson

1 Customs Wharf, williamsandjohnson.com

You’ll find delicious small-batch single origin Williams & Johnson coffee available across Edinburgh, but it’s best enjoyed at source in this contemporary roastery and café. The stylish café leads straight into the vibrant Custom Lane exhibition space or grab a sunny table outside by the river. Don’t miss the homemade sourdough pastries.

Bars

Abode

229 Leith Walk, abodebarleith.co.uk

A cracking little neighbourhood bar with a great wine list and local beers on tap including Barneys and Campervan Brewery. Pop in for a coffee, a glass of wine, or a sharing platter of Mellis’ cheese and East Coast Cured charcuterie. It’s a wee pub with a big heart.

Leith Arches Café Bar

6 Manderston Street, leitharches.com

Part of Leith Arches, where you’ll also find a handful of Fringe shows, this café bar feels like a retreat despite looking out onto the hustle of Leith Walk. Food is simple, staff are warm, beers are local and the wine list is short but perfectly adequate. A lovely place to lose yourself for an hour or two.

Lost In Leith Fermentaria

82 Commercial Street, campervanbrewery.com/lostinleith Run by local brewers Campervan, this spot has European canal-side vibes and gets plenty of sunshine. Alongside their own brews (aged onsite), you’ll find an eclectic global selection of low-intervention wines and beers, while pizza from Pizza Geeks across the road can be delivered straight to your table.

Mistral

10–12 Bonnington Road, mistral-leith.co.uk

Sample interesting wines from small European producers at this relaxed and unpretentious wine bar, where wines by the glass change regularly so there’s always something new. There’s a small but high-quality grazing menu to complement the wine: share some oysters or freshly made nduja and ricotta crostini.

Nauticus

142 Duke Street, nauticusbar.co.uk

With leather seats, dark panelling and expert bartenders in smart aprons, Nauticus has a timeless, sophisticated feel that’s ideal for a date night or quiet dram. The regularly changing cocktail menu champions Scottish drink producers and takes inspiration from Leith’s maritime trading history, from spice routes to the whisky boom: don’t miss the house Whisky Mac.

Nobles

44a Constitution Street, noblesbarleith.co.uk

Stained-glass windows, nautical ephemera and a giant Björk print: Nobles shouldn't work, but it really does. This lovingly restored familyrun bar serves up some of the best pub food in Edinburgh. Enjoy a terrific Bloody Mary with brunch or explore the extensive delights of the à la carte menu in the evening.

Roseleaf

23–24 Sandport Place, roseleaf.co.uk

Cheery neighbourhood favourite Roseleaf is the place for a slap-up brunch or a hearty pub meal; their ‘big yin’ full cooked breakfast is legendary. Dishes and drinks are inspired by Leith: try the Banana Flat cocktail, featuring a vegan flatwhite martini with oat milk, Kahlua, espresso and banana liqueur.

Teuchters Landing

1a Dock Place, teuchtersbar.co.uk

This unpretentious bar has local beers on tap including Paolozzi lager and Moonwake IPA, which is brewed just yards away. Outside is a generous riverside beer garden and heat lamps, with warming mugs of stovies and a particularly fine whisky range to keep you nice and snug if the weather turns.

Three Marys

63–65 Henderson Street, instagram.com/threemarysleith

Billed as a neighbourhood cocktail bar, Three Marys is a stylish spot; all stained glass, dark florals and velvet, with a relaxed local pub vibe. Behind the horseshoe bar, cocktail maestros will fix your favourites, and there’s a great range of local beers too, plus live jazz and blues every Thursday and Sunday.

My Picks

Megan Merino

THE LIST SOCIAL MEDIA & CONTENT EDITOR

During August, I’m either chained to the Old Town or running as fast as I can in the opposite direction. There really is no in-between. On a show-heavy day, I’ll head to Salt Horse on Blackfriars Street, a small craft beer shop, bar and kitchen that’s candlelit, cosy and serves delicious classic bar snacks as well as great beer. Even in the height of August, it remains calm and collected; something I’m in desperate need of a few weeks into the festival.

On a rare day off, you may find me just off Leith Walk in Newbarns Brewery and Taproom. This marvellous space is perfectly off the beaten track, has a selection of pub games and is often frequented by adorable canines. You may also see me stuffing my face with Razzo Pizza, which can be ordered directly to the taproom from its restaurant around the corner. It’s the best pizza in Edinburgh: there, I said it.

Aformer church, Assembly Roxy’s three performance spaces will see a packed programme of around 30 different Fringe shows in August, with comedy, drama and circus all represented. Sitting pretty much smack bang between The Pleasance and the Festival Theatre means its pocket-sized outside courtyard is a perfect place for people-watching: it’s super-handy for everywhere else that matters too.

That means food and drink choices abound. Drummond Street is home to two decent Indian restaurants, Tuk Tuk and Solti, both of which will send you back into the world feeling pleasantly buzzed with spice. Black Medicine Coffee on the corner is ideal for that mid-afternoon slump. When it comes to fast, cheap fill-ups, proximity to the university means the area around South Bridge and Nicolson Street offers great options without resorting to the fast-food chains. Pizza Posto is one of the few places where you can get a pizza and change from a tenner, while Bento’s fresh sushi, poké bowls and hot bento boxes don’t compromise on ingredients. The Mosque Kitchen simply can’t be beaten for a healthy, cheap and huge plate of food, while 10 To 10 In Delhi is a Bedouin throw-strewn riot of colour and curry. For a change of pace, Dovecot Studios is a gorgeous, calm space with a cute wee café (and their Scottish Art and Aperitivo nights sound amazing). Continuing over towards The Pleasance, BBL (it stands for breakfast, brunch and lunch) has kept generations of students alive by doing exactly what it says on the tin and their vegan deli counter is good to know about if you’re planning any self-catering. A final wander up to St Leonard’s Street will bring you to another much-loved student haunt, The Auld Hoose, the home of Edinburgh’s largest nachos (allegedly) and its best jukebox (almost definitely).