The Skinny Guide to Edinburgh 2023

Sandy Park Commercial Director

Laurie Presswood General Manager

George Sully Sales and Brand Strategist

Dalila D'Amico Art Director, Production Manager

Phoebe Willison Designer

Anahit Behrooz Events Editor

Jamie Dunn Film Editor, Online Journalist

Rosamund West Editor-in-Chief

Peter Simpson Deputy Editor

Tallah Brash Music Editor

Tom McCarthy Creative Projects Manager

Lewis Robertson Digital Editorial Assistant

Arusa Qureshi Fest Editor Fringe Dog Dog

by Laurie Presswood

24 New Town by Rosamund West

30 Southside by Anahit Behrooz

34 West End by Tallah Brash

38 Tollcross, Bruntsfield & Marchmont by Anahit Behrooz

42 Gorgie, Dalry & Fountainbridge by Peter Simpson

46 Stockbridge & Canonmills by Rosamund West

50 Abbeyhill by Tallah Brash

54 Leith by Jamie Dunn

62 Portobello

Heads Up: Essential Edinburgh highlights

68 Edinburgh in August

87 Daytripping

98 Fringe Dog’s Guide to Edinburgh

Illustrator

Innes Clark is a recent graduate and illustrator whose drawings are inspired by daily interactions and encounters, using humour, imperfect lines and texture to create a lively, human quality in her illustrations.

IG: @innesclarkillo

LEITH WITCHCRAFT MARKET

Get in loser, we’re going crystal shopping. The Leith Witchcraft Market takes place every few months, coinciding with the various Pagan Sabbats in the calendar. This summer, head over for their Lammas (30 July) and Mabon (17 September) markets, with witchy prints, handcrafted herbal soaps and tarot readings aplenty.

TRAM CRAWL TO NEWHAVEN

The tram now goes to Newhaven. What shall we do with this new transport link? Use it to get drunk, of course. There are 23 stops, so we don’t recommend you imbibe at every one. Kick-off at Dreadnought in Newhaven; end at The Roseburn by Murrayfield; and drink responsibly along the way.

WATER OF LEITH PATH

Edinburgh does not want for lovely walks, but perhaps the prettiest is along the Water of Leith. The path is teeming with nature (ducks, bats, foxes, swans, herons) and foraging opportunities (raspberries and wild garlic abound). Keep an eye out, too, for Antony Gormley’s haunting series of sculptures that stand sentinel in the river.

TURKISH BATHS

A very charming thing about Edinburgh is that many of its council-run public swimming pools are housed in old Victorian swimhouses. Portobello takes it a step further with an authentic Victorian Turkish bathhouse near the Portobello waterfront, with three different hot rooms you work your way through for the ultimate relaxation experience for under a tenner.

Step beyond the Edinburgh Festivals and act like a local by seeking out some of the things that make Edinburgh a special place to live all year round (excluding February which is terrible).

Leith Witchcraft Market

Tram crawl to Newhaven

Water of Leith path

Portobello

Image: courtesy of Edinburgh Tram

JUPITER RISING

Jupiter Rising is magical sculpture garden Jupiter Artland’s once-annual, now-biannual music festival. This year is unfortunately an off year; however, because Scotland’s arts scene simply doesn’t know how to relax, they are putting on a one-night-only special edition of Jupiter Rising, curated by this year’s exhibiting artist Lindsey Mendick, as part of Edinburgh Art Festival. 19 Aug, £5

COLONY OF ARTISTS

The original idea behind the Abbeyhill Colonies (est. 1867) was to offer affordable, secure and clean housing for a whole host of tradespeople, with community at its heart. Now home to many artists, since 2005 artists annually open their homes, turning them into mini exhibition spaces, and the community comes together with stalls, cake stands, art trails, live music and more.  Abbeyhill Colonies, 16-17 Sep

LEITH COMEDY FESTIVAL

Comedy! It’s not just for August, nor is it just for three streets in the Old Town! Leith Comedy Festival have been running a bunch of one-off shows ahead of their first full festival – they bring a bit of the Fringe to The Biscuit Factory on 10 Aug, the Festival itself runs 6-8 Oct, details tbc.

BOOK FRINGE

Every festival needs its Fringe counterpart and the book business is no different. Book Fringe, an accessible alternative festival headed by some of Edinburgh’s best and brightest independent bookshops, is returning this year, courtesy of Lighthouse Bookshop, Typewronger Books and Argonaut Books – keep an eye on their socials for details of dates and programmes.

Colony of Artists

Leith Comedy Festival

Jupiter Rising

Book Fringe

Image: courtesy of Leith Witchcraft

Market

Photo: Yousef Espanioly

Photo: jskiscycling licensed under

CC by 2.0

Image: courtesy of Lighthouse Bookshop

Photo: Peter Simpson

Photo: Gaelle Beri

Photo: Aly Wright

COLINTON TUNNEL MURAL

There are several disused railways-turned-paths to be explored all over Edinburgh, with most perfect for an afternoon amble or cycle; the most exciting lies in the west of the city. Accessible via the Water of Leith, the Union Canal or the less scenic Slateford Road, Colinton Dell is home to the Colinton Tunnel Mural, Scotland’s largest historical mural.

GO TO JANE STREET

We’re living through a second brewery taproom boom (a tapboom, if you will). The epicenter is Jane Street, just off Leith Walk; start at Newbarns, then head down the street to Campervan. After that, it’s a brief stroll to the Shore for Moonwake and Lost in Leith. Tapboom.

COWGATE

The Cowgate is one of the Old Town’s main thoroughfares and a must for anyone looking for a top tier night out, especially if you’re after one with live music, and a more underground feel. Pub crawl along the street from east to west, then take in a gig and club night at the award-winning, small but perfectly formed, Sneaky Pete’s.

CALTON HILL

The most accessible of Edinburgh’s seven hills, Calton Hill is a short climb from the end of Princes St. At the top you’ll find stunning views of the city, the Pentlands, Fife and beyond, and one of the city’s most exciting art galleries, Collective. Plus ‘Edinburgh’s Disgrace,’ an abandoned 19th century attempt to build the Parthenon…

Colinton Tunnel Mural

Calton Hill Cowgate

Newbarns Brewery and Taproom

Photo: Mike McBey licenced CC BY 2.0

Photo: Ellis Garvey

PARADISE PALMS QUEER CLUBBING

Edinburgh doesn’t have an extensive queer clubbing scene as such, but one of our favourite places is tropical dive bar Paradise Palms, who serve their queer clubbing with a side of vegan food and indie record labels. Find the likes of Femmergy and Sweet Philly there, as well as cabaret nights like Fruit Salad and Kabaret Kweer.

GET A COFFEE

Edinburgh is home to a frankly absurd number of excellent indie coffee shops, dotted all over the place. In leafy Stockbridge (Fortitude)! By the Meadows (Cult)! Just off Princes Street, right in the middle of town (Cairngorm)! In the shadow of the actual Castle (The Source)! Caffeine fans, fill your boots.

OLD MAN PUBS

Edinburgh is very very good at old fashioned boozers and traditional pubs, where locals can be found in the same seats at the same time most days. Some of the best include The Bow Bar (80 W Bow), The Blue Blazer (2 Spittal St), Teuchters (26 William St), The Persevere (398 Easter Rd), Roseburn Bar (1 Roseburn Ter) and Athletic Arms (1-3 Angle Park Ter).

VISIT DUDDINGSTON

We don’t want to accuse Duddingston of actually hiding behind Arthur’s Seat, so we’ll say that the historic village is ‘tucked away’ behind The Big Rock. Walk through Holyrood Park and you’ll find the lovely Sheep Heid pub, an enormous community orchard, and a chill, bucolic vibe.

The Bow Bar

Duddingston

Femmergy

Fortitude

Photo: Asa Rodger

Photo: Abdallah Kokash

Photo: Thomas Mountney

Photo: Charlotte Cullen

Photo: James Portuos

Image: courtesy of Fortitude

TRAMCRAWL!

The long-awaited tram route to Newhaven has just opened, providing a quick and simple way to navigate Edinburgh from the airport to the seashore. Grab yourself a day ticket (£5 Cityzone or £12 if you're coming from the airport) and get exploring.

INGLISTON PARK & RIDE Leave the car and hop on the tram. This is the stop for the Royal Highland Centre, the city’s large scale events and showground, home to Connect Music Festival (25-27 Aug), dance-focused EH1 Festival (23 September) and Terminal V electronic music festival.

EDINBURGH PARK CENTRAL

Jump off for a pastry and coffee (or something stronger) from restaurant, bar and bakery Patina, a light and airy space with Scandi-influenced design.

BALGREEN Kids will love Edinburgh’s best playpark, Saughton, with a skatepark for bigger kids on skates or scooters. Take a walk through the beautiful rose garden, gaze upon the bandstand. If you’re hungry, Luckies over the road has Edinburgh institution Chop Chop in residence serving up their local favourite dumplings and garlic aubergine.

HAYMARKET The centre starts here! Hop off and explore the vibrant Dalry Road, pop to the Palmerston to sample their award-winning menu or, if it’s still morning, delicious pastries.

WEST END Fancy a drink? Head to picturesque William St and sample the taps of the atmospheric Teuchters.

PRINCES ST The heart of the city! From here, you can visit the National Galleries, then walk up the Mound to explore the medieval streets of the Old Town.

ST ANDREW SQUARE This stop is surrounded by historic boozers, including the Victorian splendour of Cafe Royal and Guildford Arms, the well-preserved Edwardian environs of The Abbotsford and the cabaret vibes of the Voodoo Rooms, which hosts a programme of evening gigs.

EDINBURGH AIRPORT

GOGARBURN GYLE CENTRE EDINBURGH PARK STATION SAUGHTON MURRAYFIELD

OCEAN TERMINAL NEWHAVEN

PORT OF LEITH

THE SHORE

FOOT OF THE WALK

BALFOUR STREET

MCDONALD ROAD

PICARDY PLACE

PICARDY PLACE Hop off at the top of Leith Walk for a drink in The Street, gaze upon a giant bronze foot by Eduardo Paolozzi or visit the St James Quarter for a quick game of bowling.

BALFOUR ST Just past the Leith boundary, alight here to enjoy the lower stretch of Leith Walk. Pop into Leith Depot for a drink, some food or some live music. The Drill Hall has a community cafe and interesting events, so stick your head in to see what’s going on.

THE SHORE Another clutch of excellent pubs - take your pick from the (in)famous Port of Leith, cosy Nobles or head round the corner to visit the Bullfinch with their tucked-away beer garden. Walk along the Shore, admiring the colourful Nyhavn-alike harbour buildings and pop into Custom Lane for a coffee and a browse of their design businesses.

OCEAN TERMINAL Visit the Royal Yacht Britannia, then run, don't walk to Alby's for one of their big hot sandwiches. A short stroll away, Sierra Metro is a gallery / studio with an excellent coffee shop in the front.

NEWHAVEN The final stop! Pop into the Dreadnought for a pint and gaze upon their rainbow-painted Pride bridge. You’ll find some of the city’s finest fish and chips in the Newhaven Fishmarket - take away to eat on the picturesque harbour side before getting back on the tram and doing it all over again.

edinburghtrams.com

Top tip – purchase Day Tripper tickets for unlimited tram travel for 2 adults and up to 3 children through our website edinburghticket.com and save money!

HAYMARKET PRINCES STEET ST ANDREW SQUARE

MURRAYFIELD STADIUM WEST END

OLD TOWN

Edinburgh’s medieval heart is built around the Royal Mile, stretching from Edinburgh Castle to the Palace of Holyroodhouse via St Giles’ Cathedral, the recent, proud host of Scotland’s version of The Queue. It’s a warren of narrow alleyways and haunted subterranean vaults interspersed with quirky independent shops, bars and restaurants.

FOOD

When it comes Old Town eateries there’s 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 cheeky pie from Piemaker (38 South Bridge) is 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 ice cream.

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. Also on Saturdays, just a five minute walk away you’ll find the Edinburgh Farmers’ Market (9am-2pm) at the Castle Terrace Car Park, with local produce on offer as well as a hot food truck.

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, milkshakes and Coke floats aplenty.

El Cartel (1 Roxburgh’s Court) provide the freshest of Mexican street food; 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’s Cafe (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.

DRINKS

The 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 (think large-ish classroom). Deacon Brodies (435 Lawnmarket) and The Waverley Bar (3 St Mary’s St) are also great

Photo: Carlo Paoloni

El Cartel

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. Just across the road and an inch closer to the castle’s imposing rock is The West Port Oracle (27 West Port), a new space from the team behind Southside institution Paradise Palms: same friendly atmosphere, comparatively minimalist decor. 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. Away from beer, Room and Rumours (25 East Market St) pair great coffee with delicious, Instagramfriendly doughnuts, while at Gordon Street Coffee (6 Market St) there’s 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 veg? Hula (103 West Bow) have smoothies and juices to help you through the earliest mornings. Meanwhile, Procaffeination (4 St Mary’s St) is an oasis of calm right in the middle of it all.

INDIE SHOPS

Some 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. For something a little edgier, dig into the Scottish and international music scene at indie record shop Underground Solu’shn (9 Cockburn St) or hit Slow Progress Records (53 Blackfriars St) for records, coffee and delicious vegan doughnuts.

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) for truly unique pieces. Visit Pieute (19 Candlemaker Row) for graphic tees, or 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,

Photo: Alex Renfrew

Dragonfly

Image: courtesy of Sneaky Pete's

Sneaky Pete's

thoughtfully curated boutique perfect for picking up tarot cards, crystals and – appropriately – handmade candles.

THINGS 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, or venturing into the hidden streets beneath the city via The Real Mary King’s Close (2 High St). 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.

Or if you’re more interested in modern atrocities, there’s always the Scottish Parliament building (Canongate). Also worth a visit are The Scotsman Steps, a gorgeous stairwellcum-public-urinal from artist Martin Creed made of myriad types of marble. They will lead you the Fruitmarket gallery (45 Market St), one of the city’s foremost contemporary art spaces. Opposite, City Art Centre (1 Market St) hosts exhibitions covering art, history and the annual Edinburgh International Science Festival. Round the corner, check out the city’s

photography gallery, Stills (23 Cockburn St).

NIGHTLIFE

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.

Take a few steps across the road to reach La Belle Angele (11 Hastie’s Cl): an Edinburgh institution since the early 90s; up the steps, The Mash House (37 Guthrie St) plays host to some of the best up-and-coming bands as well as club nights across its three varyingly-sized floors.

A few minutes in either direction you’ll find The Caves (8-10 Niddry St) and The Bongo Club (66 Cowgate): The Caves is an event space made up of the substructure of Edinburgh’s 18th century South Bridge while Bongo’s spacious setting underneath Edinburgh Central Library attracts late night revellers with regular club nights charting sounds from Europe to Jamaica. Round the corner and up the hill, The Liquid Room (9C Victoria St) has long been known for attracting the top touring bands.

Photo: Tom Nolan

Fruitmarket

NEW TOWN

Some might question continuing to call an area of the city completed in 1850 the New Town, but not Edinburgh residents. A UNESCO World Heritage site, the Georgian grid plan is home to city centre shops, world-class galleries containing many of the nation’s treasures, quiet residential streets and a wide array of pubs and restaurants.

FOOD AND DRINK

If you’re looking for a chain restaurant, you will find it around St Andrew Square. For local recommendations, however, read on.

Southside transplant Aizle has taken up residence in the Kimpton Charlotte Square to offer their much-celebrated tasting menus. Sister restaurants Tipo (110 Hanover St) and Noto (47a Thistle St) provide a modern take on Italian cuisine and sharing plates, small domaine wine producers and bespoke cocktails respectively. Fishers in the City (58 Thistle St) celebrates Scottish seafood in a bistro environment – their mussels are some of the best in the city. Those seeking French cuisine (and what visitor to Scotland does not?) will be well served by Cafe Marlayne (76 Thistle St) or L’Escargot Bleu (56 Broughton St). The latter’s downstairs wine bar serves up snails as a bar snack. 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, purveyor of the deep-fried Mars Bar, Cafe Piccante (19 Broughton St). Down the hill, Fhior (36 Broughton St) serve up a menu of delicious small plates centred around carefully sourced local produce in an airy, minimal environment.

For drinks, the most central options are on Rose Street, which is also a famous pub crawl and therefore riddled with stag dos. Moving from west to east, The Black Cat (168 Rose St) has sunny outdoor tables and occasional folky performances, rock bar The Black Rose Tavern (49 Rose St) has pleasant divey vibes and ‘Edinburgh’s most outstandingly preserved Edwardian pub’ The Abbotsford (3 Rose St) is 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.

Photo: Kristie De Garis

Noto

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, explore quirky drinking dens from a bygone age – 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 The Basement (10a Broughton St) serves Mexican-inspired cocktails and Pickles (60 Broughton St) does reasonably priced cheese, meat and wine platters.

The area is also well served for 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.

THINGS TO DO

On the Mound sits the neoclassical National Gallery, home to work by big hitters from Da Vinci to Gauguin. In front, on Princes Street, sits the columned Royal Scottish Academy, home to a year-round programme of contemporary Scottish art. On Queen St, you will find the Gothic spires of the Portrait Gallery.

Ingleby Gallery (33 Barony St) is an independent contemporary art gallery with a year-round programme of interesting exhibitions in a tastefully converted Glasite Meeting House. Down a lane off Broughton St, Embassy (10b Broughton St Ln) is an artist-run space with a focus on emergent practice. At the other end of the visual art spectrum, Dundas Street is home to several commercial art galleries showing work by the Scottish art establishment. Looking for an oil painting of a glen slash beach? You

Image: courtesy of Lucky Liquor Co

Lucky Liquor Co

Music and theatre shows by francophone artists in the heart of Edinburgh!

4-28 August 2023

4-14 AUG

A Portrait of Ludmilla as Nina Simone

BY DAVID LESCOT / COMPAGNIE DU KAÏROS

Dazzling intimate portrait of the legendary jazz singer pianist composer and civil rights activist, told through music, song and storytelling

7-13 AUG

Exile for Two Violins

BY COMPAGNIE BACCHUS

Two violinists confront Hungarian composer Béla Bartók during his exile in New-York Half-fable, half-biography, this theatrical creation is a musical interlude in the Balkans

14-20 AUG

Cyborg Experiment #1

BY SNOWAPPLE COMPANY

This experiment is an opera of the future where temporalities mix and anachronism plays with history Two characters bring an old cassette player to the stage A voice is recorded and they listen

16-20 AUG

Bolts of Melody

BY COMPAGNIE LA MEUTE

It’s the story of two people entering Possibility a place populated by Emily Dickinson s words This show deals with loss, but also joy and humour It’s about finding internal poetry, and relying on others

25-28 AUG

Là-Haut (Up There)

BY SONIA KILLMANN

"Là-Haut" is an audiovisual show that immerses the audience in a unique world through the eyes of bird-like aeroplanes, taking you on a journey exploring emotions of longing and home

Institut français d'Écosse West Parliament Square, Edinburgh

will find it here.

The New Town has some great parks, although many of them are closed off to non-residents. That is in many ways the New Town vibe. Surrounding the National Galleries are Princes Street Gardens East and West, ideal locations for some sunny cans while gazing upon the splendour of Edinburgh Castle or the highly grammable Ross Fountain.

INDIE SHOPS

Blunt Knife Co. (41 Thistle St, until 15 Jul, new location TBC) is a social enterprise shop and events space

promoting work by women and people of marginalised genders. Looking for booze? Bon Vivant’s Companion (51 Thistle St) offers an array of fine wines, beers and spirits, including an extensive selection of Scottish gins while Vino (30 Broughton St) is a local independent chain providing expertly chosen wine and beer.

Looking for meat? Newly renovated Broughton Market (97 Broughton St) is a local institution – go on Thursday for the full range of fancy sausages. Looking for homewares? Who doesn’t, when on holiday? You’ll find a carefully chosen selection in Life Story (53 London St).

Photo: Julia Solonina

Ross Fountain in Princes Street Gardens

Edinburgh’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, there’s a wealth of notably cheap eateries and cafes perfect for bunking down with a good book. It’s also home to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, when the typically peaceful green expanses of The Meadows and George Square Gardens are transformed into a veritable carnival of

FOOD AND DRINK

Being a student-heavy area, Edinburgh’s Southside is filled with great eats and quirky drinking holes. The Sudanese Nile Valley Cafe (6 Chapel St) offers 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 the kids are Sister Bao (32 S Clerk St), with steamed buns for as little as a pound and change; The Original Mosque Kitchen & Cafe (50 Potterrow), whose plates piled high with homemade curry come to just over a fiver; pizza slices at Civerinos Slice (49 Forrest Rd); and a modern take on Thai food at Ting Thai Caravan (8 Teviot Pl). Having expanded into the Southside recently is Leith staple Alby’s (94 Buccleuch St), whose enormous, elaborate sandwiches and fries may be the best in Edinburgh – they’re open through the day but often sell out way before. For something a little more sit-down (but still cheap), Ikigai Ramen (13 W Crosscauseway) is cosy in both vibes and warming meals, while Kim’s Mini Meals’ (5 Buccleuch St) innocuous

front hides a renowned family restaurant considered one of the best in the city. El Cartel (15 Teviot Pl) crafts its tacos like little works of art bursting with flavour.

To keep the night going, tropical dive bar Paradise Palms (41 Lothian St) has an excellent array of spirits crowding its neon bar. There are similarly chaotic vibes at The Dog House (18 Clerk St), while The Royal Dick in the Summerhall arts complex (1 Summerhall Pl) 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 less boozy day, there’s many a cafe to while away drizzly afternoons. Thomas J Walls (35 Forrest Rd) and Kilimanjaro (104 Nicolson St) both offer brunch and a relaxed atmosphere, Considerit (5A Sciennes) has the pillowiest vegan doughtnuts you’ve ever seen, 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).

Photo: Kristie De Garis

Paradise Palms

THINGS TO DO

The Southside is typically the heart of the Fringe: Summerhall boasts one of the festival’s best programmes, while Assembly Roxy (2 Roxburgh Pl), Queen’s Hall (85 Clerk St), and 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 summer, the tree-lined expanse of The Meadows and the crags of Arthur’s

Seat transform into some of the city’s key hangout spots.

INDIE SHOPS

There’s not a ton of shopping in the Southside, but there are a few cute indie stand-outs. 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. 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.

Photo: Irene Jiang

National Museum of Scotland

WEST END

A sprawling clash of Georgian architecture and dominating office blocks, from Haymarket and Dean Village to the West Port and Lothian Road, where nightlife happens in theatres and grand concert venues, and daytime jaunts to art galleries, coffee shops and bakeries are a must.

FOOD AND DRINK

For breakfast on the go, grab a roll with square sausage and tattie scone from family-run bakery Preachers (2426 Lady Lawson St). When lunchtime calls, a densely packed feta cheese vergas from Greek Artisan Pastries (23 Bread St), a gyros wrap from Ola Kala (202 Morrison St) or a Vietnamese sandwich from Bánh Mì Brothers (141 West Port) will hit the spot. For an all-you-can-fit-in-a-box Afghan buffet, head to Shinwari (46-52 Lady Lawson St).

For dinner, on Lothian Road it’s burgers all the way at Bread Meats Bread (no. 92), Thai street food at Ting Thai Caravan (no. 55-57), or Indian and Irani cuisine at Chaakoo Bombay Cafe (no. 117). Find fragrant bowls of pho at Vietnam House (1-3 Grove St), and authentic Mexican food at Taco Libre (3 Shandwick Pl), and if you’re feeling fancy, try The Palmerston (1 Palmerston Pl), or recent Michelin Star recipients Timberyard (10 Lady Lawson St).

For those gasping on a drink, in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle you’ll find

the Blue Blazer (2 Spittal St), with its rotating cask ales and impressive rum selection, while country pub vibes can be found at Teuchters (26 William St), who boast an impressive selection of single malts; play the Hoop of Destiny to be in with a chance of supping a rare nip. For craft beer, head to The Hanging Bat (133 Lothian Rd) or The Wee Vault (7A W Maitland St), and for gin 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).

For a caffeine fix a few minutes from Princes Street, Cairngorm (1 Melville Pl) is a must; you’ll also find them slinging hot bean juice out of a hatch at Stag Barber Co. (10 Haymarket Ter). Near the Edinburgh College of Art, an expert cup can be yours at The Source Coffee Roasters (4 Spittal St), while the sweet-toothed should hit up Tasty Buns (67 Bread St) for their boozy bakes. Another must is a visit to the ultra-charming, mismatched joy of Lovecrumbs (155 West Port), whose pastel chic sister cafe,

Photo: Abi Radford

Timberyard

Nice Times Bakery (147 Morrison St), can be found a short stroll away. Their classic bakes can also be found at Company Bakery’s (5 Devon Pl) weekend market alongside expertly crafted pastries, award-winning bread and sundries.

THINGS TO DO

Keen art lovers will want to set aside plenty of time to visit the National Gallery of Modern Art (73 Belford Rd); its surrounding sculpture park features works by Henry Moore and Eduardo Paolozzi, as well as a breathtaking Charles Jencks landform. While you’re in the area have a proper wander around Dean Village, a super quaint former grain milling village on the Water of Leith. For a night on the town, the area around Lothian Road has you covered. In the coming months catch everyone from the RSNO and Christine and the Queens to Grayson Perry in the domed

Usher Hall, and find a diverse selection of local and touring theatre productions at The Lyceum (30b Grindlay St) or the Traverse Theatre (10 Cambridge St). If vintage gaming under UV lights is more your bag, head to NQ64 (25 Lothian Rd).

INDIE SHOPS

Looking to add another 12” to your collection? Assai Records (1 Grindlay St) can help with that; be sure to check their website for instores while you’re in town. Bibliophiles should head for Main Point Books (77 Bread St) or Edinburgh Books (145 West Port), and fans of vintage threads should pay Carnivàle (51 Bread St) and Herman Brown (151 West Port) a visit. For super cute seasonal plants and flowers, head to Lily West (143 West Port), while back near the train station, photography fans should check out Agitate (20 Haymarket Ter).

Photo: Julia Solonina

Dean Village

TOLLCROSS, BRUNTSFIELD & MARCHMONT

Tollcross’ 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 students and quirky boutiques.

FOOD AND DRINK

Brougham Street is the food hub of Tollcross: you can pick up literal mounds of noodles from Thailander (no. 25) for less than a tenner or for a tiny bit more at Sen Viet Vegan Restaurant (no. 23a), or get stuck into Greek food at charming taverna Taxidi (no. 6).

For Asian food made practically in front of you, head to Dumplings of China (60 Home St), Korean BBQ (3 Tarvit St), Yamato (11 Lochrin Ter), or Cafe Pomelo (21c Strathearn Rd), whose hand-pulled-noodles are the stuff of legend. Bruntsfield has a fancier vibe: there’s fine dining and wine at Decanter (183 Bruntsfield Pl), well-crafted Japanese cuisine at Harajuku Kitchen (10 Gillespie Pl), and reasonably priced vegetarian fine dining at Hendersons (7-13 Barclay Pl). And for a neighbourhood vibe, Three Birds (3 Viewforth) is tucked at the bottom of a tenement building and offers a rotating Scottish seasonal menu.

Tollcross isn’t exactly nightlife central, but there are a few chill drinking spots. Cloisters Bar (26 Brougham St) is located in a cobbled

former church, while The Ventoux (2 Brougham St) is perfect for a post-meal drink at one of Brougham Street’s many eateries. Located almost opposite each other, Bennets Bar (8 Leven St) has a dark wood, dark academia vibe, while The Blackbird (37 Leven St) offers a creative cocktail menu.

And for the daytime hours, you’re spoilt for choice: tiny KONJ Cafe (67 Home St) serves authentic Persian food including aromatic tea and handmade treats; Don’t Tell Mama (64 Home St) offers modern Greek brunch, and Seven Neighbourhood Cafe (7 Home St) does an excellent all-day breakfast. And finally, for the coffee snobs (sorry, connoisseurs), there’s nowhere better in the city than Detour Espresso (39 Argyle Pl), Machina Espresso (32-38 Marchmont Rd) or Artisan Roast (138 Bruntsfield Pl).

INDIE SHOPS

This 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 North and Central American ingredients, from hot sauces to a large bin

Image: courtesy of Cafe Pomelo

Photo: Romina Key

Cafe Pomelo

KONJ Cafe

BRUNTSFIELD & MARCHMONT

filled with corn tortillas and tacos. There’s more foodie treats at I.J. Mellis (330 Morningside Rd), just one of several of the local cheesemonger’s branches dotted around Edinburgh.

For the artistically inclined, Edinburgh Art Shop (129 Lauriston Pl) has everything you could possibly need, while Doodles (27 Marchmont Cres) is a paint-your-own ceramics workshop with a delightful primary school studio vibe. Prefer looking at art to making it? The wonderfully named Flamingosaurus Rex (22 Bruntsfield Pl) is an eclectic gallery filled with prints and unique tchotchkes made by local artists, while Curiouser & Curiouser (106 Bruntsfield Pl) has an ever-rotating collection of prints, cards, candles, and curated coffee table books.

Finally, for something a little more practical, Snapdragon (146 Bruntsfield Pl) is a dinky plant shop filled with fresh and dried bouquets and hardy potted plants. Indie bookshop

Edinburgh Books (219 Bruntsfield Pl)

has a great selection that belies its size, including an array of children’s books, while for the music fiends, Thorne Records (125 Bruntsfield Pl) and Greenhouse Records (10 Barclay Ter) are great stopping points.

THINGS TO DO

This really is a local’s area and, as such, there aren’t many tourist attractions. If you want to feel like a resident, 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. And, 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.

Image: courtesy of Cameo

Cameo

& MARCHMONT

GORGIE, DALRY, FOUNTAINBRIDGE

News from the west – things have grown much taller since we last spoke. Fountainbridge and Gorgie’s old industrial buildings continue to morph into new hotels and housing, while the enormous new Haymarket development looms over Dalry Road. Still, these are primarily working-class parts of town with welcoming cafes, bars, restaurants and shops plus easy access to great green spaces.

FOOD AND DRINK

Not to be rude to the big-windowed business lads, but we hope The Haymarket doesn’t have too much impact on Dalry Road’s excellent stretch of foodie places. Start with the great bread and pastries at Twelve Triangles (no. 50), pick up some excellently-curated beers at The Beer Cave (no. 43), or stock up your cupboards at Thai@Haymarket (no. 39). Chix (no. 25) put out possibly the best fried chicken in the city – grab their gnarly, crunchy chicken tenders and some of their many, many dips. Get steamed up at the excellent Xiangbala Hot Pot (no. 63); visit Riverlife (no. 84) for French Caribbean classics; Pizzeria 1926 (no. 85) recently changed hands, but the Neapolitan pizza reportedly remains delicious. Locanda de Gusti (no. 102) focuses on Naples’ seafood, while Wine & Peach (no. 91) offers Mediterranean small plates and cocktails.

Away from this one bit of street, there’s plenty more to enjoy. The

Athletic Arms (1 Angle Park Ter) is a classic old-school pub with great cask ales and an enormous whisky selection, while gastropub fans are well-served by the Caley Sample Room (42 Angle Park Ter) and The Fountain (131 Dundee St). After a night in the above, find one of the city’s best breakfast rolls at Hank’s (162 Fountainbridge) – this writer swears by the lorne sausage and tattie scone. Hula (94A Fountainbridge) serves inventive dishes in a blur of plants and neon, and Grow Urban (92 Grove St) is a fantastic independent plant shop with great coffee.

Further down Dalry Road you’ll find the excellent Chennai’s Marina (192 Dalry Rd) with delicious and impressively spicy Sri Lankan dishes, while Gorgie Road is the place to go for seemingly any ingredient. AfroCaribbean (Uwagboe’s, no. 193), Japanese and Korean (Sanpo Yoshi, no. 268), or South Asian (Amma Spices, no. 261) – you’ll be sorted thanks to these guys or one of their equally independent neighbours.

Image courtesy of Twelve Triangles

Twelve Triangles

THINGS TO DO

Our Gorgie/Dalry/Fountainbridge zone is encircled by green spaces, nice walks and outdoor spots. The Union Canal starts at Fountainbridge and goes west through some leafy, bucolic scenery. Continue far enough and you can join the breathtaking Water of Leith path south to Colinton and Balerno, or north through the Dean Village and Stockbridge. Alternatively, get on your bike. Join the Roseburn cycle path just past the stadium at Tynecastle, and you’re on a five-mile stretch of smooth, off-street riding that will take you all the way to Leith. It’s well-maintained, it’s lit at night, and it beats being stuck on the bus.

In terms of parks, you’re spoiled for choice. Harrison Park is a wellkept neighbourhood park that stays sunny past 10pm in the summer nights, with a branch of the lightly-fancy Edinburgh grocery chain Margiotta round the corner for your cans and hummus. Saughton Park has a

beautifully restored rose garden, a vast playpark and a much-loved skate park, while Colinton Dell is a bumpy, lumpy forest with Scotland’s largest mural in its historic railway tunnel.

If the weather won’t play ball, get into some animatronic wildlife at the dinosaur-themed indoor mini-golf of Volcano Falls (Fountainbridge). Just up the road, Edinburgh Printmakers (1 Dundee St) are fully embedded in their new home of the former rubber works. Away from the print studios of the title, you’ll find two gallery spaces, a cafe, and a pretty nifty gift shop. Keep heading west beyond Gorgie and you’ll hit the newly-revamped O2 Academy Edinburgh (11 New Market Rd) – look out for gigs from First Aid Kit, Devo and Amyl & the Sniffers this August. If you’re something of a singer yourself, visit Marcos (79 Grove St). Its recent facelift features a private karaoke room; if you ‘don’t like karaoke’, hit one of the many, many pool tables.

Photo: Jules Lister

Edinburgh Printmakers

STOCKBRIDGE & CANONMILLS

At the northern edge of the New Town, linked by the Water of Leith, lie Stockbridge and Canonmills. These historic residential areas have a village feel and scenic streets that are manna for influencers. Head here for bougie shops, independent bars, excellent ice cream and an astounding number of charity shops. Plus the Stockbridge Market every Sunday boasts the city’s largest paella.

FOOD & DRINK

You don’t have to look far to find baked goods in Stockbridge or Canonmills. Walk along StockyB’s main road (Deanhaugh St leading on Raeburn Place) and try any door, they will likely be ready to serve you coffee and cake. Favourites include The Pastry Section (86 Raeburn Pl), French patisserie La Barantine (27b Raeburn Pl), Swedish-style Soderberg (3 Deanhaugh St), family-run Italian joint Cafe Gallo (96 Raeburn Pl) for savoury snacks and Twelve Triangles (9 Comely Bank Rd) for artisanal fresh bread and pastries. Find coffee at Fortitude (66 Hamilton Pl) or Artisan Roast (100a Raeburn Pl). In Canonmills, head to The Bearded Baker (46 Rodney St) for doughnuts and buns, Hata (5 Rodney St) for excellent cake or newcomer Singapore Coffee House (5 Canonmills). If you’re venturing towards Inverleith, Krem Karamel (68 Inverleith Row) has a much-storied Basque-style cheesecake. Newly-opened Joelato (31 N W Circus Place) is a welcome addition to the city’s burgeoning artisanal ice cream scene.

For more of a sit-down meal, try The Pantry (1 NW Circus Pl) for brunch, Nok’s Kitchen (8 Gloucester St) for Thai food, Kenji Sushi (24 Deanhaugh St), Earls Burger Co. (74 Raeburn Pl), Kim’s Bulgogi (11 St Stephen St) for Korean or Novapizza (42 Howe St) for the vegans. Keep going along Raeburn Place and you will find the Neighbourgood Market, serving up a variety of Scotland’s finest street food on a cricket pitch until 23 July.

The area is also home to many pubs in their purest form. On St Stephen St, The Antiquary (72 St Stephen St), aka the Tic, is a basement pub of the real ale variety while The Bailie (2 St Stephen St) is an unreconstructed boozer. At the other end, St Vincent (11 St Vincent St) offers dark and cosy vibes – they’ve recently added a load of flower garlands to the front, a decision perhaps not unconnected to its position on the edge of Edinburgh’s most Instagrammed street (™), Circus Lane. Over towards Canonmills, Clark’s Bar (142 Dundas St) has a traditional interior and craft beer, while One Canon (1 Canonmills) is an airy corner bar with a focus on local breweries, currently serving pizza.

Photo: Dario Rodrigues

Soderberg

Offering up an altogether different vibe is Skua (49 St Stephen St), the latest venture from the team behind newly Michelin-starred Heron. Intimate, small seasonal plates, innovative cocktails, hospitality at its finest. For cheese, fine wines and antipasti, head to Smith & Gertrude (26 Hamilton Pl) or Italian-run Bacco (136 Dundas St). Back on St Stephen Street, basement bar The Last Word Saloon (44 St Stephen St) serves a sophisticated take on classic cocktails.

THINGS TO DO

The Water of Leith is a beautiful wooded route linking Stockbridge and Canonmills with the West End and Leith. Look out for kingfishers, otters and Anthony Gormley statues on the way.

The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (Arboretum Pl) is a place for scientific study and conservation, but also a beautiful free-to-enter garden, home to some very engaging squirrels and assorted waterfowl.

For visual arts, Dissenter Space (57 Henderson Row) is a collaborative work presenting a radical series of talks, events and projects in a former office block. WASPS Patriothall is an artists’ studio complex with a regular programme of exhibitions.

INDIE SHOPS

Cheese lovers, check out I.J. Mellis (6 Bakers Pl) or George Mewes (3 Dean Park St). For drinks, visit Vino (26 NW Circus Pl) or Winekraft (6 Brandon Ter) in Canonmills. The Beerhive (24 Rodney St) is a much-loved beer and wine shop stocked with interesting local and international cans.

An Independent Zebra (88 Raeburn Pl) sells work by local small design businesses. On St Stephen St, book lovers should check out Golden Hare (no. 68) or Ginger and Pickles (no. 51) for kids, while vinyl lovers can explore Voxbox Music (no. 21).

Photo: Cameron Gibson

Water of Leith

ABBEYHILL

Taking 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 tenements, you’ll also find the super quaint Abbeyhill colonies here. Our Abbeyhill section also borders the boundary of Leith, halfway down Leith Walk, and the New Town where you’ll find the start of the city’s main LGBTQI+ thoroughfare.

FOOD AND DRINK

In the heart of Abbeyhill, Easter Road is great for a coffee or quick bite on the go. You’ll find an array of vegan offerings at Plant Bae (no. 220), expertly made coffees and a wellstocked cake counter at Australianinspired coffee locale Little Fitzroy (no. 46), and fresh focaccia sandwiches stuffed with the flavours of Italy at Polentoni (no. 38). Around the corner, housed in Abbeyhill’s former public toilets, Herringbone (3 Royal Terrace Gdns), is a cute space serving up seasonal ingredients and 30 different wines by the glass. A short stroll down the terrace and more seasonal plates can be found at The Gardener’s Cottage (1 London Rd).

At the Leith Walk end of the area, find the best cannoli in the city at the Sicilian Pastry Shop (14 Albert St), while Canadian-style diner Down the Hatch (13 Antigua St) is a great burger and poutine joint. On Albert Place, flavourful offerings can be found across a trio of super chic eateries, from modern taqueria Bodega (no. 14), to inventive ramen joint Gulp Ramen (no. 9), or try the seasonal plates at The Little Chartroom’s sister restaurant eleanore (no. 30). If you fancy a proper pint alongside some great food, along at the Omni Centre you’ll find Edinburgh Street Food, an enormous food court with indoor and outdoor seating, table service, DJs, local brews and food available from a plethora of local foodie favourites. More street food can be found in the beer garden and taproom at The Bellfield Brewery (46 Stanley Pl), with a rotating roster of pop-up food vendors, while the neighbouring Safari Lounge (21 Cadzow Pl) pull a great pint too, always with a playful menu on the go. Swedish bar Joseph Pearce (23 Elm Row) is also a popular choice, while at the top of the Walk, you’ll find the start of an area lovingly referred to as the ‘Pink Triangle’, devoted to

Photo: Murray Orr eleanore

LGBTQI+ bars, clubs and restaurants – head to CC Blooms (23 Greenside Pl) for their drag nights.

THINGS TO DO

Set in the grounds of Holyrood Park, take a walk up Edinburgh’s most famous hill, extinct volcano Arthur’s Seat. The much closer (and smaller) Calton Hill is also a must, with a whole host of actual things you can do at its summit. Enjoy the views. Laugh uncontrollably at our feeble attempt to build the Parthenon, aka the National Monument of Scotland (google ‘Edinburgh’s Disgrace’ for more on that). Go to contemporary art centre Collective, housed in the former City Observatory. Go to one of two seasonal fire festivals – Beltane and Samhuinn – if you’re here at the right time.

If you’d rather not walk up a hill, take in a show at the Edinburgh Playhouse (18-22 Greenside Pl), and if you find yourself here in September, the annual Colony of Artists festival

(16-17 Sep) allows you to snoop around the Abbeyhill colonies where you can enjoy exhibitions from local artists in the community.

INDIE SHOPS

If you’re looking to buy some cans to drink at home or in a local park, you’ll find a great selection of local beers at Cornelius (18 Easter Rd), while SPRY Wines (1 Haddington Pl) will sort you out for 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 and Italian wine merchant.

For books, head to Topping & Company (2 Blenheim Pl) or the twee Typewronger Books (4a Haddington Pl) where indie books and typewriter maintenance are the name of the game. And if you’re a vinyl enthusiast, second-hand record shop Vinyl Villains (5 Elm Row) will likely help plug some gaps in your record collection.

Photo: Siobhan Nevada

SPRY Wines

LEITH

Edinburgh’s coolest neighbourhood is now a doddle to get to thanks to the recently completed tram line. 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 the seafront and Newhaven, a gorgeous fishing village absorbed by the city.

FOOD

Razzo (59 Great Junction St) should be your go-to for astonishing Napoletanastyle pizza; you’ll also find delicious, authentic pies at Origano (236 Leith Walk). Cafe Domenico (30 Sandport St) is a lovely, old-school macaroni and gravy joint with chequered tablecloths, an intimate atmosphere and a reassuringly small menu. It also serves massive sandwiches, but even they don’t rival the hefty pieces from the heaven-sent Alby’s (8 Portland Ter).

Sabzi (162 Ferry Rd) serves up a vibrant and weekly-changing menu of Punjabi dishes that often take on a Scottish twist. Another great Leith Indian restaurant 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. You’ll find a similarly low-key vibe at STACK (42 Dalmeny St), a tiny spot serving up wildly tasty dim sum.

You’ll find Edinburgh’s best African restaurants this side of town: the brilliant bistro Knight’s Kitchen (166 Leith Walk), which delivers delicious African flavours with a Scottish twist, and the recently-expanded Nigerian restaurant Uwagboe’s Kitchen & Grill (250-252 Leith Walk). Cocorico (96 Jane St) is a lovely new addition to Leith’s food scene, serving up rustic Scottish food with a French flair (try their Croque Madame!). The similarly cute Cafe

Marmalade (23 Bernard St) also has a great breakfast game, as does Newhaven gem The Haven (9 Anchorfield).

Situated by The Shore, Heron (87-91A Henderson St) – recently awarded a Michelin star – delivers relaxed dining using local ingredients, while around the corner on Great Junction Street there’s Aurora (no. 187), a tiny spot with an ambitious menu. The pick of Leith’s fine dining spots is the award-winning The Little

Chartroom (14 Bonnington Rd) – getting a table is the hard part, though, given its massive waiting list.

ON-THE-GO EATS

Street food of a Venezuelan flavour is served up at Orinoco (281 Leith Walk). Right next door you have a Leith institution: Storries (279 Leith Walk), a no-nonsense bakery whose delicious (and ridiculously inexpensive) pies have kept Leithers well-fed for decades.

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, while Kvasa (101 Leith Walk) are sourdough experts serving stunning breads and sweet treats.

The Fishmarket (23A Pier Pl) is a chippy in Newhaven so good the council have built a tram to its door. And if you want to polish off any of the above with some gelato, head to

Photo: Stephen Lister

Heron

PUBS & BARS

You’ll probably be looking to wash all that delicious food down with a few pints. The Port O’ Leith (58 Constitution St) is a local landmark and always lively, as is The Mousetrap (180 Leith Walk). The vibe is more relaxed at The Lioness of Leith (21 Duke St) and Leith Depot (138 Leith Walk) – the latter has recently opened a new gig space that’s teeming with great live music each month.

Teuchters Landing (1c Dock Pl) is a warren-like drinking den that’s wonderfully cosy in the winter while its terrace overlooking the docks is much-coveted on warm days. The neighbouring Lost in Leith (82 Commercial St), 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), a 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 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, and a shoutout too to the ace Victoria (265 Leith Walk), a fun Swedish joint, and the Tour de France-themed Tourmalet (25 Buchanan St).

At 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 hard-pressed 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. Bittersweet (24 Henderson St) offers a little slice of Italian aperitivo culture. And a bit further off the beaten track you’ll find The Bullfinch (2-4 Bath Rd), which boasts a fantastic beer garden.

Crolla’s (1 The Shore), a lovely late-night gelateria.

Image: courtesy of The Lioness of Leith

The Lioness of Leith

Photo: Bayo Adegunloye

The Shore

COFFEE

Maybe it’s an espresso hit you’re after. Leith is littered with great cafes and first port of call should be The Old Spence Café (40 Queen Charlotte St) – inside you’ll find a cosy room dressed in vintage furniture with tasty coffee and scrumptious cakes. More utilitarian in style is Williams and Johnson (1 Customs Wharf), all sleek concrete and streamlined furnishing. There’s nothing simple about its coffee, though, which is rich and delicious.

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).

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

Beets (49 Bernard St) and Leith Bottle Shop (30 Great Jct St) are the neighbourhood’s essential stop-offs for wines, spirits and craft beer. Crate diggers, meanwhile, should find their pick in Elvis Shakespeare (347 Leith Walk) and Good Vibes Records and Books (151-153 Constitution St).

Bookshop Argonaut (15-17 Leith Walk) has a wonderfully curated selection of fiction, non-fiction, travel writing and graphic novels, while Edinburgh

Community Bookshop (179-181 Great Junction St) is an excellent secondhand bookstore supporting a different local charity each month. And among the high street chains of Ocean Terminal you’ll 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. 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. And every Saturday, get yourself down to Leith Market (Dock Pl) for some sizzling street food and scotch eggs the size of your head.

Photo: Studio Lenca

Photo: Jaro Mikos

Sierra Metro

Williams and Johnson

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 some great indie shops to visit while you wait for the sun to return.

Four miles east of the city centre, Portobello is ideal if you want a break from the hubbub of the Old Town or the immaculately straight lines of the New Town. The focal point is the beach – a two-mile stretch that’s not always great for swimming, but perfect for lounging about with a book and a coffee.

GETTING HERE, AND KEEPING GOING

Portobello is very much not ‘in town’, so one of the best ways to get here is by bike. Get on the Number 1 path at the Commonwealth Pool, and that’ll take you most of the way. Edinburgh’s city bike scheme is sadly no more, but there are options available if you don’t have a bike with you but want to make a day of it. Cycle Scotland (29 Blackfriars St), Leith Cycle Co. (276 Leith Walk) and Biketrax (2 Fountainbridge Sq) all offer bike hire – expect to pay between £20-£35 for a full day’s rental.

Alternatively, use Lothian Buses to get to Porty – the 21 goes from Leith, the 26 from Princes St or the West End, the 42 from the New Town or the 49 from the Southside. £2 each way, you can pay using contactless, easy.

If you fancy a swim, a surf, or just a change of pace, the beaches of East Lothian are closer than you might think. The 124 EastCoastBus from the city centre passes through Porty on its way to Gullane and North Berwick. The former has a sprawling sandy beach; the latter is a charming seaside town with the sea to paddle in, shops to peruse, and a large hill (Berwick Law) to climb. It’s around 75 minutes from central Edinburgh to Gullane, then another quarter-hour to North Berwick; you can also get to North Berwick on the train in 35 minutes from Waverley. The best waves around can be found at Dunbar, a hub of activity for surfers, paddleboarders and other wetsuited enthusiasts. It’s around half an hour on the train.

Photo: jkiscycling, licensed under CC BY 2.0

Portobello

FOOD AND DRINK

Down on the beach you’ll find a pastel pink outpost of Civerinos Slice (47 Figgate Ln), serving up slices so big that the wind might genuinely take them out of your hands. Next door is a permanent home for Scottish street food legends Shrimpwreck (49 Figgate Ln). Their menu is packed with different beach-friendly ways to eat seafood – you could have crab in your macaroni cheese, you could get some shrimp covered in buffalo hot sauce, or you could pick up a sandwich and try not to cover yourself in a mist of batter

flecks and pieces of fish. Weekends bring the Little Green Van to the promenade serving takeaway espresso by Edinburgh roasteries, while The Espy (62 Bath St) is a great beachfront bar for a pint and a gaze out 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 multi-coloured 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

Image: courtesy of Civerinos Slice

Civerinos Slice

ith over 500 events to choose from, there’s something for everyone at the Edinburgh International Book Festival.

This year’s Festival is a particularly exciting one, as it marks 40 years of bringing the world’s finest writers and thinkers to Edinburgh.

Join us at our Festival Village in Edinburgh College of Art, Lauriston Place, as we celebrate the joy of words. Visit edbookfest.co.uk, or pick up a copy of our programme. We’re sure you’ll find your Book Bliss.

Photo: Eamonn Wang

tapas at Malvarosa (no. 262), while Tanifiki (no. 44) is the place to relax with a coffee. There’s a branch of the oft-mentioned Twelve Triangles (no. 300) if you’re in the mood for a pastry, while a pair of recent additions offer excellent aperitivo-style options. Porty Vault (no. 243) is Vault City’s new bar loaded up with their fruity sour beers; Smith and Gertrude (no. 254) serve up well-curated wines and delicious nibbles. Oh, 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.

THINGS TO DO

Portobello High Street has a few key spots that are worth checking out.

First up is The Portobello Bookshop (46 High St). The independent bookshop, which opened in 2019, has a bumper range featuring a bit of everything from local indie magazines to genre-busting fiction. They also regularly host readings and events, both in-person and online.

The fresh homemade pasta from Aemilia (186 High St) was a big hit of

lockdown times; they regularly sell out early at their new permanent home, 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 incredibly knowledgeable staff and a wide selection that includes beers and spirits from a host of local breweries and distilleries.

And if you want a bit of a break from the sand and the waves, look out for the latest from Art Walk Porty (1-10 Sep), which has in recent years grown from an annual celebration of the area’s artists into a multi-faceted programme of events and residencies. Visit artwalkporty.co.uk for all the latest – their Climate Cafe series of walks and talks continue all year, with info on this year’s main Art Walk programme expected shortly. In the meantime, 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.

Photo: Amelia Claudia

Smith and Gertrude

EDINBURGH IN AUGUST

Each August the city transforms as multiple arts festivals kick off simultaneously and the population explodes. Fest editor Arusa Qureshi offers some guidance on how to navigate Edinburgh’s festivals

Photo: Tiago Rodriguez

Around June every year, it feels like we’ve just about caught our breath and recovered from the previous year’s iteration of the Edinburgh Festivals before the cycle begins again. The programmes for the Fringe, Edinburgh International Festival, Book and Art Festivals are officially launched, performers nervously finalise their plans and audiences ready themselves to buy tickets for as many of their top picks as they can. For some of us, having arguably the most important cultural events on the planet right here on our doorstep is like all our Christmases rolled into one. For others, it’s a strange and mammoth beast where there’s far too much to see and do and just not enough time. But whatever your thoughts on festival season, we can all agree that for the month of August in Edinburgh, there’s a peculiar magic in the air, whether you find

yourself in a small sweatbox of a venue or out and about on the streets of the city, soaking up the atmosphere.

As with any festival programme, there are too many highlights to mention everything but inevitably, there are shows that are already on our radar across the Fringe, EIF, Book and Art Festivals. These range from world-class premieres to unexpected gems, with some of the most famous names around to trailblazers and the next big thing. To get your ultimate fill of all things festival, pick up The Skinny’s August issue and Fest, the latter of which publishes four issues between the end of July and August. You’ll find it around Edinburgh weekly during the festivals, packed with reviews, recommendations, interviews and maybe even a crossword. For now though, here’s a small slice of what to expect and get excited about across genres and disciplines.

Photo: Chris Flexen

Edinburgh

COMEDY

The Edinburgh Comedy Awards are usually a great place to start if you’re looking for sure-fire hits and stars of the Fringe. Launched in 1981 and considered the most prestigious comedy prize in the UK, former winners are forever returning with new shows which are well worth seeking out. This year, you’ll find Rose Matafeo doing a work in progress at the Monkey Barrel, which also plays host to John Kearns. Elsewhere, there’s Bridget Christie at The Stand’s New Town Theatre; Jordan Brookes at Pleasance Courtyard and Frank Skinner, who takes on Assembly George Square. This year, one of the big shockers of the Fringe has been the possibility that the Awards may not return in 2023 due to a lack of funding. At the time of writing, they’re still seeking a solution but here’s hoping that we’re back to crowning our comedy favourites in August as usual.

Aside from the Edinburgh Comedy Awards, one of the best ways to see newcomers and future talent is via Gilded Balloon’s So You Think You’re Funny? competition. It’s been around since 1988 and former winners include Maisie Adam, Ivo Graham and Peter

Kay. This year, the Grand Final takes place on 24 August, but there are competition heats you can check out throughout the month too at Teviot.

Last year, one of both team Skinny and Fest’s favourite Fringe experiences was the weird and wonderful Mr Chonkers. John Norris is thankfully back at Monkey Barrel with not only Mr Chonkers, but an unhinged variety show called Piggy Time. Also at Monkey Barrel, you’ll find this year’s winner (no, really) of Britain’s Got Talent Viggo Venn with his hi-vis firmly in tow. Other highlights include Olga Koch with new solo show Prawn Cocktail, Stuart Goldsmith with stand-up about the climate crisis, Julia Masli’s terrifically absurd clowning and Avital Ash, who workshops her suicide note.

Another unmissable and absolutely insane night out is Stamptown Comedy Night at Pleasance, hosted by Zach Zucker with an always chaotic line-up of performers. Also at Pleasance, Chloe Petts is back with her new solo show If You Can’t Say Anything Nice; Janine Harouni returns with a new hour that explores her Arab roots and pregnancy; Kieran Hodgson gives us the lowdown on his move to Scotland; and cult-comedy star Patti

Photo: Rachael Sherlock

Olga Koch

Harrison arrives with the best-named show (My Huge Tits Huge Because They Are Infected Not Fake!).

At The Stand, Shetland comedian and storyteller Marjolein Robertson presents Marj; Paul Sinha is back with new show Pauly Bengali; and Robin Ince shares his love letter to stand-up comedy, MELONS. Meanwhile over at Summerhall, we’re excited about Creepy Boys, a show about a satanic and sexy birthday party, and Baby Wants Candy star Katy Berry is bound to be a focal point at Just The Tonic. As well as her show Bitter at Monkey Barrel, Luisa Omielan also takes God is a Woman The Musical to Laughing Horse @ The Counting House as part of the free festival, while Shelf bring their new show Teenage Men to PBH’s Free Fringe @ Voodoo Rooms.

THEATRE

The Edinburgh International Festival doesn’t traditionally include comedy but when it comes to theatre and music, it’s where you’re guaranteed to find world-renowned performers. This year marks the first Festival under the direction of new Director Nicola Benedetti, so naturally, the programme looks a little different but as usual, there’s plenty to sink your teeth into. Inspired by the literature of Martin Luther King Jr, the 2023 Festival is centred on the question, ‘where do we go from here?’, with around 300 events asking us to consider the transformative power of the arts. Within the theatre programme, there are three UK premieres from stars of international theatre: Barrie Kosky’s The Threepenny Opera from the Berliner Ensemble; Brazilian film and theatre director Christiane Jatahy’s Dusk, based on Lars Von Trier’s Dogville; and Tiago Rodrigues’ As Far As Impossible, recounting the everyday lives of humanitarian workers in war zones.

The National Theatre of Scotland’s Thrown, from writer

Photo: Rah Petherbridge

John Kearns

Photo: Magali Dougados Dusk, Edinburgh International Festival

Nat McCleary under director Johnny McKnight, comes to the Festival as part of its world premiere season. The play sees five wildly different women gather in the muddy fields of the Highland Games circuit, ready to compete in the obscure art of Scottish backhold wrestling. There’s also New York City-based theatre-maker Geoff Sobelle’s absurd dinner party FOOD, and immersive work via Punchdrunk Enrichment, who bring The Lost Lending Library to the Festival, inviting young people aged 6-11 to take a journey into a magic travelling library.

If you think you’re spoilt for choice in the comedy section of the Fringe programme, wait until you hear about what’s on offer in theatre. As always, there’s an immense selection but a good place to begin your search for top picks is to look at the various programmes that are part of showcases. For example, there’s the annual Made in Scotland showcase, which this year includes 18 shows across a range of venues throughout Edinburgh. Theatre highlights include Tortoise in a Nutshell’s intimate tabletop performance Concerned Others (Summerhall); Raymond Wilson’s autobiographical piece I Hope Your Flowers Bloom (Storytelling Centre); and Isobel McArthur’s brand-new ensemble comedy The Grand Old Opera House Hotel (Traverse).

The Horizon showcase, which is back for its third year, is another excellent shout, with exceptional, stand-out performances created in England and ready for international touring. We’re looking forward to Brook Tate’s Birthmarked (Assembly Rooms); Figs in Wigs’ feminist adaptation Little Wimmin (Zoo Southside); the final piece of Javaad Alipoor’s trilogy Things Hidden Since The Foundation of the World (Traverse); and Rachel Mars’ durational performance installation FORGE (Lyceum Roseburn).

The Traverse and Lyceum programmes never disappoint, and

along with the shows already mentioned, we’d recommend Kieran Hurley’s new black comedy ADULTS and Iranian playwright Nassim Soleimanpour’s theatrical event NASSIM at the Traverse. At the Lyceum, don’t miss Obehi Janice’s Casanova-inspired Nova and Tim Crouch’s absurdly comic two-hander An Oak Tree

For some of the best, boundary-pushing and innovative theatre at the Fringe, head to Summerhall, where you’ll struggle to narrow down your choices. We’re particularly excited about HIGH STEAKS, a show in which performer ELOINA hangs two beef steaks from her labia, butchers them up and sizzles them on a grill; Afrofuturistic East-African story about identity and community, OommoO; and Adam Scott-Rowley’s surreal YOU ARE GOING TO DIE, which he performs entirely naked.

Just a short walk from Summerhall, House of Oz is back again this year with a varied programme of shows from Australia. Check out true-life, original musical tribute A Migrant’s Son, intimate audio adventure Two Strangers Walk into a Bar…, and the hilarious and poignant Maureen.

Another interactive show that’s worth seeing is Ontroerend Goed’s Funeral at Zoo Southside, which is described as a theatrical ceremony and collective ritual. At the same venue, writer/performer Jenny Witzel tells her story of living on a boat in South-East London in CREEKSHOW, while at Zoo Playground, Aionos is a hybrid theatrical experience where Ancient Egypt meets Star Wars. At the Storytelling Centre, Niall Moorjani’s A Fairie Tale reimagines the folk classic Thomas the Rhymer, exploring queerness, Scottish race and gender identities. While at theSpace, Chloe Rice and Natasha Roland return with last year’s hit And Then The Rodeo Burned Down and new show What If They Ate The Baby?

CABARET

The cabaret section of the Fringe programme is the place to go in August if you’re looking for silliness with a side of absurdity. Shiitake Nights at Gilded Balloon’s Patter Hoose falls firmly into those categories, featuring ‘clowns, comedians and creatures of calamity’ from Glasgow. Also at Gilded Balloon, Dizney in Drag: Once Upon a Parody is Australia’s The Hairy Godmothers doing adult fairytales, and Lady Marmite is a drag tribute show to the world-famous Lady Marmalade, featuring A’Whora as P!nk, Sminty Drop as Christina, Kiki Snatch as Lil’ Kim and Coco Couture as Maya. Also in the category of drag royalty, Drag Race UK winner Danny Beard heads to Underbelly as part of their debut solo tour; Leather Lungs arrives at House of Oz with Higher Love, a celebration of the powerhouse anthems of ABBA, Queen, and more; and

Ginava’s Messy Friends at Assembly George Square Gardens is a glorious drag variety show from Australia. For magic, check out Ben Hart’s Jadoo (Assembly George Square Gardens), which sees the magician drawing from his experience of travelling to India and exploring his cultural heritage; Chris Cook (PBH’s Free Fringe @ Voodoo Rooms) who celebrates his tenth anniversary by asking: can AI do a better job?; or India’s most-famous mind reader Suhani Shah, who makes her debut at Underbelly.

MUSIC

The Fringe doesn’t typically feature the type of bands and artists that you might see at mainstream music festivals, but the best place for established and up-and-coming contemporary music is definitely Summerhall. The Nothing Ever Happens Here programme is always

Photo: Alain Bouvier && Noosa Alive!

A Migrant's Son

varied and interesting, with this year’s selection placing a focus on artists from Scotland. Highlights include the Opening Party with Optimo Espacio and Eyes of Others, Mull Historical Society, We Were Promised Jetpacks, Auntie Flo, Kathryn Joseph, Pictish Trail & Friends, Constant Follower, Withered Hand and the Rebecca Vasmant Ensemble. There’s also a special Closing Party hosted by synth-pop duo MARANTA, who invite you to the sensory world of MICROSTERIA. Elsewhere, we can’t wait to see musical-comedy heroes Thumpasaurus, San Francisco band Deafheaven and Big Thief’s Buck Meek.

For more contemporary music, check out the EIF’s selection, which crosses electronic, jazz, blues, roots, Indian contemporary-classical and more. On the programme this year is English electronic icon Alison Goldfrapp, The Velvet Underground’s John Cale, Portuguese fado star Mariza, masterful sitar player

Anoushka Shankar, Irish radical folk group Lankum, and Detroit-born bassist and composer Endea Owens, among many others.

As is the case every year, the EIF’s classical music programme is absolutely packed with crowd-pullers and this year, you’ll find 22 symphonic concerts in the Usher Hall and 19 morning recitals in The Queen’s Hall. The London Symphony Orchestra will be in residence, as will Korea’s KBS Symphony Orchestra, Deutsche Oper Berlin and the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra. There’s also the Budapest Festival Orchestra, led by conductor Iván Fischer, who will have four concerts, including Dvořák’s Eighth Symphony presented in an informal performance in the round, and the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela, with its famed young ensemble of players aged 18-25, who are joined by conductors Gustavo Dudamel and Rafael Payare.

In opera, there’s a concert performance of Tannhäuser, the only

Photo: Dan Mosley

Maranta, VOMITON and Chell Young @ Hidden Door 2021

major Wagner opera that has not been performed at the International Festival, with American tenor Clay Hilley making his role debut. Plus, there’s The Magic Flute performed in concert by the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Chorus; a radical retelling of Bartók’s Bluebeard’s Castle presented by Theatre of Sound; and Trojan Women, which blends Greek tragedy and pansori, an ancient Korean form of musical storytelling, from the National Changgeuk Company of Korea. In the Fringe programme, 2022 smash hit musical Kathy and Stella Solve a Murder, about Hull’s least successful true crime podcasters, is back this year but in a bigger space (Underbelly, George Square). If you didn’t catch it last year, this might be your last chance to see it at the Fringe! At the Traverse, After The Act (A Section 28 Musical) is Breach Theatre’s new musical about pride, protest and the landmark legislation, and No Love Songs is a new gig-theatre show about the challenges of parenthood featuring songs by Kyle Falconer of The View.

DANCE, PHYSICAL THEATRE & CIRCUS

Circus at the Fringe is a definite winner if you’re looking for a fun family day out and as usual, there’s loads to choose from. IMA at Murrayfield Ice Rink is an immersive circus experience, set to be a real stand-out, both because of its interesting location and themes of space and sacred places. Afrique en Cirque at Assembly Hall is inspired by daily life in Guinea, with colourful scenery, costumes and staging; women-led YUCK Circus at Assembly George Square Gardens places acrobatics, dancing and comedy front and centre; and Party Ghost at Assembly Checkpoint, which is for ages 12+, combines theatre, death and drag.

Escalate at Underbelly from Australia’s Throw Catch Collective has plenty of juggling, rhythm and movement and likewise, Lucky Pigeons at Underbelly’s Circus Hub is an energetic show featuring a curious flock of pigeons. Meanwhile, Släpstick’s Schërzo at the Pleasance Courtyard is a mischievous clown-esque concerto, ideal for ages 8+.

Dance Base have joined forces with Assembly this year to create Assembly @ Dance Base, with a selection of dance, circus, and physical theatre shows as part of their programme. Among the highlights are choreographer Katie Armstrong, who makes her Fringe debut with SKETCHES/GLISK, created in collaboration with multi award-winning composer and DJ Mariam Rezaei Also on the bill is Solène Weinachter with AFTER ALL, a heartfelt exploration of the death rituals we have; Double Goer, a gruelling dance piece which follows two strikingly similar women; and I’m Muslamic – Don’t Panik, Bobak Champion’s hip-hop, dance and clown-based exploration of British and Iranian identity.

On the EIF’s dance programme, you’ll find the powerhouse dance company Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, who bring two showcases of recent works from the company’s dynamic choreographers as well as classic repertoire by founder, Alvin Ailey. There’s also Pina Bausch’s The Rite of Spring, which originally had its UK premiere at the Festival in 1978. This year, it returns in a double-bill evening with the original choreography, and a cast of over 30 specially assembled dancers from 14 African countries. Also on the programme is Chapter 3: The Brutal Journey of the Heart, Sharon Eyal and Gai Behar’s (L-E-V Company) final instalment of their acclaimed trilogy, which began with OCD Love and was followed by Love Chapter 2 in 2018.

Photo: André le Corre

Love Chapter by Sharon Eyal and Gai Behar

ART

The Edinburgh Art Festival is back this year from 11-27 August, under the new direction of Kim McAleese, with a programme that features 55 ambitious projects and exhibitions across more than 35 venues. The opening performance on 11 August at the Queen’s Hall, History of the Present, will see Northern Irish writer Maria Fusco collaborate with Scottish artist film-maker Margaret Salmon and composer Annea Lockwood on a hybrid opera on stage and screen that will be performed live. On 13 August, Alberta Whittle presents a newly-commissioned performance at Parliament Hall — The Last Born – making room for ancestral transmissions, while on 19 August JUPITER RISING joins forces with EAF to throw one of the biggest one-night-only parties in Edinburgh curated by artist Lindsey Mendick and collective Bonjour.

This year’s commissions also include Sean Burns’ Dorothy Towers, which is the story of the legendary Clydesdale and Cleveland Towers, two residential blocks in the centre of Birmingham which have long been a haven for LGBTQ+ people. Hosted at the French Institute, the 16mm film and installation will coincide with workshops and discussions on Edinburgh’s queer histories throughout the festival with partners such as the Lavender

Menace Queer Books Archive

Now in its 9th edition, Platform celebrates early-career artists working in Scotland and this year’s artists, selected from an open call are Aqsa Arif, Crystal Bennes, Rudy Kanhye, and Richard Maguire. The exhibition runs across the full festival dates at Trinity Apse, an old Gothic church off the Royal Mile.

Other highlights across the Art Festival programme are BEAST! a performance work by the French artist

Photo: James Glossop, courtesy of Jupiter Artland

upside-mimi- ᴉɯᴉɯ-uʍop, Rachel Maclean, 2021

and poet Tarek Lakhrissi (French Institute, 26 August); an illuminated artwork by Rabiya Choudhry at Leith Library; Edinburgh-based poet Nat Raha’s first iteration of performance work epistolary (on carceral islands) (50 George Square, 18 August); Lawrence Abu Hamdan’s film 45th Parallel (Talbot Rice Gallery); and Dovecot Studios’ major exhibition Scottish Women Artists: 250 Years of Challenging Perception, with works by over 45 pioneering women artists including Rachel Maclean, Sekai Machache, Joan Eardley and Alberta Whittle

BOOKS

The Edinburgh International Book Festival is celebrating its 40th year in 2023 and the theme this year is The Joy of Words. One of the major events on the programme is It’s Not Too Late to Change the World at the Edinburgh Playhouse on 13 August, which is hosted in association with the Edinburgh International Festival. The event welcomes Greta Thunberg, who discusses how collective action – and hope – will serve us in the urgent fight for our planet’s welfare. Though the

event is already sold out, it’ll be live streamed so you can watch it from home on a Pay What You Can basis.

Emily Chappell, Sara Pascoe, Judy Murray, Rob Delaney and Munroe Bergdorf are just a few of the other household names to be making appearances at the EIBF. Across the programme, you’ll also find seven Booker Prize winners: Shehan Karunatilaka, Eleanor Catton, Ben Okri, James Kelman, Ian McEwan, and Anne Enright with her brand new novel The Wren, The Wren

Bernardine Evaristo, Jackie Kay, Val McDermid, Elif Shafak, and Ali Smith talk about how their experiences have informed their writing careers in a series called What Makes a Writer, and Festival Late Nights see a return for the first time in three years, including special salons hosted by Damian Barr and Gemma Cairney [and Arusa

Qureshi! - Ed]. Also, you’ll find plenty of Scotland-based authors scattered around, including established names like Irvine Welsh, Jenny Colgan, Denise Mina, Chris Brookmyre and Alexander McCall Smith

If you’re looking for poetry, this year’s line-up has stars from the USA

such as Claudia Rankine and Eileen Myles, as well as Canadian poet Dionne Brand. From the UK, Zaffar Kunial and Alice Oswald present a not-yet-published new work, while Liz Lochhead reads from her New and Selected Poems.

In the Young Adult programme, Alice Oseman will be talking about her bestselling Heartstopper series with Benjamin Dean; Samantha Shannon discusses the new 10th-anniversary edition of the international bestseller The Bone Season; and there’s a special event with playwright Alan Bissett, novelist Holly Bourne and screenwriter Emma Dennis-Edwards on the thorny issues around consent.

KIDS

The Edinburgh International Book Festival is a top-tier location to hang out with the little ones, especially the colourful outdoor courtyard area at ECA which has events all through August. There’s Are You Sitting Comfortably? which takes place in The Storytime Yurt every morning, as well as workshops in the Creation Station and costume characters visiting the

Festival Village every Saturday and Sunday morning.

Sprog Rock are back on the first Sunday of the Festival, alongside beatboxer Bigg Taj, and on the final weekend there will be a Dragon Hunt, where 10 dragons illustrated by Cressida Cowell will be placed around ECA for families to find. Elsewhere on the programme, there are events for kids with Julia Donaldson, Children’s laureate Joseph Coelho, Dapo Adeola, Nathan Bryon, Tracey Corderoy and Steven Lenton

Little ones are also well represented in this year’s Fringe programme, with shows for tiny babies and older kids alike. Grow (0+) at the Scottish Storytelling Centre, performed by Niall Moorjani, Diana Redgrave and Vickie Holden, tells the story of a gardener that has agreed to look after their friend’s allotment, with joyful results. World in a Word (3+) at Summerhall and part of the Taiwan Season, uses language as a springboard for fun and games, and Marcel Lucont: Les Enfants Terribles (Assembly George Square Gardens, 8+) is a wild interactive game show, where kids get the opportunity to be crowned the most awful child.

Image: courtesy of Sprog Rock

Sprog Rock

DAYTRIPS

Have a day free? Keen to see more? Take one of our readymade daytrips out for a spin.

Words: Laurie Presswood

Photo: Nathan McGregor

ITINERARY A: THE GREATER EDINBURGH METROPOLITAN AREA

Rise bright early and also very literally by starting your day with a Pentlands walk. Harlaw Reservoir (plus Black Hill if you’re up for a climb) is a relatively easy route and also handy for getting to your next stop: South Queensferry. Those travelling by car or bike can go via Jupiter Artland, Edinburgh’s contemporary sculpture garden-cum-Instagram trap, while those taking public transport can ride the 63 bus all the way from its first to last stop (ooh!). Book yourself onto a Forth Boat Tours cruise, leaving South Queensferry four times a day, for views of Cramond Island, the underside of those bridges, and a whole lotta seals (alternatively, if your legs haven’t had enough, you can ascend to bridge level yourself and have a stroll over the Forth Road Bridge). Finally, grab a bite to eat at Down The Hatch, followed by

a pint in The Hawes Inn (Robert Louis Stevenson is said to have stayed here whilst writing Kidnapped). Keep on your lookout for the Burryman, a local gent covered entirely in burrs who will be celebrated on 11 Aug – but if you’ll be gone by then you can always add him on Facebook.

ITINERARY B: BONNIE BANKS, ETC

There aren’t many components to this day: get the train to Balloch (via Glasgow Queen Street) and walk about Loch Lomond (of song fame). There are plenty of great routes in this part of the world, and even more for those able to explore by car. Grab a picnic and choose the path that best suits you. If you’re happy adding an additional stop on your way home, get off at Dumbarton East to check out Dumbarton Castle – an Iron Age stronghold nestled in the dramatic volcanic basalt of Dumbarton Rock.

Photo: Sean Kinnear

The Pentlands

Photo: Saeed Siddiqui

ITINERARY C: THE BEACHES OF EAST LOTHIAN

Though the west coast of Scotland is generally considered more picturesque than the east (more hills, more angles etc), there’s plenty of craggy beauty nearby. Start the day with a train to Dunbar, where you can walk along the clifftop trail or take a paddleboarding tour to get to know the coastline better. Then get the bus back to North Berwick for an afternoon of shop-browsing and cafe-hopping: Orange Moon Records, upstairs from Steampunk Coffee, and Lockett Bros are just a few of the gems on offer. If your legs can handle it, top it all off with a walk up the conical Berwick Law

ITINERARY D: THE BRIGHT LIGHTS (FKA GLASGOW)

The bright lights of Glasgow are within easy striking distance of the capital

– the journey is only 50 minutes by train, but be careful if you’re in a rush, there are two possible routes to 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. Hop off the train and up to Garnethill for brunch in Singl-end

From there you can take a stroll to Kelvingrove Park, and enjoy the museum’s selection of art and natural history exhibits – it’s also one of the best locations in the city for a game of hide and seek. Spend your afternoon working through the cafes and boutiques of Byres Road – De Courcy’s Arcade is an intriguing treasure trove hidden just behind the West End’s busiest street. Stop for a pizza dinner at Paesano and continue the day with

Photo: Ross Sneddon

Kelvingrove Park

a pub crawl –  Inn Deep, Bananamoon and the Hug & Pint are all conveniently located along your route down Great Western Road. Finally, sample some of Glasgow’s famed nightlife on Sauchiehall Street before catching a bus back home at any half-hour mark throughout the night. For more of an in-depth guide to Scotland’s biggest city, pick up a copy of The Skinny Guide to Glasgow

ITINERARY E: SUNDEE

If you like Scotand but are wondering where all the sun is, make for Dundee The most striking feature of the city’s waterfront is undoubtedly the V&A – Scotland’s first design museum – which is conveniently located just across the road from the train station. Start your day there for a peek into their permanent collection and the Charles Rennie Mackintosh Oak Room,

which has been reconstructed in the middle of the museum. Fans of Succession might recognise this building as the site of Kendall’s Rap – Dundee in the motherfuckin’ house. Once you’re done, head up to the West Port for lunch at the Parlour Cafe (or just grab an ice cream from Jannettas Gelateria if you’re after a wafer-light sweet treat) and then loop along to Sinderins to begin an afternoon of shopping. Follow the Perth Road back into town all the way from Le Freak to Thirteen Records: for an all-rounded journey, see if you can hit indie store Kist, EH9 Espresso, an exhibition at Generator Projects and the Art Bar on your way. Round things off with dinner at the DCA’s Jute Bar, via their summer exhibitions from Zineb Sedira and Saoirse Amira Anis. Alternatively, grab a fish and chips or a Luigi’s pizza, and make for the top of the Law to watch the sunset.

Photo: Thomas Mills Dundee

Key:

Abbeyhill A

Tollcross, Bruntsfield, Morningside TBM

Gorgie, Dalry, Fountainbridge GDF

Leith L

New Town NT

Old Town OT

Portobello P

Southside S

Stockbridge, Canonmills SC

West End WE

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

Blue Blazer

2 Spittal St WE

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

Chennai's Marina 192 Dalry Rd GDF

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

Hectors 47-49 Deanhaugh St SC

Hey Palu 49 Bread St 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

Lucky Liquor Co 39a Queen St NT

Marcos 91 Grove St GDF Nauticus 142 Duke St

NQ64

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

Porty Vault

243 Portobello High St P

Salt Horse

57-61 Blackfriars St OT

Smith & Gertrude

26 Hamilton Pl SC

Smith & Gertrude

254 Portobello High St P

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 Black Cat

168 Rose St NT

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 Last Word Saloon

44 St Stephen St SC

The Lioness of Leith

21 Duke St L

The Mousetrap

180 Leith Walk L

The Persevere Bar

398 Easter Rd L

The Royal Dick

1 Summerhall S

The Safari Lounge

21 Cadzow Pl A

The Sheep Heid Inn

43 The Causeway N/A

The Skylark

243 Portobello High St P

The Street

2b Picardy Pl NT

The Tourmalet

25 Buchanan St L

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 West Port Oracle

27 West Port OT

Under the Stairs

3A Merchant St OT

Victoria

265 Leith Walk L

CAFES

Artisan Coffee 274 Leith Walk L

Artisan Roast 72-74 Leith Walk L 138 Bruntsfield Pl TBM 57 Broughton St NT 100a Raeburn Pl SC

Bearded Baker 46 Rodney St SC Cafe Gallo 96 Raeburn Pl SC

Cairngorm Coffee

1 Melville Pl WE 41a Frederick St NT

Considerit 3 Sciennes S

Cowan & Sons 33 Raeburn Pl SC

Cult Espresso 104 Buccleuch St S

Domenico’s 30 Sandport St L

Don’t Tell Mama 64 Home St TBM

Fortitude

66 Hamilton Pl SC

Gordon Street Coffee 6 Market St OT

Hata 5 Rodney St SC

Hideout Cafe

40-42 Queen Charlotte St L

Hula

94A Fountainbridge GDF

103 West Bow OT

Joelato

31 N W Circus Pl SC

Kilimanjaro Coffee

104 Nicolson St S

KONJ Cafe

67 Home St TBM

Krema

21 Leith Walk L

Krem Karamel

68 Inverleith Row SC

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

Milk @ Edinburgh

Sculpture Workshop

21 Hawthornvale L

Mimi’s

63 Shore L

Nice Times Bakery

147 Morrison St WE

Plant Bae

220 Easter Rd A

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

Singapore Coffee House

5 Cannonmills 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

Twelve Triangles

50 Dalry Rd GDF

9 Comely Bank Rd SC

300 Portobello High St P

Union Brew Lab

6 S College St S

Wellington Coffee

33a George St NT

Williams and Johnson

1 Customs Wharf L

FOOD ON-THE-GO

Bánh Mi Brothers

141 West Port WE

Cafe Piccante

19 Broughton St NT

Cairngorm @ Stag Barber Co.

10 Haymarket Ter WE

Civerinos Prom Slice

47 Figgate Ln P

Company Bakery

5 Devon Pl WE

Crolla’s

1 The Shore L

Edinburgh Farmers’ Market OT

NCP Car Park, Castle Ter

Grassmarket Saturday Market

Grassmarket OT

Greek Artisan Pastries

32 Portobello High St P

Greek Artisan Pastries

23 Bread St WE

Leith Arches

6 Manderston St L

Leith Market Dock Pl L

Little Green Van

Portobello

RESTAURANTS

Hanam’s

3 Johnston Terrace OT

Harajuku Kitchen

10 Gillespie Pl TBM

Hendersons

7-13 Barclay Pl TBM

Heron

87, 91A Henderson St L

Herringbone

3 Royal Ter Gdns A

Ikigai Ramen

13 W Crosscauseway S

Kenji

24 Deanhaugh St SC

Kim’s Bulgogi

11 St Stephen St SC

Kim’s Mini Meals

5 Buccleuch St S

Knight's Kitchen

166 Leith Walk L

Korean BBQ

3 Tarvit St TBM

L'Escargot Bleu

56 Broughton St NT

Locanda de Gusti

102 Dalry Rd 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

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

Riverlife

84 Dalry Rd GDF

Shrimpwreck

44 Figgate Ln P

Sabzi

162 Ferry Rd L

Sen Viet Vegan Restaurant

23a Brougham Pl TBM

Shinwari

46-52 Lady Lawson St WE

Sister Bao

32 South Clerk St S

Skua

49 St Stephen St SC

STACK

42 Dalmeny St L

Taco Libre

3 Shandwick Pl WE

Taxidi

6 Brougham St TBM

Thailander

25 Brougham St TBM

The Basement

10a Broughton St NT

The Gardener’s Cottage

1 London Rd A

The Haven

9 Anchorfield L

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

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

Vietnam House

1 Grove St WE

Wine & Peach

91 Dalry Rd GDF

Wings

5-7 Old Fishmarket Cl OT

Xiangbala Hotpot

63 Dalry Rd GDF

Yamato

11 Lochrin Ter TBM

SHOPS

Aemilia

186 Portobello High St P

Akdeniz Mediterranean

Supermarket

82-90 Leith Walk L

Amma Spices

261 Gorgie Rd GDF

An Independent Zebra

88-92 Raeburn Pl SC

Argonaut Books

15-17 Leith Walk L

Armchair Books

72-74 West Port OT

Assai Records

1 Grindlay St WE

Beer Zoo

219 Portobello High St P

Beets

49 Bernard St L

Black Moon Botanica

50 Candlemaker Row OT

Blunt Knife Co.

41 Thistle St NT

Bon Vivant’s Companion

51 Thistle St NT

Broughton Market

97 Broughton St NT

Caoba

56 Raeburn Pl SC

Carnivále

51 Bread St WE

Cornelius

18-20 Easter Rd A

Curiouser and Curiouser

106 Bruntsfield Pl TBM

Doodles

27 Marchmont Cres TBM

EasyEche Foods Limited

131 Great Jct St L

Edinburgh Art Shop

129 Lauriston Pl TBM

Edinburgh Books

145 West Port WE

Edinburgh Farmers’ Market OT

NCP Car Park, Castle Ter

Elvis Shakespeare

347 Leith Walk L

Flamingosaurus Rex

22 Bruntsfield Pl TBM

George Mewes

3 Dean Park St SC

Ginger and Pickles

51 St Stephen St SC

Godiva

9 West Port OT

Golden Hare Books

68 St Stephen St SC

Good Vibes Records and Books

151 Constitution St L

Grassmarket Saturday

Market

Grassmarket OT

Great Grog Bottle Shop

2 Dalkeith Rd S

Greenhouse Records

10 Barclay Ter TBM

Grow Urban

92 Grove St GDF

Handsel

336 Leith Walk L

Herman Brown

151 West Port WE

I.J. Mellis

330 Morningside Rd TBM

6 Bakers Pl SC

Jordan Valley

8 Nicolson St S

Leith Arches

6 Manderston St L

Leith Bottle Shop

30 Great Jct St L

Leith Market

Dock Pl L

Life Story

53 London St NT

Lighthouse Books

43 W Nicolson St S

Lily West

143 West Port WE

Logan Malloch

13 Leith Walk L

Lupe Pintos

24 Leven St TBM

Main Point Books

77 Bread St WE

Pieute

19 Candlemaker Row OT

Real Foods

37 Broughton St NT

Red Door Gallery

42 Victoria St OT

Sanpo Yoshi

268 Gorgie Rd GDF

Sauce

23 Candlemaker Row OT

Shelter

104 Raeburn Pl SC

Slow Progress Records

53 Blackfriars St OT

Snapdragon

146 Bruntsfield Pl TBM

SPRY Wines

1 Haddington Pl A

Stockbridge Market

Saunders St SC

Thai@Haymarket

39 Dalry Rd GDF

The Beer Cave

43 Dalry Rd GDF

The Beerhive

24 Rodney St SC

The Edinburgh Bookshop

219 Bruntsfield Pl TBM

The Leith Collective

Ocean Terminal L

The Portobello Bookshop

46 Portobello High St P

Thorne Records

125 Bruntsfield Pl TBM

Tills Bookshop

1 Hope Park Cres S

Typewronger Books

4a Haddington Pl A

Underground Solu’shn

9 Cockburn St OT

Uwagboe's

193 Gorgie Rd GDF

Valvona + Crolla

19 Elm Row A

Vino

30 Broughton St NT

Vino

26 NW Circus Pl SC

Vinyl Villains

5 Elm Row A

VoxBox Music

21 St Stephen St SC

W. Armstrong & Son

81-83 Grassmarket OT

Tipo

110 Hanover St NT

Uwagboe's Kitchen & Grill

250-252 Leith Walk L

Edinburgh Community Bookshop

179-181 Great Jct St L

MYSA

31 Cockburn St OT

Pascal & Co.

20 Albert Pl L

W. Armstrong & Son

14 Teviot Pl, 64 Clerk St S

Winekraft

6 Brandon Terr SC

VENUES & GALLERIES

Agitate

20 Haymarket Ter WE

Monkey Barrel

9-11 Blair St OT

The Stand Comedy Club

5 York Pl NT

Bannermans

212 Cowgate OT

Cabaret Voltaire

36-38 Blair St OT

Cameo Cinema

38 Home St TBM

Cineworld

130/3 Dundee St, Fountain Park GDF

City Art Centre

2 Market St OT

Collective

Calton Hill A

Dance Base

14-16 Grassmarket OT

Dissenter Space

57 Henderson Row SC

Dominion Cinema

18 Newbattle Ter TBM

Dovecot Studios

10 Infirmary St S

Edinburgh Playhouse

18-22 Greenside Pl A

Edinburgh Printmakers

1 Dundee St GDF

Edinburgh Sculpture

Workshop

21 Hawthornvale L

EICC

150 Morrison St WE

Embassy

10b Broughton St Ln NT

Everyman

502 St James Quarter NT

Festival Theatre

13 Nicolson St S

Fruitmarket

45 Market St OT

King’s Theatre

2 Leven St TBM

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

La Belle Angele

11 Hastie’s Cl OT

Legends 71 Cowgate OT

Leith Depot

138-140 Leith Walk L

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

O2 Academy Edinburgh

11 New Market Rd GDF

Royal Scottish Academy

The Mound NT

Scottish National Portrait Gallery

1 Queen St NT

Sierra Metro

13-15 Ferry Rd L

Sneaky Pete’s 73 Cowgate OT Stills

23 Cockburn St OT

Stramash 207 Cowgate OT

Summerhall

1 Summerhall Pl S

Surgeons’ Hall Nicolson St S

Talbot Rice Gallery

South Bridge S

The Banshee Labyrinth

29-35 Niddry St OT

The Biscuit Factory

4-6 Anderson Pl L

The Caves

8-10 Niddry St S OT

The Hive

15-17 Niddry St OT

The Liquid Room

9C Victoria St OT

The Lyceum

30b Grindlay St WE

The Mash House

VENUES: AUGUST FESTIVALS

Assembly Checkpoint

3 Brisot Pl S Assembly @ Dance Base

14-16 Grassmarket OT

Assembly George Square Gardens

George Sq S Assembly Roxy

2 Roxburgh Pl S

Central Hall

2 W Tollcross TBM Edinburgh Playhouse

18-22 Greenside Pl A

EIBF @ Edinburgh College of Art

74 Lauriston Pl TBM

Festival Theatre

13 Nicolson St S

Gilded Balloon

Teviot Row House, 13

Bristo Pl S

Hanover Tap

112 Hanover St NT

House of Oz

41a S Clerk St S

Leith Theatre

28-30 Ferry Rd L

The Lyceum

30b Grindlay St WE

Monkey Barrel

9-11 Blair St OT

Pleasance Courtyard

60 Pleasance S

Pleasance @ EICC

150 Morrison St WE

Scottish Storytelling Centre

43-45 High St OT

Summerhall

1 Summerhall S

The Hive

15-17

Underbelly @ George Square Gardens

George Sq S

Underbelly's Circus Hub Middle Meadow Walk

GUIDE DOG

edinburgh is the crunchy peanut butter of cities !!! every august i bound around sniffin’ out 5star comedy and even when the festival is over ‘auld reekie’ is still a pup’s paradise !!!

Words: Fringe Dog

TOP SPOT FOR WALKIES

the water of leith walkway is twelve scenic miles of peace and love waggin’ through the city. a word of warnin’ though: it’s a long way to go without a ‘comfort break’ – find a friend to walk behind you with a plastic bag and scooper, just in case you need to “shake your booty” !!!

BEST WATER STATION

one dog year ago i supped my first bubble tea !!! sad story: it became a habit i just couldn’t scratch. the teenagers in the st. james quarter even started calling me names: “slurp puppy”, “mister fursty” and “bubble flea” !!! now, when unbearable temptation strikes, i go to the puddle at the west end of princes street and gaze into the pool, soberly reflectin’ with another doggy who looks just like me !!!

BEST PLACE TO BURY YOUR TREASURES

in 2020, when all live comedy was cancelled, o boy, i thought it was doomsday !!! for safekeepin’, i buried my most prized possessions – a vip pass to underbelly’s abattoir bar (unused) and a squeaky toy i’d chewed

to resemble daniel kitson !!! alas, i can’t recall which of edinburgh’s seven hills i buried them under…

WHERE TO FIND YOUR NEW BEST FRIEND

i like to perch on a window seat at a bar on picardy place called the street, where i give friendly bow-wows to the welcoming folk that pass by. once, i even shared a platonic bowl of nachos with a guy who was the spit of robert louis stevenson !!! he said, “ahoy there pirate, shall we move on to cc blooms?”. o boy the cabaret there was spectacular !!!

EDINBURGH DOG AND CAT HOME

many dogs are dismayed by the volume of cats in this kennel !!! sadly, we’re conditioned to see all hissin’ felines as pukin’ furballs who’d sooner smote you in the face than let you play in ‘their’ territory – but you mustn’t think me prejudice !!! edinburgh dog and cat home helps my pals from both species find fur-ever homes. i’ll be donatin’ my journalist’s fee towards their peacekeepin’ mission – follow my lead and show them some love !!!

love from fringe dog x