Edinburgh Fringe Festival: Best Places to EatBy Angelica Malin
Heading to Edinburgh Festival Fringe this year for your annual summer dose of arts, culture and highland dancing? We’ve got your drinking and dining options covered with our pick of the bunch of the hottest new restaurants in the city:
1. For Modern Scottish Food: Fhior
The Lowdown: Newly opened Fhior (which means true in Gaelic) is the brainchild of celebrated chef Scott Smith, the former chef patron and creative energy behind Edinburgh’s Norn. Supported by his wife Laura, Fhior serves up exciting modern Scottish food, right in the heart of the city.
Eat and Drink: Go all out and try the amazing value tasting menu which includes dishes such as cod with oyster, elderflower and smoked cod sauce or pull up a pew in the bar area and order a glass of sherry, and lobster croquettes for the ultimate bar snack indulgence before you catch a show. They also sell bread on Saturday; get there early, grab a loaf and picnic like a pro.
Where: 36 Broughton Street, Edinburgh EH1 3SB
2. For a Seasonal Menu: The Little Chartroom
The Lowdown: The first restaurant from Roberta Hall-McCarron (former head chef at Castle Terrace, previously at The Kitchin) and husband Shaun McCarron is located on Albert Place, and focuses on simple and seasonal food that goes above and beyond your standard bistro munch.
Eat and Drink: Heavy Saturday night on the whisky? Pop into The Little Chartroom on Sunday for soothing brunch dishes like mushrooms on toast with garlic, bacon jam, and poached egg, and ox tongue eggs Benedict. There’s also a tasty lunch and dinner menu to dip into during the week; try the plaice with clams, mussels, sea plantain, brown butter and buckwheat or, if it’s something slightly more traditional, the haggis sausage roll with turnip ketchup ticks all the boxes.
Where: 30-31 Albert Place, Edinburgh EH7 5HN
3. For Chilean Flavours: 83 Hanover Street
The Lowdown: This exciting new restaurant and bar is brought to you from former Gleneagles restaurant manager and owner of acclaimed Edinburgh bar 99 Hanover Street, Juan Jose Castillo Castro. Together with his partner Vanessa Alfano, 83 Hanover Street brings you a unique culinary blend of Scottish produce with Chilean flavours. Offering a modern menu of small plates showcasing fabulous Scottish ingredients prepared simply and playing tribute to Juan’s multicultural upbringing (Chile and Sweden) – this is one hot new opening that you will need to book a table for (note: bar-top dining is walk-ins only).
Eat and Drink: Order a stack of small plates for sharing like the braised lamb croquettes with lima bean dip and charred octopus with white bean escabeche, and get Juan to recommend one of his favourite bottles of wine and you’re in for an evening you won’t forget.
Where: 83 Hanover Street, Edinburgh, EH2 1EE
4. For Adventurous Creations: Wedgwood the Restaurant
The Lowdown: In the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town, Wedgwood the Restaurant is close to the epicentre of Fringe activity on the Royal Mile. Renowned local chef Paul Wedgwood and wife Lisa serve a contemporary Scottish menu accompanied by one of the best wine cellars in the city.
Eat and Drink: Be adventurous and opt for some of Paul Wedgwood’s more marvellous creations, such as his signature lobster brûlée, Mull of Kintyre cheddar and onion bread and butter pudding, or loin of Perthshire venison, served alongside haggis and cacao carrots.
Where: 267 Canongate, Royal Mile, Edinburgh EH8 8BQ
The Lowdown: Just off the city centre’s Broughton Street this chic and stylish restaurant is sweeping the awards board bagging the coveted ‘Best New Restaurant’ at the Scottish Food Awards within months of opening. And it’s no surprise; chef/patron Jerome Henry was previously head chef at Anton Mossiman’s private dining club and the legendary Le Trois Garcons in Shoreditch. Check out their pre-theatre menu if you are heading to the nearby Playhouse for a show.
Eat and Drink: Henry serves classic dishes, cooked simply using the finest local ingredients including the biggest scallops you’ve ever laid your peepers on from Orkney and oysters from Loch Fyne (of course). If you’re sticking to fish there’s salmon, cod and halibut on his summer menu as well as a range of dishes for meat lovers – go for the roasted corn fed guinea fowl suprême with fresh corn and chorizo.
Where: 1 Forth Street, Edinburgh, EH1 3JX
Photo Credit: Oh Taste
