To coincide with the online publication of “Living and Working in the UK” – a book packed with information on living in the UK – HowTo.co.uk takes a look at the emergence of Edinburgh as one of dining capitals of the world.
Historically, Edinburgh was not a place renowned for fine cuisine. Capital of a country which has sheep’s intestines as its national dish, it always drawn more culinary associations with deep-fried mars bars and porridge than anything gourmet.
Gourmet Revolution
Thank Goodness, then, for the last couple of decades and in particular, the last few years: “Auld Reekie” (as the Scots lovingly dub Edinburgh) has undergone the somewhat remarkable transition to a city making a name for itself in chic café and restaurant culture. Food connoisseurs now rank the Scottish capital alongside New York’s Greenwich Village and even Paris’ Montparnasse and St Germain districts when talking trendy eating areas.
Location, Location
True, Edinburgh’s location does it a lot of favours. It’s not every city, after all, which sits sandwiched between ancient volcanoes, with a stunning coastline and a thousand years of history to view as you dine. The city’s streets, particularly in the historic heart around the Royal Mile, are steep, narrow and cobbled enough to deter cars and promote a peaceful eating environment. Indeed, these picturesque backdrops not only make Edinburgh a great place to eat, but a desirable place to live in the UK.
Bewitching Splendour
Take the Witchery for instance, a phantasmagoria of opulent Gothic furnishings on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile and a restaurant championed by celebrities from Jack Nicholson to Ewan McGregor. It matches Edinburgh Castle (next door) itself for elaborate décor and shows that even on the city’s most unashamedly touristy street, you can find an original spot to eat out. Handily, its menu is also top-notch, with the famous Scottish seafood platter showcasing just how innovative Scottish food can be.
Owner James Thomson has gone on to establish the Tower, the capitals first rooftop restaurant above the new-look Museum of Scotland in the city centre, with panoramic views showing the capital at its most appealing.
Capitalising on Quirks
Quirky is almost the norm in Edinburgh: chain stores take a welcome back seat and the ethos of proudly independent dining places has spread across the city.
To the north of the Royal Mile lies Edinburgh’s New Town, where restaurants like the Café Royal Oyster Bar reflect the nineteenth century trend to lift the spirits of Edinburgh workers, by building ultra-lavish pubs and bars to socialise in. As a result, diners here can enjoy vaulted ceilings, chandeliers, roaring inglenook fireplaces and stained glass windows in a variety of venues.
The south of Edinburgh, centring round the university and the Newington cafes where J.K Rowling sat and invented Harry Potter, likewise plays up to a Bohemian crowd. Cafes are therefore piled with books, plastered in Fair Trade produce and almost insistent that you linger longer over that coffee.
A Star is Born
Wishart himself set up his restaurant in the rejuvenated dockland area of Leith in the city’s north-east. The district is a great illustration of the burgeoning Edinburgh eating-out culture, not afraid to reflect its past (in this case a rough-and-ready maritime one). You can eat out in Leith on a ship, beside a porthole and beneath a collection of flotsam.
Restaurant Martin Wishart began flying the culinary flag here in 2001 when it brought home the capital’s first Michelin star and other restaurants like the renowned seafood eatery Fishers soon spread Leith’s gourmet reputation.
Variety is the Spice
The Leith success story is another proof that this multi-faceted city can make its huge variety of settings into unique eateries. It’s probably the only place in the world you can dine out alongside a castle, in a dungeon, in a 700 year-old wine vault and in a revamped dock on board a boat. Edinburgh’s dining scene is different, and perhaps therein lays the secret of its success.
Table Tax
A surge this May in the city council’s charges for outside restaurant seating might yet dent the chic continental-feel dining culture, especially as it has reportedly hit the independent cafes and restaurants hardest.
As for the moment, in the words of Edinburgh’s famous literary son Robert Louis Stevenson “Edinburgh is what Paris ought to be.”
The man might just have been right.
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