The best new Edinburgh bars and restaurants to check out during the Fringe

Looking to check out some new bars and restaurants while in Edinburgh for the Festival? We can help.

Published 9th Aug 2016
Updated 20 th Sep 2023

Those of you who regularly attend the Fringe - be you living locally or a tourist making your annual trip - will be old hands when it comes to choosing where to eat and drink during the Festival.

However, a lot can change in a year and some excellent new bars and eateries have popped up in and around the city since last year's Fringe.

With that in mind, we've picked out some of the best new bars and restaurants to check out while you're in the city for this year's event.

Restaurants

Foundry 39

(Foundry 39, 39a Queensferry Street, EH2 4RA)

The Bay Fish and Chips 2

Picture: Foundry 39 Twitter

Foundry 39's effortlessly cool stylings are already proving a hit with the locals and if you are looking for some simple yet delicious food in laid back surroundings you can't go wrong with this excellent new eatery.

Think wings, gourmet burgers and sourdough pizzas (oh yeah, and of course, bacon mac and cheese) accompanied by some of the hippest American craft beers and cocktails and for prices that won't break the bank.

Lovage

(St Mary's St, Edinburgh EH1 1SX)

Main

Picture: TSPL

Reflecting the current trend for a focus on seasonally driven menus and Scottish cuisine, Lovage updates some traditional European classics with a Scottish twist.

All though the interior can look rather unassuming the food and first class service are anything but.

Wildman Wood Pizza

( 27-29 Marshall St, Edinburgh EH8 9BJ)

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The Bay Fish and Chips 2

Picture: TSPL

The next entry on our list is already making waves with Edinburgh's pizza loving scene with our restaurant reviewer Gaby Soutar even declaring the pizza she had from there as possibly the best she had had in the capital.

Hailing from the same stable as Ting Thai Caravan, WildmanWood pizza is fitted with its very own custom-designed wood-burning oven giving each pizza an extra hit of flavour.

Educated Flea

(32b Broughton Street, Edinburgh)

The Bay Fish and Chips 2

Picture: TSPL

The newest offering from the people behind Edinburgh bistros Three Birds in Bruntsfield and The Apiary in Newington, Educated Flea offers quirky dishes which use local ingredients at great prices.

Their top to tail style of cooking means that their dishes are always adventurous and you get the enjoyably smug feeling of knowing that nothing is wasted.

Bread Meats Bread

(92 Lothian Rd, Edinburgh EH3 9BE)

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The Bay Fish and Chips 2

Already massive popular in Glasgow, where barely a day goes by that the eatery is not stowed out, the restaurant is another who is hoping to find similar success in the capital.

With a selection of quirky filled burgers and large portions of Canadian favourite poutine, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the range, and prices.

And if you haven't tried their signature burger, the Lothian Wolf - a mammoth patty topped with American cheese, Crispy Bacon, Pulled Pork in BBQ sauce, crispy fried onions and 'Nduja Mayo - you're already seriously missing out.

Bars

Kaleidoscope whisky bar

(28 Queen St, Edinburgh EH2 1JX)

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Kaleidescope bar SMWS staff

 

News to make any whisky fan rejoice, the refurbishment of the stunning queen street property of the SMWS has seen the creation of this excellent new whisky bar.

The Society releases a new selection of its rare single cask single malt whiskies every month, which will provide the bar an excitingly transient menu, with new options to explore on a regular basis. A limited range of specially selected rare proprietary whiskies will also be available at the bar.

Gin 71

(South Charlotte Street, EH2 4AS)

The Bay Fish and Chips 2

Those gin fans lucky enough to have already been to the Glasgow venue will know just how good this new bar is going to be.

The idea couldn't be simpler: choose from a range of hundreds of gins - all broken down into their respective categories in their menus - choose your mixer, and then simply pick a garnish.

The endless combinations make this a place you'll want to come back to again and again. Don't worry if your not decisive, the experienced staff are on hand to help you pick a gin that will suit you.

Bar à Vin

(17 Queensferry Street, Edinburgh, EH2 4QW)

L'escargot  blanc, Edinburgh.

Situated directly below L'escargot Blanc in the West End of Edinburgh, Fred Berkmiller's new offering is a great place to relax and unwind with friends and to indulge in some great wine, which has been carefully sourced, tasted and selected from many regions in France and Scotland.

Add to that the delicious cheese and charcuterie offering and you'll find there are few better places to indulge in some delightfully Gallic atmosphere.

 

Bread Meats Bread, Edinburgh, restaurant review

Driven by a passion for all things drinks-related, Sean writes for The Scotsman extensively on the subject. He can also sometimes be found behind the bar at the world famous Potstill bar in Glasgow where he continues to enhance his whisky knowledge built up over 10 years advising customers from all over the world on the wonders of our national drink. Recently, his first book was published. Dubbed Gin Galore, it explores Scotland's best gins and the stories behind those that make them.
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