Housed in a former church building, Checkpoint’s unique style comes to the fore with an ambitious renovation brought about over the last year by Simon Donne and Nik Whybrew.
The grand old building dating back to 1899 has been completely restored and renovated with a bright and minimal interior, creating a delightful, spacious place to relax, socialise and be inspired by a great range of food. The unusual presence of a shipping container sets the scene for a space with a difference, simple with a special charm. High ceilings and original windows combined with soft woods and beautiful light creates an intriguing atmosphere, and makes Checkpoint the perfect meeting place between the centre of the city and the university.
Simon Donne, Owner/Director of Checkpoint said: "It’s been great to work on a project like this in my hometown, and making my own venture into the hospitality scene in Edinburgh has been really exciting. When planning the space we aimed to create a hub for people to get together, which is open to anyone. It's a relaxed environment aimed at facilitating a meeting space at all times of the day - whether that be for a coffee in the morning or for that drink after a tough day – with a changeable food and drinks menu we think it will keep it appealing for regulars as well as first time visitors."
Nik Whybrew, Owner/Director of Checkpoint said: “Having worked in the hospitality industry for 25 years, to finally realise the dream of creating a space from the ground up and being able to put your stamp on it is extremely rewarding. It has been a huge challenge as this is a big old building with a unique historic character and in more ways than I ever imagined but one I’m glad Simon and I have managed to see to fruition, despite the tests both personally and to our friendship, sitting down together when the doors opened and having a drink made it all seem worthwhile. We are now really excited to share what we have created with Edinburgh and showing the city what we have to offer.”
Checkpoint’s accessible, internationally influenced menu, has been crafted by head chef Phil Lynch, who moves away from the traditional a la carte concept and instead focuses more on a variety of dishes available in single or sharing sizes – food to be sociable with. Brunch has a particular focus during the day with freshly baked scones and breakfast buns available in the morning alongside artisan, hand roasted coffee and a wide variety of teas.
The daily changing menu showcases locally sourced and seasonal ingredients and includes a variety of unusual cuts of meat, seafood and vegetarian inspired choices. Highlights for brunch include Smashed Avocado with Piperade and Eggs, moving through to evening offerings such as Roast Squash, Spinach, Feta and Pumpkin Rotolo and a Louisiana inspired Duck and Pork Po’Boy Sandwich. The full menu can be found here.
As well as a fine selection of wines from a local independent supplier, Checkpoint also boasts a carefully selected range of craft beers and expertly crafted cocktails that embody the class of past eras with a modern twist.
• Checkpoint is now open daily from 9am to midnight at 3 Bristo Place
