As this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe gets into full swing, we take a fond look back at the famous Baked Potato Shop.
Loved by many famous faces who have performed year in, year out at Edinburgh Festivals every August, the Baked Potato Shop was a much-loved late night spot to grab a bite to eat after a show.
Sadly it closed down in 2023, but it’ll always be remembered fondly. Here, we take a look back at its history, global fans, and closure.
The Baked Potato Shop opened in 1983 on Cockburn Street by David Bann, a vegetarian restaurateur who went on to open a namesake veggie restaurant in 2002.
It was ahead of its time, offering a hearty, healthy and vegetarian alternative to traditional Scottish takeaways. After 12 years of running the shop David passed it on to Charles ‘Chaz’ Middlemass. Charles saw the shop grow in popularity until he retired in 2011.
It was then that Nazar Farid took over what was now an Edinburgh institution and top veggie and vegan takeaway.
In 2015, The Baked Potato Shop was named in the best 100 restaurants in the UK by Yelp.
Coming in at number 77, the list was compiled by reviews on Yelp, and had restaurants from famous chefs such as Heston Blumental and Gordon Ramsay.
As it was ‘open till late’ the Baked Potato Shop became the go-to place for many people looking to grab a bite to eat after a show during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
That included customers from all over the world including America, Australia and Canada. It was also no doubt frequented by many famous Fringe performers over the years.
Although popular, The Baked Potato Shop closed for good in April 2023. The business had been open for over 30 years, serving baked potatoes, soup and salads to locals and tourists in Edinburgh’s Old Town.
The owners of the Baked Potato Shop have blamed the cost of living for the closure, saying “it is no longer possible for us to continue”.
In a Facebook post, the owners of the takeaway wrote: “It is with a heavy heart that today we announce the permanent retirement of The Baked Potato Shop. It has been an absolute honour to carry on the shop’s good name for so many years but unfortunately with the cost of living as it is, it is no longer possible for us to continue.
"As of the end of the 23rd of April our ovens will go silent for the final time. We want to send out a great big thank you to all of our customers from over the years, especially those of you who have been returning to us for yonks. Live long and potato!”
If you're in Edinburgh and craving a baked potato, you can head to Tempting Tattie on Jeffrey Street.
