Dinner is served ...take a seat
COVID-19 restrictions on eating out are being relaxed, and restaurants are beginning to emerge chrysalislike from the enforced closure. Where will you try first? Here is a handy list of some city centre spots which you can book - and then dress up and eat out if you feel able to.
APEROL GARDEN AT THE REFINERY 5 St Andrew Square Edinburgh EH2 2BH
Kitted out with an abundance of beautiful flowers, bright orange parasols, bunting and fairy lights, the new Aperol Garden Terrace is a place to relax with an aperitivo in hand, or if you’re with a group you can try an Aperol Tree with four Aperol Spritz cocktails for £32.95. Catch up with friends for breakfast and brunch through to supper and Sunday Lunch, celebrate a special occasion with a beautiful afternoon tea, or pop in for quick bite after a day of shopping.
Following government guidelines, the strictest health and safety protocols will be in place, with indoor dining closed at 8pm and outdoor dining at 10pm. Alcohol will be served on the terrace only.
T: 0333 210 0017 www.drakeandmorgan.co.uk/ the-refinery-st-andrew-square
PRESTONFIELD HOUSE AND THE WITCHERY Priestfield Rd, Edinburgh EH16 5UT and 352 Castlehill, Edinburgh EH1 2NF
Owned by James Thomson, the five-star Prestonfield House Hotel has reopened in line with Scottish Government guidelines. James was born and bred in Edinburgh and has been a restaurateur and hotelier in the city for over 40 years. He’s also an active ambassador for Scottish tourism and his home city of Edinburgh as a world class visitor destination.
Just five minutes from Edinburgh city centre, unique bedrooms, notable heritage and excellent food and drink await at Prestonfield, which is family-friendly and dog-friendly.
Prestonfield has reopened for lunch, afternoon tea and dinner from 12pm-8pm, and overnight stays.
James Thomson also owns The Witchery by the Castle on Edinburgh’s Castlehill, which is one of Scotland’s most spectacularly atmospheric dining destinations. Now in its fifth decade, James Thomson bought The Witchery over 42 years ago and has transformed it into a much-loved Edinburgh institution, with nine extravagant suites, stunning décor and food and an award-winning wine list.
The Witchery is now open for lunch and dinner, from 12pm-8pm, as well as overnight stays.
L’ESCARGOT BLEU 56, Broughton Street EH1 3SA Tel 0131 557 1600
Put the date in your diaries, l’escargot is opening the door for a few selected dates and with limited numbers for now.
The Broughton Street Restaurant will be open for dinner on Fridays and lunch on Saturdays. As per government guidelines, they are unable to serve alcohol during this time.
From the week beginning 17 May, they will extend the opening times from Wednesday to Saturday.
All times will be confirmed when they open the reservation system.
Fred Berkmiller, the chef-patron, said: “Our menu will be on the blackboard ‘bistro-style’ featuring our classics dishes, and the restaurant will be set to make people feel safe, as it was last autumn, with hand sanitizer on every table. Please be aware of a few rules when joining us, like wearing a mask when moving around, and temperature checks when you arrive.
“L’escargot At Home will continue as long as there are orders are coming in. We have no intension of stopping and we are very happy to continue with our Friday collection and deliveries. It now feels like we have been doing them for years.”
www.lescargotbleu.co.uk/takeaway
HOLYROOD DISTILLERY 19 St Leonard’s Lane, Edinburgh EH8 9SH
Holyrood Distillery’s Courtyard Bar will open again with a range of carefully selected drinks from local independent brewers and distillers and food by Hickory.
The Courtyard Bar, which ran for the first time over the summer of 2020, has reopened at Holyrood Distillery: the first single malt distillery in Edinburgh for almost 100 years. The area outside the distillery, just off St Leonard’s Lane, will be transformed into a relaxed al fresco bar and bistro space for a summer social.
Visitors to the bar will be first in line to try new drinks from the distillery, including their latest release, HolyXXXX Gin, which celebrates the end of lockdown.
Designed by Distillery Manager Marc Watson, HolyXXXX Gin is pared back to just one botanical and two other unusual ingredients, to deliver a very distinctive, daring and delicious flavour profile – and one that the distillery is inviting you to describe in your own words on the bottle.
Alongside drinks from Holyrood Distillery, the bar will also support other local businesses emerging from lockdown by showcasing the best in independent brewing and distilling: including draught pints by Pilot, Barneys and Crossborders, gin from Electric Spirit Co and Port of Leith, and some of the best new whiskies from across Scotland, including Kilchoman and Nc’Nean.
Award-winning Edinburgh caterer Hickory will be providing a unique menu with dishes including Hickory’s signature sandwich and salad, chicken tenders, and chili cheese fries, as well as hot drinks. An ice-cream tricycle will also be serving up scoops.
A covered and heated seating area will also be available.
Children will be welcome with their family group until 7pm. The bar will be open daily from 1pm to 8pm in the first week, and then on Thursdays to Saturdays from 1pm to 9pm, and on Sundays 12pm-6pm. Service will initially be table-service only, with contactless orders via an online app. Tables will seat a maximum of six people, with an overall capacity of up to 120.
Pre-booking is highly recommended, details can be found at: www.holyrooddistillery.co.uk alongside full opening hours.