Dispatch from Edinburgh
Some new intel from one of our favorite cities!
We spent this last week in Edinburgh—a bittersweet end to our coming here several times a year for four years to visit our daughter, Clara, who just graduated from the University of Edinburgh. It’s been so lovely to get to know this town over time and to watch it (and our daughter) evolve. When we first arrived we stayed in Leith, at a sweet rental that someone in the design world had recommended, which we keep coming back to. It’s an area about 10 minutes’ drive from the center of town, with lots of waterfront and old world charm and without the tourists that flock to the Royal Mile. Four years ago, there weren’t as many interesting/cool places as there are now, the kind that make you feel like you could live here—a great café that makes the best sourdough bread, restaurants that highlight seasonal Scottish produce, alongside old-school bars that serve drams of whiskies you’ve never heard of and pints of Tennent’s and Guinness. Then there was the opening of Bard, a shop/gallery focused on Scottish art and design, and which arguably is drawing many new people to this port neighborhood. We've experienced various other neighborhoods—New Town, Bruntsfield, and Stockbridge—on a deeper level, because Clara lived or worked there. One year, Matt cooked Thanksgiving for 18 from our rental cottage—we certainly came to be very familiar with the grocery/butcher shop scene here. This last week we turned up even more gems, so I figured it was a perfect moment for a new list, and, since my college graduate knows it much better than I, I’ve asked her to take the reins on it. —Yolanda
Dispatch from Edinburgh
Since arriving in Edinburgh in 2021 and ending my time in the city as a 2025 graduate, I’ve watched the city greatly evolve in ways I never expected. I remember during my parents’ first college visits that it was a struggle to find a standout restaurant, cute coffee shop, or any sort of food and drink experience that felt new, exciting, or modern. Maybe we simply weren’t looking deep enough, or hadn’t made our reservations far enough in advance – Edinburgh is very much a book-ahead kind of town! But regardless, in recent years it has felt energized by a younger, more creative spirit, rivaling the likes of London, New York, and even Berlin. Here I have pulled together some of my new Edinburgh favorites (our original Edi List is here), from coffee shops and restaurants to bars and even perfumers! It’s a good list to share with friends who are visiting, or even to send along to a young adult looking for a fresher perspective on the Athens of the North.
Coffee and more…
Ante – One of Edinburgh’s newer and very cool coffee places. The coffee is great and the food is fresh, seasonal, and beautifully prepared. On a sunny day, it's the perfect place to sit and have breakfast, brunch, or lunch. They also have delicious seasonal drinks and changing dishes with the harvest.
Fortitude – A great cafe in Stockbridge with excellent coffee (a great iced flat white), and some delicious cakes and pastries. A modern interior with vintage tiles and an open coffee bar, it’s a great place to bring your laptop and work on a rainy day.