‘Eat Out Edinburgh’ campaign to put city centre recovery on the menu

Plans for a tasty new campaign to entice local people back to city centre restaurants, bars and hotels this spring have been announced by Essential Edinburgh – the capital’s dedicated Business Improvement District (BID).

The Covid-19 pandemic has impacted on the hospitality industry in Edinburgh city centre in the past two years. As part of the economic recovery process, Essential Edinburgh is launching the campaign to support the sector within the city’s Business Improvement District, which includes venues from George Street to Princes Street, St James Quarter to Johnnie Walker.

Celebrating the best of food, drink and hospitality, and with over 30 participating venues confirmed, the ‘Eat Out Edinburgh’ campaign will run for two weeks from 14 to 27 March 2022.

A bumper list of participating Edinburgh venues will be announced in the coming weeks, promoting special tasting menus, set menus, events and exclusive offers to attract bookings and increased footfall throughout the campaign period. 

From business breakfasts to leisurely lunches and evening gatherings over dinner and cocktails, the Eat Out Edinburgh campaign has been designed to bring friends, family and colleagues together whilst helping to support the city’s vibrant hospitality sector.

Roddy Smith, Chief Executive & Director, Essential Edinburgh, said: “Edinburgh City Centre has an unrivalled variety of bars and restaurants, catering for everyone’s own individual taste and preferences.  

“Eat Out Edinburgh has been designed to enable our residents, visitors and office workers to enjoy what’s on offer with special menus, events and offers for city centre workers. 

“After the last two years of on/off restrictions for our hospitality industry this also gives everyone a great reason to get back into the city centre and enjoy some quality time with friends and family in world class hospitality premises.”

Participating businesses include:

Contini restaurants at 103 George Street, Cannonball 358 Castlehill EH1 2NE and The Scottish Café The Mound at the National Gallery of Scotland EH2 2EL.

Carina Contini, owner of Edinburgh’s Contini George Street as well as The Scottish Cafe & Restaurant and Cannonball Restaurant & Bar, said: “We’ve been serving the people of Edinburgh, the Lothians and beyond for over 16 years at Contini George Street, so we’re really excited to be part of the Eat Out Edinburgh campaign, offering our famous Contini welcome to all our loyal, local customers once again and seeing all those familiar faces.

 “From day one, we’ve served fresh, seasonal and authentic Italian food. 

“And as third generation Italian Scots, we still buy from some of the producers our grandparents worked with. 

 “We also stay true to our Italian Scots roots and maintain tradition and authenticity in our menus and service to attract custom and tourism to Edinburgh.

 “Our delicious food is just perfect for sharing in a fun, informal and very special family restaurant.” 

Contini George Street  – Book Best of Contini – Three courses for £32.50 and receive a complimentary cocktail worth £10

Cannonball Restaurant & Bar Book the five course tasting menu at £55 and receive a complimentary cocktail worth £10

The Scottish Café & Restaurant Book Afternoon Tea at £27.50 per person and receive a complimentary cocktail worth £10

Must book ahead and quote “Eat Out Edinburgh”.

Element 110-114 Rose Street

One of Edinburgh’s city centre bars has launched a new Scottish craft gin campaign to help bring the flavour of Scotland’s smaller, independent island distilleries to the capital for the first time.

Element has teamed up with a range of small distilleries from the Isle of Cumbrae in the Firth of Clyde to the Isle of Coll in the Inner Hebrides to offer craft gin lovers a fresh new taste of the popular tipple. 

Every two months from spring this year, Element will showcase a new Scottish craft gin in the bar with a range of straight serves and cocktails, including Isle of Cumbrae Gin from February. The team at Element have only selected smaller, independent distilleries with fewer than 10 full time employees and who only produce small batch Scottish craft gin.

Hannah McConnachie from Edinburgh-based Signature Group which owns Element, said: “We can’t wait to welcome everyone back as part of the ‘Eat Out Edinburgh’ campaign.

 “From Badger & Co on Castle Street to Element on Rose Street and The Huxley on Rutland Street, plus The Boozy Cow on Frederick Street and Copper Blossom on North Castle Street, we have something for everyone.

“Each of our venues is unique, taking inspiration from its surroundings and customers, with food and drink offerings sourced locally to showcase the best of Scottish produce.  

“Our vision is to nurture destination venues for socialising and experiencing the best of Scottish, independent hospitality for locals and visitors alike. 

“As part of the campaign, we’re really proud to be bringing some of Scotland’s smaller, independent, and up-and-coming craft gin brands to Edinburgh for the first time at our popular Element bar on Rose Street. Our carefully selected line-up of distilleries will offer gin lovers the chance to introduce their taste buds to the authentic flavours and aromas from some of Scotland’s most wild and windswept regions, right in the heart of the city.”

Bonnie & Wild Marketplace at St James Quarter

Kate Russell, the General Manager of Bonnie & Wild at St James Quarter, said: “Bonnie & Wild is proud to champion Scotland’s world-class food and drink producers, providers and purveyors as part of the Eat Out Edinburgh campaign.

 “It’s at the heart of who we are and what we do. We believe in high quality, socially responsible sourcing, in promoting sustainability, provenance and traceability. And we’re proud to have so many independent producers on the menu within our Scottish Marketplace.

 “We’re also a marketplace of food and drink, of individuals and ideas. Bonnie and Wild’s Scottish Marketplace is a melting pot of chefs and producers, of entrepreneurs
and start-ups. 

 “We’re passionate about supporting those smaller businesses who perhaps wouldn’t be able to have a high-profile, city centre outlet otherwise. We’re also passionate about delivering a first-class customer experience. 

 “We’ve a highly trained Front of House team passionate about making everyone who comes through our doors feel welcome and nourished. 

“When guests visit our Scottish Marketplace, we want them to experience the very best of great Scottish food, drink and hospitality.” 

www.EatOutEdinburgh.com www.EdinburghCityCentre.co.uk 

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/EdinCityCentre/

Twitter https://twitter.com/EdinCityCentre

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/edincitycentre/

Use the hashtags #EatOutEdinburgh and #Edinburgh 

+ posts