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Kestin's Guide to the City - Edinburgh

Kestin's Guide to the City - Edinburgh

Kestin Hare Leith StoreKestin is Edinburgh born and bred, here is his personal guide to the best Independent places to stay, eat, drink, shop and explore in his home city.

 

To Stay -

The Pavillon EdinburghThe Pavilion Edinburgh

11 Water's Close Edinburgh, EH6 6RB

The Pavillion at Lamb’s house, not far from our Cruiser store, is a romantic three-story self-catered house. Its 18th century inspired décor and luxurious unique style creates a romantic setting for a visit to Edinburgh.

lambspavilion.com/

 

Eden Locke EdinburghEden Locke

127 George Street, Edinburgh, EH2 4JN

Eden Locke is a design-led aparthotel in the city centre made for those who want to experience a unique and authentic stay, ensuring every detail is thought of for any length of stay. 

lockeliving.com/eden-locke

 

To Shop -  

Dicks EdinburghDicks 

3 North West Circus Place, Edinburgh, EH3 6ST

A menswear and womenswear store with a philosophy of quality manufacturing and longevity.

dicks-edinburgh.co.uk

 Frontiers Man Edinburgh

Frontiers Man

18 Stafford Street, Edinburgh, EH3 7BD

Based in Edinburgh's West End, showcasing the best independent menswear brands.

frontiers-man.com

Aesop EdinburghAesop

6 North West Circus Place, Stockbridge, EH3 6ST

Offering high quality skin, hair and body care products with meticulous attention to detail.

aesop.com

 

The Method EdinburghThe Method

9 St. Stephen Street, Edinburgh EH3 6ST

A beautiful lifestyle store and massage treatment space focusing on well-being.

themethod.life/

 

Armstrong’s Vintage EdinburghArmstrong’s Vintage

81-83 Grassmarket, Edinburgh, EH1 2HJ

Edinburgh's best-known vintage store. 

armstrongsvintage.co.uk

 

Bon Tot Childrenswear EdinburghBon Tot Childrenswear

46 St Stephen Street, Stockbridge, Edinburgh

Edinburgh's best kids clothing shop. Located in the old Kestin Hare unit in Stockbridge.

bon-tot.com/

  Epitome EdinburghEpitome Edinburgh

35 Dundas Street, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

A beautiful independent womenswear retailer in Edinburgh's New Town.  

epitomeofedinbgh.com

 

Jane Davidson

52 Thistle Street, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Part of the Edinburgh establishment, this womenswear boutique stocks a good selection of luxury International brands.  

janedavidson.co.uk

Catalog Interiors Edinburgh

Catalog Interiors

2-4 St Stephen Place Edinburgh EH3 5AJ

Catalog is a high-end yet accessible design store founded on the ethos of good design for all.

cataloginteriors.com

 

Moleta Munro Edinburgh

Moleta Munro

43 London St, Edinburgh EH3 6LX

Inspired by the finest Scandinavian designs, Moleta Munro specialises in showcasing Europe’s premier furniture and lighting brands for the contemporary market.

moletamunro.com

Life Story EdinburghLife Story

53 London St, Edinburgh EH3 6LX

Passionate about good design and inspired by the cool, quirky and creative, Life Story brings to life a distinct vision of contemporary living.

lifestoryshop.com

 

 

Brunch -

Urban Angel EdinburghUrban Angel

121 Hanover Street, Edinburgh, EH2 1DJ

Relaxed and cosy atmosphere in the building of an old tradition bakers, Urban Angel is the place for brunch with a focus on careful sourcing of ingredients at their seasonal best.

http://www.urban-angel.co.uk/

 Milk at Edinburgh Sculpture WorkshopMilk at Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop

21 Hawthornvale, Edinburgh EH6 4JT

Milk is a destination for nutritionally sound and natural food with all dishes and cakes made in house with fresh, whole ingredients. Great location to have a look around the Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop afterwards too.

cafemilk.co.uk

  The Pantry EdinburghThe Pantry

1 N W Circus Pl, Edinburgh EH3 6ST

An all-day eatery focusing on local produce.

thepantryedinburgh.co.uk

 

Coffee -

Williams & Johnson EdinburghWilliams & Johnson 

Custom Lane, 67 Commercial St, Customs Wharf, Edinburgh, Eh6 6LH

A micro-roasters based in Leith with their flagship cafe in Custom Lane and a passion for sharing beautiful coffee.  

williamsandjohnson.com

 127 Edinburgh127

127 George street, Edinburgh, EH2 4JN

Situated within Eden Locke hotel, 127 serves a carefully brewed selection of coffees, a great spot for a catch up or to get some work done.

lockeliving.com/eden-locke/eat

 

Fortitude Coffee Edinburgh

Fortitude Coffee

3C York Pl, Edinburgh EH1 3EB 

A small, friendly speciality coffee bar in Edinburgh's New Town. 

fortitudecoffee.com

Cairngorm Coffee EdinburghCairngorm Coffee

1 Melville Place, Edinburgh, EH3 7PR

Passionate about coffee, serving their own roast, made in the cairngorms. A busy but relaxed cosy spot for a coffee.

cairngormcoffee.com

 

Wellington Coffee

33A George St, Edinburgh EH2 2HN 

Located in the city centre, the perfect spot for a coffee break from the shops.

 

To Eat -

Timberyard EdinburghTimberyard 

10 Lady Lawson St, Edinburgh, EH3 9DS

Our friends at Timberyard have a creative menu of locally-sourced artisanal produce in industrial-chic former warehouse space.

timberyard.co

 

The Kitchin EdinburghThe Kitchin

78 Commercial St, Edinburgh EH6 6LX

The Kitchin is a Michelin Star restaurant located in Leith dedicated to using the finest, freshest Scottish seasonal produce. Definitely lives up to its top reputation.

thekitchin.com

 The Little Chart Room Edinburgh

The Little Chart Room

30 Albert Place, Edinburgh EH7 5HN

A relative newcomer but packing a real punch in the food scene, The Little Chart Room manages to be both inspiring and homely at the same time. 

thelittlechartroom.com

 

Borough

Borough Edinburgh

30 Albert Place, Edinburgh EH7 5HN

Another Leith local eatery, well executed with seasonal produce as the star of the show. 

boroughrestaurant.com

 

Civerinos EdinburghCiverinos

5 Hunter Square, Edinburgh EH1 1QW

Relaxed Italian street food and pizza restaurant, arguably the best pizzas in town. 

civerinos.com

 

El Cartel EdinburghEl Cartel

64 Thistle St, Edinburgh, EH2 1EN

Freshly made and authentic Mexican street food, we order frozen margaritas , jalapeño bombers and lots of tacos.

elcartelmexicana.co.uk

The Lookout by Gardeners Cottage Edinburgh

The Lookout by Gardeners Cottage

Calton Hill, Edinburgh, EH7 5AA

Fine dining with hard to beat floor to ceiling views of the city.  

thelookoutedinburgh.co

The Shore Edinburgh

The Shore

3, The Shore, Leith

A local bar and restaurant specialising in fish, with old fashion wood panelling and open fires making it feel home from home.  

fishersrestaurants.co.uk

 

 

Newhaven Fish Market EdinburghNewhaven Fish Market

23A Pier Place, Newhaven, Edinburgh EH6 4LP.

The best place to source some local fish and chips, the décor reflecting the markets Victorian heritage and the beautiful views of the forth make it the perfect casual dinner spot. In the summer we love to sit outside and drink in the views of the harbour.

thefishmarketnewhaven.co.uk

 Champany EdinburghChampany

Linlithgow EH49 7LU

Based in Linlithgow, Champany provides an escape from the city, serving the best British beef and wines to pair. Steaks here are a must, try and leave room for the waffles and ice cream for dessert.

champany.com

 

Sodaeng Korean

94 Buccleuch St, Edinburgh EH8 9NH

A great casual Korean spot in Edinburgh's Student district.

Spitaki Greek Traverna 

Excellent casual Greek Dining. 

133-135 East Claremont Street, Edinburgh

spitaki.co.uk

Imperial Palace

36 Inglis Green Rd, Edinburgh EH14 2ER

Spacious specialist in dim sum, Cantonese and Szechuan cuisine with set lunch menus and takeaway. Best Singapore noodles in the city.

imperialpalace.org.uk

  

To Drink - 

Lady Libertine EdinburghLady Libertine 

25 W Register St
EH2 2AA Edinburgh, United Kingdom

A stunning new venue, serving cocktails & wine, with live music and dj’s to set the perfect atmosphere for your evening out.

ladylibertine.co.uk

 Lucky Liquor EdinburghLucky Liquor

39A Queen Street, Edinburgh, EH2 3NH

Small, quirky bar with a constantly changing specialist cocktail menu.

luckyliquorco.com

 Bon Vivant EdinburghBon Vivant

51 Thistle Street, Edinburgh, EH2 1DY

Relaxed environment with a highest quality selection of cocktails, wine and spirits.

bonvivantedinburgh.co.uk

 Bramble EdinburghBramble

6A Queen St, Edinburgh, EH2 1JE

Known as one of the best cocktail bars in Edinburgh, Bramble is hidden underground in the city centre.

bramblebar.co.uk

Nauticus Edinburgh

Nauticus

142 Duke Street, Edinburgh

Local Leith bar focusing on Scottish produce, with 90% of the drinks menu either Scottish made or owned brands.

nauticusbar.co.uk

The Pitt Edinburgh

The Pitt

125 Pitt St, Edinburgh EH6 4DE

Based in Leith, the Pitt is a market space filled with bars, street food and creatives. Open every Saturday and Sunday with a variety of events. A fun day out is always had.

 

To Explore - 

Arthurs Seat

Edinburgh EH8 8AZ

Located in Holyrood park, the extinct volcano stands out dramatically along Edinburgh’s skyline. Making the windy ascent to the top is well worth it for the magical views of the city.

 

The Royal Botanic Gardens

Arboretum Pl, Edinburgh EH3 5NZ

The second oldest garden of its type in Britain, the 70-acre garden features an herbarium and Britain’s largest palm house and many more exotic plants. A perfect afternoon activity post brunch.

rbge.org.uk

 

Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art

75 Belford Road, Edinburgh, EH4 3DR

The gallery home’s an outstanding collection of modern and contemporary art. It’s beautiful building and grounds are a must-see location in Edinburgh

nationalgalleries.org/visit/scottish-national-gallery-modern-art

 

Tyninghame Beach

Just outside of the city along the coast is Tyninghame Beach, a great place for a peaceful dog walk and escape from the busy town centre.

 

Dean Village

Dean Path, Edinburgh EH4 3AY

Connected to the water of Leith walkway, Dean Village is a picturesque stop along the route. A short stroll from a few of the coffee spots we recommend it’s a must see on a sunny day.

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