The end of January is nigh (breathes a sigh of relief) and our bank balance and health are pretty much back to normal. The best way to celebrate? With food, drink and a getaway, of course, and specifically, the Edinburgh Restaurant Festival.
Run by Essential Edinburgh, the food-lovers’ festival is celebrating its fourth year in the capital’s city centre, with the focus on international cuisine, world-class service and Scottish hospitality.
With a reputation as of one of the UK’s most beautiful cities and more restaurants per head of population than any other UK city outside of London, there is no better place to immerse yourself in some of the UK’s finest cuisine.
The Edinburgh Restaurant Festival will involve more than 20 diverse and exciting bars, restaurants and eateries, including Harvey Nichols, Dishoom and Gaucho, all in the heart of recently revitalised St Andrew Square, with everyone taking part offering special foodie experiences throughout the festival.
This year, and for the first time, The Ivy Collection’s first Scottish restaurant, the Ivy on the Square will be taking part in the Festival. Regulars of The Ivy will be already familiar with the restaurant’s whiskey trolley which was curated by Edinburgh-based whiskey expert and author Blair Bowman. As part of the Festival, The Ivy has created an exclusive cocktail, The Discovery. Available for Ivy diners to savor while they take in unashamedly beautiful décor.
The main event is the ticketed four-course Moveable Feast, which will see diners travel to four very different restaurants, enjoying a course in each, sampling the very best of what Edinburgh’s thriving dining scene has to offer.
If it’s a slice of surprise you’re after then sign up to The Secret Dining Experience. New to the Festival this year, diners will meet near the Melville Monument in St Andrew Square and be escorted to an unexpected venue to sample delicious food in an unusual setting.
Festival goers will also enjoy special tasting menus, as well as picking up recipe ideas and chefs’ tips, and enjoying a tantalising range of offers and competitions. The new Edinburgh Restaurant Festival website will be updated regularly to keep foodie fans up to date with all the gastronomic goings-on.
Roddy Smith, Chief Executive of Essential Edinburgh, the company behind The Edinburgh Restaurant Festival, is delighted to see the return of this popular festival to the City’s calendar. He commented: ‘Edinburgh is now considered one of Europe’s top dining destinations, so we have lots to celebrate at the fourth Edinburgh Restaurant Festival. Food and drink is an extremely important and growing part of our economy, and the Festival is a wonderful way to highlight our blossoming restaurant scene and showcase the breadth and diversity that is now on offer. In Edinburgh, you really can go on a culinary journey around the world, and the city is bursting with different styles, flavours and menus, all served up to a world class standard.’
The Edinburgh Restaurant Festival promises to help visitors to discover a diverse mix of new dining experiences to suit all ages, tastes and budgets, and an unforgettable culinary journey.
Visit www.edinburghrestaurantfestival.com for tickets.