DINING EDINBURGH
ACTIVE EDINBURGH
LIVE EDINBURGH
DINING EDINBURGH
Scottish cuisine is much more than haggis . Indeed , the culinary renaissance in London that spawned one celebrity chef after another made its way to Edinburgh soon after , bringing with it the same attention to local , seasonal and sustainable products , be it new twists on old favorites or old twists to new favorites . The Gardener ’ s Cottage , set in an actual gardener ’ s cottage from 1836 in the Royal Terrace Gardens at the foot of Calton Hill , is the perfect example . Seated at long communal tables , patrons can enjoy six-course menus with dishes like Shetland cod with artichoke and hazelnut and lamb with sand carrots and chanterelles .
For a fine dining version of the “ nature to plate ” philosophy , plus private tables and a Michelin star , aim for Chef Tom Kitchin ’ s restaurant , The Kitchin , for hand-dived Orkney scallops , braised highland lamb and caramel poached Perthshire pear . Edinburgh ’ s Asian population shows its chops at Dishoom , which channels Scottish produce into Indian and Iranian-inspired dishes — many of which are vegetarian — like gunpowder potatoes , mahi tikka and the signature house black daal .
Find your own ingredients at Edinburgh Farmers ’ Market every Saturday on Castle Terrace underneath the ramparts of Edinburgh Castle . More than 40 local producers sell everything from meat , fish , fruit and vegetables to specialty products like soap , knitwear , fruit wines and gluten free cakes . Fridays in Fountainbridge ( where Sean Connery was born and grew up ), trucks and traders line up at Union Canal to serve the best in Edinburgh street food .
ACTIVE EDINBURGH
Built on seven hills , like the city of Rome , Edinburgh presents plenty of elevation for hikers and trekkers . The king of them is Arthur ’ s Seat , an extinct volcano rising 823 feet behind the Scottish Parliament . Multiple routes with varying fitness grades and terrain climb to the peak , with some paved . Along the way , the ghostly 900-year-old remains of St . Anthony ’ s Chapel look out over St . Margaret ’ s Loch .
If you prefer climbing indoors , Edinburgh is also home to Europe ’ s largest indoor climbing facility , Edinburgh International Climbing Arena . Built in an abandoned quarry , the space was ready made for scaling , with 300 routes and more than 11,000 bolt-on holds spanning a full range of difficulty levels . Several areas and activities cater to toddlers and kids , including vertical slides , speed climbs and the balance-testing “ Stairway to Heaven .”
With Scotland ’ s rough highlands fixed in the mind , it ’ s easy to forget that the “ game of kings ,” otherwise known as golf , was invented here . As a result , Edinburgh is replete with courses and clubs , including The Royal Burgess Golfing Society , the oldest golfing society in the world . Its par 71 course , covering 6,511 yards of tree-lined parkland , six miles from the city center still welcomes visiting nonmembers by appointment . Along the water , Muirfield is the home of The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers , which dates back to 1744 . The course has hosted dozens of international and national competitions , including 13 Open Championships . Tee times are also available for visitors with advance planning .
LIVE EDINBURGH
There ’ s a bagpipe , fiddle and tin whistle in the Scottish soul , and Edinburgh is never short of musicians to prove it . Find them all together , along with willing dancers from the audience , at a ceilidh — a Gaelic word for “ gathering ” or “ party .” There are ceilidhs every week in Edinburgh : Tuesdays at Summerhall Distillery , and Fridays and Saturdays at the Scottish bar and restaurant Ghillie Dhu .
Scotland also rocks as hard as it steps , producing world famous artists like Annie Lennox , David Byrne , Mark Knopfler , Franz Ferdinand , Belle and Sebastian and The Proclaimers , among many others . Catch touring A-listers at The Liquid Room , Usher Hall and Queens Hall , or take in the local talent ( and more sweat ) at Sneaky Pete ’ s , Henry ’ s Cellar Bar and Bannerman ’ s Bar .
Comedy clubs also thrive in Edinburgh , thanks to the success and inspiration of Scottish comedians like Billy Connolly , Craig Ferguson and Frankie Boyle . See many of them , as well as up-and-comers , at The Stand , next to the Scottish National Portrait Gallery . There , you can even try out your own material at the Red Raw session every Monday night . The show gets even wilder and raunchier at Monkey Barrel , where Monday and Tuesday nights reserved for “ no-holdsbarred ” performances that don ’ t just push the envelope , but tear through it .
FLYWASHINGTON . COM 26 SPRING 2018