Postcard from Edinburgh
- Susan Low
- 13 hours ago
- 4 min read
Consider this the postcard that got lost in the post.
I was in Edinburgh back in May but things – largely this gorgeous weather and a busy work schedule – have kept me from putting pen to paper. So, in the spirit of ‘better late than never’ (and because there was so much deliciousness involved) I felt compelled to share. So here you are…
I’ve been to Edinburgh countless times but with each visit this city works its way further under my skin. There’s the food, of course, which gets better all the time. But I’ve also come to realise that this city’s undeniable lure centres around one major theme: the pursuit of imagination.
Long before JK Rowling overlaid Auld Reekie with the magical veneer of Harry Potter, there was Sir Walter Scott. Edinburgh born and bred, he was known to his19th-century readers as The Magician of the North, and literary critics credit Scott with ‘the invention of Scotland’.
The Scotland depicted in his poems and novels was a land of dramatic castles and deep, dark lochs, of Caledonian pine forests in which monarchs of the glen roamed free, of tartan-clad heroes who, though they might lose the battle, could claim moral superiority over their conquering enemies. The creator of the historical novel, Scott’s storytelling powers were immense – even if his themes are nowadays dismissed as ‘tartan twee’.
It’s not ridiculous to see JK Rowling as direct descendant of Scott. Both have the literary muscle to transform their surroundings into something new and romantic, to throw shadow and light onto the ordinary, and to invite their readers to see things that may or may not be there – but to be prepared come along on the journey of imagination anyway.
It’s utterly impossible to walk two yards along the Royal Mile without tripping over eight dozen tourists struggling to get just the right selfie in front of Diagon Alley. Yes, it’s maddening – but I chose to see these literary pilgrims as part of a long legacy of readers willing to suspend their disbelief and to see this city a place where magic can happen, if you let it. And isn’t that what travel is all about?
If, like me, you travel to feed your stomach as well as your mind, there’s plenty going on. You don’t need to suspend disbelief or fall victim to an overactive imagination to realise that Edinburgh has a food scene where magic really does happen. These are my recommendations (move over, Stanley Tucci…):
The team at The Palmerston have hospitality sussed. It’s an archetypal gastropub with a creative, of-the-moment menu that changes daily – and the friendliest, most charming and knowledgeable staff you could hope for. It’s just the right blend of egalitarian and aspirational, and with a brilliant wine list (thumbs up for serving a schiava nera from Alto Adige by the glass). So impressed were we with our first meal of ox tongue with baby turnips and figs, and venison shoulder with polenta that we promptly re-booked.
It opened in summer 2023 and is so popular that it has had to hire a queue monitor to ensure local schoolchildren aren’t shoved onto the pavement by hungry, croissant-seeking tourists. Owner Darcie Maher honed her skills at The Palmerston before striking out on her own, and her Stockbridge bakery and pantry is now an institution. And, yes – the pastries are worth queuing for, beautifully laminated and made with real skill.
The SMWS is not your average whisky bar. It’s a members’ organisation (£100 a year), with branches in Leith and Queen Street (where the downstairs bar is open to non-members). If you like one-offs, this is the place to get your nose stuck into a dram or several. The Society buys and bottles single casks from distilleries throughout Scotland, and you can taste them at cask strength, and get expert tuition from highly trained staff as you do so. Each bottle has a unique number and a quirky fantasy name that ought to give an indication of what the liquid inside tastes like. Our favourite was a TCP- and smoke-tinged, sea-salty ‘Viking on the Rampage’ from Islay.
Opened in 2023, POL is the UK’s tallest – and the only vertical – distillery. It stands nine storeys high, a foursquare charcoal-grey column rising above the Port of Leith itself. For centuries, this historic port was where sherry, port and other wines were landed and bottled, their casks later used to mature whisky. Leith's still in the game. POL’s flagship single malt is currently resting in barrel awaiting release, probably next year. In the meantime, you can take a tour and taste a range of its wares at the top-floor Distillery Bar, which has incredible views over the harbour.
Opened in March 2026, this small but perfectly formed shop has a brilliantly curated collection and friendly vibe that shouts ‘labour of love’. Child- and dog-friendly, The Cookbook Shop also hosts launches and events. If you have a cookbook addiction that needs to be fed, this is the place.
You couldn’t call V&C new. Established 1934, it’s been part of the fabric of the city since then, and it still figures on my ‘don’t miss’ list. The range of Italian wines (V&C are also wine importers) is among the best in the UK, and advice is freely given if you can’t choose. The caffè shows no intention at all of following trends, and the interior is still rocking those 1990s vibes – and it’s still a brilliant place to stop for proper, old-school Italian classics.
Also not new, also unmissable. A top purveyor of artisan cheeses from small-scale producers supporting traditional methods, and (no surprise) a commendable range of Scottish cheeses, and from the rest of the UK and Europe, all properly aged and well looked after. The Stockbridge branch is roomier and sells a mean Scotch egg.
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