This August, the Edinburgh University Students’ Association will host a variety of dynamic Fringe Festival spaces, including great spots to grab something to eat or drink in between catching shows.
These spaces support Edinburgh students, as well as local businesses, charities and sustainable commerce. As a registered charity, income earned from the associations’ Fringe venues and food and drink outlets go towards its student services, providing advice, representation and welfare support to 49,000 student members.
The Students’ Association employs local staff to run its venues. In 2022, around 300 temporary staff were hired, 70 per cent of which were Edinburgh University students.
Speaking about the food and drink venues on offer during next month’s Fringe, Sharan Atwal, students’ association president, said: “Our association’s integral part in the festival means we can generate funds to support our students. We hope everyone who visits enjoys the city and has a great time visiting our venues!”
5. Teviot Row House
Teviot Row House is home to one of the city's oldest bars, The Library Bar, which serves a varied menu both day and night (including its student-favourite cheesy nachos!). It will also host Gilded Balloon, one of Scotland’s leading festival companies. Photo: Andrew Perry
6. The Screaming Peacock (Charles Street Lane)
The Screaming Peacock offers a variety of sustainable food. Their Wild venison comes from their family hunting business, and their pheasants are sourced through local estates in Fife, making their food 100 per cent sustainable. They even source their salad toppings from friends down the road, working with a local Fife merchant. The burgers are wrapped in recyclable grease-proof paper and a compostable meal box. Photo: Submitted
7. Mimi’s Bakehouse (Pleasance Courtyard)
This renowned bakehouse has many charity endeavours to accompany its lovely cakes. It has a charity partnership with CHAS where it sells rainbow cupcakes every year (all proceeds to charity), hosts families of children in respite care for afternoon tea at its Leith store (providing cake for children’s and family birthday parties), and has a “pay it forward” cake box (£5) where it delivers cakes straight to CHAS for each customer donation. Photo: Submitted
8. Pleasance Courtyard
The Pleasance Courtyard will be packed with city's favourite bars and food vendors such as Pizza Geeks, Harajuku Kitchen, Smash & Stack and Mimi’s Bakehouse. The bustling area is a great spot to enjoy the festival come rain or shine, sitting under a canopy of umbrellas and stretch tents in the traditional cobbled courtyard. Photo: Andrew Perry