Seven alternative Edinburgh food delivery services if you're struggling to get a supermarket slot

Supermarket home delivery and click and collect slots are hard to come by at the moment, with many retailers struggling to cope with increased demand online.

Tesco’s slots are booked up until at least April 21st and Asda is full for at least two weeks, while there have been lengthy waits to access online orders for shops like Morrisons. The likes of Iceland is also temporalily limiting online orders to customers over state pension age, self-isolating and other vulnerable people, such as the disabled.

Whether you want to order fruit and vegetables, meat packs or staples like pasta and beans, there are some alternative food delivery services across the city that you might want to try.

Meat, fruit and vegetable boxes are being delivered across Edinburgh by several local businesses. Pictures: Charles Stamper Fruit and Veg/ Crombies of Edinburgh

Here’s a list of some of the companies working hard to get quality food to those in need if you’re struggling to book a supermarket slot...

Easter Greens

This Easter Road shop opened last summer and describes itself as a vegan store selling produce like fruit, vegetables, cheese, mock meats, chocolate, snacks, cleaning products, toiletries and pet food.

From Monday, March 30th the shop’s opening hours are 11am-6pm, seven days a week. They are still accepting Deliveroo orders, click and collect and are still offering window service in store.

Call 0131 241 0745 or visit https://easter-greens.myshopify.com/

Crombies of Edinburgh

For meat, bread, milk and now fruit and vegetables, this Broughton Street butchers is a good choice for home delivered quality produce with their ‘delivermoo’ service for those who are self-isolating. To order, call 0131 557 0111. A quick collection service is also available at the butcher shop.

A message on the company’s Facebook page on Monday says that, as well as meat boxes, £20 vegetable boxes are now ready for sale and delivery. Produce will be separated into two boxes – one for root and hard veg and another for more delicate types like peppers, tomatoes and fruits.

Opening hours are 8am-2pm from Tuesday to Saturday during the coronavirus pandemic.

The number of customers allowed in the shop itself is limited to four in line with social distancing restrictions.

Charles Stamper Fruit and Veg

This north Edinburgh-based business restarted the process of taking orders for their home delivery service on Monday, after a busy few days.

Products range from fruit and vegetable boxes to tinned products like beans and red lentils to dried pasta, cheese, meat and eggs.

The business is aiming to start up home deliverd meat packs, supplied by a local quality butcher, costing £45 with free delivery from Wednesday this week. These will include: 600g chicken fillets; 500g low fat pork sausages; 2 x 180g rump steak; 2-180g sirloin steak; 500g diced stew; 500g steak mince. The aim is to deliver the meat packs within two days of making an order.

A short video has also been posted on their Facebook page to give customers an idea of what you meals can be cooked up with the meat.

Call 0131 551 3636 or visit: https://www.charlesstamper.online/ .

Bross Bagels

This Edinburgh-based Montrea style bagel company has officially launched their brand new ‘Bross Deli’ delivery service, offering freshly baked bagels directly to your door.

From chicken salad to pastrami and turkey slices and vegan options, you’ll be able to create your own bagels by choosing your own fillings which can be made up for breakfast, lunch or dinner with the rest of your household.

A minimum order of £20 is required Monday to Friday before 5pm, with the service offered in East Lothian on Mondays.

To order, go to the Bross Bagels website then click on deliveries.

East Coast Cured, Restalrig Road

Edinburgh’s East Coast Cured is still open for business as well as offering free deliveries for postcodes EH1 to EH17 from their online shop on orders over £25.

Products include charcuterie and long shelf-life products as well as essentials such as flour, eggs and milk.

Call 0131 553 9043 or order online HERE.

George Bower butchers

The Stockbridge butchers is staying open for business but also offering free home deliveries all over Edinburgh and Midlothian for orders over £30.

All customers need to do is call the shop to place their order on 0131 332 3469.

If visiting the shop the team will only allow three customers inside at any one time and ask that social distancing is adhered to when queueing.

Cater Edinburgh

Private events chef, Barry Bryson, has been offering his own food delivery service since Monday this week for folk living in central Edinburgh.

A choice of classic dishes including cottage pie, salmon and hake fish pie, braised beef burgundy, pork, bacon and fennel polpetti with tomato sauce, spiced lamb tagine, lamb shoulder bhuna, beef chipotle chilli ragu, vegan tagine and vegetarian rendang. All orders will come complete with a serving of rice, potato, couscous or pasta, as well as a fresh vegetable box.

The chef says that, unlike a standard home delivery service, Cater Edinburgh is offering a choice of large serve dishes that can easily be divided into 30 to 50 portions from one order - meaning that meals can be easily portioned and chilled in the fridge for a number of days or stored in the freezer for up to six months.

With all orders paid up-front online, the dishes will be prepared by Barry at his commercial kitchen in Leith and delivered to central Edinburgh locations in Cater Edinburgh’s dedicated refrigerated van, leaving orders safely at front doors, keeping a safe distance and respecting hygiene and social distancing etiquette, so there will be no hand-to-hand contact.

But be prepared to spend a little bit more, with the home delivery service starting from £140 for 30 meals plus £10 delivery. All orders must also be booked a week in advance and pre-paid online.

To book or find out more, email [email protected] or visit HERE.