Bar + Block Steakhouse: First restaurant on iconic Edinburgh street set to open this year

Bar + Block Steakhouse has announced that they will be taking over the old New Look towards the west of Princes Street.

They were the first restaurant to have their planning permission submission approved by Edinburgh City Council and are preparing to be open in time for Christmas this year.

The steakhouse will be serving cut to order 30-day aged steaks along with fresh burgers ground on-site, salads and grills.

They will also sell craft beer and cocktails.

Owners Whitbread has confirmed they will be taking over the premises for the restaurant that will also include an extension for the Premier Inn next door.

This will be the second Bar + Block Steakhouse in Scotland following the opening of the first in St Enoch Square in Glasgow back in June.

John Underwood, Construction Project and Programme Manager for Whitbread, said:

“It is a privilege to be leading the development of one of the first restaurants to open on Princes Street.

"It is a complex project as we are building a 60-bedroom extension and delivering a new restaurant in a busy shopping area at the same time.

"The location is superb and Bar + Block’s all-day flexible trading format, from breakfast through to dinner, lends itself to the location.

"I am confident that we will have a busy restaurant on our hands.”

Work is already underway at the 121 Princes Street premises.

In 2019 when further plans for the newly opened St James Quarter were released, industry professionals expressed fears that the new shopping centre would take businesses away from Princes Street.

New Look was one of those businesses who closed their Princes Street store – where Bar + Block Steakhouse will be – in order to move into St James, along with Zara and Next.

The St James Quarter opened its doors last month.

One industry source told the Evening News at the time: “The big fear is that you will end up with a wave of empty units or a wave of tartan tat shops.”

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