How Edinburgh's Easter Road became Scotland's coolest new food neighbourhood

Check out the burgeoning food scene in the EH7 area

If you haven’t been along Easter Road for a while, prepare to get hungry.

There are still plenty of independent stalwarts, like off-license Cornelius (numbers 18-20), Polish restaurant, The Percy PL (398), as well as new food businesses, from bakers (including a new branch of Twelve Triangles, 22-24) to grocers and cafes.

Here are a few of our favourites.

No. 127 - It’s All Good - cafe selling healthy wraps, poke salad bowls and smoothies.

"Easter Road had a bit of a reputation, but it’s been transformed into a place with a vibrant cafe culture and varied food scene. It would be wrong to call it gentrified - there's still a rawness and edginess, which we love. We're proud to be part of the diverse and multicultural community that exists here, and feel privileged to play a positive part in the lives of the people who live nearby," says owner and director Lewis Ritchie.

www.itsallgoodedinburgh.com

No. 38 - Polentoni - Italian delicatessen

The team from It's All Good: Fruzsi, Lewis, Neil and Coline

This place is currently open for breakfast and lunchtime takeaways, including sandwiches filled with smoked prosciutto, courgette pesto and mozzarella, pizzas, soup, gnocchi, cakes and croissants. “Their sandwiches and focaccia are to die for, “ says Ben King, shop manager of the nearby Edinburgh Honey Co. While, Lewis from It’s All Good, says, “The guy, Franco, makes everything from scratch. Class act”.

www.polentoni.co.uk

No. 4 - Easter Greens - grocery shop, which sells fruit and veg boxes, baked goods and Scottish brands including Edinburgh Fermentarium.

“We love being part of the Easter Road community and find the people kind and supportive. During the pandemic we helped them discover an alternative to shopping with big supermarkets. Our offering of good quality plant-based products combined with friendly, helpful staff that do their best to brighten up your day is a positive experience during difficult times”, says owner and director Alasdair Corbett. “Our favourite neighbour is Little Fitzroy. Their vegan cakes, buns and sandwiches keep us going and their coffee is the best”.

Alasdair in Easter Greens

www.eastergreens.co.uk

No. 46 - Little Fitzroy - cafe

“Watching Easter Road grow with so many independent businesses and sole traders has been a delight to watch as a resident. I felt so supported by my neighbours when I started out and hope I'm able to do the same for the newer shops as time goes on. I think a lot of people have done what I did and looked at something they wanted in their locale (in my case, good, local, sustainable coffee early in the morning) and built it themselves with the support from a neighbourhood who really want to support independent businesses. We're pretty lucky”.

www.littlefitzroy.coffee

Little Fitzroy

No. 178 - Edinburgh Honey Co - high quality sustainable honey, in varieties including whisky-infused hot toddy and coriander blossom

“Ever since the shop opening in 2019 we have had such a warm welcome. Everyone on Easter Road is curious about what we do and what we sell. We have cultivated lovely local clientele who mean so much to us. Leith in general is a beautiful melting pot of new cultures matched with fascinating history and we couldn't have picked a better spot to build our hive,” says Ben.

www.miod.co

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