Edinburgh Indian restaurant Prahna offers afternoon tea during Union Canal cruise

Corstorphine Indian restaurant offers up unique experience on Edinburgh waterway

An Edinburgh restaurant is offering customers afternoon chai on the Union Canal with tasty treats and drinks served while you take a relaxing journey along the historic Edinburgh waterway.

Prahna Indian Grill in St John’s Road, Corstorphine, is hiring a boat to take up to 24 customers onto the canal for its ‘Prahna Chai Voyage’ on Sunday, May 28. Those in attendance will receive prosecco on arrival, classic afternoon Chai, unlimited tea, and afternoon snacks including chocolate fudge cake and barbecue chicken sliders, during the two hour journey along the Union Canal from the Leamington Liftbridge at Fountainbridge to Slateford Aqueduct and back.

Prahna Indian Grill owner Arun Ramanan thinks this event will encourage tourists to visit a part of Edinburgh they don’t normally venture to. He said: “It’s a little bit different from the usual. Our afternoon chai offering is a unique concept.

The Prahna Indian Grill Edinburgh is offering a unique dining experience on the Union Canal as part of its 'Prahna Chai Voyage' on May 28.

"We thought this is something we can take out to the canal, as we get a lot of tourists coming to our restaurant but not many of them see the Union Canal. So we thought this would get them onto the canal to see the great surroundings there. I want to showcase the Union Canal, and of course our fine food. This gives tourists the opportunity to explore the area.

"We will have musicians on the boat playing relaxing Indian music while you enjoy some delightful Indian food and drinks as part of this Indian chai. And we will decorate the boat with lots of flowers, as we do in the restaurant. I’m confident it will be a success. It’s a new concept, but it’s just like traditional British afternoon tea but Indian-inspired, offering four savouries and four desserts with afternoon tea.”

Arun is hoping this trial venture will be a success so he can extend future events to go further and take place on a regular basis.

He said: "This is just a starting point, a trial. When I approached the Fountainbridge Canalside Community Trust they were keen for us to do this. If it’s successful we will take it further and maybe go to Linlithgow or Falkirk. In the future I would like to work with the Scottish Tourist Board on this.

"I have never heard of anybody doing anything like this on the canal in Edinburgh. People see Edinburgh by train or bus but not by boat, so my intention is to show off the Union Canal to customers and tourists. This is only a trial run, with money going to the Fountainbridge Canalside Community Trust also. We want to know how people enjoy it or how we can change it and enhance the experience. I think people will enjoy it. It’s definitely a different kind of experience for people to enjoy on Edinburgh’s Union Canal.”

To secure your ticket for this truly unique experience, call 0131 334 9998. Tickets cost £38 each. The voyage will run from 3-5pm on Sunday, May 28.