Tollcross’s favourite cocktail haunt, The Blackbird, has undergone a £100,000 revamp just in time for the Fringe. Take a look inside

Sirens ring and the smell of hops fill the air in Tollcross (once the home of McEwan’s Fountain Brewery), one of Edinburgh’s most overlooked areas. It’s a cultural hub, and the home of The Blackbird, an orange fronted cocktail bar loved by locals since 2012. The Cameo picture house is just around the corner, King’s Theatre (recently re-opened) is opposite and one of Edinburgh’s oldest pubs, Bennets, is just across the road. It’s a bustling part of the city — just a 15-minute walk from Princes street — but it’s often bypassed by visitors on their way to the shinier Bruntsfield and Morningside areas. Take a moment to linger, drop into The Blackbird for a buzzy neighbourhood feel, sip on a few cocktails and gawk at its new interior.

Checkerboard flooring, spherical pendant lights and exposed brick walls remain, but new additions like colourful seating, mid-century plaster pink and terracotta colour drenching shine. The terrace is the star of the show now; a wonderland of pastel green seating and candy-cane striped cushions. It’s hidden behind a luscious arch of sunshine amaryllis — a gorgeous little escape in the heart of the city, and the perfect retreat during the Edinburgh Fringe.

Visit The Blackbird, on Leven street in Tollcross, to sample their brand-new all-day summer food menu. Highlights include: whole burrata with honeydew melon salsa and prosciutto crisps; and pork belly with curried cauliflower, green apple and honey. The staff favourite is fried chicken with house peach hot sauce and fermented pineapple relish, as well as new vegan dishes, including the house ‘Spa Salad’ made with broccoli, strawberry, avocado, chickpeas and kale.

The Blackbird 

37-39 Leven Street

Edinburgh

EH3 9LH

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