Escape the festival frenzy with a foodie oasis this August

One of Edinburgh’s most popular neighbourhood cocktail bars is shaking things up with a £100,000 interior makeover in time for this year’s Fringe Festival. 

Since opening its doors in 2012, The Blackbird on Leven Street in Tollcross has established itself as one of the capital’s most popular independent food and drink venues.

Located just two minutes from King’s Theatre in a lively hub for culture, dining, and shopping, The Blackbird is also home to a unique beer garden terrace, which offers a green urban oasis on warm summer evenings during the Festival and throughout the year. 

An interior transformation is now underway at The Blackbird to give the venue a contemporary new look, with mid-century plaster pink, terracotta and blue-green colour drenching, coupled with internal tiling, contemporary globe lighting and pop art touches. Expect banquette seating for larger groups and a new wider bar for dining and cocktails.

This makeover marks the beginning of a series of developments planned over the course of 2026, with stage two taking place later this year. 

Bartenders at The Blackbird have created a new summer cocktail menu as part of the summer glow-up, including ‘Joggling Board’ made with rum, orange liqueur, sweet Italian vermouth, grapefruit and turmeric; and ‘Kingston Dove’ made with tequila, guava, pineapple, lime and sparkling water. There is also a new frozen house Martini, new zero proof cocktails and zero proof beers and ciders. 

Highlights of The Blackbird’s new all-day summer food menu will 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.

Following its makeover, The Blackbird will re-open its doors to local neighbourhood customers and visitors from mid-July with an opening party to be announced on social media at www.instagram.com/theblackbirdedinburgh

Colin Church, managing director and co-owner of the Edinburgh-based bar operator and special events company, Big Red Teapot, which runs The Blackbird, said:

“We’ve been making memories and serving happiness at The Blackbird since 2012 with an ever-changing cocktail offer, fantastic food and popular beer garden. 

 “We’re now gearing up to elevate the customer experience even further this summer with an exciting new interior makeover and menus in time for the Festival.

 “We can’t wait to unveil our new look to local neighbourhood customers, as well as welcoming new visitors and festival goers this summer and beyond.”

The Blackbird is supporting a number of local businesses as part of its makeover project, including Edinburgh-based hospitality design studio, Significant Others, whose client portfolio features the Vittoria Group and The Keelson on the Shore in Leith. 

Other local contractors supporting The Blackbird’s makeover include a local sign writer and vinyl artist, as well as a team of local tradespeople who have been championed by The Blackbird for years as part of other projects.

The Tollcross venue supports 20 local full time and part time hospitality jobs, including kitchen and front of house.

Open 7 days a week from 12pm until late, The Blackbird is located at 37-39 Leven Street, Edinburgh.