Why go now
Leith is Edinburgh’s port district, where people, goods and new ideas have flowed into the city for centuries. Here, the Water of Leith river meets the sea, and on bright days, when pubs and restaurants spill out to the Shore area, there’s nowhere quite like it. I moved here 13 years ago, and it has been a joy to watch the area evolve and reinvent itself. Today it’s the city’s creative heart, full of artists, musicians, designers and startups, with a thriving food and drink scene. The arrival of the tramline from Edinburgh city centre in 2023 has given it a big boost too.
Although the Leith immortalised in Irvine Welsh’s Trainspotting is long gone, to call it fully gentrified would be failing to pay attention. Two recent campaigns, both successful, have galvanised locals: one to stop Waterstones opening near the independent Argonaut Books; and the other to return the benches used by day-drinkers on the Kirkgate, which had been removed by the council. There’s space for both in Leith.
What keeps me here is the strong, village-like community spirit, paired with the ever-changing energy of a city. One day I can get stuck into digging on the Community Croft; the next I’m immersed in art galleries, gigs and fine dining. For visitors, Leith offers a slice of real Edinburgh, with no bus tours, shops selling tartan tat, or out-of-tune bagpipes.
Where to eat and drink
Leith’s food and drink ranges from Michelin-starred restaurants to community cafes, old-men’s pubs to smart cocktail bars. Over the past few years there has been a flurry of openings that mirror the creativity of the area. “Leith has the perfect mix of old and new: places that have been here for decades, and new energy coming through,” says chef Barry Bryson. “It’s multicultural, rich and varied, and serves a community of diners, not just one demographic.” Bryson opened his first restaurant, Barry Fish, on the Shore in early 2025. Immediately it became one of my favourite places to eat. I recommend cosying into the calm green interiors and ordering the trout pastrami and lobster agnolotti.
Chef Roberta Hall-McCarron and her husband, Shaun McCarron, opened the cafe-bar Ardfern in 2024, next door to their fine-dining restaurant The Little Chartroom. I’ve eaten there at every hour, enjoying lazy brunches, birthday lunches, early evening oysters and long dinners with friends. The hash browns are non-negotiable, most recently topped with sprout kimchi, fish sauce aioli and nori. “It’s inspiring to be part of a supportive, creative community,” says Shaun.
That emphasis on community is echoed at Dogstar, newly opened by chef James Murray along with Michael Lynch and Kyle Jamieson of Nauticus bar. After years cooking at the highest level and earning a Michelin star at Timberyard, Murray found an increasing sense of disconnect with the world of fine dining. “The next stage for me was wanting to live and work in my community, so choosing Leith was intentional,” he says. “There’s a pride to people down here. If it’s a Leith spot cooking for Leith people, they get behind you.” Sitting at the bar watching dishes spin in the kitchen, eating shellfish straight from the coals, and dunking warm focaccia into anchovy sauce, I’m certainly behind this restaurant.
Cultural experiences
To discover Leith’s artistic community, visit Custom Lane, a collaborative design space in the old Custom House building on the river, with artists’ workshops, galleries and an excellent cafe. Onsite, Bard is a gallery and shop designed to look like the home of a collector. Husbands Hugo Macdonald and James Stevens travel across Scotland bringing contemporary Scottish design to Leith, inviting the curious to explore the integration of high-end design in a domestic environment. Regardless of your interiors budget, it’s not to be missed.
Across the river is Brown’s of Leith, the newest outpost of Custom Lane. This vast three-storey Victorian warehouse has been transformed into a multi-use creative space by GRAS architects. On the ground floor, three food businesses – ShrimpWreck shellfish bar, Haze for wine and top-tier snacks, and Civerinos pizza – share a relaxed dining area, with more residents, events and collaborations imminent. “At Brown’s we identified a need for spaces that genuinely support and celebrate creativity,” says architect Gunnar Groves-Raines of GRAS. The restaurateurs are equally enthusiastic. “Leith has a strong sense of identity: independent, creative and rooted in its history,” says Joseph Radford of Haze. “Our intention is to respond to that rather than overwrite it.” I visit early in the evening when the lights are low, the music perfectly pitched and the atmosphere a relaxed buzz. Soon our table is full of oysters, bowls of mussels and tinned fish on toast. It’s a lot of fun.
Further collaborative art spaces across Leith are also worth exploring. Between Drill Hall, The Biscuit Factory and Coburg House Art Studios, there’s always something interesting going on. And there’s more to come – after years of tireless volunteer fundraising and campaigning, Leith theatre has been awarded lottery funding to restore the beautiful 1932 art deco building to its former glory. Pop-ups in the space, including a past Edinburgh international festival residency, have offered a thrilling glimpse of the future.
Where to shop
Leith is home to some great independent shops. Argonaut Books, inside the old train station, is run by people passionate about reading, and has a lovely cafe and regular events. Arty gift shops include Logan Malloch, Flux and Handsel on Leith Walk – all sell work by local artists. For interesting wine, head to the tiny independent Bludge.
Don’t miss
The Royal Yacht Britannia attracts hundreds daily, keen for a glimpse of how the monarchs holidayed. But I prefer the Port of Leith Distillery, an impressive-looking “vertical distillery” where whisky production takes place from top-to-bottom over nine storeys. Tours of the stills are fascinating and the views over the Firth of Forth to Fife from the cafe and bar are unmatched. Take a stroll along the Water of Leith path, perhaps followed by a visit to a taproom for a fresh pint. Leith has a flourishing craft brewery scene, and Moonwake, Campervan and Newbarns all have welcoming taprooms.
Stay
Malmaison Edinburgh has smart riverside rooms (from £77 room-only), or push the boat out (pun intended) and spend the night on board Fingal (cabins from £269 B&B), a former lighthouse tender turned luxury hotel, permanently moored in Leith.