Forever Edinburgh: New In Edinburgh in 2023
At the start of a new year, we look ahead at the top new places to go and experience in Edinburgh in 2023
New flavours to savour
Edinburgh’s food and drink scene is constantly evolving, and that makes for a whole host of new places to check out. On Leith Walk, Antonietta is a new-look Italian restaurant from the Vittoria Group, with bright and colourful decor sure to stand out on your friends’ Instagram feeds. Morningside is home to literary icons Miss Jean Brodie and Maisie the Cat, so it’s a fitting location for Pudding and Stories, a new bookshop and cafe that opened its doors at the end of 2022. Another new spot to check out is South Queensferry gastropub Thirty Knots – it’s in the shadow of iconic location, the Forth Bridge.
There’s also a host of new venues to check out within the St James Quarter. Duck and Waffle have built a worldwide reputation for their cock- tails and all-day-and-all-night breakfast service, and EL&N pair an extensive drinks list with some full-on, all-pink decor. The Botanist will bring their combination of botanical-themed interiors and quirky cocktails to The Quarter in mid-2023, and watch this space for details on the Edinburgh Seafood Festival which returns in March.
For more ideas on things to see and do in Edinburgh visit edinburgh.org/things-to-do
New places to stay
Edinburgh is going through something of a hotel boom, with unique new uses found for some of the city’s most exciting architecture. Opening its doors this spring, 100 Princes Street (formerly the clubhouse of the Royal Overseas Legion) will be the first Scottish hotel from the Red Carnation Hotel Collection. Having started out as a hotel in the 1800s, the hotel will feature a hand-painted mural in its central staircase.
In Haymarket, the Hoxton hotel group will open their first Edinburgh hotel among the Georgian townhouses of Grosvenor Street. The high-end hotel will also offer a trio of serviced apartments if you’re planning an extend- ed stay in Edinburgh. It’s a similar story at Roomzzz’s new aparthotel at the St James Quarter – it will offer 74 serviced apartments in the heart of the city when it opens in spring. The W Hotel will also join The Quarter in winter 2023, promising a rooftop bar and 360-degree views across the city.
For more ideas on where to stay in Edinburgh visit edinburgh.org/accommodation
New trails to explore
Of course, ‘new’ is all relative, and Edinburgh has such a vivid and varied history that a little digging is bound to offer up something that’s new to you. Take as an example the all-new Forth Bridges Trail. It’s a new five-mile walking trail around North and South Queensferry, taking in more than a dozen historic locations associated with the UNESCO heritage site, including the Hawes Inn (as immortalised by Robert Louis Stevenson in Kidnapped) and the jetty used by Queen Margaret to cross the Forth in the 11th century.
The Forth Bridge is also one of the key points on Scotland’s UNESCO Trail. Launched in 2022, it’s the first of its kind in the world, tying together each of Scotland’s 13 designations and historic sites. The Old and New Towns join the Forth Bridge and the nearby start of Roman fortification The Antonine Wall on the list, with the capital’s designation as a UNESCO City of Literature also highlighted.
For more ideas on getting out and about in Edinburgh visit edinburgh.org/discover/edinburgh-outdoors/outdoors
Art, history and live music
January isn’t the sunniest month, but the weather does bring a very special Edinburgh tradition with it. In 1901, a set of 38 watercolours by Turner were donated to the National Galleries of Scotland with one key condition – they can only be displayed in the month of January. Turner in January at the Royal Scottish Academy on the Mound is a great chance to see a collec- tion of works by one of Britain’s greatest painters. In April, the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art hosts a major exhibition by Alberta Whittle – the Barbadian-Scottish artist’s work is fresh from the Scottish Pavilion at the Venice Biennale. Both the Modern and RSA have step-free access to their exhibitions, which are also both free of charge.
Looking further ahead, The National Museum of Scotland also offers a unique chance to view a piece of Scottish history. The Declaration of Arbroath, a 700-year-old document asking Pope John XXII to recognise Scotland’s independence, goes on display from 3 June.
There is also plenty of live music to look forward to in 2023. An early highlight sees The Twilight Sad playing a unique, stripped-back set at the historic Assembly Rooms this month as part of the Burns and Beyond festival. Elsewhere, Martha Wainwright plays the 99-year-old Usher Hall, and The Queen’s Hall in Newington celebrating its 200th anniversary in 2023. Catch Joesef and Self Esteem at the venue this March.
Find out more about Edinburgh’s music scene, including upcoming festivals and bars playing live music at edinburgh.org/things-to-do/live-music-in-edinburgh
For further inspiration on what to see and do in 2023 in Edinburgh, visit Forever Edinburgh, the official guide to the city, at edinburgh.org/blog
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