96 Accessible Edinburgh: A Festival Guide Eating 97
Foodie colours dominate the decor at this delightful Italian
bistro – bottle-green pillars and banquettes, chocolate-and-
cream-coloured walls, espresso-black tables – a perfect back-
drop for VinCaffè’s superb antipasto (£20 for two) of Italian
cured meats, roast veggies and bruschetta, washed down with
a bottle of pink Pinot Grigio ‘Ramato’. It’s wheelchair-accessible
with a lift to the 1st floor, and accessible toilet facilities on both
floors.
Old Town
From cosy, vaulted cellars to stylish rooftop restaurants, the Old
Town offers a wide range of appealing eateries, including many
that focus on modern Scottish cuisine.
Amber
0131-477 8477; http://www.amber-restaurant.co.uk; 354 Castlehill;
mains £13-22; noon-8.30pm Sun-Thu, to 9pm Fri & Sat; buses
23, 27, 41, 42
You’ve got to love a place where the waiter greets you with the
words, ‘I’ll be your whisky adviser for this evening’. Located in the
Scotch Whisky Experience, this whisky-themed restaurant man-
ages to avoid the tourist clichés and creates genuinely interest-
ing and flavoursome dishes using top Scottish produce, with a
suggested whisky pairing for each dish. For details of accessibili-
ty, see the review of the Scotch Whisky Experience (p73).
Brew Lab
0131-662 8963; http://www.brewlabcoffee.co.uk; 6-8 South College
St; mains £4-5; 8am-6pm Mon-Fri, 9am-6pm Sat-Sun; all South
Bridge buses
Students with iPads lolling in armchairs, sipping carefully crafted
espressos amid artfully distressed brick and plaster, recycled
school gym flooring, old workshop benches and lab stools...this
is coffee nerd heaven. There’s good food too, with hearty soups
and crusty baguette sandwiches. In summer, try their refreshing
cold brew coffee.
Blue Badge parking can be found further down South College
St, while buses pass nearby. There is a very small (5 cm) step
into the entrance, but inside is level access although the counter
is quite high for a wheelchair user. There’s an accessible toilet
with good circulation space.
Café Hub
0131-473 2015; http://www.thehub-edinburgh.com/cafe; Castlehill;
mains £5-11; 9.30am-5pm Mon-Sat, 11am-5pm Sun; buses 23,
27, 41, 42A hall beneath the Highland Tolbooth Kirk – now home to the Ed-
inburgh Festival offices – has been transformed into this genial
cafe, with artwork lit by sunlight slanting through leaded Gothic
windows. Drop in for cake and cappuccino, or try something
more filling like a sharing platter of Highland venison charcuterie.
It’s wheelchair-accessible and there’s an accessible toilet.Cannonball Restaurant
0131-225 1550; http://www.contini.com/contini-cannonball; 356
Castlehill, Royal Mile; mains £15-25; noon-5pm & 5.30-10pm
Tue-Sat; buses 23, 27, 41, 42The historic Cannonball House next to Edinburgh Castle’s espla-
nade has been transformed into a sophisticated restaurant (and
whisky bar) where the Contini family work their Italian magic on
Scottish classics to produce dishes such as haggis balls with
spiced pickled turnip and whisky marmalade, and lobster with
wild garlic and lemon butter. Although the bar/restaurant is
on three floors, there is a lift and the venue has accessible
bathrooms.David Bann
0131-556 5888; http://www.davidbann.com; 56-58 St Mary’s St; mains
£11-13; noon-10pm Mon-Fri, 11am-10pm Sat & Sun; bus 35If you want to convince a carnivorous friend that cuisine à la veg
can be as tasty and inventive as a meat-muncher’s menu, take
them to David Bann’s stylish restaurant – dishes such as Thai
fritter of broccoli and smoked tofu, and aubergine, chickpea
and cashew kofta, are guaranteed to win converts. It’s supposed
to be wheelchair-accessible, but the toilets are downstairs.Elephant House
0131-220 5355; http://www.elephanthouse.biz; 21 George IV Bridge;
mains £5-10; 8am-10pm Mon-Thu, to 11pm Fri, 9am-11pm Sat,
9am-10pm Sun; buses 2, 23, 27, 41, 42, 45This is the cafe where JK Rowling famously wrote in the days be-
fore Harry Potter was published, and boy, is it cashing in on the
connection – there are photos of Rowling on the wall, the toilet