Abbeyhill: Edinburgh Neighbourhood Guide

Situated to the east of the city centre, Abbeyhill is a bustling district of the city, located on the fringes of the New Town, a stone's throw from the Scottish Parliament just 15 minutes from Princes Street and Leith alike.

But, as well as boasting an increasingly popular location, Abbeyhill is a neighbourhood with lots to offer. With more and more cool and quirky independent businesses popping up and setting up shop, what better time to enjoy an afternoon in Edinburgh's Abbeyhill?

Here's everything the area has to offer:

Pop to the Shops

House

An interior lover’s heaven - you'll find House to the North of Easter Road. A carefully curated independent treasure trove of gorgeous homewares, House is the perfect place to pick up some stylish new pieces whilst supporting local.

Cloud 9

Across the road from House you'll find Cloud 9 - owned by the same guys. Cloud 9 is full to the brim of quirky, unique and charming gifts, accessories, jewellery, and plants - the perfect combination!

Ginger Twist Studio

This is one for the knitters. Blink and you’ll miss it – Ginger Twist Studio is a tiny little yarn shop situated on London Road. Due to the small (yet perfectly formed) size of the shop you’ll find a carefully curated selection of yarns chosen by Jess the owner. Pop in and pick up some yarn and have a natter with Jess who's super friendly and knowledgable.

Easter Greens

You’ll find Scotland’s very first 100% vegan Grocery Store, Easter Greens, to the North of Easter Road. Pick up some organic fruit and veg or branch out for something a little more adventurous with a selection of vegan cheeses, meat alternatives, snacks, confectionary and plant based cupboard essentials.

Miod Raw Honey Co.

A recent addition to Easter Road, the Miod Raw Honey Company specialise in high-quality honey, offering a wide range of weird and wonderful flavours - all hand-packed with recycled materials.

Although a recent addition to Abbeyhill, this independent, family-owned company have 60 years of beekeeping experience under their belts. All their honey is sourced in a sustainable and responsible way from their families’ apiaries in Perthshire and Poland.

The super friendly staff will let you sample an array of honeys to find the perfect one for your palette.

Get Arty

We Make

We Make opened its doors to Montrose Terrace last year as a brand-new studio/workshop hybrid. Attend a workshop, run a workshop, book the space for a private party or just pop in and pick up some gorgeous handmade items from the likes of Edinburgh based makers A.M Ceramics, Polymorthics and the Edinburgh Craft Club.

Workshops include everything from making your own Macramé Plant Hanger, crafting a Lampshade, learning how to Crochet or trying your hand at screen printing. We Make is a great little spot to roll up your sleeves and get creative.

Amber Arts

Another arty spot that calls Montrose Terrace home, Amber Arts is a hand-crafted, bespoke picture framer come art gallery. Whether you have a print to be framed or not, it's well worth popping in and checking out the exhibition of the time.

Refuel with caffeine

Century General Store

Having recently undergone a renovation, Century General Store have since reopened their doors with a stylish, freshly designed space. Amongst the changes, Century have scrapped their food menu and instead returned to their roots of excellent specialist coffee and a sustainable selection of gifts and homewares.

Little Fitzroy

A bustling, busy little coffee shop, Little Fitzroy opened its door a couple of years ago and has been serving the occupants of Easter Road top notch coffee ever since. The owner Catherine is super friendly, there's always tons of doggos to stroke and they serve up a scrumptious vegan menu, what more could you want!

Red Kite

Another resident Abbeyhill coffee spot, Red Kite offer a winning combination of great coffee, sweet treats and a seasonal breakfast and lunch menu. What's not to love? The premises are huge, whether you head to the back of the cafe for a peaceful window spot overlooking the garden or watch London Road go by with a seat at the front window.

Grab a bite to eat

Polentoni

To the top of Easter Road you'll find Polentoni, a gorgeous little Italian spot serving up top notch dishes in laid back surroundings. Whether you're looking for brunch, lunch or dinner, Polentoni always promises fresh, tasty dishes that are perfect for warming up on those chilly Edinburgh days.

Art and Vintage

Art and Vintage is a beautiful shop, cafe and gallery situated on the arty strip of Montrose Terrace. These guys not only serve up the tastiest brunch and lunch menu, they also offer a curated selection of vintage goods and contemporary art for you to browse and buy whilst you're there.

It’s All Good

Having opened its doors last year, you can count on It's All Good for the freshest ingredients and feel good dishes. Whether you choose from their menu or make up your own wraps, salads and sandwiches, you're always guaranteed healthy, fresh, flavourful food.

Think Pastry

In the mood for Greek pastry? Head over to Think Pastry – a family led café bringing a Greek Twist to Abbeyhill. From sweet treats to delicious savouries, how better indulge yourself with than with a freshly made tasty pastry?

Verona Pizza

Everyone loves a good pizza, and with their brand new pizza oven, the guys at Verona have got you covered. Serving up top quality Neapolitan pizza and super reasonable prices and a BYOB policy, there's nowhere better to get your fill.

Unwind with something a bit stronger

Cornelius

With an unrivalled selection of the best beers and wines, Cornelius have been serving up the best of what Scotland has to offer for the past 15 years. From the best local breweries as well as offerings from further afield, this place is well worth to pick up a tipple or two.

Safari Lounge

Quirky and eclectic, Safari Lounge serve up a great selection of real ales, beers and everything else you'd expect from your local. These guys also offer a food menu that pretty much covers all corners of the globe, from Mexican to Korean, you won't leave hungry.

Bellfield Brewery

Since opening its doors last year, the UK's first dedicated gluten-free brewery Bellfield have been bringing top-notch beer to the residents of Abbeyhil in their brewery taproom. There's a great garden for those rare days that the sun comes out, relaxed atmosphere and of course tons of beer brewed right there on site. Bellfield goers also benefit from being able to order in food from local eateries to soak up all that beer.

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