In the 12th century, Leith was was Scotland’s gateway to the world. On this food tour – the past will come alive: as we imagine ships weaving out the port, laden with coal, grain, fish and hides, with more ships arriving at The Shore area bringing in spices, timber – we’ll walk through the former timber market Timberbush,( ‘bush’ comes from the French ‘bourse’ ) cloth, and whale oil ( you can see one of the original harpoons on the Shore) and very importantly wine, especially from Bordeaux. Now many of the warehouses have been converted into flats and restaurants.
As well as being a hub of medieval commerce, it was in Leith that the first rules of golf were drawn up for use on Leith Links in 1744.
A home for stranded sailors has been transformed into a stunning boutique hotel, but the angel above the door still remains vigilant for all its inhabitants.
And some of old trades have seen a rebirth – gin and whisky distilling is back and we meet the newest gin distiller on this tour – who use lime peel as one of their botanicals – as a nod to Lachlan Rose of Leith who started bottling lime cordial as a scurvy deterrent.
This food safari is a circular tour – easily accessible from the Shore tram stop and equals a very good lunch with seafood being a focus.
You’ll experience some of these on this food tour around Leith waterfront:
- We start with a coffee from a local quay side roastery – and if we are lucky; get a tour of the roastery with a made-on-the-premises Danish pastry.
- Smoked haddock kedgeree in the old waiting room of the landing area where the boats from Aberdeen used to dock: Teuchtars Landing. ‘Teuchtars’ means a rural Gaelic speaking Scot from the Highlands.
- Creamy fish soup – Cullen Skink – at one of the oldest pubs in Leith and freshly made ginger beer.
- We explore one of the newest gin joints in town and taste a gin which is distilled on the premises in Leith.
- Spanish cheese grilled with sugar in an old bonded warehouse which is now a cool Spanish bar.
- Afternoon tea of scones, jam and cream.
- If it’s a Saturday we can fit in a trip to the Farmer’s Market for lobster rolls and a beer from one of Leith’s newest breweries : Lost in Leith.
Leith waterfront is such an exciting part of Edinburgh to visit and we hope you will join us on this wonderful food and drink tour : )
