Destination Report: a design-led guide to Edinburgh

Eat & drink

Lannan Bakery, Stockbridge

Based on the ground floor of a sizeable tenement building in Edinburgh’s Stockbridge neighbourhood, visitors to Lannan Bakery are welcomed by a distinctive corner entrance and front-of-house, complete with bespoke, minimalist signage by Thomas Paints. With plenty of natural light and views of the city on all three sides, the building was converted from a former salon into this charming bakery and shop, where emerging pastry chef Darcie Maher has launched her first solo endeavour.

Designed by Maher, Nicholas Taggart RIBA and Ossian Architects, the décor is purposefully subtle and aims to draw inspiration from traditional bakeries throughout Edinburgh and beyond. Evoking a sense of quiet nostalgia, the project has proved riotously popular with locals – often commanding hours-long queues for limited-run creations like dauphinois pastries and crème brûlée Danishes.

Where: 29-35 Hamilton Pl, Edinburgh EH3 5BA
lannanbakery.com

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Johnnie Walker Princes Street

A key part of British drinks giant Diaego‘s £185-million investment into Scottish whisky tourism, Johnnie Walker Princes Street is as much of a design destination as it is a whisky lover’s dream. Here visitors can enjoy an immersive, sensory-led look into the whisky industry from beginning to end, in impressive event spaces such as the Explorer’s Bothy, the 1820 Rooftop Terrace or the Whisky Makers’ Cellar. With striking interiors by international design and production agency BRC Imagination Arts, Johnnie Walker Princes Street has been a resounding success despite opening its doors under COVID-19 restrictions and received a coveted five-star review from accessibility watchdog Euan’s Guide.

Where: 145 Princes St, Edinburgh EH2 4BL
johnniewalker.com

Stay

Gleneagles Townhouse

Despite being hailed predominantly as a elite members’ club, the iconic Gleneagles Townhouse offers any and all guests a lively dining and drinking scene as well as a five-star stay. Boasting all-day restaurant The Spence and rooftop bar Lamplighters, the Townhouse is one of Edinburgh’s most well-renowned hotels overlooking the picturesque (and remarkably well-kept) St. Andrew Square, and is a must-visit for those seeking out quintessential Victorian charm. Following a four-year renovation by sibling design duo Zoe and Layo Paskin (interviewed in Mix Interiors Issue #222), spacious bedrooms and cosy nooks abound, while private spaces such as the gym, the Courtyard and the stunning Note Burning Room remain exclusively – and temptingly – open to members only.

Where: 39 St Andrew Square, Edinburgh EH2 2AD
gleneagles.com

Eden Locke Edinburgh

Known for their design-led aparthotels that elevate hospitality with a residential flair, Locke Hotels‘ Edinburgh outpost is no different. Within a grand, listed Georgian building, a palette of light pastel hues is joined by abundant indoor greenery, gold fixtures and whitewashed walls for a bright, contemporary feel from the bedrooms to the shared lounge. Demonstrating Locke’s now-signature focus on locality, Eden Locke Edinburgh partners with neighbourhood businesses such as Grams bakery, Harviestoun microbrewery and their in-house toiletries supplier, Kinsey Apothecary. Ideal for both a morning brew and a refreshing tipple, he hotel is also home to Hyde & Son, a third-wave coffee haunt that transitions into a wine and cocktail bar come sunset.

Where: 127 George St, Edinburgh EH2 4JN
lockeliving.com

House of Gods, Old Town

Right at the heart of Edinburgh Old Town – certified as a UNESCO Heritage Site for its rich history and longstanding architecture – is the capital’s s0-called ‘sexiest hotel’. Wearing this description as a badge of pride, House of Gods is a four-star stay that is all about decadence and excess, reflected in its sultry, velvet-clad interiors, four-poster beds, loud Gucci wallpaper and claw-foot bathtubs. Here, 22 guestrooms are joined by an intimate cocktail bar to enjoy indulgent drinks into the small hours – but if you can’t bear to leave the comfort of your suite (the most compact of which was modelled after a cabin from the Orient Express), rest assured you can summon a mixologist to your quarters, who will prepare you a cocktail at your convenience.

Where: 233 Cowgate, Edinburgh EH1 1JQ
houseofgodshotel.com

Work

Clockwise, Leith

A popular offering from the Glasgow-based flexible working initiative, Clockwise Leith is located in a former bonded warehouse, the building has since been converted to offer open-plan office space to suit any business, freelancer or remote/hybrid worker. Retaining much of the period features including the original wooden beams, block windows and red brickwork, the coworking initiative might be tailored to the modern world of work, but holds onto the warehouse’s original charm and heritage. For those craving a post-work tipple after a long, productive day, there is even the onsite microbrewery Lost in Leith, which boasts outside seating ideal for sunny evenings.

Where: Commercial Quay, 84 Commercial St, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6LX
work-clockwise.com

Hive Spaces, Jamaica Yard

Bridging the gap between a coworking office and a social hub, visitors to Hive Spaces Edinburgh have their pick of shared and private spaces to share a coffee, host a meeting or power through emails in a quiet nook. Comprised of a common room and coffee bar, ‘The White Space’, ‘The Green Room’ and ‘The Vaults’, a focused concentration zone and bookable meeting rooms  rub shoulders with an in-house private event space (complete with a stocked bar), accommodating individuals and corporate groups alike in a design-led, amenity-rich building. Visitors to the common room can even stay in the know on local events with Hive Spaces’ bi-annual coffee table paper, The Pollinator. 

Where: Jamaica Yard, 3 Jamaica St, Edinburgh EH3 6HH
hive-spaces.com

Shop

Bard, Leith

The vision of design duo Hugo Macdonald and James Stevens, this eclectic shop and gallery in Leith places a spotlight on Scottish craft and cultural identity. Visitors to the popular concept store can browse the works of 35 local craftspeople, all using a huge spectrum of varied materials ranging from glass, leather, stone and willow to seaweed, ceramic, glass, wood and 3D-printed plastic waste. The warm, organic interiors were inspired by Stevens’ experience designing retail locations for Perfumer H and houses for famous figures including Helena Bonham Carter, while the riot of colourful decor, artwork and furniture is the product of commissions made – and new talent discovered – during the couple’s tour of the Scottish mainland.

Where: 1 Customs Wharf, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6AL
bard-scotland.com