For the second post in my Edinburgh Hang-outs series, I chose another local treasure in the Newington area of Edinburgh; Apiary is a restaurant, cafe and bar which describes itself as offering "Modern British grub to comfort and excite", served with a Mediterranean twist.
It features many of the usual suspects of British restaurants; salads, burgers, and fish and chips, but they come with an extra exotic edge. Amongst their snacks there are olives, dukkah (an Egyptian seed, nut and spice dip), and vegetable mezze platters; instead of your usual caesar salad, they offer a Thai beef and mango salad, or spicy prawn, pea, radish and vermicelli rice noodle salad; and instead of the standard fish and chips, a side of gherkins, lemon and mustard mayo, and watercress adds a refreshing change to an old classic.
The restaurant itself is rather imposing with its tall ceilings and windows, but is tempered by the dark leather sofas and cosy cubby holes, and with the addition of some amazing local artwork which adorn its walls. A beehive theme runs throughout the restaurant (an Apiary is where beehives are kept dontcha know), with a small beehive standing just inside the door, and bee and honey ornaments and artwork embellishing the tables and walls, giving it a homely feel.
Ric and I treated ourselves to brunch here at the weekend, as we'd only ever been in for drinks and bar snacks in the past. The service was excellent; polite and friendly without being too intrusive or too distant, and the food was amazing and an absolute bargain.
I went for the Eggs Florentine, because you can never go wrong with fancy bacon and eggs, and Ric went for the Omelette with bacon, spring onion, chive, red pepper and cheddar with salad, both of which were just £6, and both perfectly creamy and delicious.
All gone!
The Apiary also offers a lunch and dinner menu, and a varied selection of craft beers and wines, as well as lunch and pre-theatre deals.
For more info visit www.apiaryrestaurant.co.uk
This is not a sponsored post, all opinions expressed are my own and all meals were paid for myself.
