A Neighbourhood Guide To Leith, Edinburgh

Introducing Service95’s Neighbourhood Guides: an insider’s look at the areas on the fringes of towns and cities, where creativity is thriving, new communities are forming and where the next restaurant-of-the-moment is about to open its doors. Because to really get a feel of a place, you need to experience it like a local. First up: we’re taking you to Leith

Just a ten-minute tram from central Edinburgh towards the sea, Leith feels irresistibly off the beaten track from the castles and closes that most tourists flock to the Scottish capital for. This maritime heartland, which became part of Edinburgh in 1920 and whose docks were once alive with the din of shipbuilding and trading, has morphed from a no-frills industrial district into a waterfront hub of concept stores and coffee shops.  

There’s a version of Leith in most cities: the area once seen as a little rough around the edges. In recent decades it’s attracted a young crowd willing to sacrifice polish for affordable housing, creating space for culinary and creative talent to flourish. The arrival of the tram connecting it to the city centre in 2023 sealed its fate: Leith is the creative Edinburgh suburb to add to your list.

This square mile or so on Edinburgh’s outskirts boasts a clutch of Edinburgh’s best restaurants. The wave began slowly, with the opening of Michelin-starred Martin Wishart in 1999 proving that if you build it, they will come. More recently, Roberta Hall McCarron opened her first restaurant, The Little Chartroom, and paved the way for further top-tier eateries like the Michelin-starred Heron, Scottish-Asian Mirin and, most recently, The Keelson – a collaboration between top-tier bartenders and Michelin-starred chef James Murray, which promises classic pub vibes (the rotisserie chicken is not to be missed).  

Claire Hanrahan is a chef who knows Leith’s food scene well. She launched much-lauded bistro Norah in Newhaven (on the fringe of Leith) in 2025, serving hearty plates inspired by her Irish roots, from sausage and chips to fish stews using seafood from the harbour across the road. Describing the area as having “an incredible sense of community”, she adds that Leith’s location makes it the perfect place to escape the madness of the Fringe this August.

“If you're looking to get away from the ‘most recommended’ restaurant lists,” she adds, “visit Kafeneion to Steki for an authentic Greek experience. A little further into Leith you’ll find The Percy, Edinburgh’s premier Polish restaurant, which has become an institution.” Elsewhere, she suggests joining the trad music night with acoustic duo Al & Fozzie at the Harbour Inn or the monthly sea shanty night at the Old Chain Pier. For something more zen, she says “enjoy the sunset at Newhaven lighthouse – it’s the best sunset view in the whole city.”

Artist and designer Juli Bolaños-Durman settled in Leith after moving to Edinburgh from Costa Rica. She says that the joy of the area is found in its diversity. “The mix of perspectives has created a rich tapestry with a wonderful spectrum of studios that span creative hub Coburg Studios to gallery Mote 102. Her weekend mainstays include browsing Argonaut Books or eyeing up unique finds at Ramsay Cornish Auction House and, during the Fringe, she suggests looking into Edinburgh Art Festival’s programme of events.

There are hotels in Leith (The Townhouse is a pretty example, filled with period features and antiques), but to live like a local, set up shop in the self-catering Pavilion at Lamb’s House. On the fringes of a Renaissance-style garden of clipped hedges and roses, and in the shadow of a 17th-century merchant’s house, this topsy-turvy bolthole has bedrooms downstairs and living quarters upstairs, all decked out in muted colours and beautiful furnishings.  

From here you can wander to Brown’s of Leith for coffee in a former engineering works, browse handcrafted wares at Bard and spot one of Antony Gormley’s sculptures looking out towards the sea – part of a six-strong installation that runs from central Edinburgh out to the docklands. Alternatively, check out Leith Arches, an events venue that often hosts smaller Fringe shows.  

After dark, pull up a seat at Nauticus for creative cocktails that champion Scottish ingredients, followed by dinner at Dogstar, which leans into lesser-known seasonal produce from farmers and foragers. Things change, but the focaccia grilled over open fire and served with a dip has cult status. It’s made twice a day and glossy with grassy olive oil.