The convivial new Leith bar that's opening for 'lovely locals'
There’s a new opening on this busy street
As soon as the warm weather hits, Leith Walk transforms into a giant suntrap.
There will soon be diners and drinkers spilling out onto the street from bars that include the brand spanking new Leith Wine Kitchen, which is on the cusp of opening. You’ll find this freshly whitewashed venue on the Lorne Street corner that’s the former location of another pub, Abode. We asked one of its young owners, Louie Clark, to tell us more about the new destination.
Who are the people behind Leith Wine Kitchen? What are your backgrounds?
Leith Wine Kitchen was started by us - me, Louie and my friend Calum. We are best mates originally from Manchester, though Calum has been living in Scotland for seven years, including in Dundee and Edinburgh. I only recently followed him up here last year. Both of us immediately loved Leith and Edinburgh and decided quickly that we want to be based here. Both of us have years of experience in the hospitality sector, from a mix of front-of-house and back-of-house roles. You may recognise Calum from his job at Pickles on Broughton Street. He wants to shout out to them as an amazing establishment with a great team and a wonderful place to work. I am fortunate enough to have family members who run successful bar venues at home and in Brentwood, Essex - shoutout to The Wine Kitchen and TBK House.
What's your opening date?
We are opening on April 9 - providing nothing goes catastrophically wrong, which so far it hasn’t.
Leith has loads of pubs, what will be unique about this one?
With so many fantastic and much-loved venues in the area, we are excited to join those on Leith Walk and hopefully contribute something that people will love. We are a wine-forward neighbourhood venue and have a fantastic and affordable selection of wines that should cater to most tastes, though we’re eager to hear from our customers: what they love, what they want, all feedback and ideas are welcome. But we don’t exclude the non-wine drinkers. We have a lovely selection of beers from local brewery Barney’s Beers - shoutout to the guys. On top of that we have European and 0 per cent options on draught, and a rotating selection that we’ll shake up often. At launch, our guest beer is Alhambra Reserva, and we have Lonkero also. We do a selection of cocktails, whisky, spritz, gin and tonics and alcohol-free spirits - let us know what you drink and we’ll do our best to accommodate you. We also offer a selection of snacks, small plates and sharing boards with cheese, charcuterie, jamon Iberico and burrata, among others. We are doing our best to cater for all dietary needs, too.
What was your inspiration for Leith Wine Kitchen?
Leith Wine Kitchen in essence has been inspired by what Calum and I love about other wine bars and pubs - places where you can get great food and drink, a welcoming environment, lovely staff, and time to spend with friends, your partner, your family.
What have you had to do to the interior and what will it look like when you're finished?
In the three weeks we’ve been renovating, we’ve been greeted by so many lovely locals, speaking with them really helped us focus on what the area wants: a neighbourhood friendly venue, a warm, cosy environment, drinks and food that cater to everyone and prices that people can afford. We really think we’ve found a balance of all those things here, but it was only possible with that community feedback. Thanks to everyone who’s so far popped by for a look and a chat. We feel we’ve injected a lot of ourselves into the decoration of the site - though I’m excited to watch it change and evolve with time. Calum’s mum tirelessly worked to make our crockery, cushions and cover seating, to make it all as cosy as possible, “I’m thinking as a customer,” as she would say. Much of the practical work was done by my step-grandad Mike, and family friend Terry, who built us lovely new scaffolding on the bar, fixed everything there, swapped out the old lights, and installed radiators and banquettes. They even built us tables. How lucky we’ve been to have them. Many more of our family came up, painted, cleaned, helped in whatever way, all the way from Manchester just to support us - myself and Calum couldn’t be more grateful. In a sense, it’s bittersweet to almost be finished, as the process was so enjoyable.
Are you nervous or excited about the opening?
We’ve both got a mixture of healthy nerves and excitement. We care about this, and we want to do it well. We’re excited to see what people think and let Leith Wine Kitchen evolve with our customers.
Is it a good time of year to be opening?
Opening now feels as good as ever, what with summer just around the corner. Opening in spring gives us time to find our feet, and when the hot months roll around, we’ll have our tables and chairs outside - it’ll be so nice.
Who do you hope to attract - an older or younger crowd?
Leith Walk has a mixture of people, and we want to offer something for everyone. Come for a date, come with your friends, come on a quiet night to relax, come at the weekend for the energy - hopefully Leith Wine Kitchen offers something for everyone.
For more information on Leith Wine Kitchen (229 Leith Walk) see www.leithwinekitchen.co.uk
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