Small Business Saturday: Food shops and cafes
It’s a time of year when comfort eating keeps the chill at bay, and so it’s no surprise that festive fayre is top of the bill when it comes to shopping.
And Edinburgh is stuffed to the gunwhales with good food and drink shops – small, independent ones which have stood their ground against the supermarket onslaught by offering unique products to those of discerning tastes.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdWith this Saturday being the national day of support for small businesses across Britain, it’s perhaps the best excuse you could have for filling your face with the city’s culinary delights, be they to eat at home, or there and then in whichever cafe, restaurant, artisan bakery, coffee shop or teahouse has taken your fancy while you do a spot of Christmas shopping at an independent retailer.
Food blogger Nadine Pierce, the woman behind eatingedinburgh.com, says that many people forget that local restaurants and cafes are small businesses just like shops, and also rely on regular custom.
Indeed in the US, where Small Business Saturday started, there’s a coinciding strand known as DineSmall.
Nadine says she would encourage anyone to choose small and local, rather than chain businesses, when it comes to deciding where to eat out.
“It is such a competitive market, you hear a lot about restaurants closing, so they have to work so hard to attract and retain custom.
“It’s definitely worth giving as many homegrown businesses your custom as possible to keep the sector thriving. There are so many places you could choose from if you’re in town this Saturday, but, for me, it would have to be Contini’s on George Street for brunch – a coffee and a bacon focaccia, the best in town in my opinion. You can also get a great two-course lunch with wine at The Dogs for £20, so supporting a restaurant business doesn’t have to mean spending a fortune.
“We’re so lucky in Edinburgh that the local restaurants are of an exceptionally high standard – you’d probably be hard pushed to get a bad meal and they’re often at a similar price point to popular chains but with an emphasis on local seasonal produce.”
She adds: “There are a lot of great food shops too – Mellis cheesemongers is a classic – but I also like Cranachan and Crowdie on the Royal Mile, which sells a lot of Scottish produce, or Demijohn in Victoria Street.”
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdOne of Edinburgh’s most successful food businesses has been celebrating its tenth year in 2014 – most notably by launching a walnut liqueur. Demijohn is a liquid deli, but it has branched out into jams and chutneys. And many of its ingredients are sourced locally too.
Owner Angus Ferguson knows how dependent his business is on attracting loyal custom. “One thing we have learnt after ten years in business is that to encourage local repeat business, we need to engage in an increasingly intelligent and gentle way with our wonderful customers to win their trust and enthusiasm,” he says.
“For Demijohn, this is not just letting them try our locally produced products, such as Organic Rhubarb Vodka Liqueur, but all staff being able to offer a knowledgeable and honestly emotive opinion about its provenance and taste.”
Edinburgh’s West End is an area which is a foodie’s mecca, whether your looking for a fresh take on a burger at Wannaburger or the finest of seasonal food at The Edinburgh Larder or even a real Italian ice-cream at Afogato. According to the West End Association’s chairman, Hamish Dobbie, when it comes to independent, artisan, boutique food, you’d be hard-pressed to find more choice elsewhere.
“Food and drink businesses are extremely important to the mix of a retail area,” he says. “And in the West End there’s a great combination available. There are great bars like Ryan’s and The Huxley with its Kyloe restaurant to Bert’s Bar and they’re very female friendly which I think is important and restaurants like L’escargot bleu and The Edinburgh Larder which offer amazing food and they know exactly where everything comes from.