The Tollcross cocktail bar is preparing to reopen with a redesigned interior, new drinks, and an updated summer food menu.
The Blackbird on Leven Street is undergoing a £100,000 makeover ahead of Edinburgh’s summer festival season.
The independent Tollcross bar, which first opened in 2012, is due to reopen in mid-July with a redesigned interior and new food and cocktail menus. Its popular garden terrace will also return for the summer.
A New Look for the Tollcross Bar
The interior redesign will introduce plaster pink, terracotta, and blue-green tones, alongside new tiling, globe lighting, and pop art details.
Other changes include banquette seating for larger groups and a wider bar designed for both dining and drinks.
The work is being led by Edinburgh hospitality design studio Significant Others, whose previous projects include venues operated by the Vittoria Group and The Keelson in Leith.
Local signwriters, vinyl artists, and tradespeople are also involved in the project.
The refurbishment is the first stage of a wider programme of changes planned at The Blackbird during 2026, with another phase expected later in the year.
New Summer Cocktails and Food
The Blackbird’s bartenders have created a new cocktail menu to coincide with the reopening.
New drinks include the Joggling Board, made with rum, orange liqueur, sweet vermouth, grapefruit, and turmeric. The Kingston Dove combines tequila, guava, pineapple, lime, and sparkling water.
A frozen house Martini has also been added, alongside alcohol-free cocktails, beers, and ciders.
The new all-day food menu includes whole burrata with honeydew melon salsa and prosciutto crisps, plus pork belly served with curried cauliflower, green apple, and honey.
Other additions include fried chicken with peach hot sauce and fermented pineapple relish. Vegan choices include the Spa Salad, made with broccoli, strawberries, avocado, chickpeas, and kale.
Reopening Before the Festival
Colin Church, managing director and co-owner of Big Red Teapot, which operates The Blackbird, said the changes were designed to improve the venue while retaining the food, cocktails, and garden that regular customers already know.
“We’ve been making memories and serving happiness at The Blackbird since 2012,” he said.
“We’re now gearing up to elevate the customer experience even further this summer with an exciting new interior makeover and menus in time for the Festival.”
The Blackbird supports around 20 full-time and part-time hospitality jobs across its kitchen and front-of-house teams.
The bar is located at 37-39 Leven Street, close to the King’s Theatre and a short walk from Bruntsfield Links. Its usual opening hours are seven days a week from midday until late.
