Three Edinburgh Food and Drink Spots Refresh Their Summer Menus
Barry Fish, The Blackbird, and Fingal’s Lighthouse Restaurant have introduced new menus, cocktails, and outdoor dining options ahead of Edinburgh’s busy August Festival season.
Three Edinburgh restaurants and bars are refreshing their food, drinks, and dining spaces for summer 2026, with new menus arriving in Leith and Tollcross.
Barry Fish has added several seasonal seafood dishes at The Shore, while The Blackbird has completed a £100,000 interior refurbishment alongside new food and cocktail menus. Over at Alexandra Dock, Fingal’s outdoor deck has reopened for summer drinks and waterside dining.
The three venues provide very different options, from relaxed cocktails and fried chicken in Tollcross to Michelin Guide-listed seafood and dinner aboard a former Northern Lighthouse Board ship.
Barry Fish Adds New Summer Seafood Dishes
Barry Fish has introduced a new seasonal menu at its waterfront restaurant at 62 The Shore in Leith.
Chef Barry Bryson opened his first permanent independent restaurant in 2025, focusing mainly on fish and shellfish sourced from Scotland. The restaurant has since been added to the Michelin Guide and recognised by The Good Food Guide.
New, smaller dishes include a Berwick crab flan pâtissier served with crème fraîche, apple, and pickled celery. Another combines smoked sea bass rillettes with soused Orkney herring, radish, tartare sauce, and crackers.
The main menu includes hake à la meunière with buttered spinach, smoked tomatoes, capers, and pomme purée, alongside whole lemon sole Véronique with green beans and braised fennel.
Several established dishes remain, such as shelled half lobster with smoked fish agnolotti and Barry Fish’s fish pastrami with aioli, capers, and dried grapes.
For dessert, the summer choices include a strawberry-and-vanilla baked custard tart and dark chocolate ganache with olive oil and milk chocolate shortbread.
Barry Fish is open from Tuesday to Saturday. Its early-evening First Wave menu is served from 4.30pm to 6pm, followed by the full à la carte menu until 9pm. Booking is advised for dinner, although walk-ins are accepted when space allows.
The Blackbird Completes £100,000 Refurbishment
The Blackbird on Leven Street has completed a £100,000 interior makeover in time for the 2026 Fringe.
The independent Tollcross bar has been open since 2012 and is known for its cocktails, all-day food, and enclosed outdoor garden. The venue remains open seven days a week following the refurbishment.
Its new cocktail list includes the Joggling Board, made with rum, orange liqueur, sweet Italian vermouth, grapefruit, and turmeric.
The Kingston Dove mixes tequila with guava, pineapple, lime, and sparkling water. A frozen house Martini has also joined the menu, together with new alcohol-free cocktails, beers, and ciders.
New food dishes include whole burrata with honeydew melon salsa and prosciutto crisps, and pork belly with curried cauliflower, green apple, and honey.
The kitchen team’s reported favourite is fried chicken served with peach hot sauce and fermented pineapple relish. Vegan choices include a Spa Salad combining broccoli, strawberry, avocado, chickpeas, and kale.
The Blackbird’s bar opens from noon until late each day. Its kitchen serves food until 9pm, while the garden remains open until 10pm.
Fingal Deck Reopens for Summer 2026
Fingal’s outdoor deck has reopened for summer at Alexandra Dock in Leith.
Permanently berthed near The Shore, Fingal is a former Northern Lighthouse Board ship that now operates as a five-star floating hotel. Its Lighthouse Restaurant & Bar holds two AA Rosettes and is open to people who aren’t staying at the hotel.
The seasonal deck gives visitors somewhere to have Champagne, cocktails, and small dishes outdoors, with views across the dock.
Inside, the restaurant’s summer menu includes citrus-cured Loch Eilt salmon with lemon salad and Gentleman’s Relish. Other dishes include roast peach with nasturtium, roquette, and foraged Scottish mushrooms, followed by poached meringue with Scottish strawberries and crème anglaise.
The Lighthouse Restaurant also serves afternoon tea, dinner, and cocktails, with private dining booths available for smaller pre-booked groups.
Fingal confirms that the deck is open for summer 2026, although exact opening times can vary. Visitors can book a table or check the latest deck details through the hotel’s official website. A lift provides access to the restaurant as an alternative to the stairs.
Where to Find Them
Barry Fish
62 The Shore, Leith, Edinburgh, EH6 6RA
Open Tuesday to Saturday
The Blackbird
37-39 Leven Street, Tollcross, Edinburgh, EH3 9LH
Open daily from noon until late
The Lighthouse Restaurant & Bar at Fingal
Alexandra Dock, Leith, Edinburgh, EH6 7DX
Open to hotel guests and non-residents
Booking ahead is sensible during August, particularly for Barry Fish and Fingal. Check each venue directly for the latest menus, deck opening times, and table availability.