Award-winning Chef Mandeep Saini swaps tradition for deep-fried naan and masala mash in a Sunday roast unlike anything Scotland has seen before
This Easter, one Edinburgh restaurant is turning the nation’s most beloved meal into a taste sensation. Bombay Bistro, the boldly spiced Indian-fusion restaurant on Bruntsfield Place is serving what may be Scotland’s most talked-about Easter roast – and it comes with a unique Bombay twist.
Diners can choose between tender slow-roasted lamb or succulent chicken, served with buttered cabbage, sweet carrots and peas, and rich gravy. But it’s the details that set this roast apart – silky masala mash in place of buttered potatoes and a deep-fried naan, rather than a Yorkshire pudding.
Behind the menu is Chef Mandeep Saini, formerly head chef at Gleneagles and The Berkeley in London, and one of Scotland’s most celebrated culinary talents.
“The Sunday roast is one of the nation’s favourite food traditions – and that’s exactly why I wanted to reimagine it,” says Chef Mandeep.
“We haven’t replaced it – we’ve elevated it. Every element in Bombay Bistro’s Sunday Roast has a depth of flavour and spice that makes it completely unforgettable..”
At a time when diners are seeking bold, experience-led eating, Bombay Bistro’s Sunday Roast offers something genuinely rare – a dish rooted in tradition, elevated by world-class technique.
Bombay Bistro is located at 14-17 Bruntsfield Place, Edinburgh, EH10 4HN. Sunday Roasts are available every Sunday. To book, please visit the website here.
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Children in Edinburgh are being given the chance to turn their artwork into a real cake masterpiece this Mother’s Day, thanks to a special competition running at any Edinburgh Cake Box store.
The challenge is simple – children can pick up a Mother’s Day competition sheet online or from any Edinburgh Cake Box store, draw a picture of their Mum in the space provided and return it to the store by tomorrow – 12 March 2026.
The winning child will see their drawing professionally printed onto a real Mother’s Day Party Platter Cake – transforming their artwork into a delicious centrepiece to be enjoyed at a family celebration.
As well as seeing their design brought to life, the winner will also receive a Mother’s Day party bundle to take home and enjoy with their family.
Collect a design sheet in-store at any Edinburgh or download from online here.
Draw a picture of your Mum in the space provided – the more heartfelt and creative, the better.
Return the completed sheet to any Cake Box store by 12 March 2026.
The competition is open to children of all ages and offers a creative and meaningful way for local families to celebrate Mother’s Day together.
As well as offering a chance to win, it encourages local families to get involved in the community and get creative during the summer holidays.
Sukh Chamdal, founder and chief executive officer (CEO) at Cake Box, said: “We love finding ways to make celebrations even more special for families. This Mother’s Day competition gives children the chance to create something truly personal for their Mum and, for one lucky winner, that drawing will become a real cake they can share together. We can’t wait to see the wonderful designs from children in Edinburgh.”
Cake Box is the UK’s leading retailer of handmade, fresh cream egg-free cakes. Its 290+ stores nationwide offer beautifully handcrafted celebration cakes and sweet treats for every occasion. Stores also offer quick and beautiful personalisation, for an extra special touch.
Visit www.cakebox.com to find your local store or click and collect in as little as one hour.
Eat Out Edinburgh, the popular city-centre restaurant festival run by Essential Edinburgh, is now live for 2026, with diners invited to explore exclusive offers across almost 60 restaurants, cafes and bars throughout March – alongside the chance to win a range of standout dining prizes.
Running across the city centre for the entire month, the festival brings together special menus, discounts and curated dining experiences designed to showcase Edinburgh’s vibrant hospitality scene while encouraging people to explore new venues. Diners can now browse and book the live offers at www.eatoutedinburgh.com.
New for this year, guests who dine at three participating venues during the festival can enter into a prize draw featuring experiences from some of Edinburgh’s best-loved hospitality destinations.
Potential rewards include a top prize of an overnight stay for two at the Rutland Hotel alongside a three-course dinner with a bottle of wine at Badger & Co, with additional prizes like a meal for four with a bottle of prosecco at Rio Brazilian Steakhouse, a delicious South Indian meal at Tamil Teru, a three-course dinner for two with wine at Gaucho, or a boozy brunch at Copper Blossom.
Following the success of last year, the intimate supper clubs also return for 2026. On 12 March, Contini George Street will host an intimate five-course dinner celebrating seasonal Italian produce limited to just 16 guests, with the option to add a signed Contini cookbook. Tickets are available now from £40pp.
Rio Brazilian Steakhouse will also introduce an exclusive supper club experience on 26 March, priced at £65 per person. Limited to just 40 guests, Rio’s signature churrasco-style service of expertly prepared meats will be paired with eight carefully selected wines. Adding an interactive twist, guests will vote for their favourite wine, with the winning selection earning a place on Rio’s summer wine menu. The experience also includes a welcome cocktail on arrival and a palate-cleansing cocktail to finish.
Guests are encouraged to book their spot for both events soon through the Eat Out Edinburgh website, as spots are limited to these exclusive evenings.
This year’s festival features a mix of exciting new participants and returning favourites, offering something for every taste, budget and occasion. First-time venues taking part include:
Brasserie Prince: Available Monday to Thursday, diners can enjoy three elegant courses for just £35 at Brasserie Prince, set within the iconic Balmoral Hotel. Enjoy seasonal dishes crafted with flair, flavour and a touch of Scottish charm.
ASSAGINNI: Diners can savour the vibrant flavours of Italy at ASSAGINNI with an exclusive 20% off your food bill from Sunday to Thursday. Known for its sociable small plates and contemporary take on Italian dining, the offer invites guests to explore an array of beautifully crafted dishes perfect for sharing, from fresh pasta to indulgent antipasti.
Franco Manca: Pizza lovers can tuck into two courses for just £19.50 at Franco Manca and savour any main menu pizza and dip alongside a dessert, bite or bread for just a fraction of the cost.
The Caley Bar: Discover an unrivalled evening of spirits and sounds at Edinburgh’s brand-new cocktail and listening bar. Enjoy 50% off the Caley Bar snack menu with the purchase of every cocktail or glass of champagne.
Paesano: Recently opened in Edinburgh, the popular Neapolitan pizzeria is getting involved in Eat Out Edinburgh for the first time ever. Guests can enjoy any pizza that is normally priced over £10, for just a tenner during the month of March.
The Garden at Kimpton Charlotte Square: If you’re in the mood for something a bit lighter, The Garden at Kimpton Charlotte Square offers diners a sharing board and two spritzes for £27.50, available every day throughout March.
Wahaca Edinburgh: Available everyday throughout the month of March, diners can enjoy the ‘Taste of Wahaca’ menu plus a freshly shaken cocktail for just £25pp! The menu features favourites including Guacamole & Tortilla Chips, Sweet Potato & Feta Taquito and Pork Pibil Tacos.
Returning favourites including Harvey Nichols, Dishoom, The Voodoo Rooms, SUSHISAMBA, Hawksmoor, Rio Brazilian Steakhouse, Duck & Waffle, and BABA have also unveiled exclusive menus, ensuring there’s something for every taste, budget and occasion throughout the month.
Emily Campbell Johnston, Senior Manager of Marketing & Communications at Essential Edinburgh, said: “As a testament to the impact Eat Out Edinburgh continues to have for participating venues, almost 60 exclusive offers are now available to book throughout March, alongside exciting new prizes and the return of our popular supper clubs.
Together, they give people even more reason to explore the city centre, try somewhere new and celebrate Edinburgh’s incredible hospitality scene.”
A full list of participating venues and offers is available at
Black Gold (4.4%), a session stout by Cairngorm in Aviemore, has won silver in CAMRA’s Champion Winter Beer of Britain award, announced at Liverpool Beer Festival. Proving its credentials as a truly great winter beer after also being crowned the winner in 2025.
After a year of local and regional blind judging heats, the Campaign’s top three beers have been crowned. Black Gold will now go forward to the final judging in May at CAMRA’s Cambridge Beer Festival where it’ll battle it out to take the crown of Supreme Champion 2026.
Judges were blown away, with judging panel coordinator Christine Cryne describing Black Gold (4.4%) as: “A black session stout with red hues and oyster head. Aromas of black treacle and faint hits of dark fruits. Caramelised fruits on a sweetish chocolate base with some plums create a moreish stout. The dry finish is slightly sweet with some spicy notes.
The judging and announcement took place at Liverpool Beer Festival, in the Lutyens Crypt at Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, just ten minutes’ walk from Liverpool Lime Street station. Competition beers are available at the festival while stocks last.
CAMRA’s Awards Director, Shelly Bentley, said: “Our Champion Beer of Britain competition is the only truly independent beer contest in the UK. Brewers can’t simply enter their beers into it; they have to be nominated by beer lovers or expert tasting panels.
“Everyone taking home a category win or top three placement should be proud that their beers have been declared the cream of the crop by expert judges.”
A month of exceptional dining awaits as Eat Out Edinburgh returns to the city this March, inviting locals and visitors alike to enjoy a month of exclusive deals, special menus and curated experiences from some of the capital’s best bars and restaurants.
Following a standout 2025 campaign, Eat Out Edinburgh 2026 will once again run for the entire month, bringing family, friends and colleagues together to support the city centre’s hospitality scene. More than 50 venues are expected to take part this year, building on last year’s momentum.
Founded in 2022 by Essential Edinburgh, the city’s Business Improvement District (BID), the campaign encourages people to explore new cuisines while taking advantage of discounts and limited-time offers.
In 2025, the initiative delivered tangible results for participating businesses, with bookings up by 31% for the month of March, a 33% increase in sales, and 75% of diners going on to shop elsewhere in the BID after their meal.
Once again, Eat Out Edinburgh will showcase a diverse mix of restaurants, cafés and bars across Princes Street to George Street, St Andrew Square and St James Quarter. Popular city favourites like Dishoom, Hawksmoor, Contini, SUSHISAMBA and more will return alongside a strong line-up of new additions for 2026.
Restaurants joining for the first time include Brasserie Prince at The Balmoral, ASSAGGINI, The Garden at The Kimpton, The Caley Bar, Miele, and Wahaca, adding even more variety to this year’s campaign.
A full list of participating venues and offers will be available soon on the Eat Out Edinburgh website, featuring exclusive menus, events and deals.
Diners are encouraged to sign up for updates and browse the latest offers at www.eatoutedinburgh.com.
Emily Campbell Johnston, Senior Manager of Marketing & Communications, Essential Edinburgh, said: “Last year’s campaign really demonstrated the power of Eat Out Edinburgh, not just in driving bookings but in encouraging people to spend more time in the city centre.
“Seeing a 31% increase in bookings shows the real impact this initiative has on our hospitality businesses at a time when restaurants need the most support.
“With an exciting mix of returning favourites and new openings joining the campaign this year, we’re confident 2026 will offer something for everyone – from impromptu lunches to celebratory dinners – giving locals, workers and visitors even more reasons to explore all the experiences our city centre offers, and support our hospitality sector.”
For more information, and to keep up to date with the campaign, visit:
Edinburgh’s booming cocktail scene takes centre stage this March as Drinkmonger Spirits Fair returns to Mansfield Traquair on Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th March 2026, with award-winning local bartenders hosting sessions and sharing practical serves visitors can recreate at home – highlighting growing interest in a broader mix of spirits alongside traditional whisky.
Now in its third year, the event brings together more than 30 producers and over 150+ spirits and mixed drinks, positioning it as Scotland’s largest multi-category spirits tasting. Visitors can explore gin, agave spirits (tequila & mezcal), whisky and rum, alongside vermouths and liqueurs, with Japanese sake and shochu introduced as a discovery highlight for 2026.
The event arrives at a time when drinking habits are evolving, with bars reporting rising interest in cocktails, agave spirits and aperitif-style serves alongside established favourites. Organisers say the show has grown to reflect how people now discover drinks – socially, through bartenders and shared experiences rather than traditional structured tastings.
Organised by the team behind Royal Mile Whiskies – winner of Specialist Spirits Retailer of the Year at the Spirits Business Awards 2025 – and the long-running Whisky Fringe (which sold out in under an hour in 2025), the drinks show combines specialist credibility with a relaxed, accessible format.
Guests can move freely around the venue, chatting with producers and bartenders and trying drinks neat, mixed or in simple cocktails at their own pace.
New for 2026, partner brands have been paired with award-winning Edinburgh bartenders across three sessions each day, including Robert Meek (Bar Manager, Port of Leith Distillery) and Sian Buchan (Co-Owner, Uno Mas). The sessions focus on approachable serves and practical techniques visitors can recreate at home, highlighting the role of local bartenders in shaping drinking trends.
Scottish producers including Pickering’s Gin and North Uist Distillery will appear alongside international brands such as Don Julio, Casamigos, Redbreast and Nikka, with rum producers including Black Tot and Doorly’s also featured, allowing visitors to compare styles across multiple categories in one place.
An on-site festival shop will allow visitors to purchase favourites discovered during the event, with a £10 voucher included with each ticket redeemable against a £40+ purchase at the Drinkmonger Festival Shop on the day, or later at Drinkmonger Bruntsfield, Pitlochry or online (valid until the end of April 2026).
Sam Brabbs, Purchasing Manager at The Dormant Distillery Company, said: “We’ve worked hard over the last few years to make Drinkmonger Spirits Fair feel like the city’s fantastic bar scene under one roof.
“You can wander around, chat to the people behind the drinks, try some cocktails and explore an intriguing range of spirits you might never normally order, and leave with ideas you can actually recreate at home.
“It’s exciting to see it grow into Scotland’s largest multi-category spirits tasting, and we’d love anyone with an interest in spirits to pick up a ticket and come down.”
Held throughout the ornate halls of Mansfield Traquair, the fair is designed as a social day out as much as a tasting experience, showcasing Edinburgh’s bartending talent and giving visitors the chance to explore a wide range of spirit categories in one place.
Tickets are £35 and include tasting access, cocktail sessions, a branded tasting glass and the £10 voucher.
EDINBURGH’S rugby fans can enjoy a fresh take on a classic Scottish serve this Six Nations, as two of the city’s leading independent drinks producers expand their collaborative ‘hauf and hauf’ offering.
Following a successful festive launch, Wemyss Family Spirits and Stewart Brewing are rolling out their innovative whisky and beer pairings to an expanded list of pubs across the capital – timed to coincide with the 2026 Six Nations Rugby Championship.
The partnership, which has revived the time-honoured half-and-half tradition, now introduces an exclusive ‘hauf and hauf’ serve to mark the Six Nations, offering fans a great way to back Scotland with a traditional Scottish pairing.
The initiative celebrates not only Scotland’s sporting passion, but also its rich drinks heritage, with the two family-run businesses showcasing their shared commitment to quality, flavour and community.
William Wemyss, Co-Founder of Wemyss Family Spirits, said: “The Six Nations is the perfect moment to bring people together over great food, drink and sport.
“Building on our hauf and hauf collaboration with Stewart Brewing, this partnership is about celebrating Scotland through carefully paired flavours, giving fans an enjoyable and responsible way to mark match days during the Six Nations
“It’s about putting a fun, flavour-led spin on a beloved Scottish ritual, one that encourages people to slow down and savour the experience.”
Fans are encouraged to enjoy a classic Scottish hauf and hauf – pairing a Stewart Brewing beer with a Wemyss Family Spirits whisky – as a simple and sociable way to back Scotland on matchdays.
To get Scottish supporters started, we’ve pulled together our favourite pairings which we think best reflects the character of our national side.
Stewart’s 80/- with Wemyss Spice King
A modern take on a classic Scottish serve. Stewart’s 80/- is one of Scotland’s most recognisable beers, making it a natural choice for fans backing the home side, while Spice King adds warmth and depth for those choosing to enjoy a dram alongside the match.
Edinburgh Black with Wemyss Peat Chimney
A richer, more full-bodied pairing inspired by the capital, home of Scottish Rugby. The smooth roast character of Edinburgh Black complements the gentle smoke of Peat Chimney, offering a robust but balanced option for match days at participating pubs across the city.
The hauf and hauf collaboration is now available at a growing list of pubs, including:
Teuchters, William Street
Whighams Wine Cellars, Hope Street
Athletic Arms (Diggers), Angle Park Terrace
O’Connors, Broughton Road
Jeremiah’s Taproom, Elm Row
Mathers Bar, Queensferry Street
Ye Olde Inn, Main Street
No. 1 High Street, High Street
56 North, West Crosscauseway
The Ensign Ewart, Lawnmarket
The Bow Bar, Victoria Street
The Black Cat, Rose Street
The Cambridge Bar, Young Street
Jo Stewart, Co-founder of Stewart Brewing, said: “We’re passionate about bringing people together in pubs, and there’s no better excuse than the Six Nations.
“By matching some of our most-loved brews with Wemyss Family Spirits’ distinctive malts, we’re creating a uniquely Scottish way to toast each nation, with a dash of humour and a whole lot of flavour.”
The initiative marks a continued commitment by both businesses to support Scotland’s vibrant pub trade, boost independent hospitality and bring heritage drinks traditions to a new generation.
Both Wemyss Family Spirits and Stewart Brewing remain proudly family-run, fiercely independent and dedicated to producing characterful drinks that celebrate craft and community.
With the Calcutta Cup clash against England fast approaching, now is the perfect time to get behind Scotland and show your support. Join fellow fans in Edinburgh pubs, soak up the Murrayfield atmosphere, and enjoy a hauf and hauf ahead of the big match.
The Six Nations ‘hauf and hauf’ serve will be available in participating venues from February 2nd, 2026.
Hands-on sessions
Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre, Edinburgh
Fridays, March 27th – May 1st
9:30 AM – 12:00 PM
07935196482
We’re back this Monday!
Breakfast rolls (sausage, fried egg, tattie scones) and some delicious home baking!
A warm welcome for everyone
