Rio Brazilian Steakhouse partners with Edinburgh Trams to bring a taste of Brazil to the capital

Brazilian entertainment, spin-to-win prizes, and a year’s worth of premium steak up for grabs

Edinburgh residents and visitors alike can get ready to experience the flavours of Brazil right in the heart of the capital as Rio Brazilian Steakhouse launches an exciting pop-up in partnership with Edinburgh Trams.

On Friday 4 October, the St Andrews Square tram stop will transform into the ultimate party destination, as Rio takes over the platform.

The team will be offering spin-to-win prizes including free dinners for two, complimentary cocktails, and 50% off for diners who visit on the same day, ensuring the party doesn’t stop on the platform.

Commuters and tram goers can also enjoy live performances from samba dancers and vibrant Brazilian music, transporting them straight to the streets of Rio de Janeiro.

The fun continues as the restaurant is running an exciting city-wide competition for a chance to win the ultimate prize – the Rio Black Card. This exclusive card offers one lucky winner free dining at Rio Brazilian Steakhouse for a year.

To enter, participants are asked to snap a photo of the Rio-branded tram making its way through the city, share the image on social media using the hashtag #TramToRio and tag both @rioedinburgh and @edinburghtrams to be entered into the prize draw. The winner will be announced on 31st October.

The popular steak restaurant located in the city’s iconic Assembly Rooms opened in the capital earlier this year, serving unlimited cuts of exquisite meats and a salad bar of authentic Brazilian food in a traditional Rodizio style.

Rodrigo Grassi Duarte, Co-founder and Managing Director of Rio Brazilian Steakhouse said: “Since opening our doors in February, the city of Edinburgh has given us such a warm and enthusiastic welcome, and we wanted to find a way to give back to this incredible community.

“We’re thrilled to be partnering with Edinburgh Trams for this special pop-up event to bring the vibrant spirit of Brazil to the heart of the city with entertainment and the chance to win amazing prizes.

“This event is our way of saying ‘thank you’ to Edinburgh for embracing us and making Rio Brazilian Steakhouse a part of their dining experience.”

Christmas event brings festive cheer to Corstorphine residents

Local MSP joins guests in carol sing-a-long at award-winning Corstorphine restaurant

Corstorphine restaurant Prahna Indian Grill fully embraced the Christmas spirit today staging a lunchtime event for residents from the local community.

The eatery, which was named as Scotland’s leading establishment at last month’s Scottish Asian Restaurant Awards, welcomed more than 30 elderly residents from across the West of Edinburgh at a community event featuring great food, plenty of social interaction, and a Christmas sing-a-long.

The guests were treated to lunch before enjoying a festive concert from the Corstorphine Singers, where they were encouraged to take part in a group carol singing session.

The event was designed to bring Christmas cheer to people from the local community by getting them together for some festive fun and networking with others.

Prahna co-founder Arun Ramanan said: “Since opening our doors in 2020, just prior to the pandemic, we have been honoured to be part of this community.

“Today’s event is about bringing together residents across the West of Edinburgh and enabling them to get out and socialise and enjoy some festive cheer in the run-up to Christmas.”

Local MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton, who came along to meet the guests at today’s event, said: “Since they began trading, Prahna has been an active member of the Corstorphine community.

“I thank them for hosting today’s lively event and providing a hub to bring together some of our elderly residents and help get us all into the festive spirit.”

Dobbies launches new festive menu

Dobbies, the UK’s leading garden centre, has launched a new festive menu in its Edinburgh store that has something for all the family, with great-value Christmas food and drink to enjoy for breakfast and lunch.

Whether you’re a fan of an early start or have worked up an appetite from Christmas shopping, Dobbies’ Edinburgh restaurant is a great place to recharge and spend some quality time with friends or family.

Building on over 34k meals Dobbies has given away across the UK so far this year, kids aged 12 and under can dine at Dobbies’ Edinburgh restaurant for free with an adult traditional breakfast or main course. Children can enjoy breakfast, lunch or Dobbies’ pick ‘n’ mix meal plus a drink all day every day.

The Brioche French Toast and Bacon is the perfect way to kick off the morning, with sweet brioche bread dipped in free-range eggs and toasted with crispy streaky bacon and melted mature Cheddar cheese. Customers can also start off their day with Buttermilk Pancakes, served with yoghurt and winter berries, or a Scottish Smoked Salmon and free-range Scrambled Egg Bagel, topped with chopped chives.

Enjoy Dobbies’ great value two course lunch deal, priced at £14.95 per person. Traditional roast turkey Christmas dinners will be available from midday, complete with pigs in blankets, sage and onion stuffing, roast potatoes, creamy mash, and seasonal vegetables topped with gravy.

There’s also a vegetarian option for a Christmas dinner with tasty Quorn sausages and all the trimmings. Customers can also indulge in a Christmas pudding or mince pie cheesecake as part of the offer.

For a lighter option, there’s a Festive Roll – a soft roll filled with roast turkey, sage and onion stuffing and pigs in blankets with dipping gravy.

Children 12 and under can also tuck into a Christmas Dinner with a half portion of the traditional roast turkey dinner, served with a pig in blanket, sage and onion stuffing, roast potatoes, creamy mash, seasonal vegetables and gravy, all for £5.20 if not part of the kids eat free offer. A veggie option for is available for little ones too, with a free children’s drink.

For those who prefer a non-traditional Christmas dinner, there’s the option of a delicious chickpea and sweet potato curry. Served with wild rice, two onion bhajis, mango chutney and salsa, this dish is also suitable for vegans.

Customers in Edinburgh can expect to see a range of delicious pastries and sweets from Christmas Pudding to Christmas Drizzle Cake. Dobbies’ popular scone is being given a festive twist alongside Christmas Muffins, while there’s a Mince Pie Cheesecake for the ultimate festive dessert.

New for 2022 is a selection of festive-inspired hot drinks in selected stores. Customers can choose between sipping on a Bailey’s Latte or the Christmas classic, mulled wine. There will also be a Gingerbread Latte complete with whipped cream and served with a tasty gingerbread biscuit.

Dobbies’ great value Festive Afternoon Tea is now two for £20, with free tea and coffee refills. This also includes the option to add a savoury plate for only £2.95 per person. The Festive Afternoon Tea can be booked in advance the perfect opportunity to make some time over the busy Christmas period to catch up with loved ones.

Adam Veysey, Dobbies Development Chef, said: “We are very excited to introduce our 2022 Christmas menu, having spent months finalising the details and selecting the best ingredients.

“There are some firm favourites and some new additions that offer Christmas with a twist. We can’t wait to introduce our great value festive menu to customers in Edinburgh and hope families across the region have the opportunity to take advantage of our kids eat free offer.”

For Edinburgh’s restaurant opening times visit dobbies.com.

Winner Winner, Weekday Dinner

Morrisons Introduces Evening Meals for Under a Fiver in its Cafés

Customers can get an evening meal and a drink for just £4.99 –

Menu rotates each day and includes roast chicken, a British beef burger and the ultimate fish & chips

Kids eat free so a family of four can enjoy a meal for under £10

Morrisons is introducing a ‘meal of the day’ for under a fiver to its cafés nationwide. Every weekday from 3pm, a ‘Daily Special’ will be discounted, offering a saving of up to £3.89 on the individual product price.

The meal on offer will rotate each day and customers can choose from British roast chicken served with chips and coleslaw, a hearty chicken tikka masala, a 9-piece breakfast brunch, a succulent British cheeseburger served with chips and coleslaw and the ultimate beer-battered fish and chips. The offer includes a drink and vegetarian alternatives are also available.

Each of these Morrisons classics will be priced at just £4.99, making them cheaper than the same evening meals at Wetherspoons, Harvester and Beefeater.

What’s more, kids can now eat free all day with the purchase of any adult meal meaning a family of four can enjoy a meal out together for just £9.98.

Ali Lyons, Head of Morrisons Cafés, says: “We know how hard it is for our customers at the moment and we want to make sure they are still able to enjoy a meal out, even on a budget.

“We’ve handpicked these favourites so that no matter what day it is, our customers can enjoy a saving.”

Morrisons £4.99 offer will be available in its 406 cafés nationwide after 3pm every weekday.

The ‘Daily Specials’ on offer are:

Monday·       Roast Chicken served with Chips & Coleslaw or·       Cheese & Onion Quiche served with Chips & Coleslaw 
Tuesday·       Chicken Tikka Masala or·       Mac ‘n’ Cheese 
Wednesday·       Breakfast Brunch or·       Full Vegetarian Breakfast 
Thursday·       Cheeseburger served with Chips & Coleslaw  or·       Vegetarian burger served with Chips & Coleslaw 
Friday ·       Ultimate Fish & Chips

From Manhattan to Edinburgh: new Cocktail Bar and Restaurant to open in Frederick Street

63rd+1st, part of the newly listed Hostmore plc, has announced its next location will be situated on Frederick Street in Edinburgh.

Opening its doors this summer, the venue will be the fifth 63rd+1st to open in a year.

Spanning approximately 3,500 square feet, the cocktail led bar and restaurant will feature an iconic bar and spacious lounge area adjacent to the restaurant space, seating over 100 guests inside, with an additional 26 covers available on a heated outside terrace.

Named after 63rd Street and 1st Avenue in Manhattan, New York, 63rd+1st showcases a unique identity and beautiful club style interior.

Perfectly located amongst some of the city’s finest bars and restaurants, 63rd+1st will be the one of best places in Edinburgh for the business community, locals of all ages and visitors alike to meet and enjoy beautifully handcrafted cocktails, or a tipple from an eclectic wine list, as well as abeer selection from across the globe.

A diverse food menu ensures that 63rd+1st caters for everyone at all times of the day. Inspired by the ‘street food’ scene in Manhattan, the menu is centred on smaller sharing plates, allowing guests the freedom to choose more and try more.

63rd+1st will be the perfect meeting place for the early crowd to grab fresh coffee or an easy brunch at the weekend, and the after-work venue of choice for those who fancy popping in for one or two on their way home after a long day in the office.

Robert B. Cook, CEO of 63rd+1st and proud Scot, said: “We are delighted to be bringing the fifth 63rd+1st to the capital of Scotland, a city we know well, and in doing so continue to share the 63rd+1st experience with guests from across this great city and region.

“Situated a stone’s throw from George Street, and a short walk from most of Edinburgh’s great hospitality venues, we simply love the location of our first Edinburgh venue.

“63rd+1st represents the coming together of people, culture, tastes and styles. Our menu will undoubtedly entertain and excite all our guests courtesy of fantastic cocktails created by a team of expert bartenders and our New York City street food inspired menu, all of which emphasises our brand premise that ‘Life Tastes Better Shared”.

“Whether it’s business or pleasure, student or tourist, you will be made to feel at home in our beautiful venue, which has been inspired by over 50 years of unique heritage and is guaranteed to be the place where ‘great things happen’.” 

New all day dining restaurant and bar Luckenbooths to debut in the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town

The Bon Vivant Group is expanding its collection of Edinburgh eateries with a new 140 cover family friendly restaurant, Luckenbooths.

Luckenbooths will open in the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town, offering a refreshing twist on much loved classic dishes with the same high-quality, exceptional dining experience locals have come to love from the award-winning hospitality company.

Taking its name from the locked booths which used to exist on the ground floor of the magnificent tenement buildings that formerly stood at the north of the historical Royal Mile, Luckenbooths will bring a much needed contemporary, family friendly offering to the city centre.

Located at 329 High Street, Luckenbooths is set to welcome back a familiar face with former chef from The Bon Vivant, Emma Clark-Szabo (above) returning as Head Chef.

Working closely with some of the finest suppliers in Edinburgh, Clark-Szabo has created mouth-watering dishes inspired by their fresh and flavoursome produce, with honey straight from the hives of Edinburgh Honey CO in Leith, bespoke batch whisky from Woven Whisky, and freshly caught lobster from Belhaven Lobster.

With the new menu designed to celebrate the best of Scotland’s local larder, guests can start the day with a hearty stack of Scotch pancakes complete with oat crumble and Edinburgh Honey Co. rose honey, or fresh and delicious beetroot glazed Scottish smoked salmon royale, with dill crème fraîche and rye toast.

The all-day menu presents a wide selection of dishes catering for the entire family, with Campbell’s haggis & beef shin bon bons, a Moving Mountains® vegan burger, and a crispy duck bowl with Asian ‘slaw, watermelon and toasted sesame – there is something for everyone to enjoy.

Guests can also take in the historic surroundings of Edinburgh’s old town while enjoying a dram or a glass of wine on the Luckenbooths spacious outdoor terrace. As with the other The Bon Vivant Group venues, the team have worked with The Bon Vivant’s Companion to put together a curated selection of wines, beers and spirits specially selected to complement the menu.

Luckenbooths is also set to offer a specially created children’s menu with a range of delicious small and large plates that will delight diners of all ages. The menu will include a Scottish beef burger, family favourite mac & cheese with vegetables, and for dessert a delicious chocolate brownie or mini plum mess.  

Anthony Hester, Director at The Bon Vivant Group said: “Luckenbooths is a fresh, new, family friendly concept for The Bon Vivant Group where guests can gather every week to catch-up over drinks with friends, come together with family for Sunday lunch or celebrate those big life moments with those closest to us.

“We have taken all of the classic elements of casual dining fused with the high quality, excellent customer service of our other venues and created a space that is central, contemporary and most importantly, family friendly. We are really excited to introduce a new generation of local Edinburgh customers to The Bon Vivant Group and celebrate the best of Scottish hospitality for years to come.”

To book, please visit www.luckenboothsedinburgh.co.uk open from 7am until 1am.