So Biters, are you ready for August’s festival fun? It’s a relentless month and a great time to be a tourist in your own city. There’s the delicate balance of squeezing in work, performances, and friends. A coffee on the go here, a quick bite before a show there. For this we need to be armed with a few select pit spots. I’m pleased to have found Berits and Brown which is on Haddington Place, (AKA Top of Leith Walk), in other words en route to town from my home in Leith.
This is the latest franchise of a small independently-run group which started in Glasgow. The bright store multi-tasks as café, delicatessen, bistro and wine shop. Owners Audrey and Simon Tarkenter have hand-picked each and every item, and having bought several bags full of goodies, I can vouch for their good taste!
On the shelves you’ll find a great selection of small-producer products like Summer Harvest’s Rape Seed oils and dressings, along with various types of honey, jams and chutneys. There’s a selection of teas from TeaPigs and a tempting range of chocolate and sweeties like fudge from Melting Pot.
Their deli counter is well-stocked, with a wide range of local and continental items. The brave should try the Admiral Collingwood, a stinky number whose rind is washed in good ol’ Newcastle Brown Ale for authentic Northumberland pedigree! I also tried the soft Morangie Brie, an award-winning Scottish artisanal cheese. My new favourite pâté is made by Patchwork who are based in Wales. It’s a flavourful blend of chicken livers, chilli, ginger and lemongrass. One taste, spread on granary bread and I was hooked.
There’s also a wide selection of wines, and specialist beers both on the shelves and a good choice of chilled bottles, including summery Prosecco. You can buy to go, or sit in for £6 corkage.
Lastly, try as we may to avoid festival hangovers, there is some inevitability to it. Berits and Brown have come up with ‘The morning after the night before’ sandwich, a ‘delicate’ combination of salt and vinegar crisps, montgomery cheddar and balsamic onions. To sit in, they also offer up a mean-looking plate of eggs benny with Crombies bacon. I’ll be keeping this place on file!
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