Wine bars are very often associated with snobbery, but this misconception is something the owners of Decanter – two friends called Jonathan and Billy – are keen to dispel. While not as casual and family-friendly as the Italian restaurant that used to occupy the site – between Bruntsfield and Merchiston, just southwest of Edinburgh city centre – the ethos Decanter is going for is relaxed and accessible, while still striking a stylish look thanks to parquet flooring, leather banquette seating and industrial chic shelving.
Styled as a ‘winery and dinery’, there’s a commitment to source as much of the food as locally as possible. Jonathan and Billy have said they’re looking to provide guests with unusual pairings and cool labels so anyone looking for a standard, middle-of-the-road bottle of plonk should probably look elsewhere.