June 8, 2022

Cheers to the winners of the Edinburgh Restaurant Awards 2022

After a 2-year hiatus, the prestigious Edinburgh Restaurant Awards were back and bigger than ever on Monday. Sponsored by Smugglers Spirits and other local brands, the ceremony celebrated the incredible achievements of some of the best Edinburgh restaurants. Read on to discover 2022’s best restaurants in Edinburgh.

The Edinburgh Restaurant Awards honour the impressive accomplishments of local hospitality businesses. From customer service to chef of the year to best use of outdoor space, no stone was left unturned to showcase the best restaurants in Edinburgh. This year, Smugglers Spirits were proud to be an official sponsor of the Edinburgh Restaurant Awards alongside Zettle, Mealzo, Business for Good, Chef Works, Edinburgh School of Food and Wine and Paolozzi Lager.

The long-awaited ceremony was held at Brewhemia - Edinburgh’s largest restaurant and bar. The venue was stunningly decorated for the occasion, and hosted 200 guests who came together to celebrate the achievements of the local hospitality sector. The event was especially poignant, since it was the first to be held since 2019, in what has been an extremely tough time for businesses in hospitality. However this did not dampen the mood, in fact the atmosphere was heightened, glasses were clinking and drinks were flowing.

We were delighted to get the opportunity to welcome finalists with a drinks reception, and to offer a well-earned gin and tonic made with our beautifully handcrafted local Smugglers Gin. Our award-winning range is made using naturally-grown Scottish botanicals, which thrive in harmony with nature and are hand-harvested to reduce carbon emissions. Our spirits are inspired by Edinburgh’s rich smuggling history, and just like the smugglers of old, we are driven by purpose to deliver premium, deliciously innovative and sustainable spirits to the masses. We hosted the reception alongside Edinburgh beer brand Paolozzi Lager, a family run brewery inspired by the Edinburgh-born ‘Father of Pop Art’ Eduardo Paolozzi. As well as showcasing the art of brewing, Paolozzi take overlooked and underestimated beer styles and present them at their beautiful best. As official drinks sponsors, we toasted the innovation, drive, sustainability, artistry and determination of the Edinburgh restaurants up for awards.

As well as serving delicious gin and tonics, we also presented finalists with our plantable business cards, which grow into beautiful wildflowers. Spreading the word about our spirits sustainably is important to us and leading by example were Cafe St Honoré who took home the Sustainability Award.

We were honoured to sponsor the awards, and play a part in recognising excellence among Edinburgh restaurants large and small. As a new local brand, it is important to us to showcase and support other local businesses to keep the local economy thriving, and to be a part of the celebrations on a night where the best Edinburgh restaurants all came together was an incredible experience. Our Marketing Manager Rory had the honour of presenting the award for Best Use of Outdoor Space, an award that resonates with us since fresh botanicals grown naturally outdoors are integral to the great taste of our spirits. Rose Street Garden beat tough competition to win the award for their beautiful “gin garden and cocktail oasis”.

An evening of recognising the quality of so many wonderful restaurants in Edinburgh was concluded when restaurant and wine bar Eleanore were honoured with the top accolade of Edinburgh Restaurant of the Year.

Cheers to the winners of the Edinburgh Restaurant Awards 2022

Sustainability Award

Best Cafe/Deli

Best Customer Service

Best Use of Outdoor Space

Best Family Friendly

Best Newcomer

Best Gastro Pub & Brewery

Best Seafood

Best World Food Restaurant

Best Specialty

Best Takeaway Offering

Edinburgh Sommelier of the Year

Fine Dining Experience

Edinburgh Chef of the Year

Edinburgh Restaurant of the Year

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