Understory

Located in the historic vaults of Edinburgh’s Rutland Hotel, cocktail bar Understory will aim to be a “five-star dive bar” experience when it opens mid-September, providing innovative but no-nonsense drinks and genuine hospitality. Its rotating menu of cocktails will be built around the feeling of nostalgia, with its debut ‘chapter’ – Batch 01: Halcyon Days – drawing on British childhood memories, reimagining the colours, flavours and aromas of penny sweets – along with “half-remembered summers”. Founded by James Grant, head of bars at the Rutland, along with former Bramble manager Sam Baxendale – who has over 21 years’ experience in the capital’s top venues – the project also features a punchy menu of small plates, serving beef tartare and caviar with crisps, barbecue corn ribs and chicken tenders with champagne.