As one of Britain’s best loved celebrity chefs it is no surprise that Jamie Oliver lends his name to a whole chain of UK restaurants, there are 18 branches of Jamie’s Italian. His latest establishment is set to open in Edinburgh this weekend and it is Jamie’s first restaurant in Scotland’s capital city. It can be found on George Street in the popular Assembly Rooms venue and it’s sure to be a welcome addition to Edinburgh’s vibrant restaurant scene.
Jamie's Italian — Photo courtesy of Jamie Oliver
The grade-A listed building has recently been renovated. It took 18 months for the £9.3 million revamp of The Assembly Rooms and 250,000 man hours of work went into restoring this grand 18th century venue to its former glory and beyond. The first event is a ceilidh (traditional Scottish dance) on Saturday and the venue will play host to comedy, theatre and live music over the coming months.
Jamie’s Italian will cater for up to 240 diners and it is housed in the former Supper Room and Edinburgh Suite. The idea is to offer up traditional Italian dishes at affordable prices and the restaurant will aim to cater for the middle of the market in Edinburgh. It is intended to primarily be a “walk in” restaurant but you can book in advance if you prefer.