Sandy Robson (executive director, Heritage Portfolio); Sara Hicks (director, Maison Pommery); Lauren Bradshaw (director of development & communications, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh)
Edinburgh’s Royal Botanic Garden has unveiled its refreshed Garden View Deck & Bar in partnership with Maison Pommery, offering a ‘relaxed and elevated al fresco escape’ in the heart of the capital.
Located within the John Hope Gateway, the Garden View Deck & Bar will now, for the first time, extend its opening hours across the summer months.
While the wider gardens close at 5pm, the Deck & Bar will be open from 12pm til 8pm on Fridays and Saturdays (and from 12pm to 4:30pm on Sundays) offering ‘the perfect weekend lunchtime escape with a view’.
“The new evening offering invites guests to experience the Botanics at a different pace, encouraging them to linger longer and unwind in a beautiful garden setting as the sun sets,” read the Royal Botanic Garden’s statement.
In collaboration with its catering partners Heritage Portfolio, the Deck & Bar’s summer menu has been designed for ‘informal grazing and sharing, with a focus on seasonality and bold, summery flavours’.
This includes freshly prepared stone baked pizzas and a selection of artisan small plates, including a cheese board for two. Like the Gateway Cafe, the venue will use produce from the Kitchen Garden, infusing fresh, seasonal, and hyper-local ingredients into its menu.
Regius Keeper at Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Dr Julia Knights, said: “Today marks an important moment in an exciting new partnership between Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and Maison Pommery, which brings together shared values of excellence, heritage, sustainability and cultural engagement.
“Together we are creating a premium experience that invites our visitors to enjoy nature and celebrate the Garden through a new lens, showcasing both the beauty of the Garden and its important mission to protect Earth’s fragile habitats.”
Executive director of Heritage Portfolio Sandy Robson, commented: “We are delighted to offer a new space for Edinburgh locals and visitors to enjoy this summer, with a food and beverage offering that champions local produce while reflecting the best of the season in a relaxed, open-air setting for long summer evenings.
“The menu has been designed to be informal and shareable, encouraging guests to graze, try a little of everything and spend time together over food.”
Maison Pommery will be highlighted through a selection of cuvées, ‘precisely expressing the House style, combining finesse, freshness, and balance’.
CEO of Maison Pommery UK, Julien Lonneux added: “At Maison Pommery, we firmly believe that excellence cannot exist without responsibility. Preserving nature means preserving the very essence of our wines and our heritage.”
The Deck & Bar’s drinks offer also includes a selection of wines, beers and soft drinks chosen to complement relaxed outdoor dining., including a dedicated spritz menu. Alongside classic serves like an Aperol Spritz and Hugo Spritz, there’s a bespoke Garden Party collection including the Strawberry Meadow with strawberry and elderflower, and the Provençal Bloom with lavender and lemon.
