Liberté Café-Bar & Brasserie and Bar 1819, at Apex Waterloo Place Hotel in Edinburgh, opens this week. The venue is part of a £2 million ground-floor renovation of the hotel and combines a brasserie restaurant, private dining area, and a cocktail bar.
The design, by Edinburgh architects ISA, is inspired by Georgian interiors and the Palm Courts of the 1800s. The project also involved hospitality specialists Stuart McCluskey, former co-owner of The Bon Vivant and current owner of Paz and Little Capo, and Ian McLaren, a former Bacardi digital director and owner of Neoteric Spirit.
Located on Waterloo Place near Princes Street, Liberté will offer a menu that highlights Scottish produce with European influences. The menu includes dishes such as Balvenie smoked salmon with lemon crème fraîche and herring roe, and matcha tea crème brûlée.
Bar 1819 will feature a range of cocktails and drinks developed by McCluskey and McLaren, including the Dubbel Malted Old Fashioned, Negroni au Chocolat, and Praline Espresso. The bar will also offer craft beers, single malts, and wines from Scottish and international suppliers.
The venue’s food and drink suppliers include Campbells & Co for smoked salmon, Shetland Islands producers for mussels, and East Coast Cured for meats while drinks partnerships include Newbarns Brewery, Woven Whisky, and Liberty Wines.
“It has been exciting to work with the team at Apex. Their enthusiasm for delivering this project has been infectious. Ian, Will, and I have relished developing a beverage programme fit for such a beautiful setting, focusing on working with quality products and local suppliers,” said Stuart McCluskey.
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