The Cooper’s Rest on Easter Road in Leith will be relaunched early next year as part of a joint venture between The Palmerston co-owners Lloyd Morse and James Snowdon and Newbarns founders Gordon McKenzie and Emma McIntosh.
Snowdon describes the vision for The Cooper’s Rest as being ‘a proper pub serving proper pub food’.
“Edinburgh is a city full of great pubs, but every ‘gastropub’ in the city is really a restaurant – you can’t go into them and sit at the bar all afternoon drinking pints,” he explains.
Welcoming atmosphere
“During the last few years, we’ve discovered we have similar ideas of what we love in a pub and want to bring that to Edinburgh: exceptional food, quality drinks and a welcoming atmosphere for locals and visitors alike.”
The food menu at The Cooper’s Rest will be focused on modern takes on classic comfort dishes with an emphasis on local and seasonal produce.
Beers will come from Newbarns; spirits from Leith-based brands including Woodrow’s of Edinburgh, Blind Summit, Electric Spirit Co. and Fragrant Drops; and wines from The Palmerston’s cellar.
“At Newbarns, everything we do starts with that feeling you get around a pub table with friends – the easy camaraderie, the good conversation,” says McKenzie.
Exceptional food
“So often those friendships, and those tables, have included the brilliant people from The Palmerston so this collaboration at The Cooper’s just feels right.
“We can’t wait to share our passion for exceptional food, great beer, and truly good company, bringing everyone together under one roof.”
Snowdon, a former general manager at The Harwood Arms in London, joined forces with Morse, who previously cooked at Skye Gyngell’s Spring restaurant, to open The Palmerston in Edinburgh in 2021.
The restaurant, which is housed in a former 19th century bank, champions whole-animal cookery and local produce, and has made waves with critics and diners thanks to its hearty food offering and competitive price point.
It is currently placed at number 97 on the National Restaurant Awards Top 100 list having featured on the ranking consecutively for the past four years.