130-cover restaurant and bar with ‘dog-friendly seating’ to open in Edinburgh suburb, creating 40 jobs

A Scottish hospitality operator is to open its latest venue in an Edinburgh suburb in a move that will create up to 40 jobs.

Buzzworks plans to open its new Herringbone venue on Whitehouse Road in Barnton, to the west of the city, on a site that has previously served as a retail unit, office space, and most recently a Sainsbury’s convenience store. It is set to open this May.

With a “sizeable six-figure” investment being dedicated to a kitchen featuring an Italian Moretti Forni pizza oven, the transformation of the building promises to create a “warm, welcoming space that is both stylish and comfortable”. It will be the fourth Herringbone venue to be opened by Buzzworks, with the group already operating sites in Edinburgh’s Goldenacre and Abbeyhill, as well as the original Herringbone in North Berwick.

Buzzworks plans to open its new Herringbone venue on Whitehouse Road in Barnton, on a site that has previously served as a retail unit, office space, and most recently a Sainsbury’s convenience store. It is set to open this May.

With a capacity for 110 guests indoors and an additional 20 in an outdoor seating area, Herringbone Barnton will offer a central bar with adjacent high tables and a restaurant space split into two areas. The outdoor terrace will feature heaters and “dog-friendly seating”.

The venue will undergo its final transformation over the coming months, with key milestones including bar installation in early March, kitchen completion in mid-April, and final interior styling by late April.

Ash Bairstow, operations director for Herringbone, said: “We are incredibly excited to bring Herringbone to Barnton and to introduce our warm hospitality, seasonally inspired food, and beautifully designed space to the Barnton community. Herringbone is all about creating a welcoming neighbourhood venue where people can relax, enjoy great company, and experience outstanding food and drink. We can’t wait to open our doors and become part of the local community.”

The new menu has been developed by operational head chef James Moyle and operations director Bairstow, with contributions from the wider culinary team. It promises to “showcase locally sourced ingredients and fresh, seasonal flavours”. Meanwhile, the Barnton venue introduces an expanded all-day menu featuring breakfast dishes and stone-baked Neapolitan pizzas, alongside “seasonal highlights”.

Moyle said: “Herringbone has always been about fresh, locally inspired dishes with bold flavours, and our new Barnton menu is no exception. With a focus on seasonality, our menu changes every six to eight weeks to showcase the freshest ingredients at their best. Every dish has been crafted with quality and attention to detail, ensuring there’s always something special to enjoy.”

The Ayrshire-based group said it was now hiring for all positions, including chefs, managers, front-of-house, bartenders and kitchen staff, with recruitment events planned for March. Buzzworks Holdings is one of Scotland’s fastest growing independent restaurant and bar operators, managing 21 venues across east, west and central Scotland and employing more than 800 staff. The firm’s brands encompass Scotts, House, Lido, Vic’s & The Vine, The Duke, The Bridge Inn, Thirty Knots, The Fox and Herringbone.

Buzzworks has been recognised as one of the top 100 companies to work for in the UK with bosses stressing that the business is committed to creating a “supportive and rewarding work environment”.

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