In August, the most stressful meals are inter-show on-the-hoof eats. “Let’s just grab something,” they say, all casual, before you both head to The Emu War, The Sex Life of Puppets, or whatever other daft Edinburgh Festival Fringe ticket you bought online the night before, after panicking that everything would sell out. It’s not that easy.
There are huge queues outside your usual dependables and street food would be lovely, but you want a loo stop and a comfortable seat. I don’t want to be the saddo who takes a cheese sandwich or Scotch egg, but I have considered the packed lunch option. It’s that or I’ll be the only hangry po-face in a comedy audience.
Again. Hooray, then for Coop which has popped up at Potterrow corner cafe, Fettle. It’s the newest project from Tomas Gormley , formerly of Leith’s Michelin-starred restaurant, Heron, and owner of tasting menu venue Cardinal, as well as small plates destination, Skua in Stockbridge.
You’ll find this pop-up in situ until the end of August, all week from 6pm until 1am, after which it’ll sadly melt away, like the current influx of lanyard-wearing luvvies. Coop doesn’t take bookings, but we easily grabbed a cushioned window seat that gave us an elevated view of the crowds streaming along from George Square Gardens. It was something of a surprise that word hasn’t gotten out yet .
The space, which includes some outdoor seating, was barely a fifth full, and it was 7pm. We’d just been to a show at the Under.