Edinburgh institution celebrates the stories and colourful characters behind the capital’s oldest independent diner
Bells Diner are throwing a summer party on SUNDAY 29TH JULY from 3pm featuring Bells style booze and bites including mini burgers and shakes – plus fizz, sangria and cocktails for those who like a tipple. Celebrating the diner, the staff, the regulars, a lick of paint and better, more flattering lighting. Fear not – the menu, the relish tray and the walls that have seen it all and been painted all shades of red over the years remain unchanged.
In collaboration with the incredible Laura Lees aka The Mighty Stitch who has been working her sewing machine magic – the interior of the diner will be turned into a veritable feast for the eyes without losing the essence of the diner décor that we all know and love. Having spent some time in fashion, Lees now focuses on interiors and large-scale tapestry and has returned to her true love of textiles which she’ll be busting out especially for the occasion.
Expect music from some of Edinburgh’s finest as well as a mighty burger piñata, amongst other ridiculous nonsense. There will also be a couple of blank books on the day – an adult-rated version and a PG version – for folks to write their wild, bright, beautiful, vibrant and completely mental stories in, because it’s these stories that make the diner what it is. These books will be kept in the restaurant long after the party is over so that all of our customers, both old and new, can document their memories – and we can have a laugh reading them.
The diner is most famous for three things: the burgers, the fact that Robbie Coltrane once worked here, and the relish tray. Bells Diner’s doors opened in 1972 with local legend and renowned don Bill Allan at the wheel. Currently run by Suzie and Micky Marr, previously by Micky’s mum in the 80s, and by Bill and his many colourful pals throughout its history, the restaurant has been passed down through generations of legends and the staff and its customers are what makes it so special.
Bells Diner is more than a restaurant, it’s an institution. It’s a place where Edinburgh’s most successful lawyers, promoters, producers, parents and bad ass humans have wined and dined since back in the day, and our characterful history is woven into the social tapestry. It’s not just about the burgers – it’s where legends have collided since ‘72.
For more information contact Bells Diner on 0131 225 8116
@bellsdineredinburgh