Review: Woodland Creatures, Leith, Edinburgh

 TEMPERATURES HAVE JUST started to shift in the right direction after what seemed like an endless winter. That means the start of beer garden season is upon us– hooray! Sunday roast at Woodland Creatures with our friends Ashley, Alex, new arrival Henry, and their adorable pooch Arthur was the order of the day before a first outdoor pint could be consumed.

The gastropub was opened on Leith Walk by four friends back in 2018. With the tram works on top of a global pandemic, I can’t imagine how difficult it must have been for a business still in its infancy, but Leith’s motto is Persevere after all.

The everyday menu offers a range of bar bites, burgers, and pub classics, while the roast options (Sunday only) include beef short rib, beer can chicken, and a nut roast as the vegan option; all come served with the usual trimmings.

The four of us opted for the cow. I was glad we didn’t order any starters when a behemoth of a plate arrived. There was a big slab of meat, an ample serving of roast potatoes, purple carrots, runner beans, a muckle Yorkshire pud, and a sizeable gravy boat. First impressions don’t get much better than this, but how did it taste?

I headed straight for the beautifully blistered fat first, which Ashley and I couldn’t stop waxing lyrical about.  The rib, or Jacob’s Ladder, isn’t a cut you see often, and it takes a bit of skill to cook.  Thankfully, the pulled meat melted in the mouth and offered a great contrast to the crispy fat. The gravy looked like it had skinned over slightly, but after a guddle with my knife, I found it to be rich with a bold red wine flavour. It was well portioned to deal with this amount of food, too – nowt worse than being stingy with the gravy.  The spuds were textbook, carrots al dente and the sharpness of the beans welcome, although the veg needed seasoning. The Yorkie was light and crunchy while the £15 price tag was unbelievable value.

The crew were extremely friendly and knowledgeable about both food and drinks.  They were very attentive and had a real positivity about the way they went about tending to their customers.

I have to say that Sunday lunch exceeded expectations. Brilliant cooking, good produce and attentive service mingled perfectly with the relaxed vibe of the place. You’d be hard pushed to find a better roast than Woodland Creatures for that price in the capital. 

 Web: woodlandcreaturesleith.com                                                                                                                 Instagram:@woodland_creatures_leith                                                                                                         

Open seven days. Please see their social channels for accurate opening times