SCOTLAND'S finest farm produce and the way it is produced, will form the backbone of the offerings at a new foodie venue that's just opened in Edinburgh.

Based in the heart of Edinburgh’s new St James Quarter, Bonnie and Wild's Food Hall is packed with acclaimed chefs and food businesses within the premium space.

There are eight chef-led food stalls, four speciality retailers and three bars, which makes Bonnie and Wild one of the biggest and most ambitious venues to open in recent years.

Renowned chefs, including Gary Maclean, the National Chef of Scotland; Peter McKenna, of The Gannet; and BBC chef, Jimmy Lee, have each taken key concessions at the Scottish Marketplace

It recently had its soft opening this morning, enticing eager guests hungry to experience the wide range of dishes on offer, but now that it is officially launched, the venue is open daily, 9.30am until late.

Alongside Gary Maclean’s Creel Caught, The Gannet, and Jimmy Lee’s Salt and Chill Oriental, the Food Hall showcases restaurants such as Rico’s Pasta Bar, Erpingham House, CHIX, east PIZZA, Joelato and the award-winning Broken Clock Café and Patisserie.

On the shopping side, it will be the first retail offering from national drinks wholesalers Inverarity Morton and renowned butcher, MacDuff 1890. The Cheese Club, the latest venture from the team behind Six By Nico, is also running the venue’s deli counter.

As well as selling top quality meat products, MacDuffs will also be education consumers about how their food is produced and the high standards certified in Scotland

As well as selling top quality meat products, MacDuffs will also be education consumers about how their food is produced and the high standards certified in Scotland

Bonnie and Wild’s ops director, Ryan Barrie, said: “I am hugely delighted and excited to be opening Bonnie and Wild. It’s a spectacular, beautiful venue, one that everyone involved should be rightly proud of.

"The finish is first-class, the menus are diverse, innovative and exciting, while the overall food and drink offer is of exceptional quality. There’s something for everyone here.”

The project was established with the aim of providing a premium and high-profile venue to showcase Scotland’s best-in-class independent food and drink producers, providers and purveyors.

Mr Barrie added: “There’s such a common purpose here – all of us care passionately about promoting and supporting the Scottish food and drink industry. It’s easy for us in Scotland to overlook the fact we have some of the best food and drink in the world, that it’s sought after by chefs the world over.

“Thanks to the inclusion of these brilliant chefs and retailers, we have produce from across the country – whether that’s shellfish from Lerwick, beef from the Borders, cheese and fresh fruits from the Clyde Valley and Perthshire, cured venison from the Highlands. On the drinks side, we have whisky and gin from distilleries across Scotland, and beers and ciders from local craft breweries. Combined, they give our guests an unrivalled offering of Scottish fare, a unique and fantastic vision of Scottish food and drink.”

He said that highlighting the link between producers and consumers was also a major ambition.

Andrew Duff is delighted the family-run MacDuffs 1980 is part of the new Bonnie and Wild Food Hall

Andrew Duff is delighted the family-run MacDuffs 1980 is part of the new Bonnie and Wild Food Hall

Mr Barrie added: “We want guests to see the effort behind the food and drink being served in this beautiful, friendly and accessible venue. We want them to have the opportunity to meet the chefs, chat to them, understand where the food comes from, see it being made and prepared. Bonnie and Wild is as much about food education as it is enjoyment.”

Renowned meat wholesaler MacDuff 1890 – a well-known buyer of quality Scottish livestock – will be part of the 'deal'. Andrew Duff, its MD, said: “The farms we source from are among the finest in the country. The knowledge of animal welfare and rearing is best-in-class, meaning these animals have the best quality of life possible, while providing produce of the highest quality and complete traceability from farm to plate.

“Bonnie and Wild and MacDuff 1890 share similar commitments to quality, sustainability and provenance, and it’s these shared values that have encouraged us to make the leap into launching our first retail venture, something we have been considering due to demand from Edinburgh residents and restaurants.”

MacDuff traces its origins back to 1890 and supplies premium quality beef, lamb and pork to butchers, chefs and caterers across the UK and overseas. The Wishaw-based business sources from a small network of quality assured family-run farms, and counts some of Scotland’s best-known chefs and restaurants among its customers.