This October, acclaimed Edinburgh chef and restaurateur Stuart Ralston, alongside co-owner Jade Johnston, will open their newest ventures – Vinette, a Parisian bar à vin serving sharing plates and bistro style dishes with an Old World lean, and Vivien, an intimate cocktail bar named after lesbian poet Renée Vivien, located beneath it.
Situated on 36 Broughton Street, the former site of Fhior, Vinette will embody the convivial spirit of Parisian wine bars. The menu will revolve around ingredient-led, seasonal cooking ingrained in European dining culture, while celebrating artisanal Scottish producers. Designed to be paired with a constantly evolving by-the-glass selection, the food offering will be in line with Stuart’s elegant and flavour-forward style, but with more informal and playful undertones.
The kitchen will be headed up by Stuart’s younger brother, Calum Ralston, who has trained with the group over the past 18 months. Dishes will include Braised duck hearts on toast with pickled green peppercorns, Grilled Iberico pork chop with cider-braised onions & mustard sauce and Pigs head croquettes with smoked paprika. Front of House will be led by Elle Mackay, the incoming general manager of Aizle who will bring her extensive experience.
Group Head Sommelier Stuart Skea will be overseeing the wine offering, with an emphasis on wines from the Old World, as well as some special bottles from further afield. Sourced from small scale wineries, the bottles will offer a strong sense of terroir, with a constantly revolving by-the-glass selection allowing for exploration.
The interiors will be led by Ross McNally of Scarinish studios, with the aim of creating a hospitable space with a soft and inviting atmosphere. The interiors will be underscored by minimalism, with crushed linens and naked candlelight conveying a calm and serene atmosphere.
Located beneath, Vivien will be an intimate cocktail bar and late-night counterpart to Vinette. Named after Renée Vivien, a lesbian poet living in Belle Époque Paris, it will embody her rebellious and inquisitive spirit, as well as aesthetic principles of Decadence. The bar programme will be headed up by Rebekah George, a well known figure within the Edinburgh bar scene. Classic and signature serves such as The Strawberry Thief and Violet Subterfuge will be available, alongside a selection of bar snacks, including Potato mille-feuille buerre blanc and Ortiz anchovies with lemon butter.
Compact and comforting, Vivien will be an extension of Vinette’s inviting ambience with additional design elements such as soft ambient lighting and bar seating. A place for pre and post dinner cocktails, Vivien will be a destination cocktail bar in its own right, a welcome addition to Edinburgh’s late-night scene.
Coming immediately after the closure of his debut restaurant Aizle the new openings will be an addition to Stuart’s portfolio of restaurants – now named as the Aizle Hospitality Group – which include Michelin-starred Lyla, and Michelin Bib Gourmand Noto and Tipo.
The opening of Vinette & Vivien marks a significant evolution for the newly branded Aizle Hospitality Group, which also includes Stuart’s long-time operations director, Jade Johnston, and his older brother, Scott Ralston, who will be stepping into the Group Chef role to oversee the casual restaurants.
“After closing Aizle, it felt important to mark a new chapter,” says Stuart “Vinette and Vivien are about creating spaces that feel warm, social, and a little indulgent. I’m especially proud that I’m opening them with people who’ve been on this journey with me – Jade, who has been integral for more than a decade, and my brothers Scott and Calum, who are stepping into leadership roles. This feels like the group’s natural next project, but with the same commitment to quality we’ve always had. I will be doubling down on my efforts with Lyla and hope to improve ten fold but this allows people around us to continue to grow which is very important to me.”
