Following a reported £4m investment, the former site of the
Robertson Memorial Church has been transformed to create a 21st century
brewery, bar, restaurant and rooftop terrace.
Signature Pub Group has a portfolio of 24 units throughout Scotland including The Basement and Badger & Co. in Edinburgh and The Spiritualist in Glasgow.
Each venue is unique but what they all have in common is that their food and drink offering is sourced locally and Scottish.
At Cold Town House, this ethos comes into action with the venue's own Cold Town Beer. The venue houses eight 500l beer tanks for the bar's onsite brewery.
The first floor is where the brewing happens, and the process is displayed for all to see thanks to floor-ceiling glass walls. Booth seating and rotating windows that open into the brewery allow for a fully immersive, sensory experience incorporating all the sights, sounds, smells and, ultimately, flavours of the Cold Town Beer brewing process.
Cold Town Beer was first launched in 2018. The beer was named in honour of Calton Hill Brewery in Edinburgh, which was the first in Britain to brew lager in 1835.
The brewery was situated in the Edinburgh suburb of Caldtoun, at the bottom of Carlton Hill.
The opening of Cold Town House also marks the return of brewing to the Grassmarket, a tradition dating back to the 16th century.
Neapolitan pizza
The first floor showcases the venue's brewery.
The interior has been revamped to complement the original design of the building.
Cold Town House visitors can sample Edinburgh’s freshest local pint, relax by an open fire pit, snap a selfie in the photo booth and be regaled by an entertainment roster featuring performances from comedians, musicians and much more.
As well as fresh beer, it will offer artisan, stone-baked Neapolitan pizza fresh from an oven which was custom-made in Naples.
The dough is fermented using Cold Town Beer for 24 hours, creating a light, airy pizza base. The pizzas are the jewel in the crown of an all-day food menu offering locally sourced dishes, including vegetarian and vegan options.
The roof terrace looks set to be very popular. Nestled below Edinburgh Castle, it enjoys uninterrupted views toward the iconic landmark. Drinks will be served from a vintage Cold Town branded Citroen van and guests can enjoy them snuggled in their very own ski gondola.
Iconic building
The former Robertson Memorial Church is now Cold Town House.
Nic Wood, Owner of Signature Pubs said: 'This project has been a long time in the making and we’re delighted to finally have an opening date for Cold Town House. We launched Cold Town Beer in 2018 and it has gained a loyal following; we’re thrilled with the progress.
'We’re looking forward to being able to share the Cold Town magic with everyone in this incredible new venue. Cold Town House is something completely new for Edinburgh and we’re excited to bring this iconic building back to life, as well as restoring the Grassmarket’s history of brewing beer.
Cold Town House will open from the end of February at 4 Grassmarket, EH1 2JU. The bar and restaurant will be open from 9am until late every day of the week.