Celebrated Scottish chef to launch ‘ever-changing menu’ at rooftop bar

1820 Rooftop Bar at The Johnnie Walker Experience in Edinburgh has a new food and drink offering inspired by Johnnie Walker's journey around the world. The relaunch brings together a menu by celebrated Scottish chef Scott Smith, globally inspired cocktails created with world-renowned Mr Lyan Studio and a fresh programme of live music and culture, marking the next chapter for 1820.

At the heart of the relaunch is an ever-changing menu of sharing plates, snacks and desserts created by Scott Smith, best known as the chef and co-owner of Edinburgh’s acclaimed modern Scottish restaurant Fhior. Designed to complement the cocktail programme, the menu celebrates seasonal produce through Smith’s thoughtful, flavour-first approach. Signature dishes include Carlingford oysters with jalapeño and kelp hot sauce, and grilled courgette with sunflower seed ajo blanco and lovage oil, alongside larger sharing plates such as whole lemon sole with chanterelles and kombu butter.

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Scott Smith said: “1820 is a different kind of venture for me: the cocktail menu is adventurous and exciting in its ingredients and storytelling, so I wanted to make sure the food menu not only harmonised with it, but stood on its own, while still being approachable. It’s pushed me to think differently about how I approach menu development, which has been really exciting.”

Developed in partnership with Mr Lyan Studio, the new cocktail menu is inspired by Johnnie Walker's journey around the world. Drawing on the people, places and moments connected to that journey, it takes familiar flavours somewhere new through unexpected ingredients and techniques. The Johnnie Walker journey began with John Walker's grocery shop in 1820.

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As the brand grew into one of the world's most recognised Scotch whiskies, it became part of cultures and communities across the globe, connections that continue to shape the flavours and stories behind the menu today. Highlights include the Rollerskate Sour, which celebrates the trailblazing Skate Bomb Girls of Manila through Filipino flavours and disco culture, and the Flinted Godfather, inspired by the volcanic landscapes beneath Mount Etna, pairing Johnnie Walker 18 Year Old with volcanic amaretto and tonka bean.

Alongside the new menus, 1820 will introduce a programme of live weekend music showcasing emerging Scottish talent, adding another dimension to the rooftop destination for both visitors and locals. Completing the relaunch, Edinburgh-based menswear brand KESTIN has designed the bespoke Rosyth Overshirt - the first garment in a wider uniform evolution for the rooftop bar - combining contemporary design and functionality to complement the bar's refreshed identity.

Anastasia Graham, head of The Johnnie Walker Experience, said: “1820 has always offered one of the best views in Edinburgh. This next chapter is about making what's in the glass, on the plate and around the bar just as memorable. Inspired by Johnnie Walker's journey around the world, we've brought together an exceptional team of creative partners to create something that's distinctly Edinburgh, while looking confidently beyond it.”

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Ryan Chetiyawardana (aka Mr Lyan), founder of Mr Lyan Studio, added: “Johnnie Walker has been a brand close to my heart and an important part of the journey of the Lyan company. The way the brand has pioneered for more than two centuries and travelled the world, building connections along the way, has been a real inspiration for us.

“Working with The Johnnie Walker Experience and archive teams to explore the stories behind the brand gave us an incredible creative springboard. From inventive advertising to some wonderfully unexpected moments from Johnnie Walker's history, those stories have inspired each cocktail on the 1820 menu, giving guests the opportunity to discover not only unique flavours, but the stories that inspired them.”