Akva Bar

We were meeting friends there last night, I was curious to find out what they had done to the old ‘cargo’ as do many people I know commented on how much better the place had become.
First impression was so happy they brightened the place up with warm welcoming colours, comfy couches, armchairs. The waiter at the entrance checked if we had a booking, so many people were having their dinner I almost thought it wasn’t a pub.
As we didn’t have the foresight to book a table despite being a Friday night and over 15 of us were meeting, the waiter was surprisingly helpful and found us a table seating 6 people to start with and when more of our friends arrived he actually came back to tell us he got us a bigger table in the upstairs bit. If that isn’t amazing service well I don’t know what is!
Upstairs a big group was celebrating a 21^st, photos from their childhood were flickering on a plasma screen, folks were playing table tennis and another bar was on.
So in summary, what I liked was the new décor, much warmer and colourful. The staff who was proactively looking to make your night a good night, nothing being too much to ask, the atmosphere and the drinks on the menu.
What could be better? Maybe felt I was a but cold at times, it is a big venue with large ceiling so I’m not saying that is not understandable but it could help gaining that extra star. Also as I haven’t tried their food I’d like to take the opportunity to review it again another time.
Way to go Akva!

My first time here I am impressed by first of all the chic sophisticated appearance as you walk in with the fairy lights and comfy vintage looking furniture. I especially like that Billy holiday is playing on the radio which gives more of that vintage feel. I love the quirkiness too and I recommend that you try the kladdkaka Swedish chocolate cake. It’s yummy. Also it’s dog friendly so that is a huge plus for me X

Possibly an off day for the place but standards seem to have slipped since I was in last July. It took nearly ten minutes for a member of staff to notice I’d taken a seat (tables 1 & 2 are a tad off the circuit) and then the wrong dish was initially delivered. The cake I ordered failed to turn up at all & this didn’t seem to warrant even a brief apology upon settling the bill.
As it’s handy for the cinema I’ll no doubt pop in again to see if things improve at the third attempt.

I usually visit Akva 1 – 2 times per week just for a coffee as I really enjoy the vibe, but when I went for dinner recently I was greatly disappointed. Their menu clearly states what is/​is not vegetarian, gluten free, etc., which is important as I have coeliac disease, something I told the woman who seated us and took our drink order. I reiterated this to our waitress when we ordered a starter, to clarify that I would need gluten free bread by my partner wanted regular bread. I was then shocked to see all the components of the starter on the same board, the gluten free bread and the regular bread on top of each other, crumbs from the regular bread in the tzatziki sauce (which was very underwhelming, sour cream with chunks of cucumber?!), and the little bowls of butter and olives right there just waiting for their own dosing of gluten crumbs.
The waitress was very nice and offered to take back the tray and separate the bread, but of course once the crumbs are there, it doesn’t matter where the gluten free bread is, it’s already been contaminated (as was the sauce). They were kind enough to take the starter off our final bill, but I couldn’t eat any of it, and my partner did not enjoy the supposed ‘tzatziki’.
In the end this restaurant portrays an image of knowing how to prepare gluten free things, and yet there is a clear lack of training and knowledge among their staff.
I will return for coffee, but not for a meal.

What a wonderful experience! My flatmate and I were looking for a place to do a bit of university work and popped into Akva, having never been there before. We were greeted on arrival, given a choice of were to sit and given menus etc. We had some tea and a sharing platter of snacks, which came within minutes. We were able to sit upstairs for several hours undisturbed. One employee came along at one point to let us know that a fairly large party of children would be arriving that afternoon and let us know that there was a comfy seating area in a slight alcove so we wouldn’t be disturbed. We also ordered the soup of the day, which was delicious. I would thoroughly recommend this as a good spot to study, read or just chat with friends!

We have been here a few times and are never disappointed. It’s literally at the end of the Union Canal and a huge sun catcher.
There is a big beer garden to enjoy nice sunny days outside. There are also 2 designated play areas for children. Stocked up with toys and a wee kitchen with pots and pans, perfect for any toddler. My toddler definitely approved.
The food is spot on. We ordered a side a chips which was HUGE & super tasty. I am almost positive these chips are freshly cut, which is a big plus! We also ordered the croque Monsieur which is one tasty and big dish. Right on the money! Also they have very tasty fresh baked cakes!
What else could you ask for? Great food, great views, beautiful beer garden with canal & ducks at your doorstep. It’s a lovely day out.

Big, bigger, biggest.
This is bar no 6 of the famous Edinburgh Swedish Boda Group.
Their other bars are (in order of size) Boda, Sofi’s, Victoria’s, Joseph Pearce’s and Hemma.
Previously this was CARGO and the owners have done a brilliant job of making this enormous location and space look and feel cosy and welcoming. Some nice touches to the outside space overlooking the North Canal and the moored barges.
Did I say this was large? It is HUGE. 2 floors, 2 bars, a massive kitchen and large outdoor area. I can tell that many a visitor will have to come back to explore the space.
I already have a favourite spot (not telling, cos that means I’ll be getting competition).
The service is brilliant, they have many seasoned staff from their other bars and the kitchen manager is one of my favourite cooks (Stephanie Barnes-​Stapleton) — when you are visiting ensure you going to try one of her breads or salad dishes. You will not be disappointed!
The selection of beers, ciders and spirits is a mixture of Scottish local brews, Scandinavian new produce and European classics imports. Their Iduns Swedish Elderflower Cider is a recommended tipple. For a beer I’d go with the Black Isle Organic Blonde.
I am glad that this kind of bar is now an established part of Edinburgh, may it long continue!

Akva is the newest addition to the Boda family and I think it’s quite good. Similar to Hemma in size, it’s massive though with slightly less charm.
Food is, as you would expect, on par with other Boda locations with something for most budgets. The real winner here is the beer garden out back which is right on the canal and gets some great sunshine.
Most importantly for me, it’s very child friendly. They have a load of high chairs and it’s total mummy central in the afternoons. The size contributes to how excellent this is as it makes it absolutely pram friendly as well.
Akva is the newest example of the gentrification of the Lothian Rd area and I’m definitely into it.

Haha, I can’t believe I have not written a review yet and I come here quite a lot. Shame on me.
Well, what can I say? I find this restaurant/​bar very spacious. There is an upstairs that you can also book for private functions, a spacious downstairs inside and outside with chairs (obviously!), tables (thank goodness!), couches and even play areas for the little ones. I so love the couch areas in the front of this glass building. The place is still pretty new and still needs a bit of a soft cozy touch being added to it, but the space is definitely ideal for large or small get togethers.
Personally I have not eaten there yet, so can’t comment on the food. They have a large bar downstairs, plus another upstairs with the usual spirits on offer. Apparently I only drink a gin tonic, coffee, coke or water when there, such not really one of a money making kinda person :-)
But a big thanks to Mike and Team for a pleasant new bar&restaurant in Fountainbridge that is funky and offers an awesome opportunity to enjoy a comfortable outside sitting area with nice views towards the canal on sunny and warm days or even cold ones, who knows (for the tough people of course :-)).

Akva hasn’t been open that long but long enough that the service should be better than it is.
The food was good and arrived in good time. The menu is similar to the other Boda bar pubs and caters well for vegetarians, vegans and a few gluten free options.
The service wasn’t especially bad just slow and a not enough checking back or opportunities to order additional drinks etc.
The acoustics of the bar aren’t that great so it’s quite noisy especially with music being played and at times I felt I had to shout to be heard at the other side of the table.

I like the fact that this place is dog-​friendly. They have just opened up and occupy the space between café, lunch-​spot, low-​key cocktail bar, wifi-​workspace, relaxed dinner, good space for the local office crowd to get a celebratory lunch. They do a bit of everything, have a nice outdoor seating area which is particularly amazing in the summer months as it is directly on the canal near the Quay in Fountainbridge.
The menu has a Swedish influence. I think it is good value and fish is featured: salmon, mackerel, etc. Lunch is hearty and affordable. I think the only thing that is sometimes a bit lacking is the weird service… it’s unclear whether or not you go to the bar to order, or sit in your seat, and it tends to be a bit of both. Mostly table service, but sometimes you just don’t know! Some things on the menu need a bit more explanation since you have no idea what side the food portion will be, but it is almost always generous.
I think this café-​bar-​restaurant has a good thing going. The space seems a bit open and un-​focused, but I like the feel of it. Has a lot of potential. They might do something to encourage the morning coffee-​getter in the area with a take-​away coffee service, or focus on the evening dining experience, but they do a bit of everything and so far, it is good! Love that there is a dog-​friendly café option in that area since Loudon’s across the street does not allow dogs.

Beers good. And the food is fresh and clearly homemade. I couldn’t recommend this more to someone looking for a great place to eat and drink.

Plus side:
1. Wheelchair accessible from the beer garden side and wheelchair access for the bathroom.
2. They reserved us a table for a birthday outing
3. Great haloumi salad & veggie options.
Point deducted for:
1. Painfully slow food service, about an hour for 7 meals.
2. Bar staff mixing up orders (adding a wedge of lime into my husbands cognac instead of my rum??)
3. The humous was so garlicky that it was burning in the mouth.

We sat outside because the music was too loud inside to have a conversation without getting frustrated. The food took a bit of time to arrive; longer than I was expecting. But it was very good once it made an appearance.
I had the croque madame, which was very enjoyable. The winning menu item is the scrambled egg on toast however. Doesn’t sound like much but when it arrived it was a veritable mountain of egginess, with two massive slabs of toast, fried flat-​cap mushroom and bacon on top. I had food envy.
The space itself is very welcoming, with lots of tables and room upstairs also. There are lots of tables outside, for the rare summer day when you can enjoy the canal basin and sunshine. There’s also a kiddies’ corner inside, so it’s great for families. Suspect Akva will give Loudons a run for its money.

In desperate need of a good cocktail in Fountainbridge? We stumbled into this very newly opened place at the end of the canal looking for a Friday afternoon drink and found a very pretty Swedish with comfortable seating, a fabulous cocktail menu and friendly helpful staff. Having seen the breakfast menu, we will definitely be back to try it out at a different time of day :)