Already one of the hardest-hit sectors by the Covid-19 pandemic, independent restaurants and bars have especially borne the brunt of lockdown restrictions. The opening of Bonnie & Wild's Scottish Marketplace in the new St James' Quarter is therefore a rare – and very welcome – bright spot on this summer's food and drink calendar, wherein Edinburgh's first food hall will play host to over a dozen independent food and drink producers and retailers when doors open in July.

Featuring eight food stalls, four specialty retailers and three bars, Bonnie & Wild promises to offer the best of Scotland's larder in one space, and the menu certainly looks to make good on that ambitious pledge. Early announcements included much-beloved Glasgow restaurant The Gannet, which specialises in modern Scottish cuisine; a new branch of the Glaswegian cafe and patisserie Broken Clock; as well as Masterchef winner Gary Maclean's ode to Scottish seafood, Creel Caught. The Scottish-Italian contingent will also be strongly represented by Edinburgh institution East Pizza and Rocca Group's newest venture Rico's Pasta Bar.

Bonnie & Wild has also enticed some new faces north of the border, including the first Scottish branch of upmarket vegan eatery Erpingham House, and the launch of fried chicken venture CHIX by Max Murray and Ed Cresswell, whose CV includes his time as Chef de Partie at Heston Blumenthal's Michelin-starred Fat Duck. Wishaw-based butcher MacDuff 1890 and wines and spirits merchant Inverarity Morton will also be opening their first retail ventures at the marketplace.

With an emphasis on the fresh and the local, guests to the food hall will be able to taste the best of the seasons with the restaurants' changing menus. Despite the delicious diversity on display, everyone involved in the project has highlighted their shared ambition to advocate for Scotland's homegrown producers and suppliers, and to champion what's best about the country's food and drink scene.

Once things are a bit more normal again, Bonnie & Wild hope to accommodate up to 400 diners in their casual, open-plan seating area. There will also be a flexible events space open to public bookings that boasts a show kitchen and private dining area, as well as their bar, dubbed Tryst. So let's raise a glass – or a drumstick – or a slice of pizza, whatever catches your fancy – to Scotland's food and drink sector, champions one and all, and the many wonderful meals that lie ahead.

Find out more about Bonnie & Wild's Scottish Marketplace at bonnieandwildmarket.com.