Diners assemble! Avengers stars love Edinburgh’s Marvel-lous food

THEY’RE the stars of one of next year’s most hotly anticipated blockbusters – more used to the bright lights of LA than the rainy streets of Scotland.

But the cast and crew of Avengers: Infinity War have been spotted eagerly sampling some of Edinburgh’s finest restaurants and pubs as they film the latest Marvel superhero blockbuster in the capital.

Shocked punters and star-struck staff were left open-mouthed when Scarlett Johansson dropped into the family-run Roseleaf pub in Leith on Friday.

The hungry A-lister ordered assorted wild mushrooms sautéed in a garlic and parsley olive oil, served on toasted homemade bread and topped with poached eggs.

Johansson, who also starred in 2012’s Avengers Assemble, has previously dubbed herself a “self-proclaimed foodie” and even opened her own popcorn shop in Paris last year.

One member of the Roseleaf’s staff confessed online: “I nearly fainted. My heart was in my mouth.”

And earlier in the week A-list actress Elizabeth Olsen took to social media to gush over the multi-course tasting menu at fine dining restaurant The Table, on Edinburgh’s Dundas Street.

Avengers directors Anthony and Joe Russo, who joined her, said of the experience: “It was an unbelievable meal.”

Snaps taken on their mobile phones even showed the stars joking that they would like to marry chef patron Sean Clark.

Guests at The Table sit overlooking the open-plan kitchen, so they can watch their food being prepared – with a seven-course meal costing £70.

Sample dishes include lobster with persimmon and lime, halibut with wild leek, wild venison with parsley, grapes and celeriac, and fois gras with pistachio, apple and spinach.

Olsen – who is known for her roles in Captain America and the previous Avengers film – also tried out Leith’s The Kitchin and The Gardener’s Cottage.

The Kitchin – run by well-known chef Tom Kitchin – was awarded a Michelin star in 2007 and has scooped a string of top gongs in the past. Three courses from its mouth-watering a la carte menu sets punters back £75 – while wine can cost up to £3000 a bottle.

Food industry experts said it was no surprise the stars had been left reeling by Edinburgh’s gastronomic delights.

Stephen Jardine, who runs Taste Communications, said: “Outside London, Edinburgh is the food capital of the UK. That’s well recognised here – but it’s still a bit of a surprise for people coming from London, and maybe even more of a surprise for international visitors. Everything is not deep-fried, and we have this great larder on our doorstep.”

Alan Chalmers, who runs Eat Walk Tours in Edinburgh, added: “They come here expecting haggis and deep-fried Mars Bars, and they find so much more than that.

“The owners of the Roseleaf have been one of the main players down in Leith. It’s one of my favourite haunts. It’s a bit of an institution.”