Edinburgh restaurant guide

Eating out in Edinburgh

Ian Sommerville

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Restaurants in France | Restaurants elsewhere

I visit and eat out in Edinburgh more than in most places. We have an apartment in Edinburgh, our daughters live there and I work closely with colleagues in Informatics at Edinburgh University. The city is very cosmopolitan and has a fantastic selection of restaurants and places to eat. As a professional academic rather than a restaurant critic, I don't claim to have a refined palate but I enjoy well-cooked food and reasonable wine. These notes reflect my own experience when visiting restaurants in the city (I have eaten in all restaurants listed here in the past 4 years or so) but there's lots of others that I haven't tried.

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Prices: If you are from the Americas or most places in Europe, you will find meals in restaurants to be more expensive than at home (especially now with the weak dollar). There are some places in Edinburgh which are good and cheap, especially at lunchtime, but like anywhere else you get what you pay for. You will rarely get a good dinner with wine for less than £20 a head. Generally, prices are a bit lower than in London.

If you want to eat cheaply, Indian food is the most reliable and best value. There are lots of Indian restaurants (Indian meaning from the Indian sub-continent - many of them are actually Pakistani or Bangla-Deshi).

Reservations: Edinburgh restaurants are very busy on Friday and Saturday evenings so if you're in the city for the week-end, you should always make a reservation (and don't wait until the day you want to eat). In general, we always make reservations whatever night we're eating - we've had too many disappointments in the past.

Web guides. There aren't many independent guides although there are lots of paid-for listings - the Edinburgh Restauranteurs Guide is about the most useful of these.. A generally reliable restaurant guide to Edinburgh is FineWineDiary although its far from complete. However, I don't agree with them about the Atrium where I had a disappointing and over-priced meal. The guide from the Lab for Foundations of CS is a bit out of date (several restaurants are closed) and my taste doesn't always reflect the writer's (I strongly recommend avoiding the Bombay Bicycle Club!). The local newspaper (The Scotsman) has restaurant reviews but I find their site horrible to use.

Organisation. I've arranged the lists below by area because the list was originally put together for attendees at the ICSE 2004 conference held in the Edinburgh conference centre (with the ones at the top being closest to EICC). This is in the new business district. I guess there are restaurants there but, like most business districts, its pretty boring so I have no experience of eating there. However, Edinburgh is a compact city and restaurants in the West End/Tollcross are only 10-15 minutes walk away. I have eaten in the conference centre restaurant where lunch was included in the conference fee. It was pretty grim mass catering - much better to go out for a sandwich - the shop opposite with the Illy sign does really good wraps and sandwiches - made to order.

If you find anywhere that's really good, please let me know (ian <at> software-engin <dot> com).

Names and phone numbers

West End
Dalry Road: First Coast (Highly recommended, November, 2003; 0131 313 4404)
Dalry Road: La Partenope (Not recommended, May 2005; 0131 347 8880)
William Street: A Room in the West End (Recommended, February 2004; 0131 226 1036)
The Terrace, Sheraton Grand Hotel (Recommended for brunch, March 2004, 0131 221 6422)
Cambridge Street: The Atrium (Disappointing, February 2001, 0131 228 8882)
Cambridge Street: Blue (Reasonable, February 2002, 0131 221 1222)
Lothian Road: Darios (Good pizzas. 0131 228 4193)
Grindlay St: Stac Polly (Recommended, May 2004, 0131 229 5405)
Grindlay St: Jasmine (OK, August 2004, 0131 xxx yyyy)
Gillespie Place: Jacques Bistro (Not recommended, February, June 2004, 0131 229 6080)

Bruntsfield and Morningside
Barclay Place: The Apartment (Highly recommended, Summer 2002, January 2006, 0131 228 6456)
Thai Lemon Grass (Recommended, February 2004, 0131 229 2225)
Viewforth: Parrots (Not recommended, March 2002, 0131-229-3252)
Bruntsfield Place:Grand Cafe (Recommended, December 2002; June 2004; 0131 228 1188)
Bruntsfield Place: Peckhams Underground (Good, several visits, 0131 228 2888)
Bruntsfield Place: Montpeliers (Recommended, several visits, 0131 229 3115)
Bruntsfield Place: The Himalaya (Recommended, Many visits (most recent March 2004); 0131 229 8216)
Bruntsfield Place: Papilio Restaurant (Not bad, October 2004, 0131 229 3325)
Bruntsfield Place:Howies (Recommended, several visits (most recent March 2004), 0131 221 1777)
Colinton Road at Holy Corner: Le Bistrot des Arts (Highly recommended, October 2004, 0131 452 8453)
Morningside Road: Orbis (Recommended, January 2005, 0131 466 7665)
Morningside Road: The Canny Man's (Recommended, May 2003; 0131 447 1484)

Old Town and South Side
Castlehill: The Witchery (Highly recommended, July 2003; 0131 225 5613)
George IV Bridge: The Outsider (Highly recommended, November 2002; 0131 226 3131)
George IV Bridge: The Elephant House (Recommended, November 2003, 0131 220 5355)
Chambers St: The Tower (Recommended, May 2004, 0131 225 3003)
Chambers St: Beluga (Decidedly so-so, March 2005, 0131 XXX XXXX)
St Mary's St: David Bann (Recommended, Summer 2003, <phone>)
Old Fishmarket Close, Cafe Marlayne (Highly recommended, November 2005, 0131 225 3838)
Jeffrey St: La Garrigue (Highly recommended, May 2004, 0131 557 3032)
Jeffrey St : Iggs. (Highly recommended, September, 2003; O131 557 8184)
Victoria St: Maison Bleue (Recommended, November 2004, 0131 226 1900)
Grassmarket: Mammas (OK, August 2003, 0131 225-6464)
Grassmarket: Petit Paris (OK, July 2002, 0131 226 2442)
St Mary's St; Prego (Recommended, October 2003; 0131 557 5754)
St Mary's St: David Bann (Recommended, Summer 2003, 0131 556 5888)
Canongate: Plaisir du Chocolat (Highly recommended, Several visits, 0131 556 9524)

Bridges/South Side
Hunter Square: Creelers (Recommended, June 2003, 0131 220 4447)
North Bridge: Hadrian's Brasserie (Recommended, February 2001, 0131 556 2414)
North Bridge: The North Bridge Brasserie (Recommended, February 2003, 0131 622 2900)
Nicholson St: Buffet King (Not bad, several visits, 2003, 0131 557 4567)
Marshall St: Elephant and Bagels (Recommended, May 2004, 0131 668 4404)
West Nicholson Street, Phenecia (Recommended for lunch, December 2004, 0131 662 4493)
St Patrick's Square: Kalpna (Recommended, May 2003; 0131 667 9890)

New Town
Rose St: The Mussel Inn (Great for mussels, Summer 2002, 0131 225 5979)
Hanover Street: Hendersons (Nostalgic, several visits, 0131 225 2131)
Frederick St: Cafe Rouge (Average, 0131 225 4515)
North Castle St: Oloroso (Highly recommended, 0131 226 7614)
St Andrews Square: Tiles (Average pub food, April 2004, 0131 558 1507)
George St: Browns (Not bad, Summer 2004, 0131 225 4442)
George St: Hard Rock Cafe (OK, Summer 2002, 0131-260-3000)
George St: Centotre (Highly recommended, August 2004, 0131 225 1550)
Thistle Street: Fishers in the City (Recommended, March 2005, 0131 225 5109)
Thistle St Lane: Cafe St Honore (Recommended, May 2003, 0131 226 2211)
Elm Row: Valvona & Crolla (Highly recommended, Several visits, 0131 556 6066)
North West Circus Place: Patisserie Florentin (Recommended, June 2004, 0131 220 0225)
St Stephens St: Blue Parrot Cantina (OK, January 2005, 0131 225 2941)
Forth Floor Restaurant, Harvey Nichols (xxxxxxx, March 2005, 0131 524 8350)

Leith
Dock Place: Skippers Bistro (Highly recommended, January 2003; 0131 554 1018)
Commercial St: Daniel's Bistro (Highly recommended, January 2004; 0131 553 5933)

West End/Tollcross

Dalry Road: First Coast (Highly recommended, November, 2003, May 2006; 0131 313 4404)

This restaurant is an unfashionable area and its not one that a visitor is likely to come across by accident. We read a very favourable review so decided to try it. I started with a segment of oxtail with mashed potato followed by ling (a fish that I'd never tried before) with roasted tomates, peas and potatoes. The oxtail was melt in the mouth tender and tasty and the ling had a delicate taste and texture that was set off perfectly by the vegetables. The halibut and the coley chowder were also highly praised. The prices, for Edinburgh, were very reasonable for such a good meal - just over £20/head but this included 2 bottles of reasonable wine between 4 of us. Definitely worth another visit.

Revisited in May 2006 and it is still good. I started with crab followed by pollack (lythe) - this restaurant seems to specialise in fish that you rarely get elsewhere. I finished with a good selection of Scottish cheeses and my daughter Jane had a variant on Eton Mess (mushed up strawberries, cream and meringue). All the food was excellent, good atmosphere and reasonable prices. The house white wine, however, was a bit bland.

Dalry Road: La Partenope (Not recommended, May 2005; 0131 347 8880)

La Partenope is a well-known and well-reviewed Edinburgh Italian restaurant and we were looking forward to our meal there. Sadly, it was a disappointment. The atmosphere in the restaurant was very lively but ventilation was poor so it was smoky. I started with smoked mozzarella and sun-dried tomatoes which was OK (sun-dried tomatoes were a bit overwhelming) followed by linguine with lobster which was awful. The lobster tasted as if it had been dead for weeks with even more sun-dried tomatoes. My wife complained about excessive oiliness in her food. It was pretty expensive (about £30 each) although that included a couple of bottles of wine between 4 of us. We won't be back.

William Street: A Room in the West End (Recommended, February 2004; 0131 226 1036)

This is one of the few restaurants that I know where you can take your own wine and so avoid the inflated mark-up that's common. Usually such restaurants are cheap and cheerful but I found the cooking here to be top-class. I had a 2 course lunch for £8.95 - starter of aubergine, peppers and blue cheese and a main of roast chicken supreme on haggis mash (haggis is a Scottish dish, related to sausages - very tasty). Food and service boith excellent and I certainly plan to go back in the evening. A Room in Town is in the New Town and is reputedly similar in approach. Returned for dinner during the ICSE conference - shrimps with oatcakes, rack of lamb with excellent mash with Lanark Blue cheese and summer pudding. About £23 plus wine from nearby Oddbins. A good meal with good company.

The next group of restaurants can be found by walking south from the west end of Princes St. up Lothian Road or from the traffic lights where the road from EICC meets Lothian Road. I have ordered them as you encounter them as you walk south.

The Terrace, Sheraton Grand Hotel (Recommended for brunch, March 2004, 0131 221 6422)

This is the informal restaurant in the Sheraton where we went for Sunday brunch. Frankly, this is not the type of restaurant that I normally like but the brunch buffet was excellent with live dixieland Jazz and a conjuror who worked the tables. Good atmosphere and reasonable food. Very good cold starters, stir-frys while you wait, roasts (I had duck which was good) and a selection of very good desserts. Not cheap (£22.50 per head) but an interesting change.

Cambridge Street: The Atrium (Disappointing, February 2001, 0131 228 8882)

The Atrium is a celebrated Edinburgh restaurant for a special occasion and I'd always wanted to try it. The occasion was my 50th birthday so we went there and, it was very disappointing. It was cold and unatmospheric, I thought it pretentious and we were seated next to the kitchen. The food was undoubtedly high quality but the portions were tiny - I ordered sea bass and expected a fish - I ended up with a single small fillet. My wife's pork was good but only about 3 mouthfuls. Yes - the quality is definitely there but if you want a meal rather than a £40 snack then the Atrium should be avoided.

Cambridge Street: Blue (Reasonable, February 2002, 0131 221 1222)

Upstairs from the Atrium, Blue is cheaper and less formal. It's close to the theater and I've eaten there a couple of times before a show. It is OK - I had Cullen Skink - a Scottish smoked fish soup and lamb the last time I was there. The Cullen Skink had some herb or vegetable in it that made it green - very strange as this soup should be smoked white fish thickened with mashed potato. The lamb was fine but unmemorable. It lively and has good beer - not particularly cheap (about £25 each with wine) - not one to avoid but not somewhere I'd rush to revisit.

Lothian Road: Darios (Good pizzas. 0131 228 4193)

I haven't eaten in the restaurant at Dario's but have had their pizzas delivered. They were excellent with fast delivery so if the restaurant is as good, it's worth a try.

Grindlay St: Stac Polly (Recommended, May 2004, 0131 229 5405)

I'd been looking forward to going to Stac Polly for a while - it's well known for Scottish food. However, unless global warming is worse than we thought, yellowfin tuna is not a traditional Scottish ingredient so it's really more Scottish/French/fusion style. First-class ingredients - I had salmon in Thai spices as a starter followed by steak but the sauces were a bit too sweet for my taste. I think I could have perhaps have selected better. I'm told the puddings were excellent. Its pretty expensive (I wasn't paying so am not sure how much) - a nice place to be taken but if you are paying yourself, First Coast or a Room at the West End is better value.

Grindlay St: Jasmine (OK, August 2004, 0131 xxx yyyy)

A well-known Chinese restaurant in Edinburgh that specialises in seafood. We visited for a pre-theatre meal. Between us - Lemon Chicken, Chilli Prawns, Beef in Ginger Sauce and Duck in Plum Sauce (my daughter doesn't like fish so we didn't go for the seafood specialities). The food was good but not exceptional but I thought it very expensive for a Chinese restaurant - I wouldn't rush back but wouldn't have a problem to eat there again. About £18 each with no wine.

Brougham Place, Tollcross: The Bombay Bicycle Club (Very average, February 2002, 0131 229-3839)

Other guides rave about this place but we found it decidedly average - rather bland food and indifferent service. Totally unmemorable in every respect - the only thing I remember was the price which was too high. If you'd like curry, walk for 10 minutes more and go to the Himalaya in Brunstfield.

Gillespie Place: Jacques Bistro (Not recommended, February, June 2004, 0131 229 6080)

This is a French-run bistro whose policy is to price the main courses and to include a starter in this price. The short menu changes monthly and has a distinctly French feel. I have eaten here two or three times and the atmosphere is always very informal and lively. My impression is that it is authentically French - that is, like many bistros in France, the promise is better than the delivery. Presentation of the food is a bit sloppy and they almost but not quite get it right. On my last visit I had chef's salad (salad with bacon, egg and duck) but the egg was over-cooked. My main course was scallops which were very nice but the accompanying potatoes were burned and over-salted.

We visited Jacques again in June 2004 (its a short walk from our apartment) and the food was OK (duck - overcooked) but the staff were incredibly rude. They failed to bring us our wine with our main course and then, when we complained, said we could eat elsewhere if we didn't like it. We didn't and we will in future.

Bruntsfield

Bruntsfield is to the south of Tollcross and visitors don't normally get that far out from the centre. Its worth a visit though - excellent shops and restaurants and its no more than 10 minutes further than Tollcross. Our apartment is there so we have tried most of the restaurants in the area.

Barclay Place: The Apartment (Highly recommended, Summer 2002; Recommended, January 2006; 0131 228 6456)

This is a minimalist restaurant which has been incredibly popular since it opened in 2000 - it is still a very trendy place. It does not have conventional starters and main courses - rather you order a course to share. Food is eclectic - from so-called CHLs (chunky, healthy lines) which are various different types of kebab to food served on a bread slice. I had the moroccan meatballs (a CHL) followed by scallops. Garlic fries and other side dishes are excellent. Prices are reasonable for Edinburgh - we were about £20 each with plenty wine.

Revisited for Sunday lunch in January 2006. The food hadn't changed much and was still very good. However, it may be getting less popular - we were the only people in the restaurant. Given this, the service was rather slow.

Thai Lemon Grass (Recommended, February 2004, 0131 229 2225)

As is obvious from this list, my preference is for food with a French or European style rather than Asian food. However, if its good, I also enjoy Chinese and Thai food and the Thai Lemon Grass is (in my limited experience) an excellent Thai restaurant (my daughter tells me its one of the best in Edinburgh). It was my birthday so we had the Thai banquet - mixed starters (spring rolls, satay, etc.) with a Thai flavour, followed by very spicy fillet of beef salad. The main course was dry salmon curry, prawns and scallops, Beef green curry and duck. All shared and all good but lots of chillis. Nice decor but not cheap - about £25 each for the banquet with a few drinks.

Viewforth: Parrots (Not recommended, March 2002, 0131-229-3252)

Cheap and cheerful with a parrot theme. Nice atmosphere but the food is pretty poor - I tried the acid test - liver - and it was grainy and over-cooked.

Bruntsfield Place:Grand Cafe (Recommended, January 2002; June 2004; 0131 228 1188)

On a previous visit here I was disappointed. I ordered crab and avocado with a pink grapefruit dressing followed by sea bass. The subtle tastes of the crab and avocado were completely overwhelmed by a very acid dressing, the sea bass was a bit over-cooked with a bizarre cream and grape sauce. Not a good night but we tried again in June 2004 and had a much happier experience. Very meaty crayfish bisque as a starter followed by Grand Cafe fish and chips - the fish was sea bass, deep fried in a very light batter with quartered potatoes as chips. No pudding but Irish Coffee to follow. Impeccable and friendly services (a contrast to Jacques the week before - see above). About £25 each but we had some excellent Spanish Rioja.

Bruntsfield Place: Peckhams Underground (Good, several visits, 0131 228 2888)

Peckhams is quite a good deli with a fantastic selection of beers and other drinks. Their restaurant is in the basement and has a modernistic, stainless-steel decor. Generally simple food (very good crab cakes and sea bass) with some weird stuff (avoid the apple lasagne which they say is a speciality). My most recent visit was in December 2004 when (thankfully) the apple lasagne was no more but we had very good pasta with Italian sausage. About £20 (or less) with wine.

Bruntsfield Place: Montpeliers (Recommended, several visits, 0131 229 3115)

Montpeliers is a bar-cafe in Bruntsfield where we've eaten several times. It has an excellent atmosphere, prices that are not outrageous and well-cooked food. We had lunch there and my Caesar salad was excellent - spicy with anchovies. About £10 each for a course, some puddings and coffees. I've also been there when they screwed up - forgot our order so we waited far too long but they did the right thing and didn't charge us. I prefer it for lunch - in the evening, I always feel a bit old.

Bruntsfield Place: The Himalaya (Recommended, Many visits (most recent March 2004); 0131 229 8216)

Indian restaurants are often much of a muchness and Edinburgh has lots of the standard curry houses. The Himalaya is a cut above the rest in my view with lots of specialities which are a wee bit different. We eat there quite a lot. Its not haute cuisine and there are posher Indian restuarants in Edinburgh but if you want a regular curry which is not ridiculously expensive, the Himalaya is good.

Bruntsfield Place:Howies (Recommended, several visits (most recent March 2004), 0131 221 1777)

Howies is a small chain of restaurants in Scotland that specialise in fixed-price meals. We have been to the one in Bruntsfield several times, the one in Victoria St and the one in Stockbridge. Services was good and friendly in all of them and the food is excellent although the portions are not large. On my last visit I had tapas as a starter - nice but would nto be recognisable in Spain and roast breast of guinea fowl as a main. I prefer it for lunch rather than dinner. very reasonable prices - £12-£16 for dinner depending on what time you go.

Bruntsfield Place: Papilio (Not bad, October 2004: 0131 229 3325)

This was a fairly grim Sicilian restaurant (see below) that has now re-opened with a new name and a new menu. It is middle of the road Italian. Reasonably competently cooking and fine for a quick unpretentious meal. I had Melanzane alla Parmigiana (Aubergines with Parmesan cheese) followed by wild mushroom risotto. With coffee and an OK bottle of wine, about £15 each.

Colinton Road at Holy Corner: Le Bistrot des Arts (Highly recommended, October 2004, 0131 452 845)

This intimate French restaurant is on the edge of Bruntsfield at so-called Holy Corner - an intersection where there are 4 churches at each corner. A name change and new owner (previously Mon Petit Boudin) plus a new menu. According to the menu, the new owner had a restaurant in France with a Michelin star and was attempting to reproduce this style of cooking in Edinburgh. Busy and with a good atmosphere. I had lamb sweetbreads as a starter - my first experience of eating them and contrary to some beliefs, they are not testicles. They were absolutely delicious - highly recommended. I followed this with a fish stew and crepes Suzette. My daughters reliably informed me that the steak was excellent and the pear tarte tatin looked superb. About £30 a head with 2 bottles of Chilean wine between 4 of us.

Morningside

There are hundreds of pubs in Edinburgh but if you want something totally unique, head for Morningside and the Canny Man's.

Morningside Road: Orbis (Recommended, 0131 466 7665)

A stylish restaurant that we managed to get a last minute week-end booking for. Food and atmosphere were fine - I had very nice black pudding with salad followed by John Dory. Quite pricey (£30+ with not a lot of wine) given the non-city centre location and I think the Bistrot de Arts which is close by has better food. However, if you have problems getting a booking elsewhere, this is worth trying.

Morningside Road: The Canny Man's (Recommended, May 2003, September 2005; 0131 447 1484)

The Canny Man's (also known as the Volunteer Arms) is a celebrated Edinburgh pub which is like an overcrowded antique shop that sells excellent beer, wines and spirits. We like it because the clientele includes all ages from teenagers to pensioners and all the staff are very welcoming. They also sell food based on Danish open sandwiches. I had Surf n'Turf (Beef and Lobster) with mushroom soup to start and apple pie as a pudding. About £20 for food though we spent far too much more on beer.

Revisited for lunch in September 2005 with my daughter Alison - her first visit. Consistently excellent attention to detail. Charcuterie starter followed by creamy smoked haddock open sandwich. Drinkable house wine - sauvignon blanc. Alison's comment was "can we come here again with Jane"!

Old Town

Maison Bleue (Recommended, Victoria St, 0131 226 1900)

A French restaurant which takes a decidedly non-French approach in that it doesn't have a rigid demarcation between starters and main dishes. Like the Outsider and the Apartment, it encourages sharing for starters which work well when there's an even number of people but there were 3 of us so it wasn't quite so good. I had a classic French starter, toasted goats cheese salad which I thought was a little mean on the goats cheese but otherwise good. I followed this with seafood gumbo which I also enjoyed. For this style, I think the Outsider is better but generally good food. About £25 each with some drinks and white wine.

Howies (Recommended, Victoria St, 0131 xxx xxxx)

Another branch of the reliable Howies group. Cullen skink (Smoked haddock soup) as a starter which was creamy and excellent and a variant on haggis, neeps and tatties as a main course. I particularly enjoy Howies for lunch - the portions are not large and 2 courses is just enough. About £14 each including a bottle of reasonable Sauvignon Blanc, 2 courses and coffees.

Grassmarket: Mammas (OK, August 2003, 0131 225-6464)

A well-known pizza restaurant. We sat outside on a beautiful warm evening after a show at the Festival - great ambience. Pizzas are OK but Americans and Italians will be disappointed.

Grassmarket: Petit Paris (OK, July 2002, 0131 226 2442)

After a late conference session, we had no reservations anywhere and they had a free table. The checked plastic tablecloths were a bit off-putting but the atmosphere was lively and the service (by real French waiters and waitresses) was excellent. I had fish soup, one of my favourites which was OK but not outstanding followed by a perfectly cooked lamb steak - the sauce however tasted as if it came out of a packet. Good house wine - Bergerac. About £25 each.

Castlehill: The Witchery (Highly recommended, July 2003; Recommended, June 2006, 0131 225 5613)

The Witchery is a celebrated Edinburgh institution which is very definitely a special-occasion restaurant. Our special occasion was my daughter Alison's graduation (1st class honours in History - proud father :-). We were in the Secret Garden - a candlelit space overlooking a garden. The food was excellent - Alison and I shared a large plate of fresh seafood (oysters, langoustines, mussels, lobster, prawns), perfectly prepared and I then had baked halibut with a very unusual broad bean and pea accompaniment. Too full for a dessert each so we shared an exquisite plate of mixed desserts. With a decent bottle of Burgundy and some starting drinks, about £55 each. Probably the best restaurant meal I've had in Edinburgh.

We returned for another graduation meal in the Secret Garden (Jane's - also 1st class honours, proud father again :-)). The ambience was again wonderful but the food did not live up to its high costs, I started with crab and asparagus lasagne - a fairly small portion with the asparagus indiscernable. Nice but not as good as I expected. My main course was lamb which was good but again not exceptional. We shared a dessert of lemon tart, which was superb. A very good meal but, for the price (£60 per head) I have had better in Edinburgh. I still recommend the Witchery for a special occasion but go elsewhere for the best food.

George IV Bridge: The Outsider (Highly recommended, November 2002; 0131 226 3131)

This is a newer restaurant opened by the same people who run the very busy and celebrated Apartment Restaurant in Bruntsfield. Like the Apartment, it doesn't do separate starters but you order a main course for sharing. They have a variety of unusual kebabs (called Chunky Healthy Lines), grills and salads. Minimalist but with a better atmosphere (I think) than the apartment. I shared an excellent salad as a starter then a mixed fish CHL. The Moroccan meatballs were also pronounced excellent. Not unduly expensive - about £20 head including wine. We have tried to return several times in 2003 but always full. For dinner at week-ends, you should book 2 weeks in advance. I hope to go there during ICSE.

George IV Bridge: The Elephant House (Recommended, November 2003, 0131 220 5355)

More of a coffee shop/cafe than a restaurant - we've had lunch there a couple of times and it does quite nice snacks and sandwiches. About £6 per head for one course.

Chambers St: The Tower (Recommended, May 2004, 0131 225 3003)

Another special occasion restaurant (my wife Anne's birthday) which is at its best in spring and summer with a rooftop outlook over Edinburgh. We ate there in late spring on a beautiful evening so the sun was setting over a lively restaurant. I had crab risotto with scallops followed by mixed fish (sea bass, red mullet, squid and langoustines) and a cranachan parfait. Well-cooked fresh fish although the starter portions were rather small. The food and service were excellent but it's expensive- with a bottle of white and a bottle of red wine between 4 of us, it ended up about £50 each. At this price, I think the Witchery is better.

Chambers St: Beluga (Decidedly so-so, March 2005, 0131 XXX XXXX)

We had a pre-arranged workshop dinner in the trendy bar/restaurant) so perhaps the meal was atypical. I wasn't impressed - the smoked salmon in the starter was dull, I had leek and pork sausages as a main course which were OK but far from excellent and the so-called cherry tart as a pudding didn't appear to contain any cherries. The wine left much to be desired. It might be better for regular meals but my daughter has eaten there and she didn't really rate it. Perhaps a place to be seen rather than to eat.

Old Fishmarket Close, Cafe Marlayne (Highly recommended, November 2005, 0131 225 3838)

A French restaurant, with another outlet in Thistle St. Located down a close off High St so not easy to find but bustling and with an excellent ambience. I started with a Salade Nicoise which was better than anything I'd actually had in France - fresh tuna, cooked pink to perfection. Followed by sea bream and a selection of French cheeses. My daughter Jane was the only non-fish eater- she had steak which was excellent. Not too expensive - about £25 per head with aperitifs (kir) and wine. We will definitely go again (and try the New Town branch).

Jeffrey St : Iggs. (Highly recommended, September, 2003; O131 557 8184)

When attending the SAFECOMP conference in Edinburgh, we went to Iggs with a group of friends from the DIRC project. The restaurant was surprisingly quiet but my food was outstanding. I started with squid risotto - cooked in ink - and followed this with what I think was the best piece of steak I have ever had. Perfectly cooked - rare all the way through. I don't usually eat desserts but was tempted here by the Banana Tarte Tatin - upside down banana tart. Lovely - the other puds looked pretty good too. Expensive but I'm not sure how much as DIRC paid.

Jeffrey St: La Garrigue (Highly recommended, May 2004, December 2004, 0131 557 3032)

A Languedoc restaurant recommended by a colleague in Edinburgh. We went on a Tuesday evening and it was almost full - good atmosphere and a very French menu. I had squid salad to start followed by John Dory - both excellent and at £15.50 for 2 courses, pretty good value. We had quite a lot of Languedoc wine (I've forgotten the name) that wasn't overpriced, mineral water and coffees so it ended up about £25 a head. A place we'll definitely revisit.

We did - in December 2004. This is definitely one of my favourite restaurants - a little more expensive at week-ends but good value. I had fish soup followed by cassoulet and lemon tart. The cassoulet was better than any I've had in France and the lemon tart was exquisite. About £30 each.

St Mary's St; Prego (Recommended, October 2003; 0131 557 5754)

Found by accident when looking for a Spanish restaurant that no longer exists. This is an Italian restaurant in a minimalist style that serves fairly traditional but excellently cooked Italian food. I started with a simple mushroom risotto followed by sea bass with the bill coming to about £25 per head with a reasonable bottle of Verdiccio San Gimignano and various other drinks. While definitely not exceptional, it delivered a good quality meal at a reasonable (for Edinburgh, not Italy) price.

We returned in October 2003 - a last minute visit to Edinburgh meant that it was hard to find a restaurant that wasn't full. If anything, I thought that it had improved..

St Mary's St: David Bann (Recommended, Summer 2003, 0131 556 5888)

This is an entirely vegetarian restaurant which goes far beyond the usual vegetarian standards. I haven't had dinner here but have eaten lunch - slow service but excellent Thai noodles. It shows what good vegetarian food can be like - a far cry from the 1970s dullness of Hendersons.

Canongate: Plaisir du Chocolat (Highly recommended, Several visits, 0131 556 9524)

A French patisserie and salon de the in the heart of Edinburgh. I am not a chocolate lover and rarely eat chocolate based desserts but my daughter Jane is a chocolate expert so we had to try this place. Without doubt, it serves the best hot chocolate I have ever had. They also have unusual teas and simple French food - tarts, onion soup, and unbelievable cakes. Readers of Joanne Harris's books will love this place. Well worth a visit if you're heading to Holyrood Palace from the Castle.

Places I'd like to try

Canongate: Off the Wall

New Town

The New Town is classical Georgian Edinburgh but it's not an area that we visit a great deal. Mostly, we've gone to restaurants in this area when we've been at shows in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in the Assembly Rooms so it's been a bit rushed.

Hanover Street: Hendersons (Nostalgic, several visits, 0131 225 2131)

Hendersons is an Edinburgh institution that started in the 1960s and which really hasn't changed much since my first visit in the 1970s. One of the first vegetarian restaurant it serves wholesome 1970s style food - bean casseroles, bean salads and bean soups. Ageing hippies love Henderson's and if, like me, you are still a 70's person at heart then its worth a visit. The food is hearty and rather dull although the dried fruit compote with ginger and sour cream is still absolutely wonderful. Don't miss it if you go there. No bookings.

Frederick St: Cafe Rouge (Average, January 2005, 0131 225 4515)

This is part of a national chain of French-style bistros and they have replicated the French style pretty well. I started with mussels followed by shank of lamb. It was OK but nothing to get excited about (just like most bistros in France, so they've replicated it well). However, we had a very enjoyable evening there as the atmosphere was excellent - live jazz, friendly service. Not too expensive - less than £25 each with a fair bit of wine.

North Castle St: Oloroso (Highly recommended, 0131 226 7614)

A modern stylish restaurant with rooftop views and an outside terrace. We went there after my daughter's graduation ceremony but sadly the weather wasn't good enough for the terrace. I started with sardines with potato salad followed by roasted halibut. This sounds mundane but the food was excellent and presented in a very unusual way. First class, understated service. Other folk's food (pork and lamb) was equally good and my daughters' had desserts - they were excellent. Expensive - £40+ each with wine - but recommended for a special occasion.

Rose St: The Mussel Inn (Great for mussels, Summer 2002, 0131 225 5979)

A restaurant that is owned by the Scottish Shellfish Fisherman's Coop which, as the name suggests specialises in mussels. I had smoked salmon Caesar salad as a starter followed by a large pot of mussels thai style. My daughter Alison had the same but with scallops instead of smoked salmon and 'classic' (white wine, shallots etc.) mussels. We both love mussels and these are definitely the best we've had in Edinburgh. I thought the choice of other seafood was a bit limited and don't go there if you want an alternative to fish or shellfish. About £26 each with a bottle of reasonable white wine. If this was anywhere but Edinburgh I'd definitely go back but there are lots of other fish restaurants to try so I'm not sure.

George St: Browns (Not bad, Summer 2002, 2004, 0131 225 4442)

A week-end in Edinburgh where my daughter's chose the restaurants meant that we ate in places that I would not normally have chosen. Browns in part of a small chain and the Edinburgh Browns is a large and airy restaurant in George Street. I had seafood pie followed by lemon tart. Workmanlike food from a large kitchen - not bad but nothing memorable. Very good atmosphere - probably a good place to go with a large group. They specialise in cocktails - good but very expensive. About £25 each but my daughters took full advantage of the cocktail menu. No bookings.

Revisited for a pre-theatre meal in August 2004. I had lamb shank in tomato sauce. My impression was that the food had improved.

George St: Hard Rock Cafe (OK, Summer 2002, 0131-260-3000)

Not much to say - the same as Hard Rock Cafe's anywhere else. I liked the original in London but they are really scraping the barrel a bit with their memorabilia as they open more and more places. Burgers are fine but no longer unusual. However, I think that the nachos are really good - but artery clogging. About £12 each with beers and cokes. No bookings.

George St: Centotre (Highly recommended, August 2004, August 2005, March 2006. 0131 225 1550)

An Italian restaurant at 103 (cento tre) George Street. Owned by the celebrated Valvona & Crolla family (V & C is without doubt the best Italian deli in Edinburgh). Extremely popular and great, bustling atmosphere. A very short menu of Italian classics but the quality of the food was outstanding. I started with antipasti (parma ham, peppers, aubergines, tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella) followed by a veal cutlet with olive oil mash potatoes. Unusual and excellent wine (we had Prosecco and a sparkling red) with an enlightened policy of charging a flat rate £5 over the retail price. The pasta and the Italian sausages were also said to be excellent. About £30 a head including 2 bottles of wine.

Revisited in 2005 - same starter followed by a pizza - something I rarely order outside Italy. Superb quality. This is certainly the best Italian restaurant in the UK that I have visited.

Visited again in March 2006 for my daughter Jane's birthday where the photo on my home page was taken. Food up to the usual high standard. My starter was Gnocchi in Tomato Sauce and main course was Liver in the Venetian style. It passed the liver test - tender without a hint of graininess.

St Andrews Square: Tiles (Standard pub food, April 2004, 0131 558 1507)

A busy pub near the HQ of the Royal Bank and fashionable shops such as Harvey Nichols. Nice decor (tiled walls as the name suggests and a buzzing atmosphere). My food was disappointing - haggis (a type of sausage with oatmeal), neeps (a type of turnip) and tatties. Obviously all pre-prepared packaged pub food. I don't think I chose well - the potato wedges and chilli looked much nicer.

Thistle Street: Fishers in the City (Recommended, March 2005, 0131 225 5109)

The city centre branch of a well-known Leith fish restaurant, first visited in 2001. We were there midweek and it was buzzing. I had fish soup to start followed by scallops. Rich soup with lots of fishy bits and melt-in-the mouth scallops. Unusual Italian white wine (Vediccio di San Gimignano) reminded us of holidays in Tuscany. Like all fish restaurants, not cheap. I preferred it to Creelers but they are both good.

Visited again in March 2005. Standards just as high. Sea Bass in a seaweed broth followed by halibut. About £30 a head.

Thistle St Lane: Cafe St Honore (Recommended, May 2003, 0131 226 2211)

An Edinburgh French bistro that has acquired a good reputation. It lived up to its reputation for us. I had a starter of quick fried squid followed by perfectly cooked venison. The restaurant was not busy (There was a major football match that evening -it was my wife's birthday so I had to miss it!) but I imagine that it has a good atmosphere. About £30 each including a reasonable wine. It can be hard to find - walk along Thistle Street from Hanover St and its on the left before Fishers.

Elm Row: Valvona & Crolla (Highly recommended, Several visits, 0131 556 6066 )

I guess its stretching it a bit to call this New Town but its on the fringes. V & C is perhaps the best Italian deli in the UK and well worth a visit for this alone. The cafe sells the nearest thing to genuine Italian food that you can get in Edinburgh and its always packed. The simple dishes - omelettes and pastas are great. More expensive than most cafe's but worth it. About £10 each for a single course lunch with a glass of wine. Not normally open in the evening.

North West Circus Place: Patisserie Florentin (Recommended, June 2004, 0131 220 0225)

On the edge of Stockbridge this is a baker's shop with a small cafe. Nice for lunch - I had salmon quiche with salad - not too runny which is how I prefer it. The sandwiches and (especially) the lemon tart were also recommended.

St Stephens St: Blue Parrot Cantina (OK, January 2005, 0131 225 2941)

In a very characterful street in Stockbridge, this is a tiny restaurant serving Mexican food. Very good atmosphere - the food is much the same as most European Mexican restaurants - variants on tortillas with different fillings. I started with 'hongas' - mushrooms in a garlicy tomato sauce served in a crispy fried tortilla, followed by a burrito with chicken. The food was OK but unmemorable - the margaritas, however, were excellent. Not expensive - about £20 each, but this included several margaritas.

Forth Floor Restaurant, Harvey Nichols (Recommended, March 2005, 0131 524 8350.)

A fashionable restaurant which we visited on my daughter Jane's 21st birthday. It's a special occasion restaurant - pretty expensive but excellent quality food. I started with extremely good scallops wrapped in bacon with a blue cheese sauce followed by perfectly cooked loin of venison. I also tried by daughter's lamb and cheese course - both excellent. The portions are rather small however - I could have eaten more than 3 scallops. If you are into cocktails, they have a fantastic selection (I'd never tried Polish honey vodka before) but these, plus a couple of bottles of wine, added to the overall bill of about £55 each.

The Bridges/South Side

North Bridge: Hadrian's Brasserie (Recommended, February 2001, 0131 556 2414)

Hadrian's Brasserie is the less expensive restaurant in the Waverly Hotel. Its a nice atmosphere with a short unpretentious menu. I had fishcakes followed by nicely cooked liver (always hard to get right). About £20 a head but its a while since we were there so prices may have increased.

North Bridge: The North Bridge Brasserie (Recommended, February 2003, 0131 622 2900)

Just up the road from Hadrian's, this is part of the fashionable and expensive Scotsman hotel. Lots of cocktails, stainless steel etc. and a very lively atmosphere. The menu is of the same style as Hadrian's - short and unpretentious - I had liver again and a starter that I forgot to write down so can't remember. A bit more expensive than Hadrian's but in the same ball-park. Our meal was rather spoiled by poor service and the waitress took offence when I told her this and refused a tip. My daughter (who likes cocktails) has been there recently and was very complimentary about both the food and drink.

Hunter Square: Creelers (Recommended, June 2003, 0131 220 4447)

Creelers is a fish restaurant that's owned by a fiherman's cooperative from the west coast and this shows in the quality of their fish. I've eaten here twice and had excellent meals both times. Last time I started with scallops and followed this with halibut. Unfortunately, both times I've been there midweek and its been a bit quiet and lacking in atmosphere. About £30 a head.

St Patrick's Square: Kalpna (Recommended, May 2003; December 2005, 0131 667 9890)

Kalpna is a celebrated vegetarian curry restaurant that offer a fixed-price buffet lunch for about a fiver. I've also eaten there in the evening with a big group - no idea what we ordered but it was good. If you want a cheap and tasty meal in Edinburgh, I doubt if you'dd do better.

I have had lunch here several times since 2003, most recently in December 2005. Their lunch buffet is £6 per head - excellent value. Food is hearty rather than classy but none the worse for that.

Nicholson St: Buffet King (Not bad, several visits, 2003, 0131 557 4567)

This is a Chinese buffet restaurant where you pay a fixed price and eat as much as you like. Close to the Edinburgh E-science centre so I've been there a few times for lunch. If it's busy, I reckon the food is a cut above the average Chinese restaurant but not outstanding. If its not busy, the food gets a bit stale. The sesame beef is excellent. Less then £10 including Chinese tea. For Harry Potter fans, J.K. Rowling reputedly wrote the first book here when it was Nicholson's- a cafe rather than a Chinese restaurant.

West Nicholson St: Phenecia (Recommended for lunch, December 2004, 0131 662 4493)

Very close to the University, I've eaten here a couple of times when visiting. The style is Spanish/North African and lunches are fantastic value (£5 for 2 courses). I've mainly stuck to the vegetarian options and last time I had pumpkin and blue cheese fritters followed by bean cous-cous. Certainly recommended if you're around around Appleton Tower or George Square. I plan to try it in the evening soon.

Marshall St: Elephant and Bagels (Recommended, May 2004, 0131 668 4404)

An offshoot of the Elephant House specialising in filled bagels. Several types of bagel, many combinations of filling. I'm told it's usually busy at lunchtime. Great for a quick sandwich lunch.

Leith

Leith is still the port and dock area for Edinburgh but is rapidly gentrifying with lots of new apartments. Its probably not a place you'd visit when attending a conference unless you want to go and see the Royal Yacht Britannia. This was the Queen's yacht and as a confirmed republican I was very dubious about going to see it - however, I was dragged there and it was surprisingly interesting.It's close to a dull shopping mall (the curse of the mall has struck in Scotland), and cinema complex but the Indian restaurant nearby is reputedly good.

Anyway, Leith is up and coming and has some fine restaurants.

Dock Place: Skippers Bistro (Highly recommended, January 2003; 0131 554 1018)

Skippers is a well-kn own fish restaurant in the now gentrified Leith area. Its an informal cosy place with few alternatives to fish. I had their own fish soup (excellent and rather different) followed by Finnan Haddie (Smoked haddock) with Wild Mushrooms and Brie. About £25 each - normal for Edinburgh.

Commercial St: Daniel's Bistro (Highly recommended, January 2004; 0131 553 5933)

Daniel's is a very popular French bistro in Leith, a rapidly gentrifying and now fashionable area of Edinburgh with a number of good restaurants. The owner, I am told, is from Alsace-Lorraine and this is reflected in the food which has a distinctly Northern French emphasis. I had an excellent salade lyonnaise (salad with bacon and egg) which was better than most comparable dishes I've had in France. The tarte flamme (an Alsation speciality) was shared by my daughters who pronounced it excellent. Main course was fish casserole - a hearty meaty dish which was very good. Pudding was Scottish however, raspberry cranachan. The place had a vibrant atmosphere - very French with all ages from 8 to 80.

Places I'd like to try

Restaurant Martin Wishart

One of Edinburgh's few Michelin starred restaurants. I've walked past it and it looks great.

Further Afield

IKEA Edinburgh (Recommended!, April 2006)

Not a normal restaurant visit but we had to visit IKEA to buy a bookcase for my daughter Jane. It was early evening, we were hungry so we braved the restaurant. And it was surprisingly good and unbelievable value for money. I had cous-cous with lamb and peppers. The lamb was OK but the cous-cous was as good as any I've had in north african restaurants. Lots of vegetables and very nicely cooked. We had two main courses and coffee for £9 (my wife Anne had salmon) and I doubt if you'll find better food for that price anywhere.