| 23 July 2010
No matter how many shows you manage to pack into your visit to the Festival, you’re going to need to stop and eat occasionally. Jonathan Trew tucks in at the top table.
TOP END
21212
3 Royal Terrace
Tel: 0845 22 21212
www.21212restaurant.co.uk
NEAR: 5 minutes from the Playhouse
Having opened in May 2009, Paul Kitching’s opulent restaurant was awarded a Michelin star the following January. The contemporary dining room and open kitchen are housed in an elegant Georgian townhouse but the food is cutting edge modern. Expect the unexpected from the daily changing menu. Chinese style fish was the deceptively straightforward description of a complex dish from a recent menu. It’s bold, adventurous, sometimes baffling and a unique experience although Kitching claims to have calmed his more extravagant tendencies of late.
AMBER RESTAURANT
Scotch Whisky Experience
354 Castlehill
Tel: 0131 477 8477
www.amberrestaurant.co.uk
NEAR: 2 minutes from the Tattoo
With 300 whiskies on hand, this restaurant café at the top of the Royal Mile will put a smile on the face of any malt fan. During the day, the café menu includes dishes like the sea bass in oatmeal with whisky butter. In the evening, the candles come out and the operation kicks up a couple of gears with options such as the beef fillet with blue cheese ravioli served with Royal kidney potatoes and green beans. Real whisky heads can ask the sommelier to match malts to each course of their meal. If you want to push the boat out, try private dining in the spectacular vault housing the Diageo Claive Vidiz Scotch Whisky Collection.
THE ATRIUM
10 Cambridge Street
Tel: 0131 228 8882
www.atriumrestaurant.co.uk
NEAR: 1 minute to Traverse
Despite marching deeper into its second decade, Andrew Radford’s Atrium is still very much one of Edinburgh’s destination restaurants. Local ingredients and their suppliers are given prominence by head chef Neil Forbes in dishes such as the Perthshire roe deer, served with creamy potatoes and purple sprouting broccoli. Expect to pay upwards of £30 a head for three courses from the a la carte in the evening. The two-course set lunch is £15 and something of
a bargain.
CASTLE TERRACE
33-35 Castle Terrace
www.thekitchin.com
NEAR: 5 minutes from Traverse
Tom Kitchin, the Michelin hotshot chef and owner of The Kitchin, opened this new venture in mid July. His old friend and colleague Dominic Jack, who has had a similarly stellar career to Kitchin, has been installed at the helm of the kitchen. It’s too soon for specifics but fresh, seasonal, Scottish ingredients cooked with care and precision are almost certainly on the cards.
THE FORTH FLOOR at Harvey Nichols
30-34 St Andrew Square
Tel: 0131 524 8350
www.harveynichols.com
NEAR: 5 minutes to Assembly Rooms
With views across the city skyline, very professional staff and a good wine list, Harvey Nicks has a lot going for it. In the restaurant, head chef Stuart Muir rustles up meals such as the braised Aberdeenshire pork cheek, roast lobster, parsnip puree and gingerbread sauce. The brasserie menu is simpler and correspondingly cheaper. On a sunny afternoon, the balcony is a great place for a steak frites
or seafood platter. They are pretty nifty with a cocktail shaker as well.
THE KITCHIN
78 Commercial Quay, Leith
Tel: 0131 555 1755
www.thekitchin.com
NEAR: 10 minutes by taxi to city centre
Open less than a year before gaining its first Michelin star, Tom Kitchin’s eponymous restaurant lit up Edinburgh’s dining scene, and his subsequent TV appearances have further polished his reputation. The chef trained with big names such as Pierre Koffmann and Alain Ducasse, which is reflected in the classical French slant to the food. ‘From nature to plate’ is the restaurant’s philosophy, and a recent menu boasted dishes such as roasted guinea fowl from Gartmorn Farm, served with Eassie Farm asparagus and French morels a la crème, as well as Kitchin’s signature starter of roasted langoustine tails from Anstruther with boned and rolled pig’s head, served with a crispy ear salad. You’ll pay top whack but remember the meal long after the bill stops stinging.
LA CUCINA AT HOTEL MISSONI
1 George IV Bridge
Tel: 0131 240 1666
www.hotelmissoni.com
NEAR: 2 minutes from Underbelly
Opened in June 2009, Hotel Missoni is the first in a planned series of hotels from the Italian fashion and design house Missoni. The first-floor restaurant is a buzzy space that majors in classic Italian cooking. Well-sourced, seasonal ingredients treated simply are the main focus of the menu. Think along the lines of homemade tagliatelle with traditional pork ragout, or the roasted duck breast, served with chilli and garlic braised broccoli. The desserts, especially the tiramisu, are more experimental. Just like designer clothing, there is the occasional feeling that you are paying quite a premium for the label, but nobody said fashion was going to be cheap.
NUMBER ONE
Balmoral Hotel, 1 Princes Street
Tel: 0131 557 6727
www.restaurantnumberone.com
NEAR: 5 minutes to Playhouse
Head chef Jeff Bland secured a Michelin star at number one in 2003 and shows no sign of relinquishing it. With its rich, red lacquer walls the basement restaurant is as sumptuous as you might expect at one of Rocco Forte’s flagship hotels, and it has the deluxe food to match. Loin of Borders venison, Pommes Anna and parsley root with a date and Armagnac purée featured recently on the dinner menu. Obviously it’s not cheap, but you get what you pay for. The a la carte is £57.50 for three courses. The multi-course taster menu offers a blow-out at £62.50 (plus £50 for matching wines). The more informal Hadrian’s Brasserie upstairs should not be overlooked either.
OLOROSO
33 Castle Street
Tel: 0131 226 7614
www.oloroso.co.uk
NEAR: 2 minutes to Assembly Rooms
Sleek, contemporary looks and progressive cooking are a hot combo at Oloroso. As well as its rooftop restaurant, the space also boasts a hip bar and terrace with views to the castle in one direction and Fife in the other. Chef Tony Singh has developed a broad range of seasonal menus that encompass locally sourced ingredients matched with flavours from around the globe. Think pot-roasted quail with white bean purée, bitter wild rocket and sweet onion salad. Alternatively, hit the grill menu for properly matured Highland beef. Book well in advance, or just get a drink at the bar and enjoy the views from the terrace.
ONDINE
2 George IV Bridge
Tel: 0131 226 1888
www.ondinerestaurant.co.uk
NEAR: 1 minute to the Underbelly
Roy Brett’s keenly anticipated fish and seafood restaurant has been pulling in glowing reviews since opening in the summer of 2009. It’s a smart, chic place whose distinguishing feature is a horseshoe crustacean bar, where diners perch on stools, sip champers and tuck away oysters, clams and lobster. The hot shellfish platter with aioli is Brett’s signature dish, but there are plenty of earthy meat options as well. Brett used to work for Rick Stein and shares the Padstow chef’s enthusiasm for sustainability. It’s always nice to know that your grilled langoustines in a pastis butter are ethically sourced.
PLUMED HORSE
50-54 Henderson Street
Tel: 0131 554 5556
www.plumedhorse.co.uk
NEAR: 10 minutes by taxi to the city centre
In January 2009, chef proprietor Tony Borthwick regained the Michelin star that he had to relinquish when he first moved the Plumed Horse from Castle Douglas to the capital. Now an established feature on Leith’s Michelin Mile, he is cementing his position in Edinburgh’s top flight restaurants with dishes like this: pan fried rib-eye of Scottish veal, served with a fricassee of seasonal and wild mushrooms, mashed potato and two veal sauces. Three courses from the a la carte dinner menu will come in at £48. A three course lunch is £25.50.
RESTAURANT MARTIN WISHART
54 The Shore
Tel: 0131 553 3557
www.martin-wishart.co.uk
NEAR: 10 minutes by taxi to city centre
The first of Edinburgh’s five chefs to be awarded a Michelin star, Martin Wishart has expanded his operations in recent years to add a cook school and a West Coast offshoot at Cameron House Hotel. None of this has distracted him from ensuring that his eponymous restaurant remains one of the very best in Edinburgh if not all of Scotland. Wishart trained with Michel and Albert Roux and worked alongside Marco Pierre White, so it’s no surprise that his elegant cooking is strongly influenced by the classic French tradition. The menus change according to the seasonal produce available but a typical dish might be the loin of Borders Roe deer with a gratin of asparagus, goat’s cheese gnocchi and sauce Grand Veneur. Despite extending through to the next-door premises, getting a table in the evening can require a lot of forward planning. Lunch is easier and incredible value at £27.50 for three courses. Three courses from the a la carte are £60. Unusually at this level, Restaurant Martin Wishart has a dedicated veggie tasting menu.
RHUBARB
Prestonfield House
Tel: 0131 225 1333
www.prestonfield.com
NEAR: 20 minutes to Pleasance
Rhubarb is part of the James Thomson empire, which also includes the Witchery and the Tower. Before he took over, Prestonfield House was showing its considerable age; Thomson has turned it into a riot of baroque colour and drapes, which the theatrically minded will appreciate. A lavish hotel as well as a restaurant, it has been winning awards ever since it opened. A typical dish might be the tranche of turbot served with confit lemon, golden raisins, razor clams and caper butter. The staff can pamper with the best of them and have served Vin Diesel, Michael Stipe and the Dalai Lama since Rhubarb opened its doors. Expect to pay around £40 for a three-course dinner.
RISTORANTE SANTINI
8 Conference Square
Tel: 0131 221 7788
www.santiniedinburgh.co.uk
NEAR: 2 minutes to Usher Hall
Part of the Sheraton Grand, Ristorante Santini is the hotel’s Italian equivalent to its equally upmarket Grill Room, which boasts top notch beef from around the globe. Beef is also on the menu at Santini, where it might be wrapped in smoked bacon and served with green lentils. Perhaps more typical are dishes such as the home made black tagliolini pasta with scallops, prawns and vanilla sauce, or the grilled red mullet with crab, gremolata and a cherry tomato risotto.
TEMPUS AT THE GEORGE
19-21 George Street
Tel: 0131 240 7197
www.eh2tempus.co.uk
NEAR: 2 minutes from the Assembly Rooms
With its raised captain’s table, antique chandeliers and outsized flower displays, the flagship restaurant at The George looks invitingly decadent. It’s easy to imagine slightly scandalous parties taking place here. The menu majors on modern British dishes, such as the organic salmon fillet served with new potato and sea vegetable salad
or the ballotine of chicken with truffled stuffing, creamed mushrooms and wilted greens. Local suppliers such as the Buccleuch estate are to the fore when it comes to beef and game. The cocktail bar is a smooth spot to try and forget the trials and tribulations of
the working day over a couple of Angry Pirates or a more straightforward Cosmo.
THE TOWER
Museum Of Scotland, Chambers Street
Tel: 0131 225 3003
www.tower-restaurant.com
NEAR: 5 minutes to Festival Theatre
Now in its second decade, James Thomson’s Tower is still very much a place to see and be seen in Edinburgh. Perched on top of the Museum of Scotland, some of the best viewing is to be had across the Grassmarket to the castle. Rock oysters, smoked eel tempura and lemon sole are among the fishy options while the 21-day fillet steak is always popular on a menu that also includes a pancetta, rabbit and wild mushroom salad, chicken cordon bleu and the brown crab Thai omelette. The wine list has won a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence.
THE WITCHERY BY THE CASTLE
352 Castlehill, Royal Mile
Tel: 0131 225 5613
www.thewitchery.com
NEAR: 2 minutes to the Tattoo
The Witchery fulfils a lot of people’s fantasies about Edinburgh as a romantic and atmospheric city steeped in history. The building that houses the restaurant goes back centuries, and the two dining rooms look as though they may have been there since the adjacent castle was built. Candlelight, oak panelling and beamed ceilings complete the picture. The food is classic, with seafood platters jostling for space with beef Wellingtons, pan-roasted duck breasts and pork cooked three ways. The wine list has won numerous awards. One of a kind. Light lunch and supper menus are available at £13.95 for two courses.
MID RANGE
ANGELS WITH BAGPIPES
343 High Street
Tel: 0131 220 1111
www.angelswithbagpipes.com
NEAR: 10 minutes to Tattoo
Just opened in July, this new Scots Italian restaurant is run by Marina Crolla, a member of the family synonymous with the Valvona and Crolla brand. High-quality seasonal ingredients from Scotland and Italy are used in dishes like the haggis millefeuille, homemade ravioli, beer battered haddock and Scottish king scallops cooked with Stornoway black pudding. Check out the Halo Room, which seats four people and hangs out above Roxburgh’s Close.
A ROOM IN TOWN
18 Howe Street
Tel: 0131 225 8204
NEAR: 2 minutes to St Stephen’s
A ROOM IN THE WEST END
26 William Street
Tel: 0131 226 1036
NEAR: 2 minutes to St George West
A ROOM IN LEITH
1c Dock Place
Tel: 0131 554 7427
www.aroomin.co.uk
NEAR: 10 minutes by taxi to city centre
These casual but cosy bistros have a distinct Scottish feel. This is borne out on the menus, where the sea trout is marinated in whisky, ginger and lime and the pan-seared scallops, served on crab and scallion pancakes, come from the Shetlands. All three establishments are licensed but also do BYOB with a small corkage charge. Handily, the William Street branch is in a basement under the amiable Teuchter’s bar so you can nip upstairs for any liquid refreshments you have forgotten to bring yourself. The Leith branch, the latest addition to the group, offers the same service
in the adjacent Teuchters’ Landing bar.
L’ARTICHAUT
14 Eyre Place
Tel: 0131 558 1608
www.lartichaut.co.uk
NEAR: 15 minutes to Assembly Rooms
A sister restaurant to La Garrigue, L’Artichaut is Jean Michel Gauffre’s take on a vegetarian restaurant. His idea is to use classic European techniques rather than the Asian methods and flavours used by many other veggie places. L’Artichaut features several regularly changing menus depending on what’s in season. Typical main courses might be the spiced cauliflower and date tagine served with toasted almond and sultana quinoa or a whole roasted onion with a nutty chickpea and apricot stuffing, smoked red pepper purée and wild rice.
BLUE
10 Cambridge Street
Tel: 0131 221 1222
www.bluescotland.co.uk
NEAR: 1 minute to Traverse
A cosy, modern bistro bar, Blue is the little brother to the considerably plusher Atrium downstairs. Seasonal, local produce is to the fore on the menu, with some ingredients coming from the farmer’s market held across the street. A typical main course at dinner might be the braised featherblade of Borders beef, garlic mash, carrots and jus, or the wild mushroom and tarragon tagliatelle. A couple of the more popular dishes are available in two sizes, which is useful given the way normal meal times tend not to apply during the Festival. It’s a handy place if you fancy something more substantial than a snack but don’t want a full-blown formal four-courser. Alternatively, just have a well-made drink at the bar.
BONSAI
46 West Richmond Street
Tel: 0131 668 3847
www.bonsaibarbistro.co.uk
NEAR: 5 minutes from Festival Theatre
Living up to its name, this Japanese restaurant is a petite, homely affair that serves sushi, sashimi and yakatori dishes at surprisingly reasonable prices. If the fish doesn’t appeal then try the enoki mushrooms in garlic butter or the beef teriyaki. For those whose tastes don’t adventure much beyond meat and two veg, Bonsai does do French fries, but they come with Japanese brown sauce.
BRITANNIA SPICE
150 Commercial Street
Tel: 0131 555 2255
www.britanniaspice.co.uk
NEAR: 10 minute by taxi from city centre
Named after the Royal Yacht Britannia, which is berthed less than a nautical mile away, Britannia Spice has a seafaring bearing to its interior. The menus are also well travelled, with options from North India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Thailand and Sri Lanka. Without getting your passport out, you can skip between Thai tom yum soup, Himalayan spicy trout and king prawns cooked in Bangladeshi style with mustard paste, green chillies and yoghurt. Now celebrating a decade in business, Britannia Spice has scooped multiple awards for its border-crossing take on Asian food.
LE CAFÉ ST HONORÉ
34 North West Thistle St Lane
Tel:` 0131 226 2211
www.cafesthonore.com
NEAR: 5 minutes to Assembly Rooms
Hidden off Thistle Street, this long established little restaurant is worth looking out. The classic Parisian brasserie style décor remains but the menu has moved away from France towards modern British cooking over the last couple of years. Organic where possible, seasonal and locally produced, the menu at Café St Honore makes sure to name-check its suppliers. A typical dish at dinner might be the Borders beef carpaccio served with a Pentland Dell potato salad, or the Scrabster halibut, which comes with a mussel and English asparagus linguini.
CALISTOGA
70 Rose Street Lane North
Tel: 0131 225 1233
www.calistoga.co.uk
NEAR: 5 minutes from Assembly George Street
Californian cooking is the flavour of the day at this just-off-the-beaten track, city centre restaurant. The menu changes regularly, but a typical starter might be the BBQ pork, crab and cashew roll with pickled cucumber relish, while lamb gigot with a smoky red wine and shallot sauce served on a Colcannon cake is the sort of dish that appears among the main courses. The owner is mad for Californian wines, and sells a wide and interesting selection of them in the restaurant at just £5 above cost price. Dinner is a very reasonable £23 for three courses.
CENTOTRE
103 George Street
Tel: 0131 225 1550
www.centotre.com
NEAR: 5 minutes to Assembly Rooms
Just turned six years old, this snappy Italian sits in an imposing converted bank. The quality of the ingredients shines through here, in simple dishes such as a taster plate of prosciutto di Parma, mozzarella di Bufala, Pachino tomatoes, chargrilled vegetables marinated with extra virgin olive oil, fresh herbs and garlic bruschetta. Their pizzas are critically acclaimed, the pastas are prepared fresh on the premises and the carne dishes, such as the southern Italian rabbit stew with bucatini in a rich Taggiasche olive, caperberry and tomato sugo, are made with care. Some enthusiastic festival fans even make it in for breakfast but we would rather sip a Sophia Loren at the bar later on in the day.
CLUB INDIA
105 Lothian Road
Tel: 0131 229 7747
www.club-india.com
NEAR: 5 minutes from Traverse
This newly opened restaurant tries to be a little different from the usual Anglo-Indian curry house. The familiar lamb rogan josh, samosas and tandoori dishes are all there but so are less commonly spotted choices, such as the marinated halibut rolled in fresh spiced spinach leaves, served on fenugreek leaves, or the Badami Gosht, which is marinated lamb pieces cooked in a nutty sauce with a hint of asafoetida.
LA CONCHA
24 Deanhaugh Street,
Tel: 0131 332 0414
www.laconcharestaurant.co.uk
NEAR: 5 minutes from Workshop theatre
This basement restaurant in Stockbridge does simple but satisfying Italian dishes. Rather than offering dozens of different dishes, chef patron Richard Morana keeps the menu select and the attention to detail shows on the plate. A recent menu included a starter of homemade ravioli with prawn and crab meat in a cherry tomato, white wine, oregano and butter sauce, and a range of main courses that featured a roast rump of Dornoch lamb, ratatouille, smoked bacon and cannellini beans. It is off the main Festival drag, which may make it all the more appealing for a visit in August.
CREELERS
3 Hunter Square
Tel: 0131 220 4447
www.creelers.co.uk
NEAR: 5 minutes to Festival Theatre
Tim and Fran James have roots in and extensive contacts with the fishing industry on the West Coast, and the fruits of those relationships end up on the plate in dishes such as the West Coast king scallops served with spiced cauliflower velouté and a crab and baby caper linguine, or the Campbeltown monkfish tail wrapped in Puddledub pancetta, braised leeks, pumpkin purée and Scottish girolles. The seafood platters are a huge favourite, but if the fruits of the sea don’t float your boat then venison or beef options will take up the slack. Al fresco dining may be available, depending on the ever-unreliable elements.
THE DOME
14 George Street
Tel: 0131 624 8624
www.thedomeedinburgh.com
NEAR: 5 minutes to Assembly Rooms and Book Festival
The former headquarters of the Commercial Bank of Scotland, it is no surprise that the Dome looks suitably grand. The most striking feature of the Grill Room is the eponymous glass dome, which soars above the island bar. Wicker chairs and myriad plants give it a colonial feel, and it attracts a thirty- to forty-something, smartly heeled crowd. The indoor dining options include the Club Room, which serves burgers, club sandwiches and steaks, and the Grill Room where dishes such as the peppered pork steak are dished up with braised red cabbage, fondant potato, roasted apple and a Calvados cafe au lait. If the weather is unusually clement, the garden out back is worth a visit. In a word: swish.
L’ESCARGOT BLEU
56 Broughton Street
Tel: 0131 557 1600
www.lescargotbleu.co.uk
NEAR: 5 minutes to The Stand
L’ESCARGOT BLANC
17 Queensferry Street
Tel: 0131 226 1890
www.lescargotblanc.co.uk
NEAR: 5 minutes to Usher Hall
Pitchers of wine, Pernod ads on the wall and the smell of bouillabaisse fish stew drifting in from the kitchen make this pair of French brasseries very popular.
FIRST COAST
97-101 Dalry Road
Tel: 0131 313 4404
www.first-coast.co.uk
NEAR: 5minutes from EICC
This buzzy, family-run neighbourhood bistro is a little off the Festival rat runs but is worth seeking out. Starters might feature grilled mackerel in a soy and lime dressing, while grilled honey and mustard chicken, lentil, bacon and avocado salad is the sort of dish that crops up on the regularly changing menu. Three courses from the dinner a la carte menu should scrape in at a wallet-pleasing £20.
FISHERS
The Shore
Tel: 0131 554 5666
NEAR: 10 minutes by taxi to city centre
FISHERS IN THE CITY
54-58 Thistle Street
Tel: 0131 225 5109
www.fishersbistros.co.uk
NEAR: 5 minutes to Assembly Rooms
As well as offering meaty options, the Leith branch of Fishers and its city centre offspring make full use of the teeming waters of Scotland’s coastline. Mallaig hake, Arbroath smokies and lemon sole landed at Fraserburgh all make appearances on the regularly updated menus. There are always daily specials but there are also old favourites such as the fish cakes. The dishes can take on exotic flavours like the Kin Loch turbot steak with sweet potato puree and ginger pesto, or go for more trad tastes like the whole North Berwick lobster served with a garlic and herb butter.
GATEWAY RESTAURANT
Royal Botanic Garden
Tel: 0131 552 2674
www.gatewayrestaurant.net
NEAR: 5 minutes to Inverleith House
Part of the new John Hope Gateway visitor centre, the Gateway Restaurant has cracking views over Edinburgh’s lovely and relaxing Botanic Gardens, as well as offering some much-needed respite from the chaos of the city centre. Very much a sit-down restaurant with table service rather than a caff, the Gateway goes big on locally-sourced, seasonal food, some of which comes from within the Gardens. The menus change with what’s available but typical dishes might be a veggie green Thai curry, chargrilled chicken on focaccia with sweet red peppers or BBQ spare ribs.
GLASSHOUSE OFF THE MILE
12-26 St Giles Street
Tel: 0131 225 4564
www.theglasshouseoffthemile.com
NEAR: 10 minutes to the Tattoo
Part of the Fraser Suites hotel, this new restaurant has smart, contemporary looks and prides itself on using locally sourced ingredients that are prepped from scratch. This might mean a starter featuring Abroath Smokie mousse and main courses such as the poached Scottish chicken breast served with roasted Med vegetables, and a basil and celeriac salad. If you want to keep it simple then the grill menu has a range of Scottish steaks, starting with the eight-ounce ribeye for £16. For those looking for a bite on the run, The Glasshouse also runs a snack menu of sharing plates, gourmet sarnies and burgers.
HARD ROCK CAFÉ
20 George Street
Tel: 0131 260 3000
www.hardrock.com/edinburgh
NEAR: 2 minutes to Assembly @ George St
Burgers, steaks and home-smoked ribs are the belt-busting order of the day at Edinburgh’s incarnation of the Hard Rock chain. Familiar American classics served against a backdrop of rock music and memorabilia.
HEWAT’S
19-21b Causewayside
Tel: 0131 466 6660
www.hewatsrestaurant.com
NEAR: 15 minutes to the Pleasance Dome
Since opening in 2004, chef proprietor Richard Hewat has been building up business in his Southside venture with his wife Margaret looking after the front of house. There are Scottish flavours a plenty in starters like the pan fried black pudding on haggis risotto with pancetta but, elsewhere, Med influences crop up in dishes such as the wild mushroom and rocket penne pasta with shavings of parmesan. As well as the a la carte menu, there are several set price options starting with a two-course lunch at £10.95.
HOTEL DU VIN
11 Bristo Place
Tel: 0131 247 4900
www.hotelduvin.com
NEAR: 1 minute to Gilded Balloon
Since it usually pours down for most of August, this new Hotel du Vin is likely to be very popular for its courtyard smoking lodge. Non-puffers will enjoy the bistro, which serves fashionably retro classics given a polish. Duck rillettes, beef and snail pie, mac ‘n’ cheese and the heavenly combo of crab and chips are the sort of thing they dish up. As the name suggests, the wine list is worth getting lost in as is the excellent whisky bar.
IGG’S
15 Jeffrey Street
Tel: 0131 557 8184
www.iggs.co.uk
NEAR: 5 minutes to the Pleasance
Iggy Campos made his home in Edinburgh a long time ago but his menu hints strongly at his Spanish roots. A typical starter might be the grilled fillet of cod, prawns, pea puree and coral jus while the mains might contain options such as the slow-cooked pig cheeks served with a potato and olive oil puree, crisp sage and grilled fennel. While Iggs is aiming at the top end of the market, next door is his jolly Barioja tapas bar which is particularly good at catering to large dining parties. Iggy is a wine enthusiast and it shows on the list.
IRIS
47a Thistle Street
Tel: 0131 220 2111
www.irisedinburgh.co.uk
NEAR: 5 minutes to Assembly Rooms
This city centre restaurant boasts a modern menu that matches its smart casual looks. Some of the starters, such as the rack of lamb roasted in a herb crust with celeriac and harissa mash, scream flashiness while some of the mains, such as the ribeye steak with black pepper and a squeeze of lemon, are much more straight down the line. A three-course dinner will set you back between £20 and £25. Two courses at lunch are £11.95.
KWEILIN
19 Dundas Street
Tel: 0131 557 1875
www.kweilin.co.uk
NEAR: 10 minutes uphill to Assembly Rooms
The Kweilin has been serving Cantonese food in the New Town for quarter of a century, and a recent change of ownership has done nothing to rock the boat. Dim-sum, crispy duck and crab soup are among the popular starters, while main courses range from familiar char sui pork to rather more adventurous stewed duck feet and Chinese mushrooms. Seafood, such as the classic steamed sea bass with ginger and spring onion, forms a major part of the menu’s appeal. The smart New Town premises are reflected in the smart New Town clientele, but it is far from stuffy.
La P’tite Folie
Tudor House, 9 Randolph Place
Tel: 0131 225 8678
NEAR: 10 minutes to Traverse Theatre
61 Frederick Street
Tel: 0131 225 7983
NEAR: 5 minutes to Assembly Rooms George St
Two city centre locations serve up delicious traditional French cuisine, such as moules marinieres, breast of barbary duck with prunes and armagnac sauce and char-grilled sirloin steak with beurre. The Randolph Place branch has a dedicated wine bar attached.
LANCERS
5 Hamilton Place
Tel: 0131 332 3444
NEAR: 1 minute to Theatre Workshop
Sometimes it has to be a curry, and the recently refurbished Lancers can boast Elton John and Billy Connolly among their past customers. Get stuck into paneer cutlets, chicken chasni and king prawn biryanis. If the choice gets too much then just let the staff guide you through one of their Bengali set menus.
LEVEN’S
30-32 Leven Street
Tel: 0131 229 8988
NEAR: 2 minutes to the King’s Theatre
A striking mix of dishes go to create the fusion menu at Leven’s. The main influence is Thai, but there are Italian and Scottish touches aplenty. The chef is certainly not afraid to take risks, many of which the restaurant pulls off with aplomb.
LOCANDA DE GUSTI
7-11 East London Street
Tel: 0131 558 9581
www.locandadegusti.com
NEAR: 10 minutes from The Stand
Formerly Bella Mbriana, there has been a change of name, management and ownership at this popular neighbourhood Italian, but Rosario Sartore remains at the helm in the kitchen. Recently awarded an AA Rosette, the regularly changing menu is very flexible. The house pizza, featuring tomato and buffalo mozzarella, fresh rocket, parmesan and Parma ham, is £7.95. A more substantial dish of charcoal grilled sea bream, tuna, swordfish, prawns, langoustines and scallops is a pocket-pleasing £14.95. A bargain among the Festival’s often wallet-bruising offers.
MONTEITHS
61 High Street
Tel: 0131 557 0330
www.monteithsbar.co.uk
NEAR: 5 minutes from Pleasance Courtyard
Quirky styling and a sense of humour makes Monteiths stand out on the Royal Mile. Half funky bar, half proper restaurant, it serves grown-up dishes like a starter of ox cheek tortellini and veal jus, or a main course of pan-fried skate wing, crab rosti and caper salsa verde. The serious intent of the kitchen is matched with a playful décor that includes a spider lamp made with several Anglepoise lights, clear Perspex seats and a 3D paper stag head. It’s a sister operation to the West End’s fashionable Sygn and the West Room bar.
PETIT PARIS
38 Grassmarket
Tel: 0131 226 2442
www.petitparis-restaurant.co.uk
NEAR: 5 minutes to Underbelly
Edinburgh’s Grassmarket has a different charm from that of the Left Bank of the Seine but Petit Paris injects some French flavour into the mix. Founded in 1998, this is a cosy and often bustling little bistro that serves all the classics. Steak frîtes, grilled snails, bouillabaise, grilled Toulouse sausages and crème brûlée: it is all here. The intimate atmosphere makes it seem all the more continental.
REDWOOD RESTAURANT
33A St. Stephens Street
Tel: 0131 225 8342
NEAR: 2 minutes from Theatre Workshop
www.redwood-restaurant.co.uk
Californian chef Annette Sprague showcases her home state’s cooking here and it is fresh, colourful and exciting. The menu changes fortnightly and costs £21.95 for two courses or £26.95 for three. Fusing the culinary ideas of Vietnam, Mexico, Japan and France with Scottish ingredients, Sprague comes up with plates of swordfish with orange-coriander sauce served with fennel, olive and saffron couscous, or togarashi-rubbed flank steak served with a warm vegetable and soba noodle salad. They offer BYOB for wine on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
THE RUTLAND
1-3 Rutland Street
Tel: 0131 229 3402
www.therutlandhotel.com
NEAR: 5 minutes from the Usher Hall
After a massive revamp a couple of years back, The Rutland has emerged re-energised and ready to take on the glitzy leisure temples of George Street. From the basement nightclub to the ground-floor style bar it’s a fashionable operation, but the first floor restaurant is what really shines. Bold décor and great views of the castle and Princes Street are striking, but the food is what will stick in the memory. Local produce, cooked with care and innovation, produces dishes like the Orkney beef carpaccio, Loch Etive mussels and saltimbocca of Sunnyside Farm rose veal. The puds are fab and the wine list is a belter.
SCOTTISH CAFE AND RESTAURANT
The National Gallery of Scotland, The Mound
Tel: 0131 226 6524
www.thescottishcafeandrestaurant.com
NEAR: 1 minute to the National Galleries
The Continis are synonymous with the authentic Italian food they serve in their Centotre and Zanzero restaurants. For their latest venture, they have focused on sourcing the best possible ingredients from independent Scottish producers. ‘Fresh, Scottish, Simple’ is their motto and it translates into hot Aberdonianbutteries stuffed with crowdie and beetroot; steamed organic salmon served in a mussel, razor clam, cream and shallot broth and afternoon teas which feature ham from the Borders, Isle of Mull cheddar and homemade buttermilk scones.
SHILLA
13 Dundas Street
Tel: 0131 556 4840
www.shilla-edinburgh.com
NEAR: 5 minutes to Assembly Rooms
Edinburgh’s only Korean restaurant, Shilla is tucked away in a New Town basement. It has four different dining rooms, all decorated in a different Korean style. Understandably, given Korea’s location, the food is somewhere between Chinese and Japanese food. We’re talking fiery seafood hotpots, savoury omelettes, hot and sour soups, sushi, assorted stews and a selection of chargrilled meats. Good fun and quite different from anything else in town.
THE SHORE
3 The Shore
Tel: 0131 553 5080
www.theshore.biz
NEAR: 10 minutes by taxi to city centre
One of Leith’s many bar restaurants, where the relaxed atmosphere belies the carefully prepped food, the Shore has a small but smartish dining room off the lively bar area. A recent change of hands means fewer fish dishes but old Shore favourites such as the West Coast oysters with Bloody Mary sauce remain. From the main menu, expect the likes of a rack of lamb served with a sweet potato puree, aubergine, feta and pine nut galette and salsa verde. Live music in the bar is scheduled every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings, along with jazz on Sunday afternoons, but it’s not unknown for spontaneous jam sessions to break out on other nights.
SKIPPERS
1a Dock Place
Tel: 0131 554 1018
www.skippers.co.uk
NEAR: 10 minute by taxi to city centre
Seafood has been served in Leith’s comfortably cluttered Skippers for 30 years. It’s now part of the Room In group of Edinburgh restaurants but has retained its own identity and cooking style. The menu depends on what is available on the day but baked Buckie crabs are often on the menu, as are West Coast mussels. A more complex dish might be the seared Shetland king scallops with maple-roasted pork belly, shallot puree and rosemary oil. There is always a meat dish such as a char-grilled 10 oz organic Aberdeen Angus sirloin steak with roasted cherry vine tomatoes and café de Paris butter for those not so fond of fish.
STAC POLLY
8-10 Grindlay Street
Tel: 0131 229 5405
NEAR: 1 minute to Usher Hall
29-33 Dublin Street
Tel: 0131 556 2231
NEAR: 5 minutes to the Stand
38 St Mary Street
Tel: 0131 557 5754
www.stacpolly.com
NEAR: 5 minutes to Pleasance Courtyard
Aiming to be as Scottish as the mountain they are named after, the three Stac Polly restaurants mix locally sourced ingredients with more cosmopolitan flavours. The décor of the Dublin Street restaurant has a rough-hewn Highland charm compared to the more soigné feel of its theatreland brother. Sample dishes might include a starter of seared king scallops with Stornoway black pudding, frieze leaves and spiced red pepper drizzle, while a typical main course would be something along the lines of the seared calf’s liver served with Dijon mustard mash and a sherry vinegar and game reduction. Their list of malt whiskies is wider than most if you want to finish your meal with a dram.
TIME 4 THAI
49 North Castle Street
Tel: 0131 225 8822
NEAR: 10 minutes to the Assembly Rooms George St
Thai favourites served in relaxing surroundings is the order of the day at Time 4 Thai. The food is a million miles away from the greasy offerings found in Far Eastern restaurants elsewhere. Look out for starters such as moo thod takrai grob, shredded pork neck with crispy lemongrass, and main courses such as phed sam rod, grilled sliced duck breast on bakchoi with tamarind sauce and fried shallots.
TONY’S TABLE
58a North Castle Street
Tel: 0131 226 6743
www.tonystable.com
NEAR: 5 minutes from Assembly Rooms George Street
Run by Tony Singh, who also operates the much more upmarket Oloroso around the corner, Tony’s Table offers a well-cooked, globe-trotting menu at sweet prices. At dinner, three courses are a set £20. The menu changes daily, but you might find confit duck with a Dijon cream and wild mushroom sauce, a chilli pig pie or a minced lamb curry with rice and sambals. Lunch might mean a simple mug of leek and potato soup served with bread from the restaurant’s bakery next door, or it could mean a pea and broad bean risotto. A city centre gem and one which was awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand earlier this year.
VALVONA AND CROLLA
19 Elm Row
Tel: 0131 556 6066
www.valvonacrolla.co.uk
NEAR: 2 minutes to the Playhouse
Regarded by many as Scotland’s finest Italian delicatessen, Valvona’s also runs a very busy café bar at the back of the deli. The menu changes daily but you can feast on meals such as the crespelle Italian pancakes rolled with ricotta and spinach, baked in a tomato and basil sugo with bechamel and parmigiano or the fritto misto of lightly fried squid, prawns, halibut and courgettes, served with a light salad. Valvona’s also boasts a remarkable wine collection, and you can have any bottle with your meal for a corkage of £6. Open for reservations in the evening during the Festival.
VINCAFFE
11 Multrees Walk
Tel: 0131 557 0088
www.valvonacrolla.co.uk/vincaffe
NEAR: 5 minutes from Assembly Rooms
Sassy offspring of the venerable Valvona and Crolla, VinCaffe is a smart, stylish Italian that makes the most of the seasons. The menu should suit both ladies who lunch and those with more robust appetites. A couple of tapas style snacks such as the calamari and a trio of crostini plus a glass of wine are yours for a tenner. More substantial choices could include the brown shrimp linguine or the pork escallops pan-fried in egg and breadcrumbs, served with peperonata and roasted polenta chips. Thanks to a complicated looking bar contraption that keeps opened bottles fresh, VinCaffe offers a large range
of wines by the glass.
VALUE
ALWAYS SUNDAY
170 High Street
Tel: 0131 622 0667
www.alwayssunday.co.uk
NEAR: 5 minutes to Tattoo
It’s worth wading through the crush of the Royal Mile to get to this sunny café. It can sort you out with everything from a cup of coffee and slice of homemade carrot cake or a chunk of their aptly named banana bonanza to a healthy three-course lunch. Whether you want a full cooked breakfast, a lunchtime chicken pie or simply a scone, Always Sunday can provide. The fresh fruit smoothies are a good pick-me-up after a long night’s carousing and it does Fairtrade coffee so you can feel good about your caffeine addiction.
AMORE DOGS
104 Hanover Street
Tel: 0131 220 5155
www.amoredogs.co.uk
NEAR: 5 minutes from Assembly Rooms
A recently-arrived Italian cousin to the dogs (see below), amore offers hearty, rustic Italian cooking at knock-down prices. Much more than a run of the mill pizza pasta joint, it offers less well known dishes such as polenta crusted ox liver with tomato chutney; baked hake, potatoes, tomato and anchovy and even braised pork cheek with zampone (stuffed trotter) and lentils.
ANN PURNA
45 St Patrick’s Square
Tel: 0131 662 1807
NEAR: 5 minutes to Queen’s Hall
A recently refurbed vegetarian restaurant that specialises in Gujerati cooking, the Ann Purna has long been a quiet success. A temple to healthy living, it is one of the few kitchens in Edinburgh that can take vegan customers in its stride. Typical dishes include aubergines, peas and potato in a mustard sauce or stuffed tomatoes with paneer and mushrooms. Wash them down with a glass from their large range of exotic fruit juices and lassis.
BLACK BO’S
57-61 Blackfriar’s Street
Tel: 0131 557 6136
www.black-bos.com
NEAR: 10 minutes to the Pleasance
Despite the fact that it has buzzed along in the heart of the Old Town for almost twenty years, Black Bo’s vegetarian restaurant still has a welcome underground feel to it. The cooking is adventurous and colourful. Think along the lines of aubergine stuffed with pasta, grapes and peanut cream, topped with parmesan or a potato, butter bean and leek roulade with cherry tomato and balsamic gravy. An easy-going affair, the kitchen is happy to cater to any non-meat dietary requirements. The surroundings are ramshackle rather than rococo, but don’t let that put you off. The restaurant is not quite as bohemian as the adjacent bar, but it still makes for a unique experience.
CAFÉ FISH
60 Henderson Street
Tel: 0131 538 6131
www.cafefish.net
NEAR: 10 minute taxi ride to Playhouse
Formerly an old Victorian boozer, now a sleek-looking fish restaurant, Cafe Fish has thrown down the gauntlet to some of Leith’s more established fish restaurants. As you might hope, most of the fish is sourced from Scottish waters. Dinner is £19 for two courses and might include choices such as grilled hake, cockles and clams in a seafood broth or the Isle of Raasay diver scallops with celeriac mash and sour onions. Remarkably, around two thirds of the wine list is under £20.
CAFÉ MARLAYNE
76 Thistle Street
Tel: 0131 226 2230
NEAR: 5minutes to Assembly Rooms
7 Old Fishmarket Close
Tel: 0131 225 3838
www.cafemarlayne.com
NEAR: Five minutes to Edinburgh Festival Theatre
The original Café Marlayne on Thistle Street booked up fast so the more recent branch just off the Royal Mile is a welcome addition. French cooking is the background note and it comes through most clearly in dishes such as the boudin noir with seared king scallops and asparagus. It is all hale and hearty stuff at bistro rather than restaurant prices.
CHOP CHOP
248 Morrison Street
Tel: 0131 221 1155
NEAR: Five minutes from EICC
76 Commercial Quay
Tel: 0131 553 1818
www.chop-chop.co.uk
NEAR: 5 minutes to Mela
An appearance on Gordon Ramsay’s F Word has made it harder to get a table, but also helped Chop Chop open a new branch in Leith. Both branches offer authentic dishes from the north west of China and there is nothing else quite like it in town. The utilitarian décor and canteen setting mean that this isn’t the place to try and charm a young thespian but it’s great for filling up with interesting dishes that offer good value for money. Highlights of the menu are the dumplings, which come boiled or fried. Try the pork and chive versions although the beef and celery versions also have their fans.
DANIEL’S BISTRO
88 Commercial Street
Tel: 0131 553 5933
www.daniels-bistro.co.uk
NEAR: 10 minute by taxi to city centre
A Leith stalwart, Daniel Wenckler’s cheery bistro specialises in provincial French cooking (with more than a passing nod to his home region of Alsace), and has prospered in a location where many restaurants with more high-flying menus have floundered. Raclette, fish soup, escargots, moules marinieres, cassoulet and confit duck are all present and correct. There are all manner of lunch and set dinner menus but the a la carte is pretty reasonable as well. NB The business was up for sale as a going concern earlier this year.
DAVID BANN
56-58 St Mary’s Street
Tel: 0131 556 5888
www.davidbann.com
NEAR: 2 minutes to Pleasance Courtyard
Long a champion of vegan and vegetarian food in Edinburgh, David Bann’s much-lauded venture is a smart 21st century vegetarian restaurant and bar. As well as snacks and light meals, main courses include dishes such as the grilled aubergine and Puy lentils with Old Winchester cheese mash and a red wine and onion gravy. As you might expect, there is a wide range of fresh fruit juices and yoghurt drinks available but don’t overlook the short but potent cocktail list. Edinburgh’s best veggie restaurant? Lots of people would say yes and many would just call it one of Edinburgh’s best overall.
THE DOGS
110 Hanover Street
Tel: 0131 220 1208
www.thedogsonline.co.uk
NEAR: 5 minutes from Assembly Rooms
Idiosyncratic restaurateur David Ramsden has got it right with this down-to-earth but stylish city centre venue. The old-school British food is honest, straightforward and priced to go. It’s earthy, filling stuff. Think along the lines of a rabbit terrine with red onion marmalade; braised ox tongue with gherkins and mash or a creamy chicken leg stew with potatoes. One of Edinburgh’s more unlikely but lovable success stories, the dogs has gone on to sire amore dogs and seadogs.
LA FAVORITA
331 Leith Walk
Tel: 0131 554 2430
www.la-favorita.com
NEAR: 10 minutes from Playhouse
The sister operation to old favourite La Vittoria, La Favorita is a pizzeria and gourmet pasta restaurant. Using two wood-fired ovens, Tony Crolla wants to make ‘the best pizzas in Scotland’. There are a number of contenders for that crown but La Favorita is heading in the right direction with a purposeful glint in its eye. Try the Diavolina: tomato sauce, mozzarella, spicy Italian sausage, mushrooms and chilli. If pizza isn’t your thing then investigate the secondi section where fresh Mediterranean sea bass fillets pan-seared with pink grapefruit juice and a side of Greek yogurt and caviar will set you back £11.95. Unusually, gluten-free pizzas are available here.
HANEDAN
41 West Preston Street
Tel: 0131 667 4242
www.hanedan.co.uk
NEAR: 5 minutes from Queens Hall
This small, plainly decorated Turkish restaurant has made itself a welcome fixture in the Southside. The mixed mezze are fresh and zingy, but save space for the chargrill. There are veggie options available, but the various kebabs are a meat-eater’s dream. There isn’t a single dish over a tenner, which, combined with the generous portions, means you would be hard pushed to eat more than £15 per head here. They sell raki, but the Efe’s pilsner is a better bet if you want to remember how the night before panned out. The apple tea offers a refreshing, non-alcoholic alternative.
HOWIES VICTORIA
10-14 Victoria Street
Tel: 0131 225 1721
www.howies.uk.com
NEAR: 1 minute to Underbelly
HOWIES BRUNTSFIELD
208 Bruntsfield Place
Tel: 0131 221 1777
NEAR: 10 minutes to King’s Theatre
HOWIES WATERLOO PLACE
29 Waterloo Place
Tel: 0131 556 5766
NEAR: 10 minutes to Festival Theatre
HOWIES ONE ALVA STREET
1a Alva Street
Tel: 0131 225 5553
NEAR: 5 minutes to Playhouse
This is a popular group of Edinburgh restaurants that thrives on cooking Scottish produce at agreeable prices. The four branches have individual chefs, who are all encouraged to develop their own style and dishes under the Howie’s umbrella. As a result, each will have its own menu, but a bowl of cullen skink soup with a cheddar cheese crouton, or a milk-fed loin of pork steak infused with lemon and thyme and served with a horseradish mash, slow roast shallots and rich gravy would not look out of place in any of them.
The premises are all light, airy and laid back. About £20 for a three course dinner.
ILLEGAL JACK’S
113 Lothian Road
Tel: 0131 622 7499
www.illegaljacks.co.uk
NEAR: 5 minutes to Lyceum
A newcomer to Lothian Road, the eponymous Jack has quickly made a name for himself thanks to his fresh, fast and good value take on Tex Mex or South West food. Burritos, tacos, quesadillas, chilli bowls and fajitas form the backbone of the menu. Where Jack differs from his High Street competitors is that all his food is fresh and prepped on the day, except the meat, which is marinated overnight. Sounds simple but it’s enough to have won quite a following very quickly.
LOS CARDOS
281 Leith Walk
Tel: 0131 555 6619
www.loscardos.co.uk
NEAR: 5 minutes to Out of the Blue
Halfway between a takeaway and a cantina, this new place is ideal for a quick bite between shows. They call it ‘fresh Mex’ and the friendly staff whip up burritos, quesadillas and tacos to order.
Fill ‘em up with marinated steak, chicken, slow roasted pork or even haggis. ‘Arriba, pal!’ as they say on Leith Walk.
MAMMA’S
30 Grassmarket
Tel: 0131 225 6464
www.mammas.co.uk
NEAR: 5 minutes to Gilded Balloon
Mamma’s American Pizza Company has been going strong in the Grassmarket for nearly three decades. It’s a laid-back place that packs out quickly, especially on sunny days when the Grassmarket is heaving and the outside seating looks especially inviting. All the pizzas are freshly made and, as well as standard toppings such as mushroom and ham, customers can choose from exotics such as banana, haggis and cactus. Pizza is the point here but if that don’t float your boat then try the steak and Cajun salmon served on a hot stone.
MONSTER MASH
20 Forrest Road
Tel: 0131 225 7069
www.monstermashcafe.co.uk
NEAR: 5 minutes to Gilded Balloon
A celebration of the great British café, Monster Mash has its tongue ever so slightly in its retro-chic. Formica tables, tomato-shaped ketchup squeezees and comics all play up the caff theme. The food is no-nonsense home cooking with chicken and ham pie, fish and chips and platefuls of sausage and mash all washed down with Sweet Heart Stout and milkshakes.
MOTHER INDIA’S CAFÉ
3-5 Infirmary Street
Tel: 0131 524 9801
www.motherindia.co.uk
NEAR: 5 minutes to the Pleasance
The Mother India brand is already a success in Glasgow, thanks to their confident use of fresh herbs and spices. This first Edinburgh branch, opened in 2008, brings the same new school of Indian cookery to the east coast. Boy, are we grateful. The menu is a tapas-style affair, offering a few dozen choice dishes, all under a fiver. Options like the chilli chicken dosa, lamb cooked with mint and aubergine fritters are winning new fans for the owner Monir. Good for a quick bite if time is of the essence.
THE OLIVE BRANCH BISTRO
91 Broughton Street
Tel: 0131 557 8589
NEAR: 5 minutes from The Stand
9 Colinton Road
Tel: 0131 452 8453
www.theolivebranchscotland.co.uk
NEAR: 10 minutes from King’s Theatre
This airy, all-day bistro has done well since opening on a previously volatile site on the ever-hip Broughton Street. It’s a breezy, informal place but they take care over what comes out of the kitchen whether you pop in for breakfast, a gourmet sandwich or a rib-eye steak with all the trimmings. The Colinton Road branch runs along the same lines.
THE OUTSIDER
15-16 George IV Bridge
Tel: 0131 226 3131
NEAR: 2 minutes to Underbelly
The younger brother of Bruntsfield’s Apartment restaurant, the Outsider is a funky joint that attracts many of Edinburgh’s young hipsters. Forsaking the normal starter, main course, dessert route, the Outsider has menus divided into categories such as soupy stir-fries, crunchy baguettes and fish things.
PINK OLIVE
55-57 West Nicolson Street
Tel: 0131 662 4493
www.ilovepinkolive.co.uk
NEAR: 1 minute from Gilded Balloon
This cheery little neighbourhood bistro is in the heart of studentland, and is priced accordingly with lunchtime main courses starting at a fiver and three courses in the evening pegged at £19.25. Handily placed for a lot of Fringe venues, it serves up dishes such as Korean sticky chicken with kimchi; a smoked coley, horseradish and pea salad and, of course, steak and chips.
RICE TERRACES
93 St Leonard's Street
Tel: 0131 629 9877
www.rice-terraces.com
NEAR: 5 minutes to Queen’s Hall
Edinburgh’s first Fillipino restaurant is a homely little place. It won’t win awards for its decor but deserves plaudits for the pride and passion invested in the food. The menu is a mix of Chinese, American, Spanish and Malay influences, with fried pork spring rolls
sitting next to pork meatloaf and papaya salad among the starters, while pork belly cooked in a vinegar, garlic and soy sauce, chicken with plantain bananas, chorizo and vegetables and breaded shrimps in a sweet and sour sauce give an idea of the range of main courses available. Wash it down with San Miguel pale pilsen, brewed in the Philippines.
SEADOGS
43 Rose Street
Tel: 0131 225 8028
www.seadogsonline.co.uk
NEAR: 5 minutes to Assembly Rooms
The most recent addition to David Ramsden’s pack of good value city centre restaurants, seadogs repeats the restaurateur’s winning formula of back-to-basics cooking at value for money prices. As the name suggests, fish and seafood are the mainstay of the menu. Typical dinner dishes might be the kipper spaghetti carbonara; the herring milts on toast or the poached smoked coley served with a duck egg and champ.
THE TAILEND RESTAURANT AND FISH BAR
12-14 Albert Place, Leith Walk
Tel: 0131 555 3577
www.tailendrestaurant.co.uk
NEAR: 10 minutes from the Playhouse
A collaboration between an Arbroath fish merchant and an award-winning chippie owner,
this popular restaurant/chippie offers foam-fresh seafood in simple surroundings at wallet friendly prices. Pride of place goes to the classic haddock fish tea at £9.50, but more chi-chi choices include griddled king scallops served with a herb butter at £5.50 or a plate of Fraserburgh langoustine tails at £10.25. If you want to push the boat out, they recently had lobster on the menu at £18.
TAPA
19 Shore Place
Tel: 0131 476 6776
www.tapaedinburgh.co.uk
NEAR: 10 minute taxi to Playhouse
Slightly tricky to find, this relatively new tapas joint set up shop in an old whitewashed warehouse in 2009. It’s run by the man behind Edinburgh’s much-loved and long deceased Tapas Ole restaurants, and has the same sense of fun about it. All the tapas favourites you would expect are there, as are a few curveballs. The global tapas section is cute with dishes of Greek style lamb chops and a tortilla made with Scottish shrimp and smoked haddock. The prices are very reasonable.
TIAN TIAN
8 Gillespie Place
NEAR: 5 minutes to King’s Theatre
With no phone number or website, this Chinese hotpot restaurant is not the most accessible but it’s worth persevering with. Guests are served a cauldron of spicy, boiling broth and a tray of thinly sliced meats, a mass of raw seafood and plenty of fungus, seaweed and noodles. The rest is up to you. Like an Asian fondue, the idea is to cook the ingredients yourself and hook them out of the broth with a selection of tongs, ladles and chopsticks. It’s messy and a bit daunting at first but it’s also one of the cheapest seafood feasts in Edinburgh.
URBAN ANGEL
121 Hanover Street
Tel: 0131 225 6215
NEAR: 2 minutes from Assembly Rooms
1 Forth Street
Tel: 0131 556 6323
www.urban-angel.co.uk
NEAR: 2 minutes from Edinburgh Playhouse
A breath of fresh air when it opened in 2004, Urban Angel expanded in 2008 to include a slick new branch just off Broughton Street. The menu in each is slightly different but sticks to the core ethos of being, as far as is possible, free range, Fair Trade, organic and locally sourced. Just as importantly, it’s delicious. The menu changes regularly but runs from breakfasts of organic porridge with heather honey to dishes of spiced organic lamb meatballs via salads of spiced roast pumpkin with herb couscous and grilled vegetables. As good for a three course blow-out as they are for a mid afternoon coffee.
VITTORIA
113 Brunswick Street
Tel: 0131 556 6171
NEAR: 10 minutes from Playhouse
19 George IV Bridge
Tel: 0131 225 1740
www.vittoriarestaurant.com
NEAR: 5 minutes from Gilded Balloon
Something of a Leith Walk institution, this family-run Italian is a bustling sort of place at most times of day. The extensive menu does pretty much everything from pizza and pasta to steak dishes and creamy milkshakes. When the sun is out the chairs and tables on the pavement are quickly taken with people soaking up the warmth and a Peroni or two. It’s equally as handy for those mornings after the night before when the restorative powers of the full Vittoria breakfast with spicy Italian sausage come into their own. The more recent George IV Bridge branch is cut from the same, cheery cloth.
WANNABURGER
7-8 Queensferry Street
Tel: 0131 220 0036
www.wannaburger.com
NEAR: 5 minutes from Usher Hall
As the name suggests, burgers are the real deal here. A very distant relation to the cardboard discs peddled by the fast food giants, these start at just £4.50 for a plain beef burger rising to £7.50 for the double cheese. Veggie versions such as the portabello mushroom, roast peppers, mozzarella, sundried tomato, homemade relish, tomato, rocket and red onion mean that nobody need feel left out. Shakes, salads and breakfasts, all served with a smile, complete the picture.
ZANZERO
14-16 North West Circus Place
Tel: 0131 220 0333
www.zanzero.com
NEAR: 5 minutes from Theatre Workshop
Light, bright and airy, Zanzero is the sister restaurant to the well regarded Centotre in the city centre and the Scottish Cafe and Restaurant at the National Gallery complex. The modern Italian food served here focuses on being fresh and healthy. Think along the lines of the starter selection of mozzarella di Bufala, speck di prosciutto, sun dried tomatoes, roasted aubergine and Pachino tomatoes or roasted skewers of marinated tiger prawns and scallops, served on a mixed leaf salad with a fresh tomato, spring onion, lime and extra virgin olive oil salsa. The stone baked pizza are also worth a spin. It’s generally a buzzy place and is particularly welcoming to families with children.
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