Filmhouse Café Bar

This review appears in the The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2008 – in the shops now or buy online.

It is rare thing these days to find a place to eat that truly serves a purpose and functions without pretension, unnecessary frills or ideas above its station. The Filmhouse Bar has fulfilled such a role in Edinburgh for over 20 years, providing a natural hub for the city's cineastes to converge, imbibe, digest and reflect on their big screen indulgences. The yellow glow of the walls and flicker of the numerous small screens silently flagging up forthcoming attractions set off a space that, against all architectural odds – pillars, little natural light – enjoys a gently fizzy atmosphere. The menu is concise and considered, offering the option of light snacks or more substantial platefuls rather than some five-course culinary indulgence. Aside from baked potatoes and salads, there are plates heaped with nachos, chilli and chickpea and coconut curry, all of which are hearty and warming. Other plus points include the respectable balance of decent vegetarian dishes and the raft of sugary treats – hunky tray-bakes and slabs of chocolatey fudge cake. While the prices are at the top end of café food spectrum, the quality and care put in is undeniably high.

• High point: A cinema, bar, dining table and DVD store under one roof
• Low point: A pizza without pizza sauce is just toast and cheese

The LIST Card F21

Filmhouse Café Bar

The following text has been provided by Filmhouse Café Bar.

Filmhouse Café Bar is a lively and a popular meeting place in Scotland's foremost independent cinema, that offers fresh, affordable and imaginative food, served from 10am to 10pm! All dishes are prepared on the premises using fresh ingredients, and we offer many vegetarian and vegan options with a variety of daily specials. You will get swift no nonsense service in relaxed surroundings unusual for a city centre location.

Filmhouse Café Bar has a wide selection of draught and bottled beers, five real ales, fifteen wines by the glass, over thirty malt whiskies and many great soft drink options. There is also an unrivalled choice of teas, coffee, cappuccino and cakes.

On the second Sunday of each month, the Filmhouse Café Bar hosts the phenomenally successful (and rather tricky) Film Quiz. Free of charge, teams of up to eight people are to be seated by 9pm. Get there early to get a seat!

Filmhouse Café Bar regularly displays art exhibitions, often in relation to the film programme. There is also wireless internet access available to all customers, and we are Edinburgh's original child friendly Café bar.

For almost 30 years Filmhouse has been Scotland's foremost independent cinema, showing over 500 incredible films each year. Filmhouse celebrates world cinema in all its brilliance and diversity. The programme features new releases and classic re-releases, retrospectives, film seasons, retrospectives and specialist festivals. Filmhouse is also the home of the Edinburgh International Film Festival which from 2008 takes place in June.

The large variety in the Filmhouse programme that is available to the people of Edinburgh and the many tourists who visit the city makes it one of the leading entertainment and cultural venues in the Capital City and Scotland.

Centrally located at 88 Lothian Road in the West End of Edinburgh's city centre, Filmhouse has three cinemas which are open to the public seven days a week. Moreover, Filmhouse runs a number of courses, workshops and special events, such as family events, scriptwriting workshops and animation courses for adults and children of all ages.

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