Visit La Garrigue, arguably the most authentic French restaurant in town and be transported into the Languedoc region of France. Enjoy the food, sample the 'Terroir wines' and the warm service. Winner 'Les Routiers Guide; Scottish restaurant of the year'.

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• What are these?

• Average price 2 courses:
   £7.45 (Mon--Sat) (set lunch)
   £18 (evening meal)
• House wine: £12.85 per bottle

• High point: Delicious cooking from Alsace
• Low point: Hard chairs and brisk service don't encourage lingering
• Food served: Mon-Sun 10am-10pm
• Private dining: Up to 25 covers
• Open since: 1996
• Also offers: Childrens portions, Childrens high chairs, Wheelchair access, Take away, Pre-theatre menu

The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2008 is now in the shops.

This review is from the 2007 edition.

Make sure you're really hungry before booking at a table at this temple to robust French cooking tucked into one of Leith's converted warehouses close to the Shore. Owner Daniel Vencker hails from Alsace, and this is the place to come to experience authentic, hearty cooking from the region, alongside dishes that showcase the best of Scotland's seafood. A chunky knuckle of pork, aptly described as a 'masculine dish for a hungry man', slides effortlessly off the bone, having been cooked gently for five hours, while a substantial fish casserole, its rich stock bolstered by a generous glug of Pernod, is packed with oodles of the freshest west coast seafood. The French-focused wine list is a treat too, and includes a decent number of bottles from Alsace as well as an unusually fine selection of half bottles. The glass-roofed dining room extension with its scrubbed boat deck flooring and maritime pictures creates a bright and airy ambience. While service can be almost ruthlessly efficient at times, with each course arriving sharp on the heels of its predecessor, it never falters in its professionalism, suiting the busy business crowd that this place tends to attract.