Apero

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

Tucked away among the cobbled streets of Edinburgh's West End, Apero is a real hidden gem of a bar, which sits somewhere between exclusive cocktail bar and 'members only' supper club. The décor is adorable, even if it has the feel of having been thrown together, with its sumptuous leather couches, smoked glass tables, strips of fairy lights and fabulous purple drapes. The focus here is really on the champagne selection, and strong attention to detail is paid to the serving and presentation of the fizzy stuff. The food selection is fairly minimal, being light accompaniment to a drink rather than filling pub grub. The lunch menu, for instance, offers basic plats du jour and baguettes. When it comes to the aperitif menu, less is definitely more. Beautiful canapés of duck pâté are offset by delicate salmon bellinis accompanied by light tiger prawns on petite skewers, while a selection of sushi and salmon steaks carries a touch of Riviera class. Twenty-four hours' notice is required for ordering the selection of canapés, but the result is well worth making the call. After all, Apero is not the type of place you would rock up to after a hard day's graft; this elegant bar does require a minimum of effort – an elaborate ball gown perhaps?

• High point: Ordering from the fabulous champagne list
• Low point: Finishing the champagne list