Encore Bar & Brasserie

The 2012 edition of The List's Eating & Drinking Guide is out now – only £5.95 (+p&p).

This review is taken from the 2010 edition.

Venturing beyond the lobby of this vibrant theatre is the relaxed and popular café restaurant serving Scottish/world food. The restaurant is partially closed off from the busy theatre but the buzz is there with the upstairs bar and café area open to the comings and goings of the theatre crowd. The day’s specials on the blackboard set out an eclectic choice from vegetarian curry to Indonesian style chicken. The menu encompasses Lebanese inspired mezze starters big enough to share or mackerel pate, steak frites or smoked salmon fishcakes with garlic mayonnaise, carrot cake with honey ice cream or a rich nutty coupe Amerena. Lunchtime draws a big crowd because the soup and sandwich deal is generous and the coffee and cakes are always good. Children are welcome with a special menu for them as well as pizzas on offer. The wine list shows the imagination as the menu with whites and reds from Spain, South Africa, Sicily, Australia and France, and there is a good choice of spirits, beer and soft drinks.