The Prestoungrange Gothenburg

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

On the coastal road that cuts through the centre of Prestonpans, the Prestoungrange Gothenburg catches your eye like no other building on this stretch of the Firth of Forth coastline. A Victorian-era public house which celebrates its centenary this year, the strange, time-locked building was renovated, after a period of inactivity, by the Baron of Prestoungrange in 2004. The job has been lovingly done – a period stone staircase, the quaintly refurbished bar and the pub's very own microbrewery all come together to create a unique hideaway that is well-deserving of its Camra 'Best Conservation' award. The food on offer treads a fine line between the classic pub fare and the simply old-fashioned. Starters include soup, garlic bread (cheesy or crusty), an ornate prawn cocktail doused in Marie Rose, and the stand-out, redcurrant-topped chicken liver pâté on oatcakes. Steak, pheasant, burgers and Port Seton-landed catch of the day sit alongside less traditional curry and stroganoff. You'll find some of the house ale in the steak pie lending its gravy a treacley consistency that's almost too rich, and a selection of old-fashioned puddings will leave you patting bellies, but, in the end, it's fair to say that food isn't quite the same destination event as the bar itself.

• High point: A warm welcome in a unique coastal location
• Low point: Overdone surf and turf