Porto & Fi

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

This deli/bistro, which opened this year in Newhaven, adds its name to the growing list of elegant suburban restaurants in this neck of the woods. In a bright, well-lit room stencilled with green leaves, diners take in spectacular views across the Firth of Forth to Fife while eating. The menu features mostly Scottish favourites and all the food is home-made and smartly presented. The creamy apple and parsnip soup has flecks of spicy red pepper floating on top. Three fat and smoky sausages lie on a bed of fluffy mash and firm peas. But it's the assortment of home-made desserts displayed in a long glass case that is possibly the most attractive feature at Porto & Fi. The chocolate and beetroot cake has a wonderfully moist texture, and the gingerbread with Orkney ice-cream is a winning combination. An underground room below the dining area, formerly the safe of a bank, now guards the high quality baked goods, sauces and sundries which are also sold here. The warm service, home-made food and the pleasant views make Porto & Fi a great place to drop into any day of the week.

• High point: Lovely lattes
• Low point: Closes early