The Halfway House

Send us more details about this place.

The 2011/12 edition of The List's Eating & Drinking Guide is out now – only £5.95 (+p&p).

This review is taken from the 2010 edition.

Boasting the title 'Edinburgh's smallest and friendliest pub', this is, quite literally, halfway up Fleshmarket Close, between the bustle of Cockburn Street and Waverley Station, and is a buzzy little enclave encapsulating all that is right about a pub. Having changed hands just last year, the new owner has been smart enough not to fix something that ain't broke, resisting stripping away the homey granny's front-room vibe in favour of brushed chrome and mirrored walls. Sure, they've embraced the twenty-first century – a decent juke box and telly with Sky Sports on mute provide AV stimulation for those lacking in conversational skills – but the Halfway House still serves up its cheerily old-fashioned food; sturdy pub grub with a leg in each corner. It might seem quaint, but the Crombie's sausages and mash or the haggis, neeps and tatties will stick to your ribs and give you sustenance enough to tackle some of the hand-pulled guest ales on offer or to make a dent in the obligatory crush of single malts crowding the back shelves.

• High point: Old school – but not in a tacky, self-conscious way
• Low point: Might not appeal to everyone