The Meadow Bar

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

With Edinburgh University around the corner, it is little surprise that the Meadow Bar has long been a favourite of students and academics. Those in the know forsake the self-consciously happening haunts in this part of town for the understated cool of the 'Moo Bar', whose denizens drink proper pints and are as likely to be reading about the footie as swatting up on Kafka. You can eat and drink in either the funky bar downstairs or the charming low-ceilinged dining room upstairs. The menu is short - basically burgers, panini, nachos, soup (a winner with university staff) and side orders - supplemented by a couple of daily specials (such as sizzling steak or feta and spinach linguine). There is also a popular breakfast at weekends. This simple approach is no bad thing, thanks to reasonable prices and reliable home cooking. There's always a pie of the day, such as a puff-pastry cherry tomato, mozzarella, aubergine and basil creation reminiscent of Provencal climes. The specials board usually displays something for afters, which can be startlingly good - as the stem ginger and sultana pudding with ginger caramel certainly is.

• High point: Wonderful home-made ginger pudding
• Low point: Overdone steak