The Lot

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• What are these?

• Average price 2 courses:
   £15 (lunch)
   £15 (evening meal)
• House wine: £11 per bottle

• High point: All profits go to charity
• Low point: Early closing makes evening dining tricky
• Food served: Mon–Sat 11am–9.30pm; Sun noon–6pm
• Open since: 2004
• Also offers: Vegetarian options (at least 25% of main courses), Children's portions, Children's high chairs, Wheelchair access, Pre-theatre menu

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

Despite its rather grand situation in an old church, which nestles in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle, The Lot is a colourful, somewhat unassuming café-cum-restaurant with a lot of charm. The ceilings are high, the colours bright, and people come at all hours of the day to while away the hours among the mismatched tables, drinking coffee, studying or enjoying some wholesome, not-for-profit fare. The home-made seafood chowder is packed with fish and is creamy without being too rich, while the lime and chilli king prawn salad is tasty, albeit rather haphazardly constructed. Mushroom ravioli in a creamy white wine sauce would benefit from a little less liquid, but the coriander and lime chicken is both succulent and light. When it comes to puddings, The Lot makes a big effort to please, and if you can't decide between all the options on offer, why not opt for the taster plate of three of the chef's choices to share? With live jazz playing in the upstairs room several nights a week and displays of local artists' work adorning the walls, this place has a community feel that's rarely achieved this close to the city centre.