Café 52

Buried in a cave-like arch below Union Street, Café 52 feels more like Amsterdam than the Granite City with an authentic air of easy cool that style bars would die for. The atmosphere is laid back but the menu is ambitious. Tempura black pudding and peppered mackerel or chilli tzatziki sandwiches make lunchtime far too short. In the evening, satisfying Cullen skink, venison, and duck dishes are made with as much imagination and skill as the lighter vegetarian options. A golden cavern of cuisine, Café 52 is hip but probably beyond the purse of most hippies.