Budget

The founder may have retired two years ago, but new management are sticking to the Baked Potato Shop’s thirty-year mission to provide the ‘hottest tattie in town’. Proving hot doesn’t always mean beefy, they’re entirely veggie and vegan to the point of…

Despite new owners and a bit of a revamp in 2009 it remains business as usual with Bar Kohl continuing to serve over 50 flavours of vodka, as it has done since first opening in 1993. Exposed brick walls, chalk boards and standard wooden pub tables no…

Bonsai Bar Bistro provides a clear rebuttal to the notion that Japanese cuisine in the UK is expensive and exclusive. The small but perfectly formed restaurant is known for its welcoming atmosphere and has a wide-ranging menu that offers something for…

'Don’t go changing' was the overwhelming response to this iconic Maryhill café and ice-cream parlour's owner James Evans’ recent request for feedback from his faithful customers. Between the red leather crescent booths, wood-panelling, retro jukebox and…

With its handsome interior, chunky Tim Stead furniture and globe lights, Café Gandolfi is the granddaddy of Merchant City bohemianism. Serving a mix of clientele from shoppers to concert-goers, it’s been dishing out high-end bistro food for more than 30…

Charcoals has been lavished with awards in the past year, picking up a Best of Glasgow title in the Scottish Curry Awards and Outstanding Maitre d’ in the Glasgow Restaurant Awards. It is immediately apparent why manager Ali scooped the accolade as he…

Having recently been taken over by new owners, the Common Rooms is looking to re-assert itself in the West End. Spruced up, with a brand new fixed-priced menu and a whole array of live entertainment, it appears ready to compete with the densely…

Despite being festooned with an abundance of fairy lights and flickering candles and boasting a burnished golden ceiling, the dining room of this converted church has an intimate, relaxed feel. Chef Jonathon Macfarlane (formerly Ubiquitous Chip) is a…

A First World War minesweeper boat anchored right at the heart of Leith’s bustling Shore district, Cruz has to be among the most distinctive drinking venues in Edinburgh. A popular watering hole with the area’s young party crowd, Cruz serves up an…

With its reputation for authentic north Italian cuisine and rich seafood served in elegant surroundings, dining at Fratelli Sarti’s Renfield Street branch is meant to be a special occasion. Peruse the leather bound Tuscan specials and enjoy the light of…

Thriving Broughton Street in the East End of Edinburgh has loads of choice for hungry visitors looking for a nice night out. Hamburger Heaven aims for a mid-way option focusing on decent-quality American-style food. A fairly extensive menu certainly…

Like a warm hug on a fragile day, there is a soothing familiarity about this café, which feels like it has been around forever despite being set up only a few years ago. Their USP is the all-day breakfast, which is almost good enough to merit…

With the Traverse and Royal Lyceum theatres and the Usher Hall on its doorstep, you would think this Chinese restaurant with its distinctive, red-painted façade would be ideal for a quick pre-theatre fuel stop. Yet Jasmine's varied menu and focus on…

This Cantonese restaurant, the oldest in Glasgow, reopened in early 2013 and has deservedly held onto its great reputation, especially for seafood and dim sum, despite a two-year closure following a fire above. Particularly, but not exclusively, popular…

Quite who is the Mosque Kitchen, who is the Original Mosque Kitchen and who is the original Original Mosque Kitchen is very much up for debate – just ask one of the staff here. However, regardless of who is more authentic, the two venues share a similar…

Something of a Glasgow stalwart, the Edinburgh branch of Mother India’s Cafe opened in 2008 and has replicated the popularity of its western sibling. Serving up Indian food in tapas-sized portions ensures the restaurant maintains a buzzing social feel…

This lively Italian family-run bar/bistro takes its name from the street running through the heart of New York’s Little Italy. It’s not themed, but subtle shots of Manhattan break up otherwise minimalist décor. The venue is split, one half casual bar…

With Dumbarton Road not short of cafés and restaurants it pays to have a niche, and under the same ownership as next door’s Velvet Elvis, the New York Kitchen has adopted an American diner theme that is well represented throughout its impressively…

Recently taken over after a short spell unattended, the current incarnation of the Old Chain Pier breathes welcome new life into one of Edinburgh’s most distinctive pub premises. A split-level affair with both a mezzanine and a conservatory (the latter…

Not far from Haymarket’s busy hub, Morrison Street’s Papoli is a little ray of sunshine. While still retaining its roots in Italian cuisine, in August 2012 it welcomed new management and a slowly evolving shift in emphasis towards a more rounded…

Located inside an independent bookstore, with tables in between the bookshelves, this simple wee café feels almost like a community drop-in centre. Indeed since opening in November 2012 it has found regulars happy to come in and hang out for a few…