Hitlisted, Outdoor dining, "Edinburgh"

When you head to Tanjore, and it’s heartily recommended you do, there are two reasons to bring an appetite. First, this is where to sample the finest Southern Indian cuisine in Edinburgh. Second, you’ll be tempted to order everything on the enticing…

Bijou came under new ownership in 2011 but both head chef Alastair Berry and the quirky but useful menu formula of offering most items in bijou, medium or large size have remained. The low-key interior features a sprinkling of café-style tables, a small…

Proud to call itself Edinburgh’s first Lebanese restaurant, Beirut offers some of the best-value lunch deals in town. Its keen pricing and reasonable BYOB charges make it an attractive option for anyone looking for interesting food without breaking open…

Meaning ‘home’ in Swedish, Hemma is the latest addition to Mike and Anna Christopherson’s string of Scandinavian style bars. And with its soft furnishings and quirky interiors, it does indeed have a laidback, homely atmosphere, despite the modern feel…

Of course, you can melt the credit card with the tasting or seasonal menus at this ultra-slick Leith restaurant, but Tom Kitchin has also brought his Michelin-starred brand of fine dining to a refreshingly wide audience of food lovers. A set lunch menu…

Fish just tastes better when you eat it by water – a fact The Shore’s branch of Fishers has made the most of for over 20 years. This is a classic bistro: busy, buzzy, not particularly trend-led (and all the better for it). It’s hard to think of an…

Another Leith bar to make the rest of the city weep, Nobles is quite simply everything you could want from a local. With great drinks (Black Isle supply them with a custom-made Nobles IPA), a pub quiz every Monday, live bands all week and a stunning…

Beer and burgers are the main draw at Holyood 9a, and both are worth a trip to this corner of the Old Town. A selection of 11 beers is permanently on draught and, combined with another 10 rotational pumps, constitutes one of Edinburgh’s best selections…

Despite its tiny size, revolutionary soup cafe Union of Genius is a big presence on Edinburgh's food scene. Their fast-food approach to soups is perfectly customer friendly, with a choice of six daily concoctions (for example a traditional cream of leek…

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…

Italian restaurants in Edinburgh can sometimes be a touch uninspiring, but thankfully we have restaurants like Locandi de Gusti who are happy to tread a different, more authentic path. The menu here reflects the Neapolitan origins of the owners, with a…

Disguised as an old warehouse, Earthy Market Café is a surprising hidden gem for those who love all things wholesome and hearty. Earthy, which also operates a bistro-café and small shop in Canonmills, is an operation run by people who care about food…

Run by two talented chefs with impressive restaurant experience between them (including The Atrium, The Kitchin, The Outsider, Café St Honore and Falko), Gardener’s Cottage is a relatively new addition to Edinburgh dining. Be transported out of the city…

The Shore area enjoys no shortage of good bars, yet the small but perfectly formed Roseleaf continues to go from strength to strength at the head of the pack. Mixing chintzy and idiosyncratic homeliness with a deeply considered attention to detail, they…

A crowd-pleasing menu, friendly service and genuine interest in using local Newhaven and Leith-based suppliers create a sense of community around this cheery café-bistro. The simple décor complements the elegant, airy proportions of the former bank…

Happy birthday to the Traverse Theatre. In 2013 the venue celebrates its Golden Jubilee and to mark the occasion its fondly regarded basement bar/cafe has an updated menu. Fried sea bass with crushed new potatoes, or tagliatelle with mushrooms…