Restaurants, Bar & pub food

With facilities as wide ranging as its menu, the Waverley offers something for everyone – a kids soft play area, a pleasant and popular al fresco layout for those rare days when the weather obliges, DJs at weekends and an extensive à la carte menu…

A traditional pub that is as comfortable as an old pair of jeans and also as frayed around the edges. The tables might be scratched, the walls worn and food limited to toasties, but this is all part of the charm and it is to be hoped that nobody tries…

From its location to its choice of pizza toppings, Kilderkin is slightly odd but pretty great. Initial impressions are of a slightly dodgy boozer, with its dim lighting, basic decor and unprepossessing exterior. Inside, however, you’ll find one of…

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…

Floor-shaking stamping, plaintive strains of Spanish guitar and passionate cries of ‘ole!’ might well accompany your meal at La Sal, thanks to regular performances from Alba Flamenca, the dance school next door to the restaurant. Formerly known as El…

Closed in 2012, the Captain's Rest is much missed, as a bar and especially as a gig venue. But its effective successor Broadcast – situated much more centrally, practically eyeball-to-eyeball with nearest rival Nice 'n' Sleazy – promises to be just as…

There’s a laidback, Australian vibe to the Esplanade – the ‘Espy’ – bar and bistro on Portobello’s beachfront, with its cheery service, beer, burgers, live music and comedy, and tables overlooking, okay, not the Indian Ocean, but the Firth of Forth to…

Boasting the title 'Edinburgh's smallest and friendliest pub', this is, quite literally, halfway up Fleshmarket Close, between the bustle of Cockburn Street and Waverley Station, and is a buzzy little enclave encapsulating all that is right about a pub.

The theme of the current incarnation of this style bar is literally plastered over the walls with eye-catching monochrome wallpaper featuring New York landmarks. The space is dominated by a huge curved bar and an open floor which suggests evening…

Variety Bar is a colourful affair with a unique atmosphere, where students, musos and ravers sit beside office workers and typically Glaswegian ‘old men’. There are always a few characters inside, as well as premium beers on tap and a strong selection…

Prepare to be swept away by one of the best looking bars in Leith – and it's got stiff competition – because Compass is designed for dramatic effect, with two rooms opened out into one high-ceilinged corner unit, with blood-red walls, a bit of foliage…

Until recently called the Ivy, Distill's new name hasn't changed it from being a haunt for the hip, with a young cool crowd attracted to a fashionable part of the city. The range of rums is the widest in Scotland and the house rum is the excellent…

Irishness radiates from every Guinness memorabilia festooned nook and cranny of Malone’s, from the quotations and portraits of sporting and literary heroes that line the walls, to the green telephone box nestled in its upstairs area. Set in the…

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…

Occupying a prime double shop front on Portobello's main drag, Skylark is just what the neighbourhood has been crying out for, since evening eating options are somewhat thin on the ground. A daytime café with toys, books, food and events for kids (check…

Descending the barely noticeable stairway into the fun-loving Hawaiian tiki bar is like stepping into another era. Kitsch 1950s memorabilia line the walls while palm trees and wicker furniture dominate the compact drinking area. Cocktails are the name…

Located in an old tobacco merchant’s house on the periphery of the Merchant City, Babbity Bowster is a pleasantly secluded place for a drink and some good food, particularly in the beer garden if the sun is shining on this evocative street. Babbity…

Barioja, right next door to sister restaurant Iggs, distinguishes itself from its more mature, refined sibling by offering a wide selection of tapas in a laidback atmosphere. The smart interior features a well-stocked bar, comfortable leather benches…