Restaurants, Bar & pub food, "Edinburgh"

One of those versatile bars that often seems like a good idea for its perky cocktail list (a modernised one will be introduced very soon, retaining six old favourites and the same proactive attitude to decent ingredients), comfy sofas, and very…

To the uninitiated, arriving at Elbow is a particular treat, not least for its eccentric layout, with a mezzanine reached by a rickety staircase and a ground level boasting leather booths fitted into various nooks and crannies. The décor, which includes…

Dragonfly is stylishly relaxed with a kick of kitsch providing character – a description that applies to the drinks, decor and general feel of the place. Kung fu stencilled walls and purple prints are enjoyably diverting rather than distractingly…

This popular neighbourhood cocktail bar is just far enough off George Street to feel intimate, and attracts a varied clientele, from sports enthusiasts in for the big screens to post-work, cocktail-hungry young professionals. There’s the sense that it…

Bigger and with a slightly more sophisticated vibe than Boda, its nearby sister venue, Victoria is able to fill up its extra space with clientele ranging from pushchair-wielding parents in the daytime to a fairly cosmopolitan crowd of an evening, with…

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…

Tucked away down a West End lane, the potentially secret Sygn deserves a wide audience. An appealing but not overtly flamboyant retro-chic interior includes a private party area for your own shindig, with service that is positively chummy. ‘I Heart…

With its sleek lines, darkened underground vibe and loud, clubby soundtrack in competition with the hubbub of well-oiled conversation, Tonic is very much cut from the same cloth as the style bars of George Street and its surrounding area. Where this…

The name suggests Arctic chill but inside is a warm, softly lit bar, with exposed brickwork and book-lined shelves. The main restaurant is upstairs but food is served in both areas. Celebrated for being an ecologically sustainable restaurant (they boast…

The Bellevue name has returned to its former site on the corner of Broughton Street and London Road after 12 years as Mezz. The decor won't win any originality awards: in contemporary pub style there's some exposed brick here, chunky wooden tables…

They know their ales in this Stockbridge boozer. And their gins too. The beer geekery comes as no surprise when you realise it’s run by the same people behind the real ale and whisky havens of Cloisters in Tollcross and the Bow Bar on Victoria Street.

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…

There’s something surreal about The Ventoux, which makes it a splendid bar in which to hang out. At first, the theme seems bafflingly random, until, in the middle of your smoked German beer and pickled egg, the centime drops. Premièrement, it’s named…

Both of Edinburgh’s residents born with insatiable appetites for minor sports and obscure expressions of German weissbier must have felt all their prayers had been answered when the Tourmalet first appeared on the Leith pub scene back in 2009. However…

Divino can fairly count as one of Edinburgh's hidden gems. Set among the pretty murky shadows off Candlemaker Row and under George IV Bridge, this is a surprisingly sophisticated, enchanting subterranean venue of rough-stone walls, clubby leather seats…

If you’re an Edinburgh WAG looking for a bite to eat before a night on the town with your footballer boyfriend, Le Monde will be one of your first choices. The world is your oyster in this boutique hotel with international themed bedrooms, dining areas…