Restaurants, Hitlisted, "Edinburgh"

Named after Valencia’s main beach, Malvarosa also embraces the name of its proprietor, Alvaro Bernabeu, the avuncular presence greeting regulars and newcomers alike at this unpretentious tapas bar. Alvaro brought his Spanish heritage to Portobello in…

Rivage may seem an understated presence from the outside, but there’s nothing low-key about the restaurant’s menu or the kitchen’s execution of it. Husband and wife team Ryad Meeajane and Catherine Thomson look after the kitchen and front of house…

Ajay Bhartdwaj, owner and head chef of Kalpna, has spent over 30 years correcting the particularly British sensibility that Indian cuisine ought be a meaty affair. Indian cookery in its most traditional form is almost entirely meat-free; something which…

Cosy little Indaba is tucked around the corner from the Cameo Cinema in Tollcross, providing tapas with a difference and truly something for everyone. People with gluten and wheat intolerances will be particularly delighted with a menu that, somewhat…

Small and staunchly independent, Tollcross gem Passorn is now approaching its fourth birthday. Owner Cindy Sritsotorn has carved out a niche among larger and longer-established haunts by holding true to her passion for good cooking and uncompromising…

Sushiya is Edinburgh’s bite-sized taste of Tokyo, as tiny, bright and inviting as the futo maki sushi. With only 25 covers it is undeniably small, but the stylish, minimalist interior keeps the feel spacious even when it’s busy and there’s a steady…

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…

Perfectly framed by Ondine’s windows, a couple flirt at a bus stop on George IV Bridge. Their bus arrives and they disappear, off to continue their story somewhere else. Could they, should they have come in for dinner? Ondine feels like one of those…

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…

Origano is a bijou alternative to the modern, mass-production Italian restaurant. Although styled as a New York trattoria, the cosy dining room would not be out of place in Greenwich Village or Sienna. Stripped wooden floors and ceilings, simple…

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…

When you emerge as the offshoot of a fairly flawless Michelin-starred restaurant there is only one way to avoid playing second fiddle. And that is, of course, to win your own star, which is exactly what Castle Terrace did in 2011, less than a year after…

It’s what everyone wants to find, local or visitor: the hidden gem that, through clever use of ingredients, manages simultaneously to guarantee you a good meal, offer something a bit unusual, and do it for blindingly good value. Since taking on this…

It’s more than that Michelin star. Restaurant Martin Wishart has a certain caché. It is a place to propose, to woo, to seal the deal. If it’s on the expense account, lucky you. If not, buy the ticket, take the ride: choose a tasting menu, with…

The central section of Thistle Street does not want for quality restaurants, so competition is fierce, which is to the diner’s benefit as each establishment works hard to impress. For six years Iris has been a draw for good food in stylish but not…

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…