Restaurants, North American

This café doesn't wear its USA theme lightly, with a yellow taxi and NYPD cruiser usually sat outside for diners on the al fresco tables to admire plus Americana draped around the tight space inside. It's all about the breakfasts and brunches here…

With a menu that has worked for 26 years, why change it? No reason, when you continue to pull in the crowds the way Buffalo Grill does. The Stockbridge restaurant, an offshoot of the original in the heart of Edinburgh’s student land, is cosy, warm…

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…

Di Maggio's is nearing its 30th year in Ruthven Lane, a statistic attributable both to its family friendly atmosphere – there's a play area especially for kids – and consistency. Located on a cobbled lane a stone’s throw from Byres Road, the west end…

Some restaurants are all about the expectation game. Launched in London over 40 years ago, the Hard Rock has since exported its rather cookie cutter approach all over the world, but should you go in expecting generous portions of decent, if rather…

If a multinational fast food outlet woke up in heaven cleansed of all sin, it might be a bit like Illegal Jack’s. A glance through the plate-glass windows fronting Lothian Road reveals a cavernous interior with rows of tables and a brightly lit service…

When it comes to knowing what students want, you’ve got to hand it to Ketchup. Set on the ground floor of a block of Ashton Lane venues, the American feel may not quite fit the cobbled lane, but inside, large booths and benches are crammed full of teens…

In a cutting-edge setting, AMPM Bar serves cosmopolitan cocktails and modern cuisine in upmarket Kensington. Set within the Hilton London Kensington Hotel, the glitzy dining room showcases Scandinavian-style interior design, with a chic bar serving an…

Good value basic meals are hard to find on Edinburgh’s upmarket George Street, so weary shoppers and Book Festival visitors may want to head to Gourmet Burger Kitchen at the Charlotte Square end – especially if they have a couple of kids in tow. This is…

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…

Behind the blinking neon sign, Katie’s Diner is the kind of hospitable family-run restaurant that every neighbourhood should have. Owners Geoff and Kate have been perfecting their game for the last 13 years, concentrating on doing a few things well and…

It’s love at first sight at Nick’s – what a stunning interior, all exposed brickwork, dark wood, slightly industrial, Brooklyn-loft kind of vibe. A newcomer to Hyndland Road, having opened in late 2009, it takes over the site of the unique…

Crafting the perfect burger is about more than simply grilling the patty properly; all elements need to combine to create something more than the sum of their parts. This is something Ad Lib knows well. Its burgers are a revelation, whether beef, lamb…

The former fire station that is home to the Merchant City branch of this enduringly popular American restaurant is much larger than its ‘big’ brother on Hope Street, but doesn't quite live up to its siblings achievements. The bulk of the menu is the…

Right in the heart of student land, Buffalo Grill has been thriving for 27 years serving up staple grill favourites of burgers, steaks and chicken wings. With so much success, this little restaurant with its cosy wood-panelled interior and mish-mash of…

The reliably popular Café Antipasti was dramatically transformed into a US-themed diner in 2012. It has an appealing, Americana-free feel, with plenty of glass frontage making a show of a busy Byres Road corner, a small central bar area, and chunky…