Stockbridge, British, Traditional Restaurant Guide

“Step back in time to an old-school Parisian bistro in the heart of Edinburgh New Town” at this “cosy and unpretentious establishment down a side street off Princes Street” that “serves food as Elizabeth David might have ordered and admired” – “long may it continue”.

As per its siblings, this offshoot of Richard Caring’s brasserie format woos diners with its “lovely surroundings” and location in a “handy spot” overlooking St Andrew’s Square; also as per its siblings, there are critics of the “disappointing food, service and ambience”, for whom this endlessly expanding empire is “a chain taken too far”.

2021 Review: Owned by the Crolla family (who started Valvona & Crolla, Scotland’s oldest deli and Italian wine merchant – see also), this sixteenth century fine dining spot is a beacon on the otherwise touristy Royal Mile owing to its “well-cooked and well-seasoned” Scottish fare and “good value Sunday lunch”; for a truly intimate dining experience, try ‘Halo’, upstairs, which seats just four.

2021 Review: This “real gem” on the road to Leith – “family-run with flair and passion” – “uses unusual cuts of locally sourced meats and seasonal produce to keep the cost of lunch to £10”. It’s “intimate and cosy, but on a hot summer’s day, sitting outside sipping wine and eating the amazing fresh food the kitchen sends out is a real treat”.

2023 Review: “The best steaks we have ever eaten!” – the Davidson family’s roadside inn near Linlithgow has built its renown over four decades in operation, for the quality of its meat; and there’s also a selection of prime-quality burgers. Reflecting their heritage, South African wines are the backbone of what’s a high-quality list to bolster the generally red-blooded vibe.