Restaurants, bistros, bars and brasseries Edinburgh... Page.3 Travel Guides | Edinburgh | Eating And Drinking | Restaurants, bistros, bars and brasseries Edinburgh... Page.3

££ Maison Bleue, 36-38 Victoria St, T 226 1900. Daily 1200-1500, 1700-late. No chance of missing this bright, blue three-storey building. Inside there’s a lively, Mediterranean feel reflected in the imaginative, ‘anything-goes’ approach to eating. Choose from Les Bouchées (mouthfuls), Les Bouchées Doubles and Les Brochettes which feature a wide range of French-influenced flavours, from North African to Oriental. Their BYOB policy (Sunday-Thursday), set lunch and pre-theatre menus make it even more of an appealing proposition.

££ Mamma's American Pizza Company, 30 Grassmarket, T 225 6464. Sun-Thu 1000-2400, Fri/Sat till 0100. Good old Italian-American serving up endless varieties of pizza with a big smile to hordes of grateful customers. None of yer fancy filled crusts here, just thin crisp pizza, as the Big Man intended. No bookings taken on Friday or Saturday night. No smoking. Also has two branches in the New Town, at 2 Broughton Place and 1 Howard Street, Canonmills.

££ Nicolsons, 6a Nicolson St, T 557 4567. Mon-Sat 1200-1500, 1700-late. Large, airy bistro, done out in 1930s Art Deco style and attracting an upwardly mobile crowd, as well as the occasional Harry Potter fan (JK Rowling used to come here to write when it was a humble café). Great for a bottle of wine or a martini and the food's good, too – Mediterranean-style with a Far Eastern tinge.

££ North Bridge Brasserie, 20 North Bridge, T 662 2900. Daily 1215-1430, 1815-2230. Bar open Sun-Thu 1000-2300, Fri-Sat till 0100. No smoking. Located in the swanky Scotsman Hotel, erstwhile home of The Scotsman newspaper. Worth visiting to marvel at the imaginative use of the high ceiling with a balcony running right round it, reached via a metal spiral staircases. Excell- ent brasserie menu features grilled meats and seafood, plus sushi and vegetarian choices, though a definite minus are the highly priced starters. Enjoy the leather couches or the view from above.

££ The Outsider, 15-16 George IV Bridge, T 226 3131. Daily 1100-2300. From the same team that brought you The Apartment on the Southside, this new culinary player has, unsurprisingly, quickly established a solid reputation. Individual décor and furnishings lend a classy backdrop to the main event, the food, which is tasty, filling and really good value. Lamb cutlets and merguez on couscous and skewers of roast duck, plums and onions are under a tenner. Staff are chatty, charming and attractive. Book well in advance to secure a seat.

££ Pancho Villas, 240 Canongate, T 557 4416. Mon-Thu 1200-1430, 1800-2200, Fri-Sat 1200-2230, Sun 1800-2230. If you want to stuff yourself on the finest Mexican food and have a good time in the process, then look no further. Clean, simple lines help create a relaxed atmosphere and the service is super-efficient. Cheaper at lunchtime, hence its popularity.

££ Petit Paris, 38-40 Grassmarket, T 226 2442. Daily 1200-1500, 1730 till late. Francophiles will fall in love with this place. Everything about it is French to the core, from the chequered tablecloths to the coquettish waitresses. The food is delectable and includes classic dishes such as Toulouse sausages and coq au vin. All in all, a wonderful experience, despite the squeeze. Great lunchtime bargains with a selection of mains for only £5 and pre-theatre deals. BYOB Sunday-Thursday, £2 corkage.

££ Prego, 38 St Mary's St, T 557 5754. Tue-Sat 1200-1430, 1800-2200. Tucked away out of sight just off the Royal Mile, this relaxed Italian restaurant is charming and urbane and does the simple things well, such as ossobuco alla Milanese and penne del captiano. The same à la carte menu is offered for lunch and dinner, though there are also plenty of cheaper pasta amd primi piatti options (£4-7) during the day.

££ Suruchi, 14a Nicolson St, T 556 6583. Mon-Sat 1200-1400, 1730-2330, Sun 1730-2330. Opposite the Festival Theatre. A cut above the average curry house, offering varied southern Indian cuisine with a strong vegetarian emphasis. Their set lunch and pre-theatre dinner are particularly good value at £9.95. BYOB.

Travel Guides | Edinburgh | Eating And Drinking | Restaurants, bistros, bars and brasseries Edinburgh... Page.3
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