And if you’re pushed for time, there is a fabulous selection of cafes and takeaways that will help fill you up if you’re in a hurry.      

During the busy festival period in August, restaurants can be extremely busy and if you want to dine at a specific place,  it would be sensible to book ahead. Also take into account that the Military Tattoo runs nightly at 9pm (7.30pm and 10.00pm on Saturdays) and many people choose to dine before they head up to the castle.  Try dining around 6pm, or after 8.30pm to avoid the busiest times.     

The majority of the Fringe venues have their own bars and cafes supplying food and drink between shows, but we understand that someone people want to experience good food at local places whilst they’re in town and avoid being handed flyers as they eat. 

Tea Tree Tea, Bread Street

Need a drink and a quick bite to eat?    

Look no further than our recommended Tea Tree Tea in Bread Street.  Drew, Jamie and the team always warmly welcome tourists amongst their regulars.  A wide selection of drinks alongside fresh soups, salads and paninis are offered with an amazing range of cakes (gluten free choices available).  They also have fast reliable wifi to check out the latest festival news and reviews.  Open early until 9.30pm every day (8pm Sundays).   

Around the corner on Lothian Road, there is the excellent Illegal Jacks  who offers fresh tex mex food at reasonable prices.  Allow the friendly staff to help you select your ‘weapon’ and munch your way to happiness through one of their excellent burritos and quesadillas or tuck into their sizzling fajitas. Their vintage chilli has been taking Edinburgh by storm recently.    

At the West End of town, try Wannaburger for breakfast and burger lunches and dinners.  The food is good and service quick and efficient.     

Looking for a curry in a hurry?   Look no further than the excellent Kebab Mehal in Nicolson Street.  You may have to a share a table as you eat their halal dishes, but it’s a foody experience not to be missed in town.  The best Malaysian in Edinburgh has to be the neighbouring Kampong Ah Lee, which also offers an informal dining experience.     

Prefer a more relaxing meal?    

In the town centre, we recommend Urban Angel who have branches at Hanover Street and Forth Street. They only use local, organic, free-range and fairly traded produce.     

Our current favourite Indian restaurant in town is the Spice Pavilion in the New Town.  Serving excellent food with a genuine smile in sumptuous Indian surroundings, you will not be disappointed.        

Indian delights at Spice Pavilion

If you want to try Middle Eastern food, then Hanam’s at Castle Terrace is the one for you.  If juicy steaks are more to your liking, then you must try McKirdy’s Steakhouse.  Looking for authentic Thai food?  Passorn at Tollcross offers incredible Thai food and hospitable service.     

Avoca in Stockbridge has consistently good food and a warm local feel, as does their sister restaurant near the Botanical Gardens, The Orchard.   Another Stockbridge gem is The Saint in St Stephen Street who offer top notch food at very reasonable prices.     

A short walk from Haymarket sees some of Edinburgh’s favourite restaurants.  Italian food galore at La Partenope and across the road, First Coast always delivers.     

A slight longer walk or bus ride from town, but well worth the journey are a couple of Leith favourites.  Tony Crolla will warmly welcome you to La Favorita for any meal occasion and in true Italian style, families are well catered for.  Their log-fired pizza is the best in Edinburgh.  The Roseleaf in Sandport Place is a bar, but their food is tremendous. They also offer ‘pot tails’ which is alcholic drinks served in tea pots!     

Put simply, Edinburgh provides a feast of food and drink for locals and visitors alike.     

Bon apetit!

Jacob's chocolate cake- personal favourite

*Updated July 2010 with more cakey reviews* 

Edinburgh is home to many wonderful cafes and cake shops and we love sampling them so that we can advise you the best places to enjoy a sweet treat.   The following suggestions are in no particular order of preference, but have been grouped together by area of town.  As you will see, we have visited every single suggestion and reviewed it, so click on the links to get location details and our thoughts on the cafes.       

Starting off with my local favourites, we have Muffins at Goldenacre and  Moo Cafeteria at Canonmills.  The great thing about Moo’s menu of cakes is that it is ever changing. Different desserts are always rotated through the week, meaning there is always a fresh choice to choose from and I have yet to have a disappointing cake.   The neighbouring Circle Cafe does a wonderful carrot cake and completing the choices on Brandon Terrace is the fabulous Coffee Angel.  Moving towards town, there is the Russian Passion Cafe who do a selection of Russian desserts and kick started my 2010 with a cakey bang.       

On Broughton Street, the freshly baked scones at the Bakehouse merit a visit and Urban Angel at Forth Street do an amazing selection of cakes and muffins to devour.        

On the Edinburgh’s famous Royal Mile, you have the choice of Clarinda’s Tea Room and Forsyth’s who have old style home baking on offer.  Although not cake shops, the Fudge Kitchen on the Royal Mile is definitely worth a visit, as is nearby Lickety Splits.       

You can also relax in chocolate surroundings at Chocolate Soup although I’ve found the service isn’t always the best and at the top of the Royal Mile, I can’t think of a better value and quality afternoon tea than The Hub’s current offering.  Their chocolate brownies are heavenly and scones served warm.     On nearby George IV Bridge, the Cellar Door Patisserie has a german chef who creates cake masterpieces alongside truffles and chocolates.  On Victoria Street, generous slabs of cake are served at the Bakehouse.  

Rainbow cupcakes

Also in the centre of town is Spoon Cafe and their carrot cake is a personal favourite of mine with its’ lime frosting.  Peter’s Yard at the Quartermile is worth a trip for a Swedish take on cakes and the views from Debenhams on Princes Street cannot be beaten, but the offerings are not the best.        

There are hidden cake gems to be found in Bread Street’s Tea Tree Tea but I can’t see past their honeymoon slice.  They also do gluten free options and classics such as empire biscuits.  At Tollcross, the cakes at The Tree House are mouth wateringly delicious (the Victoria Sponge portion is huge) and moving South to the Bruntsfield area, my current favourite is the Chocolate Tree.  I find it better value than the nearby Falko Konditormeister.  

Moving down into Morningside, a trip to Loopy Lorna’s cannot be missed for the whole cakey experience with a vast range of tea presented in tea pots covered with cute tea cosies.   They are due to open another branch at the Churchhill Theatre at the beginning of August where they will take advanced bookings.       

Ex-tea-mernate cosie at Loopy Lorna's

Stockbridge choices for cake include Leo’s Beanery in Howe Street,  Zanzero in North West Circus Place and newcomer Madeleine’s patisserie and espresso bar.     

Porto & Fi at Newhaven is another excellent choice for a cake break.   Along the road in Leith,  favourites include Cafe Truva and The Roseleaf.  And I couldn’t write this article without mentioned the fabulous Sicilian Pastry shop in Albert Street and the Manna House on Easter Road.    Kitsch also hits the mark in Leith.  

In Gorgie, look no further than Patisserie Jacob which is amazing quality at reasonable prices.  Out of town, the meringues and other puddings at the Forth Rail Bistro are worth travelling for and have the added bonus of wonderful views.         

In Newington you can die and go to chocolate heaven at Choco Latte or choose one of the Grind House Cafe’s excellent cakes.  

If those selections haven’t make your mouth water and head out the door, you can always order cupcakes online from Edinburgh companies Rainbow Cupcakes, Lizzie’s Tea Party and Cupcake and Ribbons. All 3 of these companies also supply cupcakes in cafes around town and details are listed in their articles.         

One of my favourite desserts in town has to be the banoffee pie at Howies which never disappoints, but needs to be eaten as part of a meal.   As for my ultimate favourite cake in Edinburgh – well I just can’t make up my mind, so might have to pop round all the options again before making my final decision        

George IV Bridge

Afternoon tea and cake

The Cellar Door Patisserie proudly takes place on George IV Bridge above the Cellar Door Restaurant, which was formerly the Olive Branch Bistro. 

I have been here twice now, once for their excellent hot chocolate and chocolate brownie combo deal, which was nothing short of perfection. 

This review is from a visit earlier this week when I needed some comforting cake!  A warm welcome from the staff re-affirmed we had made the right choice.  I asked if it was ok to just have tea and cake and she enthusiastically replied that it was and indicated the cakey goods in front of her. 

All the choices looked mouthwatering, but what I like about this place is, that they have little samples of the cakes to try before you buy.  Mmmmm, a tiny piece of vanilla cheesecake perhaps?  Carrot cake?  Chocolatey chocolate cake?  I tried all three.  The carrot cake (£2.50) was so heavenly moist and delicious that my friend immediately chose that option and I went for the more unusual choice of plum Madeira cake (£2.50).  Coffee and tea were ordered  and we retreated to one of the few sit-in seats on ground level and waited in giddy anticipation. 

Contender for best carrot cake in town

We sliced them in half so we could experience both of our choices and the carrot cake was so perfectly moist with topping to die for – I honestly think it’s my current favourite cake in the whole of Edinburgh! 

Plum Madeira cake

The plum Madeira cake was also delicious and baked to perfection.  Despite the generous portion size with both of the cakes disappearing all too quickly. 

Reading their website, it appears that these creations were made by their chef called Petra who has been flown over from Germany to produce the masterpieces we experienced, alongside a selection of chocolates and truffles.  

No time to sit-in?   All the goods on offer, as well as the hot chocolate and coffees are available to take away. 

Full marks to Petra, full marks to the lovely waitress and full marks to the Cellar Door Patisserie.  I’ve looked at their menu for the restaurant downstairs and will be paying them a visit soon to experience a whole meal, knowing that the dessert will be nothing short of exquisite. 

Suitable for disabled?  The patisserie is on ground level, with room to manourvre but the bathrooms are down a set of stairs.

I love a good bakery and as part of my work (vital component of my job description) is to thoroughly check that the food establishments we have awarded our ‘recommended’ award to – continue to come up to scratch.

I take this aspect of my work very seriously and felt the need to visit Patisserie Jacob twice this week as a kind of ’spot check’.  I paid a visit last Tuesday with guests from out of town to stock up on Jacob goodies for a picnic.  We bought sourdough bread, spinach and feta pasties, a quiche and a small vegetable pizza.  For dessert we purchased a raspberry danish, a chocolate croissant and an apple and custard tart, all for around £7.50.

We were on the end of some very envious looks amongst fellow picnickers in Perthshire and a dog was not amused at the absence of leftover crumbs from our table.

Raspberry, pear and almond tart

Saturday saw me conveniently (on purpose) in the Gorgie area again, this time to stock up for Saturday lunch at home.  Beautifully fresh baked rolls, a chicken curry pie and a beef pasty were purchased alongside the  pièce de résistance of pear and raspberry tart and their Belgian double chocolate cake.  I protected the baked goodies with my life in the windy conditions – as I transported them through the streets of Edinburgh to my home.

Chocolate heaven from Patisserie Jacob

The savoury dishes were heated gently in the oven and wolfed down quickly to enable us to get to the stars of the show.  I was shaking with excitement as I divided the two cakes pictured (in my favour, 60/40) and not a word passed my lips as I savoured a piece of the tart, a piece of cake and then both at the same time.  I don’t know if chef Jacob would approve of the mixing of cakes, but it sure worked for me.

Exceptional quality is what you get with the baked goods from Jacob, at exceedingly good value prices.  All the products I have tried (and there’s been a few) have hit the mark and I will continue to get my cakey-fill in Gorgie.  Patisserie Jacob continues to be highly recommended from us, but rest assured, I will keep checking on the quality for our readers – it is after all, part of my job.

You can now purchase Patisserie Jacob goodies at Cafe Montagu at Goldenacre.

Suitable for disabled?  Yes, the bakery is on ground level.

Albert Street treasure

Sicilian Pastry Shop – the best in Edinburgh?  We think so.

*This is an updated article from the orginal published in March 2009*

Continuing the theme of cake shops in Edinburgh, I visited the Sicilian Pastry Shop in Albert Street, Leith.   

It’s at the end of Albert Street near Leith Walk and is a family run business and is extremely popular with Edinburgh residents who come from afar to order their special occasion cake.  

It is also an every-day bakery, with lots of breads and small cakes to choose from.  In the name 0f research of course, I opted a cake for the bargain price of £0.93.  It was puff choux-pastry filled with creamy custard and was delicious.   As I bit into it, the cream oozed out and I was in cakey heaven.  

Creamy Custard

They have a price list for bigger cakes suitable for parties and will take the order and make it for the next day, which is quick service.  They can also be made with fruit or profiteroles if you want – with the bakers taking great pride in making your cake dreams come true.  

Full shop details are    

14-16 Albert Street, Edinburgh, EH7 5LG         Phone: 0131 554 7417   

Albert Street, Leith

Suitable for disabled ?      Yes, access is on ground level  

Good burger

Wannaburger’s only branch is at the West End of town in Queensferry Street but a great choice.  Their menu offers all the usual burger-suspects, but Wannaburger is open from 8am and serves a great breakfast menu till 11.30am every day which includes bottomless coffee. 

Wi fi is also offered, making this a great place for a quick bite to eat whilst working.  Lunchtime and the evening sees the full burger menu serve, starting at £4.50 for a classic burger – but Wannaburger do deals from time to time on their website and facebook such as 20% off breakfast pancakes or £6.50 for a burger, fries and soda deal.  

Quality is really good here, the beef is juicy and cooked to perfection (three vegetarian choices available) and who doesn’t love a bowl of crinkle cut chips and ketchup?  Great chocolate shakes are available to wash the burgers down with and a range of desserts. 

Crinkle fries

Wannaburger is great for an informal meal without compromising on the quality.  A meal for 2 with drinks costs around £20. 

Suitable for disabled?   Yes, on ground level.

La Favorita

It was a rainy Edinburgh dinner time, when I was warmly welcomed into the restaurant and given a choice where to sit.  The friendly waiter (the majority of staff are Italian) offered to take my umbrella, as well as my jacket.  My dining partner soon arrived and ordered a pint of Birra Moretti beer, £4.25 whilst I was still choosing from the extensive wine list (now named Tony and Giuseppe’s Wine Cellar).  There are three or so choices for wines by the glass for white, red and rose and I opted for a small glass of Pinot Grigio, £3.75.  We were automatically served iced water as we read the extensive food menu. 

One of the main food attraction’s here  is the log-fired pizzas, but the rest of the menu packs a mean Italian punch.  I am normally sceptical of restaurants that offer such a huge choice of dishes, but have never been disappointed for the freshness or the quality of dishes here.  I ordered the Spiedini de Mozzarella di Crudo (mozzarella in parma ham kebabs) in my best Italian and Torre di Parmigiana (aubergines and pomodora sauce) for my dining partner, both £5.50.  We explained we would like to share them both and the waiter brought us extra plates.  

Starter

Both of the starters were presented well and  nothing short of perfection.  For the main course, my dining partner opted for the special of Tronchetti Asparagai (asparagus crepes) at £10.50 and I chose one of the magnificent pizzas – a Fiorentina, £11.50 which was topped with sirloin beef (cooked to my liking), rocket and parmesan.  A large selection of gluten free pizzas are also available. 

Special dish

My dining partner exclaimed he had never tasted an Italian dish as good as this, so I sampled his choice and concurred with his verdict.  The asparagus was cooked to perfection and worked well with the crepes and sauce.  My pizza was served at the table and I wondered how I was going to tackle this 14inch monster, but I managed with gusto (and only a little help).  I can’t express how good this pizza was and the neighbouring table of Italians, also munched their way to pizza happiness and stated they were glad they had made the trip down Leith. 

Best pizza in town

We requested some time for our food to settle as we didn’t want to miss out on the fantastic range of desserts that La Favorita offers.  Their range of ice cream includes strawberry coconut ruffle and peanut butter crunch as well as all the usual suspects of banoffee pie and chocolate mousse.  Desserts are priced around £4 each.  We opted for a Sicilian Banana Boat and Banoffee pie and both were a perfect ending to a thoroughly enjoyable meal. 

Delicious desserts

La Favorita is very  family and group friendly with a clown making an appearance every Sunday afternoon for the little ones.  Service is faultless by the wonderful staff who ooze Italian charm.  I do not hesitate to recommend La Favorita (and Tony’s other restaurants) for every occasion.  You can now also make home delivery orders which includes a large chunk of the restaurant menu. 

Tony has recently delved into the world of social media and you can now find La Favorita on twitter and on facebook which are well worth a look as Tony runs special offers on them. 

Suitable for disabled?  Yes, ground floor even access with fully acessible bathroom. 

East Princes Street Gardens

The food pavilion in West Princes Street Gardens has undergone a very pink overhaul and transformed into Scott’s in the Park.  Situated in the shadow of the Scott Monument, you can buy all kinds of sandwiches, paninis, drinks and ice-cream to take-away or sit at the equally pink tables and chairs.  Princes Street Gardens is an excellent place to spend a lunch hour if working in the city centre, or any time if the sun is out and you’re not working!    

I haven’t personally tried the food here, so can’t comment on quality, but prices seemed reasonable and sometimes you just need to have an ice-cream. 

Selection of food and drinks

Pop by for lunch or ice cream

Great Indian dishes

I love a good curry and in my opinion, the Kebab Mahal is the best ‘informal’ place for halal traditional tandoori and curry dishes in town.  I must emphasise informal, as when you step inside, it’s a collection of a few tables and everyone fits in somehow.  I normally end up sharing a table here and chatting away to other people who know of this wonderful place.  Sometimes it’s so busy you have to wait a wee while to be seated, but people just eat and go - there’s no lingering over coffee here. 

Always busy (Monday night)

I’ve been eating there since the 1990s – an example menu is here .    Kebab Mahal is also a thriving kebab and pizza takeaway into the early hours (no curries after midnight).  Help yourself to drinks from the chilled cabinet (no alcohol available) and order your food.  Portions are very generous and past experience has taught my dining partner and I, that a curry based dish each, plus a rice and a nan to share between us is ample.  You can have curries as hot as you wish as everything is freshly prepared and if for some reason what you fancy is not on the menu, the staff will rustle it up no problem.  Once you’ve eaten, you just pay on the way out and your table is swiftly cleaned for the next diners.  Turnaround is quick here. 

Good sized portions

 A visit to Kebab Mehal is not for plush decor and comfortable surroundings – but what they lack in those, they make up for in quality and prices.   Definitely worth a visit in Nicolson Square, a short walk from the Bridges and the High Street.    

Suitabled for disabled?    Yes, there’s only one small step up, then everything is on one level.  Staff very helpful

The Pavilion Cafe

I visited it at the weekend when the Meadows Festival was on and purchased a beautiful lentil pate with spinach roll for £2.50, a soft drink for £1 and a slice of malteser cake, £1.50.

There are seats outside to watch the world go by and the quality of food was surprisingly good and I wouldn’t hestitate to eat here again.  Their hours are 10ish to 6ish every day of the summer, which I read to be weather dependent!

Opening hours

Fresh Tex Mex

Los Cardos has been open a couple of months now and is a welcome addition to the takeaway choices currently offered in Leith.  The bonus with Los Cardos is that you can actually eat at one of the few tables inside if you don’t live close enough to take the food home whilst still hot.  

I’ve been in Los Cardos twice now, but this review covers a visit earlier on this week, but the staff thought I was experiencing their food for the first time.  

My dining partner and I asked how the menu worked amongst many other questions and was given clear information by the staff who were friendly and patient.  I enquired as to how Macsween’s haggis works inside the usual Mexican suspects of fajitas, burritos and quesadillas – but was reassured it was very tasty.  

I couldn’t decide between trying the haggis and the juicy Aberdeen Angus steak, so the staff member said I could half n’ half which sounded like an excellent plan (£5.85).  A variety of soft drinks are available to accompany the Los Cardos food - priced around £1 each.  I was also allowed to taste the different salsas with a few corn chips to see how hot I could go (not very), which was great rather than risk ruining the meal as I’d gone one notch too hot.  

A few minutes later, I was presented with this quesadilla, filled with haggis and steak.  

Haggis and steak quesadilla

I sat at the table as my dining partner was still deciding on what to have.   The menu might appear basic -  but there are still a large number combinations to choose from.  

My haggis/steak quesadilla combo was a first for me and the filling was of generous size and piping hot.  The flavours worked well together and the steak had indeed been grilled to perfection.  I added lashings of sour cream and salsa on top and munched my way to ‘Fresh Mex’ happiness.  

Burrito goodness

My dining partner chose the basic burrito with black beans and some guacamole, cheese and salsa, £4.95.  He went for the super hot sauce, so I stayed clear of tasting his dinner but he assured me that the contents were excellent. 

You can of course, pick and choose your combinations to make it a healthy choice should you wish and do without the sour cream etc.  Tracy Giffen who runs Griffen Fitness suggests a healthy option which is trying lots of beans in a bowl with no tortilla, no rice, grilled peppers and guacamole, then verde salsa, salad and just a sprinkle of cheese on top.   This combination demonstrates how Los Cardos food can be done without the calories of normal takeaway. 

Verdict?  Excellent quality ‘Fresh Mex’ food at reasonable prices with friendly and efficient service.   

You can join Los Cardos’s facebook page and follow them on twitter.     

Suitable for disabled?   Yes, on ground level access.  

Great food in Leith

Dundas Street Indian

 The restaurant has been open for a few weeks now and currently has an offer on until the end of June - 25% discount on all food, which gave me the push to try out their menu.  This review is based on one visit only  – but I couldn’t keep my findings a secret whilst I tried to fit in a second visit around forthcoming holidays.  You can book a table online or phone ahead.      

We were warmly welcomed into this beautifully decorated restaurant that seats 50 people.   It may be a basement building, but is furnished to make it feel bright and airy, with ample light in the dining areas.  Fresh flowers and tea lights in glass are on each table with cloth napkins and fine cutlery.  Stunning pictures of India have been hung on the walls in a subtle manner and my dining partner who normally doesn’t notice his surroundings, was blown away with the decor.   Word has obviously spread quickly through the streets of the New Town about the quality of food on offer here as the restaurant was fairly busy despite it being a Monday night.      

Kids are also welcomed to this family run restaurant with a special menu featuring various simple curries with chips/rice  in small portions (and an option of chicken nuggets) giving adults an opportunity to eat Indian food together with their children.     

Garlic mushroom starter

    

The wine list is reasonably priced with glasses of house white, red and rose available from £2.95 and bottles of house wine starting from £11.95.  My preferred choice with an Indian meal is beer and a pint of Cobra will set you back £3.50 and £2.95 for a bottle of Kingfisher, with other choices available.  We leafed through the comprehensive –  but not overwhelming menu and our mouths began to water.  Vegetarians are well catered for here and my dining partner chose this route, but I decided to have a meat based dish.     

Large poppadoms started our Indian feast at £1 each (including ample chutneys and pickles) and they were extremely light and crispy and most definitely fresh.  We shared a generously-sized starter of garlic mushroom puree on fluffy bread, £3.95 which did well to whet our appetites for what was yet to come.   

 Our main courses soon followed and the beer I had requested with my main course, arrived in perfect timing with a silver trolley containing our mains.  Plates had been heated and we were ready to tuck in.    

Main courses and chickpea rice

I opted for the Kashmiri Murgh chicken, £8.95  and a side of peshwari nan, £2.75.  The dish was nothing short of  moist chicken curry-perfection which left my taste buds tantalised.    

My dining partner had and a portion  of Sabzi Achar at £6.95 which is mixed steamed vegetables in spicy sauce and a side of chickpea rice, £2.50.  I also tried this dish and it was the enhanced spices that made this dish so good without an overpowering taste.    

At the same time our plates were cleared (and table swiftly cleaned) we were served a hot moist towelette to freshen up with.  Just when we thought this dining experience couldn’t get any better, we were each offered a selection of their desserts as a thank you for our custom (free for everyone until the end of May) and we loved the Indian style ice cream the best.     

Selection of Indian desserts

Fans of the more traditional curry can opt for the classics such as jalfrezi, korma, bhuna and rogan josh.  There are several dishes that I will be ticking off on the menu on my next visit – such as the Shajani vegetable biryani and my dining partner has already eyed up the Tale Mache Ka Salan which is cubes of sword fish with coconut and mustard seeds.  The Spice Pavilion also serves up a tandoori quail dish as well as a steak that has been cooked tandoori style as opposed to the usual frying.  There are just so many fabulous dishes on offer here, the difficulty will be choosing which one to have. 

Business lunches are available Monday – Saturday between 12 noon and 2.30pm and the Spice Pavilion offers a starter, a curry with rice or nan and tea or coffee for £8.95  – which is a fantastic deal to get indicate the quality of their evening a la carte menu.  The business lunch is also 2 for 1 until the end of May.  The restaurant is open in the evening 7 days a week  from 5pm to 11pm and takeaway dishes are available at this time.    Wifi is also offered and the bathrooms are spotless.   Italian is fluently spoken here should you wish to order your meal and practice your foreign languages at the same time.   

The only reason that this restaurant does not get the ‘Edinburgh Spotlight Recommended’ award at this time is because it has only had one visit.  We are booking the rear area for a private party in June (solely off the back of this visit) and know we will not be disappointed.  

Verdict?  The Spice Pavilion is a welcome addition to the New Town which offers authentic, creative and good value Indian dishes served with a genuine smile.      

Good Indian food

Suitable for disabled?  Unfortunately not as the restaurant is set down a set of stairs, but the staff indicated they would be more than happy to help any customers into the restaurant.   

Bernard Street, Leith

Kitsch coffee bar in Bernard Street is a great wee place in the heart of Leith.  I use Kitsch for their fast wifi and good food at reasonable prices when I am between meetings in the area.  A hybrid of a cafe and a bar, it is a great place to hang out and re fuel. 

Toasted panini

All the cafe usual suspects are on the menu but there’s always a couple of interesting specials as well which is one of the reasons Kitsch is different from all the rest.  Portion sizes vary and those with a Desperate Dan appetite might be disappointed.  Kitsch do a great selection of tray bakes and other cakey goods and I often plump for one of their delicious scones with jam. 

Delicious scones

Prices are reasonable for the Leith area but what makes this Leith haven stand out from the rest are the art exhibitions and the theatre productions  it hosts from time to time.  Kitsch also have a great selection of board games for you to play, or why not relax with one of their books on offer?  My personal favourite aspect of Kitsch is the Hilda Ogden-esque 3 ducks on the wall, but there are several other charming decorations around the place which make it feel homely. 

Service is friendly and efficient and has a good all round laid-back atmosphere.

Suitable for disabled?  Yes, ground even access.

Delicious home baking

I am fortunate enough that this delightful cafe is a short distance from my house and have visited it many times over the years.  It is on the small side and often very busy, but you can take out their food as well.  Their speciality is the home baked cake related goods which feature all the usual suspects, but they also do simple breakfast rolls and light lunches.  

Breakfast Rolls

You can order full breakfasts, or just a filled roll like the sausage one pictured.  Choice of white or brown rolls, but a minor flaw is asking to put the sauce on yourself – they like to do it.  My personal favourite sweet treat is their vanilla slice which can’t be eaten without the cream gushing out of the sides.  Napkins are definitely needed when choosing this option.  

Vanilla slice

Tea and coffee is served in china cups and a range of soft drinks are also available.  Popular with locals who walk here as there is no parking directly in front but not the best place for mums with buggies as they have to be left outside, despite children being very welcome.  That rule is due to space restrictions, but it would be good if they bent them occasionally as they alienate a whole group of people.  

Certainly a fairly priced place and one that I will return to time and time again.  Can’t fault the food and service, but would love them to welcome the buggy brigade a little better.  

Suitable for disabled?   Yes, ground level, as are the bathrooms but not the biggest space to move around in.

Newington Chocolate Heaven

Choco-Latte is known by locals as a great place to head for a chocolate muffin topped with a mars bar or a secret supply of Chelsea Whoppers. 

It’s an old fashioned sweet shop with everything you could possibly want that’s sugar filled and part of the chocolate family. 

There is a small seating area at the rear of the shop where you can enjoy a hot chocolate whilst munching on  some cake and ice cream is available all year round.  I chose a slab of chocolate krispie cake topped with revels for my friend who was fed up with her work.  This chocolate goodness soon cheered her up and had me returning for some cakey goodness for myself.  Prices are very reasonable for the goods and I defy anyone to peer in this window and keep on walking. 

Suitable for disabled?  Yes, it’s on ground level, although the shop is quite narrow. 

Malteser krispie cake

Gorgie's finest

Gorgie is perhaps best known at the moment for its football team, Heart of Midlothian, but is slowly welcoming people from all over town to Gorgie’s finest patisserie – Jacob.  Locals are well aware of this hidden gem, but I am happy to make the 4.1 mile journey from my home to experience the food here.

Open since December 2009 – Jacob’s is my current favourite bakery in town due to its quality and extremely reasonable prices.  The shop is compact, but manages to produce the most amazing of both savoury and sweet treats.

I could swear I heard the window display calling my name as its offerings lured me inside again last week.  This is truly a wonderful place where patisserie magic is made in front of your eyes –  as a man I presume to be Jacob bakes at the rear of the shop.

Selling excellent sourdough bread and loaves (with quality equal to any other I’ve tasted in Edinburgh) and other savoury options such as quiches, small pizzas and sandwiches – you can buy a whole meal here to takeaway.  Jacob’s is in a different league to the nearby Greggs and Baguette Express- in fact a completely different world away.

This review covers my most recent visit with my mum as we made the trip especially to Gorgie to stock up on goodies.  There were samples of the sourdough bread on offer which was not long out of the oven.  The small buttered piece was enough to confirm to my mum that she needed to purchase a loaf immediately (£1.30).  We hummed and hawed over the choice of quiches and opted for 2 mushroom and 1 brocolli  (£1.60 each) as well as one of their small pizzas, £1.30 which is perfect for lunch and is generously topped with vegetables.

Jacob mushroom quiche

Other savoury options included a chicken curry pie, beef pasties and an interesting pork and black pudding topped pie.  One of the sandwiches on offer was chilli chicken with garlic but these regularly change.

The staff member chatted away and never rushed us in our choices.  She explained how long the quiche would keep in the fridge, but obviously didn’t realise it is impossible to hold off eating anything purchased from here for more than an hour. 

The sweet options included apple tart, baked lime and lemon cheescake, almond croissaints and fruit tarts.  I chose a slice of the double belgian chocolate cake, £1.80 and an apple custard pastry at only 65p.  Jacobs also do biscuits and I fell for the eye level display of cute vanilla biscuits in a bag at 85p.  If there is the option of banana and toffee cake when you visit, then snap it up quickly as it is to die for, as is the mango cheesecake – in fact, everything sweet on offer is extremely satisfying.

Jacob's double chocolate cake

The cost of this patisserie haul was £10.25 which is outstandingly good value for 3 quiches, a pizza, a loaf  of bread, 2 pieces of cake and a pack of biscuits!

We split our goods and headed our separate ways but conferred that everything we bought was faultless.  The chocolate cake was perhaps the best I have tasted this year.

Full marks to Patisserie Jacob which comes highly recommended from us.  Just make sure you leave me some goods on the shelves for my next visit!

Jacob’s also do wholesale supplies just contact them for details.

Suitable for disabled?  Yes, ground floor even access.

Madeleine Patisserie

I grew up in Stockbridge and regularly return to wander through the streets and do a little bit of shopping.  I was intrigued to see another new shop opening, but especially because it had ‘patisserie’ in the title. 

This review is based on the normal two visits, but both times were takeaway, despite it also being an espresso bar. 

The decor is a little too stark for me to sit down and enjoy the cake with a cup of tea and the layout means people queuing to buy cakes will be standing beside you as you eat. 

They sell luxury cakes and desserts and the days I visited, they had macarons on offer at £0.80 each and a selection of 10 or so masterpieces around the £2.80 mark.  The difficulty is choosing which one to go for, but the staff member explained the range to me and I chose Geometrique Banna-Choc at £2.80 takeaway price.

The chosen one

The cake was carefully placed in a box for protection and I clutched it in my arms like it was dynamite about to blow, even choosing to drive home carefully so as not to ruin this creation.  Unpacking it with the gentlest of movements, I admired the creation from afar whilst mentally working out how I would eat it. 

The white chocolate dome contained a banana caramel filling that I thought would work well over the chocolate praline base.  I cracked the circular shell open and tasted the white chocolate.  It was sublime as it melted over my tongue and not at all sickly sweet like white chocolate can be.

Tasting had arrived

I tried a slither of the chocolate praline as the caramel banana filling oozed out of its’ shell.  This was equally sublime, but quite rich in taste on its’ own.  The best combination was taking a small forkful of praline with the banana caramel on top and enjoy this dessert in small portions rather than devour the creation in one swoop. 

Chocolate praline base

 

I could have easily bought a few of the offerings in Madeleine’s chilled cake cabinet, but will return to treat myself now and again.

 

Suitable for disabled?  Ground even access, but it is unknown about the bathrooms as I have not sat in this espresso cafe.

Sweet heaven in Hanover Street

I Love Candy is situated on Edinburgh’s Hanover Street and is easy to spot amongst the neighbouring shops.  They regularly change their window display to reflect the season and suggest new sweet items to buy. 

The shop is quite small but certainly takes you back to old fashioned sweetie heaven.  They sell Chelsea Whoppers, Wham bars and other childhood retro favourites – certainly something for everyone. 

I Love Candy also has a very small tea/coffee bar in the shop where you can munch on one of Lizzie’s Tea Party cupcakes, which are delicious.  You can also quench your thirst with a Slurpie. 

It’s my opinion that they don’t make sweets like they used to which is why this place is so great as they stock sweets that will evoke memories from younger years. 

Suitable for disabled?  There are a set of steps to get into the shop, so not suitable for wheelchair users and not practical with customers wanting to shop inside with buggies.

Fudge Heaven

The Fudge Kitchen is situated on the section of the Royal Mile between North Bridge and St Mary’s Street (on the right hand side as you face downhill). General opening hours are between 10am and 6pm every day, with longer opening hours in summer to make sure that everyone can have their fudge and eat it.

There are constant demonstrations of the fudge making process in the shop on two giant marble tables.  It’s really quite something to see how the fudge is made and the confectioner makes it look so effortless.  I know that if I was to try my hand at it, the floors would be covered in fudgy goodness (and not on purpose!)

Fudge demonstrations

Finishing touches

The final stage is bringing the fudge together, to resemble one long piece which will harden a little before it’s cut and left to set.  If you time your visit well (or stay to watch the whole process) then samples of the freshly made warm fudge will be offered to you. 

I watched the whole process and eagerly waited my sample and savoured the flavour as the warm vanilla fudge melted over my tongue.

The fudges come in a variety of flavours and I have tried many of them over the years.  My favourite fudge is the classic chocolate one, or perhaps it’s the banoffee bonanza flavour – or even the rum n’ raisin.  Whatever flavour you chose, I doubt you would be disappointed.

Excellent range of flavours

My eagle eye spotted a new addition to the Fudge Kitchen range on the counter – fudge sauce!  I had to pinch myself to see if I had indeed died and gone to heaven and was lucky enough to sample some of this liquid fudge.  The classic toffee sauce tasted a bit like tablet that hadn’t set yet and would be perfect drizzled over some warm bananas or as a sweet kick start to the day, spooned into porridge.

New fudge sauce

I actually came up with a few recipes with the staff member of how to try the sauce and bought one of the rich chocolate fudge sauces to dip my summer strawberries into. 

If you don’t live in Edinburgh, or have sampled it whilst you were here and wish to indugle yourself again, you can order online or perhaps there is a branch in England closer to you.  The Fudge will keep for 10 days non-refrigerated or months if frozen upon purchase.  You can even order fudge as wedding favours or business gifts.

Definitely worth a look when walking on the Royal Mile and recommended from us.  Have a look at their website, follow them on twitter and read their blog.

Chocolate fudge goodness

Suitable for disabled?  Yes shop has ground even access and you there is plenty room to watch the fudge making process.

Fudge Kitchen, High Street, Edinburgh

Lizzie's Tea Party cakes

Lizzie’s Tea Party is the wonderful creation of Lizzie Barr.  A Henry James quote from The Portrait of a Lady takes pride and place at the top of her website “There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea” and I couldn’t agree more.   

I met with Lizzie one afternoon in Coffee Angel where she supplies some of her fabulous cupcakes for sale.   Lizzie comes from a hospitality and tourism background, side stepping into account management at Whitespace design agency before venturing into the world of tea and cakes full time.  She did some decorating training in London and has recently returned from a trip to New York where she investigated all things cupcake related.   

Creating the business from scratch, Lizzie provides everything you need for a tea party as well as the delicious home baked treats.  Popular with elderly people, community centres, hen parties, baby showers and general get togethers – it’s fabulous to get everything from one place.   

Lizzie’s Tea Party offers:   

• A tempting range of sandwiches and cakes, all homemade and served on fabulous cake stands
• A choice of teas and coffee
• Traditional china plates, cups, saucers, sugar bowls and milk jug
• Cutlery, napkins and table cloth
• Tea and coffee pots

Perfect presents

Lizzie also offers a fabulous selection of cupcakes available for delivery in the Edinburgh area (and further afield by arrangement).  Catering for any occasion including weddings,  Lizzie has provided cakes for launch parties, corporate events and can specifically design cakes to suit your occasion.     

The above cakes were all tried and tested and I am pleased to report they were mouthwateringly delicious.  From left to right, the peanut butter cupcakes are fast becoming a favourite of mine, but the coconut ones also went down a treat.  The yellow topped ones were lemon flavoured and were light and tangy and although not normally my flavour of choice, satisfied my palette.  The ones on the far right are classic vanilla cupcakes with different decorations on top and perfect for those who are less adventurous with flavours.  

Lizzie bakes all her cakes the night before delivery or on the morning of an event, to ensure that you receive perfectly fresh cakes.  As often as possible she also likes to hand them over herself, adding the personal touch to the service.  

Giant cupcake before icing

One of the many unique selling points of Lizzie’s Tea Party is the giant cupcakes that she bakes.  Lizzie has provided us with pictures of a giant cupcake before icing and the finished result.  As you can see, they are fabulous to look at and from having first hand experience of the taste of Lizzie’s cakes, you wont be disappointed with the quality either.   

I plan to order one of these beauties for a forthcoming family gathering and will be choosing my own text for the cake   

Lizzie’s strings to her business bow are completed with the  cupcake classes she offers.  The next available dates can be found on her website and last for 6 hours, (including light lunch) where you learn to bake and decorate cakes with Lizzie herself.  Group size is a maximum of 4 people so Lizzie can demonstrate and help you throughout the day.     

At the end of the class, you are presented with your 12 creations in a box to take home to your friends and family or devour yourself!  A fabulous way to spend a day and extra dates can be added for special occasions/private sessions.   

Finished giant cupcake

Check out Lizzie’s information and you can follow her on twitter.  Lizzie can be contacted on 07977 146035 or e-mail lizziebarr@hotmail.co.uk  

Fresh lemon cupcake

Moo cafeteria

If I wrote a review every time I had something good to eat at moo cafeteria, this website would be moo-centric.  We reviewed moo not long after it opened and the second visit saw Moo receive our ‘recommended’ award.  We always check up on places we have highly recommended, so another trip for breakfast became an official visit.

Moo have also recently unveiled their brand new website which keeps you updated with all the moo news, events and offers.


I walked down to Moo last weekend, before the Botanics were open, but this is a great place to grab a bite to eat before or after a visit, or stop off when walking on the nearby Water of Leith.

Lightly spiced sausages

My dining partner and I both opted for breakfast rolls, ironically, sausages on brown bread, but every healthy bit helps!  The sausages were beautifully cooked and a far cry away from greasy spoon offerings as they were lightly spiced and were tasty enough to eat without sauce.  My dining partner had an egg on hers as well, which was perfectly cooked to her liking – slightly runny.

You can have a full Scottish breakfast here which is enough to last beyond lunchtime.  Everything on the menu is also available to take away and they have recently introduced one of the best loyalty cards in town.  When you have 6 meals here, get your card stamped and your 7th visit is free!

We washed our rolls down with breakfast tea and coffee as we talked and relaxed in the wonderful moo surroundings.  Free papers are available and they have fast reliable wifi to use. Since I love the cakes at moo, I felt it necessary to try another one out, despite the early visit and plumped for the lemon and coconut cake.  It was moist and able to stand alone without cream and I devoured every crumb.

Rather excellent lemon and coconut tart

Service isn’t rushed here, so we lingered and chatted some more, before finally heading up town for the day.

You can sign up to follow them on twitter or facebook

Suitable for disabled ?    Moo is on the ground floor and suitable for wheelchairs in their eating area, but their bathrooms are down the stairs unfortunately.

Grind House, Nicolson Street

The Grind House is one of many cafes in the university/Newington area which always seem saturated with students and young professionals.  I chose it because it had a table free, but turned out to be a gem of a place with extremely fast wifi.

I had a turkey,  cranberry and salad roll with a side of hand cooked crisps for £3.20 (sit in price) plus a mug of herbal tea at £1.40.  No complaints on either the roll or tea and the staff were extremely friendly.

Quick lunch and use of wifi

You can also get paninis, baked tatties, good cakes and soft drinks whilst  inoffensive music plays at a low level on the stereo.  Would definitely pop back if I was in the area rather than try one of the many others around.   Definitely has the edge over its’ neighbours.

Suitable for disabled?  Yes, ground even access and bathrooms on ground floor.

Taste of Italy opens

I had a quick lookin the premises yesterday (complete with Tony having a coffee in the window) and can confirm it has all the trademarks of his other successful restaurants.  Opening early for breakfast, Taste of Italy also offers free wifi alongside burgers, paninis, pasta and pizza.  The cakes in the window were extremely tempting and I am sure that this will be a successful business at this location, unlike any of its’ predecessors. 

Another option for pre-theatre dining before a production at the neighbouring Playhouse, or just a quick coffee and cake.

I am looking forward to reviewing Taste of Italy soon and will report back my findings.

Suitable for disabled?   Yes, ground floor access and disabled toilets.

Leo's Beanery

Leo’s Beanery is a new addition to the Stockbridge/Newtown area and is run by Marie and Joe Denby.  One of the main attractions for me is the furniture here, which has all been hand made out of recycled church pews and yew trees.  If the wooden pieces were for sale, I would have bought half the shop there and then. 

The food and drink menu doesn’t disappoint either here and is reasonably priced.  My dining partner and I had intended to  just grab a quick lunch to go, but on seeing the interior, decided to linger a little longer. 

I had a generously filled roast ham roll with salad whilst my dining partner had the soup of the day. 

Generously filled roll

To drink, I opted for a pot of lemongrass tea from the extensive herbal offerings which came with a small dish of honey.  My dining partner went for an Artisan Roast coffee which was very cheap compared to similar locations. 

Lemongrass tea and honey

I somehow managed to refuse the excellent looking homebaking on offer, making do with a sample of their banana loaf.  We were in and out in 30 minutes, but loved the vibe of this friendly place.  

The bathrooms must also be visited when coming here and we’ll definitely be back. 

Suitable for disabled?  Leo’s Beanery is down in a basement and a set of stairs.  There are some seats outside mid way down if that could be managed, but the bathrooms are down further steps.

Stockbridge cafe

Replacing the old Tim’s Cafe, the bright purple front attracts people into this small and cosy place to eat.  It only seats about 15 people, so not the biggest place around and little room for buggies.  

Staff are very friendly and my dining partner and I had a late breakfast of a bacon roll and stoats porridge (both £1.95).  Coffee is Artisan Roast and the suki tea is presented well in matching suki tea pots (both £2.20).  

Suki tea

People popped in and out for takeaway coffees (mainly mums with buggies who couldn’t get in).    Bathrooms are located behind the counter if you need.

They do cater for children (young plums) with a menu of toasties, or cereal and milk for early mornings.  Can’t fault the food or friendly service here, but the small premises means you leave with the fried food smell on your clothes and there’s not much room to manoeuvre around the tables.  

Suitable for disabled?  It is on ground level, but little room to move around in for wheelchairs.

Off the Royal Mile at Hunter Square

Chocolate Soup is just off the Royal Mile at Hunter Square (The Tron) and is a chocoholic’s paradise.  They do a variety of soups and sandwiches here, but the real star of the show is the huge variety of hot chocolate on offer.

They also do a good selection of smoothies and ‘choctails’ which are desserts in a glass.  I have eaten and drunk here many times, but I love visiting it in cooler weather, when you really can’t beat a cup full of chocolate soup!

Selection of cakes

You can get a pure shot of hot chocolate for £1.50 which is basically a spoonful of the chocolate soup.  Basic hot chocolate starts at £2 which is the above, with a little milk added.  You can also get some of these options in white chocolate flavour.

Hot chocolate sundae

I opted for the hot chocolate sundae at £2.50 which had cream and chocolate sauce on top and a banana toffee muffin (which was microwave heated).  I cannot fault the drink, but the cake wasn’t the best quality, but was of course, finished.

The place is always busy with a mixture of people in the booths seats, at the tables and on the stools.  It is counter service and I wasn’t particularly impressed with the speed of the staff who then had the cheek to push the tip jar forward as I was handed my change.

There are tables outside in the warmer months and everything is available to take away.

The hot chocolate deserves five stars, but because of the service and cake quality, I am awarding it three.

Hunter Square off the Royal Mile

Suitable for disabled ?   There are the steps up in the picture, but once inside, the seating is on ground level.

 
I would like everyone who reads this to do me a favour: please give Pickled Green the chance to impress you.  As fresh as its ‘modern chalet’ décor, this deli-café-restaurant appeared on Rose Street in December 2009 .

Pickled Green, Rose Street

On the ground floor, there is the café and deli, serving lunch and treats to take away. Upstairs is the decent sized restaurant, with a variety of table sizes to suit all diners. Minimal but not cold, it is decorated throughout in soothing greens and blues, with some simple, pretty floral paintings.  My favourite touch is a large table for parties, tucked away in an alcove.  Tables and benches are constructed of wooden slats that made me think of a sauna, and looked fun and stylish.  The whole room is light and airy, and will be delightful on long summer evenings. 

 
We visited on a Friday evening, and it was unfairly quiet.  The restaurant is currently only open on Friday and Saturday evenings, but there are plans to extend this to every night in the coming month.  The menu is pared down and unfussy, with four options each for starter, main and pudding.  Despite this, I’m pretty confident that no-one will be stuck for choice – I was very torn between three of the mains.  In the end, we chose:
·         Homemade duck ‘ham’, with celeriac rémoulade and toast.
·         Eggs Benedict, with Borders ham and spinach.
·         Fillet of haddock, with mussel, potato and leek chowder.
·         Braised shin of beef, with crushed sweet potato and spinach.
·         Poached rhubarb with yoghurt and homemade granola.
·         Apple strudel with caramel ice-cream.
Guess how much all this came to?  £12.50 each.  This has to help make it the best value meal you will find in Edinburgh just now.  This price in no way reflects the quality of the cooking – each and every course was tender where it should be (the beef just dissolved, it was wonderful).  The food was so flavoursome that it brought conversation to an end.  A particularly rare find was my haddock: slightly smoky, peppery and perfectly flaky, it was an excellent  piece of white fish that denotes a chef that cares.
 
The other plus for this place is something clear from the ingredients above: a commitment to local, seasonal produce, with an insistence on organic wherever possible.  This is so much part of their ethos that even the wines and soft drinks are organic or bio-organic.  To prove my point: as a thank you for becoming members, we were served free tea to round off our night.  This was infused from whole organic camomile and peppermint leaves in completely biodegradable, handmade silken tea-bags.
 
So there it is.  It’s very rare for me to give a restaurant five stars, but for such a combination of value and quality - I believe it well deserved.  For an intelligently cooked, healthy meal, easy on both your wallet and your social conscience, it has to be Pickled Green.

Suitable for disabled?   Sadly, there is no lift to provide disabled access to the first floor restaurant: while the friendly waiters have no problems serving dinner in the comfortable, roomy ground floor café area, toilets are unfortunately only accessible by the stairs.

Albert Place

The Word of Mouth Cafe in Albert Place is a gem of a place for a drink and cake, a cooked breakfast, lunch or dinner.  The menu caters for all tastes and does a good selection of vegetarian dishes.

The seating is cozy and service friendly.  The menu is layed out in a book style with Chapter One starting with breakfast.  Hot filled rolls are reasonable at £1.70 for a doubler and the full cooked ensemble with juice and tea or coffee can be yours for £6.  Moving on to lunch in Chapter Two, there are soups, salads and ciabattas  available with  Mezze plates featuring in Chapter Three (any five for £15 with free fries).  Dinner is the last to appear in Chapter Four, with specials changing regularly.  It’s BYOB for dinner, with 70p corkage for beer and £3 for wine.

The epilogue is the drinks selection which feature all the usual suspects at reasonable prices.  There is a great selection of teas to choose from, and one of my favourites here is the simple but classic hot chocolate with marshmallows, £1.80 

Quality hot chocolate

It’s always served piping hot and works perfectly with one of their home made cakes.

Word of Mouth strives to keep their produce “ethically opulent” by using free range chicken and halal meat.  They love to use local Leith companies as suppliers and endeavour to recycle all their rubbish.

Current Regular Events

- Open mic on various Friday nights

- Pudding nights

- Free tea for OAP’s every Tuesday morning when they buy a cake

- French lessons on Tuesday nights from 6pm

Verdict?   Great place for something to eat, whatever time of day.

Suitable for disabled?    The main cafe part is on ground level, but the bathrooms are located down the stairs

Earthy Food's garden

A set of stairs leads down to the main entrance and although there is a ramp down to the door, the main shop is up a flight of stairs.  A seating area outside is available in warmer months and it really is a little oasis away from the city noise.

Main entrance

As you enter this door, there is a seating area to the left where people are chilling out, talking over fair trade tea and coffee and munching on baked organic goods.  You have to order from the main ‘yum cafe’ up the stairs, but this room is perfect if you don’t want to eat in the actual store.

Inside Earthy Foods

Everything organic you can possibly think of is on sale here.  You can do your weekly shop for fruit and vegetables, alongside collecting wonderful loaves and rolls.  There are juices, dips, crisps, jams and pickles  to name a few.  Being organic, the prices are a little higher than if you shopped in Tesco, but the quality is evident in all their ranges.

The Yum Cafe is situated at the back of the store and has a little seating area.  There is a good selection of foods, both savoury and sweet to choose from aswell as a good range of drinks.  The ever so fabulous Rainbow Cupcakes supply the organic cakes here and they alone are worth the trip here.

Earthy Foods are open 7 days a week.

Suitable for disabled ?  Despite the ramped access to the entrance, the shop is upstairs, but it would be possible to stay in the downstairs part of the cafe to enjoy the food.

The sign is not wrong

Bruntsfield

The Chocolate Tree is an established company that sells wonderful chocolate goodies in various places across town, as well as having a stall at the weekly Farmer’s Market in Castle Terrace. 

Bars of chocolate come in an array of flavours, as well as individual chocolates, chocolate spread and large cakes for special occasions with every ingredient being both ethical and organic.  A range of gluten free and vegan cakes can also be ordered.

The Chocolate Tree reacted to public demand for a shop and before Christmas, opened up this slice of chocolate heaven in Bruntsfield.  I try my best to resist this place for the sake of my waistline, but have no will power despite living in the North of the city.  Good cafes and cakes are worth travelling for.

Chocolate heaven in Bruntsfield

I paid another visit this week and felt instantly at home when I walked in.  There are only a few tables in here, but also a little room at the back which holds 6 or 7 people which is great if there is a group of you.  Everyone is welcome, with highchairs and changing facilities available for those with children.

My friend opted for a cup of Spanish style hot chocolate  thick and gloopy) and their version of a churro at a very reasonable £2. 

Spanish style hot chocolate

The drink was delicious and the quality was equal to that served in Spain. 

I had a pot of darjeeling tea and a slice of one of the many cakes on offer.   The majority of the cakes slices are gluten free and some are vegan, with choices changing daily.  Today I went for the nutty chocolate cake at £2.40 a slice.

Nutty chocolate cake

The cake was chocolate perfection.  The pistachio nuts worked well with the chocolate and the cream made the taste experience a little lighter.  I am proud to announce, that no cake crumb was left behind.

If you don’t want to partake in a full slice of cake, then perhaps a smaller chocolate brownie will hit the mark – available for £1.

Reasonable prices

There are teas and coffee (Artisan Roast) available alongside a selection of truffles and ice cream.  The prices are very reasonable for Morningside.   Neighbouring Falko Konditormeister can be double the price for one of their cakes (although the quality is fantastic).

Service was friendly and there was no feeling of being rushed out the door. 

Verdict – £6 for afternoon tea of this quality is cannot be beaten in town at the moment.

*edit, 16th May*  Please see comments below from owner re a few price increases.

Suitable for disabled?    Yes, ground even access with a fully accessible bathroom.

All that was left in the cup

Clarinda's Tearoom

Clarinda’s Tearoom is a fabulous place for food and refreshments in the Canongate.  When you step inside, you must adhere to the rules from the start!  Considering this is a prime tourist hang out and with such close proximity to the Palace, it can be busy all year round, but always busy at the weekend and at peak tourist times there can be queues out the door.

It’s definitely kitsch inside – full of various decorations, fancy tea pots and plates on the walls, flowery tablecloths and a mixture of tables and chairs. 

Before taking a seat, you will see the waist-enhancing cake table, which of course, you are not allowed to touch.  In fear of not being able to hold back and facing a Clarinda’s life ban, I sat down at the nearest and smallest table and averted my gaze.  I didn’t want to take up valuable space in this wee place, but as another rule states, tables will be shared during busy times. 

Selection of cakes

I have no problems sharing tables, in fact I quite enjoy meeting tourists and finding out what they think about Edinburgh or having a chat with some other locals.

On the menu, there are more rules.  No sharing a plate, but if you were to order a main meal each and then share dessert that would be ok.  Breakfast is served from 8.30am until 10.30am, but may also be served after 10.30am (confusing!) 

I was completely safe because it was lunchtime and I was hungry, therefore I ordered a meal appropriate to the time of the day, a toasted sandwich with crisps and small salad. 

Toastie

The accompanying salad was a little uninspiring, but the toastie was warmly welcomed on a cold day.  I had a pot of tea which was reasonably priced, but if you only want a cup, then it’s only 75 pence.  They do a good selection of herbal teas and hot chocolates, but they do charge 50 pence for tap water unless accompanied by a meal (rule #34). 

For dessert I plumped for rhubarb pie with cream at £2.40. 

Rhubarb pie

It had been warmed up and was a generous portion, with the taste being very impressive.  The rhubarb wasn’t too sour and the pie pastry was divine.  A fantastic choice by me.  I have sampled many of their tray bakes and can tell you that I haven’t had a bad one yet.  The home baking from the team behind Clarinda’s is really the selling point here. 

Everything is also available to takeaway at a slightly lower price and is popular with local workers who form an orderly queue (adhering to the rules regarding take away). 

You are never going to be encouraged to linger here, they also state that you can “mention us on postcards, but when we’re really busy, please give up your chair”. 

Don’t be put off by the rules and regulations though, I am reviewing with my tongue firmly in my cheek.  It is a friendly place on the whole and they are just trying to run an efficient business with the small number of tables inside. 

Perfect for locals’ and tourists who are happy to mingle and get cosy over good tea and cakes. 

Suitable for disabled ?   Yes, ground access and separate bathroom.

Bruntsfield Place

Having had a main course lunch at a nearby restaurant, my friend and I chose to indulge ourselves in dessert at Falko (Konditormeister).  This German bakery makes delectable sweet cakes and a wonderful range of breads. 

I have eaten here three times now and the service has been both good and bad.  You order at the counter (which is not obvious to new customers) but take a seat and have your drinks and food served to your table.

The place is extremely popular with locals and visitors who have made the worthwhile journey up to Bruntsfield, so it’s not always easy to get a table.  There is seating outside all year round and even in the winter sunshine, makes it possible to enjoy the roadside cafe experience.

The pricing on the cakes is not always obvious and for the two cakes and two drinks we ordered, totalled £11.50.

They do a good selection of cheese and vegetables which work well with the fresh bread for a light meal alongside a variety of soups.

My friend opted for the strawberry tart which is one of the many cakes on offer which are baked daily on the premises.

Delicious

The cake was absolutely faultless and every mouthful was devoured.  I opted for a chocolate cake which wobbled as it was served as it was so fresh and light.  Again, I cannot fault this masterpiece of chocolate heaven.

Chocolate heaven

Falko do have a wide selection of loose leaf teas and I chose a pot of almond tea which was sweet and refreshing.  My friend opted for a good strong coffee, which hit the mark for her.

Falko have a stall at the weekly farmer’s market in Castle Terrace on Saturdays and their goods literally fly off the table, so get in early.

As I said, the service can be mixed and there is a quick turnover of tables here, so not a place to linger for long unless you order more to eat and drink.  With so many choices available, that wouldn’t be particularly hard.

Suitable for disabled ?   Yes, it’s on the ground floor.

Rainbow Cupcakes is a fantastic company in the heart of Edinburgh run by Katie Logan.  I had the absolute pleasure of meeting the owner Katie who is passionate about her cakes and good customer service. 

My friend booked a free wedding consultation and I tagged along to help choose the best option, using my vast experience of all things cake  . Meeting with Katie was a pleasure as she is a down to earth woman who knows all about how important a wedding  can be, as she is getting married herself in June.  Who would have thought there were so many permutations of wedding cupcakes!  Possible choices are made over girlie chat and laughter with Katie completely understanding about the small details of a bride-to-be’s wishes.  Our meeting concluded with a box of Rainbow goodness handed to us for the ultimate taste test at your chosen time and the comfort of your own home.

Lovely presentation

This is how normal orders of cupcakes are presented and delivered with prices starting at £10 for 6 and £18 for 12 (wedding prices vary depending on quantity).  You can pick them up if you are central to town (near Haymarket) or have them delivered for a small fee to cover parking costs.  Outside Edinburgh, delivery prices differ.  72 hours is the required notice for ordering cakes, and as far in advance is welcomed.  Katie provides great customer service and thrives on helping people in cake predicaments.   Requests at short notice will be honoured, if baking time and schedule allows.

Looking good

Vanilla cupcake

Raspberry and vanilla choc

Unfortunately, the raspberry experience was over all too soon, but we were soon cheered up as we selected the super chocolate cupcake. 


A wonderful mix of all chocolate flavours ensued, with every last piece of flakey topping eaten along with the chocolate frosting and the moist chocolate heaven cake.  This one is for the serious chocoholics out there.

Chocolate fantasy

I would love to say that the experience of eating these cakes continued to run so smoothly and ladylike, but in reality, we couldn’t eat them quick enough.  The peanut butter cupcake was a pleasant surprise: I didn’t think I would like that flavour in something sweet, but it works well. 

A small fight broke out over the sweets on top of the children’s strawberry cupcake, but I am pleased to report that I won due to good reaction times. 

The only negative thing about this cake tasting experience was that it was over within fifteen minutes.  We were craving at least another six, but our waistline will thank us for now.  The dilemma that my friend is facing in choosing for her wedding is which flavour to go for.  One thing I know for certain is that I’ll be hovering around the cake table after the photo! 

I have tasted many cakes and muffins around Edinburgh, and I can unequivocally state that these are the best on the market just now. 

No need to just take our word for it though, you can find Rainbow Cupcakes in a few places across town.  The Lot in the Grassmarket and Appellation Wines on Dalry Road stock them.  For the Southside readers, you can find them in Earthy Foods. 

These cakes would make an ideal gift for Valentine’s Day, some one’s birthday, anniversary, any day ending in y etc.  You don’t need a specific reason to eat cake, so be good to yourself or treat a friend. 

You can follow Rainbow Cupcakes on twitter  or become a fan on facebook.  Have a look at some more pictures in their gallery and read what other people think of their experience with Katie.   Cupcakes are slowly but surely appearing everywhere in town and with the up and coming Sex and the City 2 movie being cupcake-tastic, I would order them as soon as you can and get your cupcake fix.

It is a real shame that they’ve lost the branch in the High Street as it was one of my favourite places to eat during the festival for a no-nonsense delicious meal.  

Goodbye High Street branch

The burgers are fantastic and I love the crinkly fries that are served with them.  The remaining branch also does an excellent breakfast menu, moving into burgers from lunchtime.  It’s obvious in the taste that the burgers are lovingly home made and have a fabulous selection to choose from with various sauces.

Wannaburger goodness

They also do offers from time to time to have a burger, fries and a soft drink for £5.95 and for that price is exceptional value.  Check their website for details.

I hope this branch remains open for a long time to come – you can’t beat a good quality burger!

Russian Passion Canonmills

 Russian Passion is positioned on the corner next to the petrol station at Canonmills and I have been trying to go for a few weeks, but had never seen it open in my free time.  On New Years’ Day I headed for a walk through the Botanics and thought I would see if it would welcome me with Russian food for my first meal out in 2010 and I am pleased to say that it was open. 

The cafe is very small, with only 3 tables, but makes it perfect for cosy conversation with your dining friends, or indeed the staff, which is the option I chose. 

I was led through the menu which is traditional Russian dishes and are cooked on the premises every morning before opening at 11am.  The owner was very keen to point out that everything was organic and completely fresh despite being a public holiday. 

I opted for some Borsch (beetroot soup) £2.50 sit in, with a side of Piroshky (potato and mushroom pie) £1.80 sit in. My dining partner opted for the Borsch as well. 

It was explained to us that the soup would take a little time to heat up as they do it on the cooker and don’t use a microwave.  The owner gave us a sample of their wonderful salad to try whilst we were waiting, free of charge. 

Sample of salads

The potato salad was outstanding for such a simple dish.  Perhaps it was due to the potatoes being finely chopped, or the wonderful tangy mayonnaise and herbs.  The beetroot salad/vinigret was also divine and both reasonably priced at £2.40 for a stand alone dish or served over a baked potato. 

Whilst we were waiting, we got talking with the owner and she explained to me that she came from Moscow and it has changed a lot since I visited in the 1990s.  Conversation with the staff was optional, it was me who continued to probe her about Russian food and life and what had brought her to Edinburgh. 

Our Borsch was served steaming hot and I savoured every spoonful trying to work out what flavours were sending my taste buds into overdrive. 

Borsch

My mushroom and potato piroshky was also delicious, but the bread is of the sweeter variety, and works well with the finely chopped potatoes and mushrooms. 

Piroshky

The soup and pie hit the mark on such a cold winter’s day.  There is a good choice of traditional Russian desserts and I got the owner to recommend her favourite to me, which was a  daily special.  Not wanting to lose out on this freshly made cake, I immediately ordered a portion.  What a way to kick start 2010 with this beauty! 

First dessert in 2010

It was a variation of a vanilla slice, but had been hand made with ten layers of pastry between the cream.  It was easy to eat with a fork which glided through this magical creation without any mess as my dining partner looked on with envy. 

We finished our lunch with a traditional Russian coffee and traditional tea, which are both served with lemon and no milk.  Normal organic tea and coffee are available. 

Seeing that I was an afficionado of all things sweet when I probed her about her other desserts having just consumed a large piece of cake, the owner kindly gave me a sample of Russian ‘Fancy Cake, potato’.  

Russian potato cake

This is a picture of my sample slice, it normally comes in the shape of……well, a small potato I suppose and consists of only sweet ingredients (including Baileys cream liqueur).  It was extremely rich, but a chocoholics dream.  I will definitely be trying this next time I am in.  Total cost for lunch was £13. 

The owner had no idea I was from Edinburgh Spotlight so I think anyone eating here would get the same wonderful service as she tries to spread the word out about her cafe.  I love trying new food and expanding my culinary experiences, and Russian Passion allows me to do both.  I imagine you could also practice your Russian language with the owner over a delicious meal, or perfect to just nip in for afternoon tea and cake.  Well worth trying out.  A stock or Russian food goods are also for sale such as local fizzy drinks and other biscuits and snacks.

You can email for a copy of the menu at email@russianpassioncafe.co.uk and also plan a dinner there.  The owner will open in the evening for you if a minimum of £30 will be spent ( and BYOB) and will rearrange the tables and add chairs to seat a party of up to twelve people. 

Open 7 days from 11am – 3pm only.  Telephone 0131 556 9042.

Suitable for disabled ?    Yes, it’s on the ground floor with even access and room for wheelchairs.

Edinburgh Spotlight eats at a venue twice before publishing a review.  This allows us to enjoy our first meal without taking notes or photographs and judge the service and ambiance whilst having a meal.  The second visit is the one where we click away and scribble our finds before reporting on an average of both visits.  If we find a restaurant/cafe to be excellent, we want to ensure it has consistent high standards with perhaps a few weeks or even a couple of  months apart before we report our findings.  If a place is not enjoyable the first time around then we do not return, as it is our hard earned cash that we are spending.

When Edinburgh Spotlight has not been working from home, we have been conducting meetings in Tea Tree Tea and Coffee Angel.  Both premises offer fantastic food and drink (teas and coffee) with friendly service, alongside fast secure wi fi.  We have been in these places too many times to count and will continue to visit them 2010 unless another venue can possibly tempt us away.  Both are excellent for breakfast as well as morning or afternoon tea and cake.

We have eaten at the majority of the venues below many times before we started the website.  I present to you Edinburgh Spotlight’s favourite places they have eaten in 2009;

*

Breakfast

Peter’s Yard - does a great Swedish breakfast (as well as lunches)

Cafe Renroc - laid back friendly place with good food

Now Rest- Excellent greasy spoon cafe in Leith

The Bakehouse – goods baked in house and silver service teas

*

Lunch

The Treehouse - serving simple but great quality food at fair prices

Urban Angel  – Forth Street branch is the one I prefer, consistently good food and service.

Iglu – hidden gem in New Town

Metropole – excellent cafe/bistro in the south side of town

Tex Mex II – Thistle Street Mexican food heaven

*

Dinner

The Orchard  – wonderful food, immaculate presentation and friendly service

Kampong Ah Lee - delicious Malaysian food and other Asian dishes

First Coast – consistently good food with ever changing menu

The Pataka and Mezbaan are our favourite Indian places.  The Kismot is also fantastic and offers the unusual option of chocolate nan bread.

Ondine – fine seafood dining

Roseleaf Bar/Cafe- a firm favourite in Leith

*

Takeaway

Tempting Tattie - baked potato heaven

Oink - slow roast pork or nothing!

L’Alba D’oro - the king of chip shops in town

Well Hung and Tender - meat heaven in Castle Street

*

First time

New restaurants I have tried this year include The Blueglass in Morningside which was a pleasant surprise for the quality of food served with the bonus of excellent service.  Will definitely return in the New Year.  I also sampled the fish and chips at the Tailend in Albert Place and have since ordered takeaway on a couple of occasions. One of the biggest surprises was the great meal that was eaten at the Granary in Leith.  The food was beautifully presented and of higher than expected quality.  We have since recommended it to friends who have also enjoyed their experience.

*

Newcomers

A couple of great newcomers to the Edinburgh food scene this year as been Moo Cafeteria at Brandon Terrace.  I first visited them for breakfast and had some of their legendary banana brioche pudding and have returned many times since for a more substantial meal.  Moo is certainly holding its’ own amongst Canonmills favourites.

We previewed Illegal Jacks the night before it opened and didn’t take long for us to return (the food was so good) to enable us to review it properly.  Another great addition to the bustling Lothian Road.

*

Just for fun

The best dessert/pudding/sweet goes to the carrot cake at Spoon Cafe.  They have moved to new and bigger premises in Nicolson Street and in doing so have not lost any quality in either their food or service.  The carrot cake was nothing short of sublime and have yet to experience anything close to this masterpiece.

In a close second place has to be the honeymoon slice at Tea Tree Tea.  This sweet creation is so delicious, you need to experience it for yourself.  Despite its’ generous size, it’s over all too soon and trumps the cakes on offer from Manna House and Sicilian Pastry Shop.

If you have a fantastic dessert that you think we MUST try, in the interest of reporting about it of course  then please let us know.

*

Do you agree with our findings or have somewhere you think we should try next year ?  Please leave a comment below or email us at info@edinburghspotlight.com.  Happy Edinburgh eating for 2010!

Great food on Lothian Road

Illegal Jacks has been trading for a month now and has become a popular choice for people who appreciate good fresh food.  We previewed Illegal Jacks the night before it opened to the public. 

Taking up residence at the premises previously owned by Pizza Hut, diagonally opposite the Odeon cinema in Lothian Road, this 100 seat restaurant is extremely handy for office workers, students at lunchtime and ideal for a quick bite to eat before attending a show at one of the nearby theatres or cinemas. 

Edinburgh Spotlight paid Illegal Jacks their second visit and were warmly welcomed by the friendly staff who enquired if we had been before.  We replied no, so that the menu could be explained to us. 

Jack’s has a ‘four step plan’ which consists of choosing a ‘weapon’ of a burrito, taco or quesadilla and then ‘filling it with the good stuff’ – a choice of chicken, beef steak or sauteed vegetables or vegetarian chilli, making sure everyone is catered for.  The third and fourth step is adding some black or pinto beans and topping with salsa (mild, hot or roasted). 

The seating consists of wooden tables and benches and now includes window seats which are perfect to watch the world go by from.  There was a mixture of customers when I was in the restaurant ranging from students and office workers to mums with their babies, making use of the ample room available, quick service and excellent changing facilities. 

To begin with I opted for the simple dish of chips and dips at £3.50.  The tortilla chips were perfectly crisp and were accompanied by a selection of guacamole, salsa and sour cream. 

Chips and dips

The guacamole was to die for.  Extremely fresh and perfect in texture, as was the salsa which wasn’t too spicy, but did have a kick to it (you can order hotter, or spice it up with hot sauce). This simple combination made for a perfect starter, accompanied by hot drink to warm me up.  It didn’t take long for me to demolish the plate whilst humming along to some wonderful background music from Ella Fitzgerald. 

For my main, my weapon of choice was a freshly grilled quesadilla with chicken breast at £5.25, which had been marinated, along with the other meat overnight for full flavour.  It was served on a bed of rocket and I had some more guacamole on the side (it really was fantastic stuff). 

Chicken quesadilla

The insides were chock-full of beautiful chicken and black beans, making for a wonderful combination. 

I could definitely work my way through Jack’s menu and never get bored.  Fajitas, come under ‘Jack’s Specials’ and are the only thing on the whole menu you have to sit in to eat as they come in hot skillets (everything else is available to take away).  Other specials include chili bowls, nachos (with the tortilla chips served hot, not just melted cheese on top of cold ones), again with a choice of chicken, beef chili, vegetarian chili or just cheese.  Salads and chicken wings finish the specials list and my mouth is watering again thinking of all the fantastic options. 

The interior is a little stark, with the exception of definition on the walls of what’s on offer, but it’s all about the food here.

Wall art

Illegal Jacks do a ‘working lunch’ offer which consists of any burrito and drink for only £5 making it a reasonably priced meal.  Burritos are also on offer in the afternoon between 3pm and 5pm when they are two for the price of one, making it a great place for a late lunch or early dinner. 

I am happy to see that Illegal Jacks is doing well and holding its own on Lothian Road.  It’s definitely a welcome attribute to the area and perfect for when you want good quality food… and fast. 

*Updated 27th Jan*  You can now phone Jack ahead with your order or book a table for larger parties 0131 622 7499

*Updated 9th March*   They now stock Mackie’s ice cream for dessert.  Pefect way to finish off a meal.

Opening hours are : 

Mon-Thurs: 12.00-21.00  Fri-Sat: 12.00-22.00  Sun: 12.00-21.00   

You can find the latest information about Illegal Jacks on their facebook page and on twitter 

Suitable for disabled ?      Yes even ground access with disabled toilets.

St Leonards Street

The first time you dine in Kismot, you will be warmly welcomed and the second time, you will be welcomed back and become part of their extended family.  This review covers a recent meal where Akbar, the manager was running the show and was enthused when I produced a Wispa.  He knew this meant only one thing, I wanted it in a nan bread!  The Kismot was the first place in Scotland to do a chocolate nan  and since I love sweet things, I wanted to see if my favourite chocolate bar would work in a nan.

Chocolate nan

Tasting the nan made it love at first bite.  Akbar told me that it was the first wispa version.  Others that have been tried and tested have been snickers, bounty and mars bars.  Another first for Edinburgh Spotlight!

Our meal began with poppadoms and the mixed pickle tray which is very generous in portion size.  Our poppadoms were stacked high with a little bit of everything and still there was leftovers.  The raita was perfect after some of the spicy fruity chutney which  gave the taste buds an intense workout.

The shy and retiring Akbar with his first wispa nan

I didn’t see past my favourite Kismot dish, the  honey tandoori chicken curry which is a perfect partner to the sweet nan.  All main dishes are around the £9 mark, with specials costing slightly more.  We had opted to bring our own beer (no corkage charge) and were served a jug of iced water.

My dining partner had the lamb forash which was made with red kidney beans, chopped onions, garlic, methi leaves tomato and lemon.  This was served up with boiled rice and garlic nan.

Lamb forash

Between us, we shared a wonderful side dish of chick peas and potatoes.  The wonderful spices and cocktail of flavours in this vegetable dish took me right back to my travels through the Indian sub continent.  The quality is so impressive that it tempts me to go wholly for a vegetarian dish next time I eat here.  It was definitely the star of the show, even topping the chocolate nan!

Chana panir

I asked to see the infamous Kismot Killer disclaimer and chuckled away as I read through the humourous ‘contract’.  You’re not allowed to visit the toilet in the allowed forty minutes to eat the dish.  If you manage to complete the food, you are rewarded it for free.  Akbar is proud of the Kismot Killer and people from England have been coming up to try the dish.  Only five people have managed to complete the challenge so far and all feature in the Kismot’s gallery, alongside those who tried, but failed this epic dish.

Kismot disclaimer

If you take away the gimmicks of the world’s hottest curry and Scotland’s first chocolate nan, you are still left with a high quality Indian restaurant.  The Kismot is now one of my favourite Indian restaurants in Edinburgh  due to the friendly service, comfortable surroundings and of course, the food.

Kismot adult curry rating

Suitable for disabled ?    Yes, completely.  It’s on ground level and has a fully accessible toilet 

Deli, Hanover Street

The quality of food is great and although I am predominantly a meat eater, if I chose to eat vegetarian food at lunch time or for a meal in the evening, then Henderson’s would be my choice.  It’s been on Hanover Street for as long as I can remember and will stay in the street for many more years.

Fresh baked goods

Suitable for disabled ?    There are the steps pictured if able to access via them.  Henderson’s restaurant is down a steep step of stairs, but their bistro is on street level.

In Cramond harbour

Cramond Gallery Bistro is a warm and welcoming place on a chilly winter’s day.  I attended with a couple of friends for a bite to eat at lunchtime.  We managed to get a seat easily, but it is off season at the moment.  In the summer months, this place can be exceptionally busy as it’s one of two cafes in the area (there is also the Cramond Inn nearby) even when there are extra seats placed outside.

The menu has a decent range and one of my dining partners opted for the cullen skink that came with a warm crusty roll at £4.95.  She said it was delicious, as most of the home made food is.

My other dining partner and I opted for the Christmas special of  organic turkey and premium ham with home made cranberry sauce, crisps and salad at £5.95.

Open sandwich

The picture doesn’t do the half baguette sandwich size justice, but it was enough to satisfy my appetite.  The crisps tasted like Walkers Sensations and there was a generous portion of peppers in the salad.

Time did not allow for us to savour one of the many desserts on offer, or a freshly baked scone.  They also do fantastic breakfasts here.  I have often rewarded myself with one after a walk along the river Almond.   A ‘Miss Jean Brodie afternoon tea’ is served from 2.30pm which includes a sandwich, a freshly baked scone and tea or coffee for £6.50. 

Before we left we asked for the marching band to be switched on  to get us in the Christmas spirit.

Cramond Bistro, Christmas Decorations

Suitable for disabled ?    Yes, the whole place is on ground floor and there is a large accessible toilet.

Tea Tree Tea, in Bread Street is a firm favourite of Edinburgh Spotlight and today’s visit was the third of the week.  It has previously been a spotlight feature of ours and we simply love the place !

A warm welcome ensued today from Drew, one of the owners, who called my mum ‘lass’ throughout our visit (she’s not been called that for a long time!)  He is still wearing shorts, despite the weather but definitely knows it’s winter as he was sporting a rather fetching headband made of tinsel.

After spending time at the Santa Gardens, I was in need of warming up and chose a bowl of porridge to begin with.  They do both sweet or salt versions at £1.50 each and for an extra 20 pennies, I opted for fruit and nuts on the top.

Porridge with fruit and nuts

It was a generous portion and my mum was impressed with the quality, as was I.  Almost as good as the great Granny of the Spotlight family, who at 93, still takes her spurtle out on a daily basis.

Beautiful tea accompanied the porridge (various prices according to blend) along with a crossaint, butter and jam, £1.20.

A wonderful way to spend an hour warming up, eating and enjoying the atmosphere in this gem of a place. 

Mistletoe

A lovely addition for Christmas is the mistletoe above the door, so make use of it when you pay them a visit.

The shop is open from 7am to 7pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 7pm at the weekends.  Follow their blog and find them on facebook for the latest news from the Tea Tree Tea world.

Christmas hours are as follows.  Open as normal including 23rd, closing 1.30pm on Christmas Eve and re-open on  Monday 28th at 7am.  Hours as normal 29th and 30th till closing at 3pm on Hogmanay.  Re-opens on the 4th normal hours.

Suitable for disabled ? There is one step up to the shop, but the staff are more than happy to assist with wheel chairs and help you inside (they are strapping lads after all)     There is plenty of room to manoeuvre once inside.  Unfortunately the bathrooms are located downstairs.

Coffee Angel, Brandon Terrace

Coffee Angel at Brandon Terrace has been a firm favourite of ours for some time and was even where Edinburgh Spotlight had some of its early concept meetings. 

It was with great pleasure that I got to chat with Chris, one of the owners.  We spoke at length over a wonderful pot of tea one afternoon and discuss how far the place has come since opening in summer 2008.  Co-owned by four friends and family, Coffee Angel have succeeded in providing the professionalism of a High Street chain, but with the individuality of their own making.  The owners wanted to create somewhere they would want to visit themselves and in doing so have an over sized kitchen cum lounge where everyone wants to gather, taste everything on offer and come back time and time again.

Coffee Angel does coffee very well.  Praise includes a customer who returned three times in one day stating that she had just drunk the best cappuccino she had ever had.  The lady was from Rome so that is really saying something.  The beans are roasted to order every week and are organic, fair trade and rainforest alliance certified.  A small americano starts at £1.45 with a large cappuccino costing £2.25 to sit in.  Extra espresso and syrup shots are available.

Coffee Angel Mugs

Despite being having coffee in their name, there is also a great selection of tea to choose from.  They have carefully selected some great teas, including herbal ones from Suki, such as midnight grey with lime and the delightful lemongrass and ginger.  If hot chocolate is more your thing, then you are well catered for with standard, dark and white hot chocolate available as well as a few flavoured choices (start at £1.50).  Marshmallows and whipped cream are available for an additional cost if you can’t resist the inner child in you.  Chai lattes and mocha drinks complete the hot menu, with a varied selection of super smoothies, frappes (non coffee choices included) and milkshakes.  There really is something for every taste on the menu and I am slowly but surely working through the whole selection!

Interior

The food compliments the fantastic range of drinks starting early in the morning with the breakfast choices.  Filled bacon rolls as well as porridge, yoghurts and pastries are on offer to help kick start the day.  For lunch there are two selections of soup (weekdays),  including vegetarian options.  Coffee Angel serve hot paninis for lunch or early dinner.  There is a whole host of options in the fridge to choose from with house classics such as goat’s cheese, chilli jam and rocket or a simple tuna melt.  They are grilled for you to sit in or take away and certainly do their job in satisfying hungry appetites. 

At the weekend, you can choose from paninis such as roast chicken and chorizo melt, or roast pork with apple sauce.  The menu is too extensive to do it justice in this article so check out the range for yourself.  Toasties, baguettes, rolls and sandwiches are also on offer.

Selection of treats

Mmmmmmmmm, is normally my reaction when faced with which cake to choose from their inviting selection.  All the old favourites are there, including banoffee cake and empire biscuits, alongside more unusual cupcakes such as beetroot and chocolate (works well from my experience).   Tray bakes such as rocky road and millionaire shortbread also make an appearance and I have yet to have a cake that wasn’t completely satisfying.  The New York cheesecake is to die for and I look forward to trying the new blueberry gateau.   Fruit cakes and tiramisu are baked on the premises with the carrot cake coming from the award winning Hand-Made Cake Company.  Prices are reasonable to sit in, but if you don’t have time to savour them inside, then you can take them out for a few less pennies.

Scrumptious cakes

It’s all the little touches that make Coffee Angel such a friendly place to return to over and over again.  The staff are encouraged to get to know people and suggest things they may like when faced with the difficult choice of what to eat and drink.  Ten staff form the close-knit team and  you are always greeted with a warm welcome and a cheery goodbye as you leave.  They know their coffee and tea, with on-site training as well as training packages sent by the companies providing the drinks.

Facilities include free magazines and daily papers (great selection at the weekends) alongside the free wifi (fast and secure).  There are high chairs and full changing facilities, making this a welcome place for mothers with babies and children.  There is no set demographic in Coffee Angel – it’s as mixed as you can get and that’s probably why it works so well.  Business people get their morning coffee whilst on their computers, changing over to people having morning coffee and cake followed by office workers at lunch time and even school children on their way home.  A real Edinburgh mix.

Selection of seating

I love the music in the premises and it wasn’t until speaking to Chris, one of the owners, that he told me that it was a carefully chosen playlist.  Uplifting music is played in the morning to lift your mood, which slowly mellows out over lunchtime and is positively laid back by the afternoon.  I have noticed it even more since learning about the effort in making the background music choice and love sinking back into my seat of an afternoon.

Interior

The decoration and artwork in Coffee Angel is classy and understated.  The artwork on the main wall has come from a company in France which was spotted on the travels of the owners who had the work re printed in Coffee Angel colours.  The quote on the wall leave you contemplating where it comes from and is open to your own interpretation.  There is a good selection of chairs and sofas amongst the various tables.  The inside area sits 44 people and 30 outside (reduced number outside in winter).  Dog walkers are welcome to sit with their animals outside (guide dogs are allowed in) and will probably find that the dog-loving staff produce bowls of water and treats from under the counter for the four-legged guests.

There are loyalty cards available to be stamped with every drink purchase and when you’ve bought nine, your tenth is free.  If you’re in a rush, you can phone up in advance so your order is waiting for collection or for larger orders (5 lunches or more) they will deliver to you  (local only). 

Coffee Angel is currently open every weekday from 7.30am to 6pm and from 8.30am to 6pm Saturday and 9am – 7pm Sunday (longer summer hours may apply).

This has been firmly chosen to be one of my favourite tea places in Edinburgh.  The New Town location is perfect when near to the Botanics or making a short hop off the Water of Leith Walkway. When in this area, Coffee Angel will always be my choice for the relaxing surroundings, good service, delicious drinks and food.

Their website is updated every morning around 8.30am with the day’s best sandwiches, specials (sometimes delicious crayfish salads etc) and the treats of the day (yum, yum).  You can also join their facebook page or sign up for their newsletter which keeps you up to date with everything coffee angel and occasional special offers.

Coffee Angel are also suppliers to Lyon and Turnbull auctioneers at Broughton Place.  So if you are visiting the auction house on preview or sale days, you know are in good hands with the food and refreshments.  They are also about to open a satellite shop in Tanfield, to help supply great drinks and feed all the workers within.

If all the above mentioned services weren’t enough, Coffee Angel also do catering.  You can download their catering pack via this link. I would be more than happy to have their food on my office table or private party.  Ranges of finger food, sandwiches and canapes can be tailored for small and medium sized parties.

Suitable for disabled ?    Yes, there is a door which can be opened on ground level to let you into the seating area easily, with fully accessible toilets.  If you have some mobility, there is just a short step down from the area in which you order to where you sit.

Click on a thumbnail to view full-size.

Oink, Victoria Street

Roast Hog in the morning

Oink

Greggs The Bakers

If you are visiting town and on a budget, then finding one of these is going to help you.  They have ‘meal deals’ where you get a sandwich, a drink and a packet of crisps (chips) for a couple of pounds.

They have a huge selection of cakes and pastries, which are actually very good.  My favourite is the vanilla slice they do and their fudge donuts.  Oh, and their chelsea bun, in fact every cake is good !

They also sell soup to go, hot pastries with savoury fillings, also known as steak bakes / fajita bakes.  Cold drinks are also available.

Two people could have a filling lunch here for under £5 and that includes drinks !

They also run specials at different times of the year such as Halloween cakes and Christmas snowmen shortbread.

Quick, fast, reasonable food, great for those on a budget or don’t have time to sit down and eat.

Enjoy !!

Dealing with Fiona who runs the company, was really easy, friendly and efficient.  I ordered my cakes online giving ample notice, but there is a five day minimum requirement to get your cakes and ten days for special orders such as diet cup cakes and special orders.   I paid online, but cheques are still accepted, but have to clear before baking commences, so do it in plenty of time.

Cupcake closeup

The choice of cupcake is varied ranging from standard cupcake flavours such as carrot and tangy lemon, through to the supreme cupcake offerings of  lime and chocolate chilli, banoffee and chocolate heaven.  The whole list can be found here  and even includes some savoury options.

Lovely touch on the box

My order was slightly different in that I wanted text on the cakes, spelling out that it was my friends’ birthday.  They were originally going to spell out, LISA IS 30 – HA HA, but decided to drop the laughter since I am older than her!

I do feel I am somewhat an expert in commenting on anything cake related as tasting tray bakes, cream cakes and anything that vaguely resembles a cake is most definately my number one hobby.

I tried one of the chocolate ones and was instantly transported to a chocoholics dream place to be!  The cake was beautifully moist with the frosting equally delicious, which was lovely and soft.  Full marks for these cakes which had been lovingly made by Fiona.

For the quality of cakes, I found them to be competitively priced, as I have tasted other cupcakes in various cafes in Edinburgh and from local shops which have been nowhere near the quality of these ones.

You can collect the cakes yourself or have them delivered to you for a small additional fee. 

Cupcakes and ribbons offer many other services such as children’s parties, themed baby shower packages, lunches and high teas.  You can also book Fiona to help out with a cupcake evening where you get to bake the cakes with her help and of course taste them afterwards.

Personalised cupcakes

Fiona and her cakes are appearing at this weekends’ Foodies Festival at the Assembly Rooms on the 5th and 6th where she will be running a cupcake masterclass.  What better way to try them out and then order the perfect Christmas present. 

Edinburgh Spotlight is offering two entrance tickets for the price of one making it a reasonably priced entrance (valid both days)

If your mouth is not already watering at the prospect of Cupcake and Ribbons’ cakes, then their gallery should help you further.  You don’t need to wait till a special occasion to try some of these out, it’s good for the soul to treat yourself from time to time.

Thoroughly recommended from Edinburgh Spotlight, for service, presentation and quality.

You can read my original review on Moo here.

Moo, Brandon Terrace

My home is within walking distance of this eating haven and I braved the cold weather yesterday to be enveloped in the warm atmosphere, that Moo provides so well.  As I settled in, peeling off my layers, I immediately relaxed with some soothing jazz music which effortlessly changed into some easy listening tracks.  They like their music here and obviously take care in choosing the right sounds.

Whilst waiting on my dining partner, I made good use of the free wifi catching up with work as others had coffee and scones, late breakfasts and early lunches.

That’s the great thing about Moo, everything is available at all times of the day, no breakfast cut off times if you need a pick me up after a Christmas party or just fancy a lovely bacon roll in the afternoon.

The more substantial meals change daily, but the day I visited, there were some lovely winter warmers of steak and onion pie, field mushroom and leek pie, venison and beetroot casserole and for the vegetarians, a chick pea and winter green casserole.  All of them are around the £5.50-£6.00 mark which includes a side dish of your choosing which again varies daily.  The choices I had were hand cut chips, pumpkin and sweet potato chowder, buttery mash, mixed salad or basmati rice.

There are sandwiches and soup on the menu with yesterday’s choice being curried parsnip.  The guys at the table next to me had some and the wonderful aroma drifted over to my table, but I had already ordered the field mushroom, leek and brie pie with a side of hand cut chips.

Leek, mushroom and brie pie

The pie wasn’t photogenic when it was whole, so I cut into it to show the goodness held inside.  It really hit the spot on such a cold winters’ day.

My friend opted for a breakfast but coming from down under, wasn’t up for the haggis, so substituted it for onions.  Everything was tasty and cooked to perfection, with a choice available for how you want your eggs.

Breakfast at lunchtime

And the star of the Moo menu for me is their ever changing desserts !  I have such a sweet tooth and instantly fell in love with their luscious puddings on first sight.  I am awaiting for the return of the fabulous banana brioche with cream but it’s not exactly hard to choose from toffee and chocolate cake, blueberry gateau, homemade lemon tart amongst a selection of tray bakes including fudge chocolate brownies and rocky road.   The main desserts are all £2.50 and if you don’t have time to eat them in, you can take them out for a slightly cheaper price.

Toffee and chocolate cake

I had the toffee and chocolate cake and am pleased to report that it was beautifully moist and very tasty

If this review hasn’t already convinced you to give Moo a try, then sign up to follow them on twitter or facebook as they post their daily menu specials which leaves you saying mmmmmmm at the computer screen and heading down Canonmills as soon as you can !

I am more than happy to give Moo Cafeteria the ‘Edinburgh Spotlight Recommended’ award as it has truly won me over despite its recent opening.  I will always look forward to dining in this welcome newcomer to the area.
 

Suitable for disabled ?    Moo is on the ground floor and suitable for wheelchairs in their eating area, but their bathrooms are down the stairs unfortunately.

Edinburgh Institution

James Mason and son’s bakery on Starbank Road in an old Edinburgh insitution which is still extremely popular with residents and local businesses alike.

They sell everything you can think of related to the bakery world, but the highlight for me is their bran scones and mince pies.

Donut, bran scone and empire biscuit

This visit, I got a couple of plain rolls, a chocolate donut, a bran scone and an empire biscuit for the total of £1.21.

Open early in the morning and catering to other shops, the smell that wafts out of their door would entice anybody inside for a ‘wee look’.  Prices are cheap for the standard of baked goods on offer.

Worn out entrance

If you’re down in that neck of the woods, then pop in for your bakery needs, you won’t be disappointed.

Suitable for disabled ?   Yes, on one level

Cafe Renroc

In the basement, Nevo beauty salon takes its’ place – offering a wide selection of treatments and massages.  What a perfect combination – relaxation with food and drink before or after (or both).

I popped in for a morning cuppa along with a read of the complimentary papers.  My masala tea was beautiful and I took it without milk, but you can have it as a chai.  Obviously I had something sweet, today opting for rice krispie cake (the oldies are the best) but had I waited 10 more minutes, the freshly delivered carrot cake or chocolate brownie would have been my first choice.

Paper, masala tea and krispie cake

There is always a lovely atmosphere in the restaurant, with friendly staff and soothing music.  I sat upstairs today to enjoy the light streaming through the windows, but there are only two tables.  The rest are nestled downstairs in the cozy basement with differently sized tables and chairs with wonderful decoration.

Nevo in the basement of Renroc

As I read the paper, I noticed how popular the place was with locals, nipping in to get their usual coffee (with the staff knowing their order).  I can’t wait to go back again to try some of the fabulous meals on the menu and relax and unwind.

Renroc ground floor

The location of Renroc is shown below, but is just a short stroll from Leith Walk and away from the hustle and bustle. Well worth a visit.

Renroc = corner backwards don't you know

Kampong Ah Lee, 28 Clerk Street

Take a step inside, ignore the paintings on the wall, ( a large pineapple poster beside a selection of painted horses !?) grab a seat if you can and peruse the menu.  It’s very comprehensive but does not have descriptions apart from the name, leaving you expected to know what the dishes are such as ‘Ho Fun’ and ‘Drunken Chicken’.  You can ask one of the friendly staff who will tell you what the dish is, how hot it is (if at all) and what best accompanies the food you choose.  The menu is also written in Malayasian.

Comprehensive menu

Having travelled extensively throughout Asia, this place is nothing short of heaven for me – bringing back all the smells and tastes of Vietnam, Laos and Malaysia.  Lemon grass, ginger, spicy fish to name a few. 

There were three of us dining on a Sunday night and every table was full at 6pm.  As a joint plate, we opted for Chinese style vegetables, £5, which were beautifully cooked and slightly spiced (can request hotter if you wish).

Chinese Vegetables

You are only given chop sticks and a soup ladle as standard, so if you wish to use a fork, you will have to ask the staff for one.  I plumped for Malaysian style lemon chicken, £7, which was so tangy and refreshing, yet spicy with chilli flakes.

One of my dining partners opted for the spicy Malaysian fish special at £9.80 which was a feast in itself.

Spicy Malaysian Fish

The fish could all be eaten, although we passed on the eyeballs.  The chillies were of course very hot, but the fish itself was fine to eat.  This was washed down nicely with a tiger beer, £2.80.

My other dining partner opted for Jiang Nan chicken, £7 which was fried and spiced to give it a wonderful Asian flavour.  We  shared two portions of boiled rice at £1.60 each.

I highly recommend the Malaysian dry curry and morning glory as a vegetable side.

Whilst we were dining, I would say that 80% of the other diners were Asian, demonstrating how good this food is.  The food leaves no room for complaint, and the prices are reasonable.  You can be in and out within the hour – it’s not the kind of place that you would relax for the evening in. 

The star of the show is definitely the food and for that reason alone, this will always be my preferred choice when re living authentic dishes from my Asian travels.

No website, but telephone number is 0131 662 9050

Suitable for disabled ?    The restaurant is on the ground floor, but the bathrooms are down the stairs

Finished fish

Peters Yard, Quartermile

You can find out more about the history of Peters Yard here.

I visited around 11.30am one morning after an early start to the day, so had already had breakfast, but wasn’t ready for a full lunch yet.  This is where Peters Yard is perfect, there’s something for all sizes of appetites.  They do soups, sandwiches and salads for lunch with choices such as crayfish, pastrami or more classics such as cheese sandwiches and ham ones.

I opted for their breakfast basket with a selection of breads, cheese and jams, £4.20.

Breakfast basket

What a wonderful selection of crisp bread, 3 huge door stop sized slices of bread, cream cheese, butter and jams.

I made my way through the basket, washing it down with a lovely pot of herbal tea.

Herbal tea

I had some cream cheese on the crisp bread, with the rest of it on a slice of bread, topped with the cheese.  The other two slices of bread were eaten with the butter and a jam on each one, which I believe to be lingonberry and arctic cloudberry.

Lingonberry jam

By the 3rd slice of bread, I was feeling my stomach fill up – this really is a perfect early light lunch or enough for 2 people having breakfast.  There’s a lovely atmosphere in Peters Yard with a mixture of people streaming through the doors.

The seating is comfortable with a mixture of window tables, tables for 2 and one big long communal table.  They stock a range of other Swedish goods and tea pots for sale alongside the loaves to take out.

Goods for sale

There is an ‘honesty’ station for commuters who just want to nip in for their coffee to go, pouring it yourself and leaving the money in a tin.  The selection of pastries on offer are mouthwatering, making it perfect for an afternoon coffee and cake.

Peters Yard is open during the week from 7am till 6pm and from 9am till 6pm at the weekend.

Edinburgh Spotlight will always pop in here when near the Meadows and in need of a drink and food.  A great addition to the Edinburgh food choices.

Suitable for disabled ?   Yes, all on one ground level, also seating outside.

The Treehouse

The Treehouse in Tollcross is a delightful little cafe that’s perfect for breakfast, lunch or a coffee.  It’s situated in Leven Street with huge amounts of light flowing in through the windows.  The decor is mixed, with paintings, shelves with tea pots and live plants dotted around giving it a warm and comfy feel to the place.

 I popped in for lunch as many people seem to do and it was packed by the time I left.  Their menu choice is varied and prices are cheaper than normal – definitely for the quality dished up.

I had a juice to go along with my brie, bacon and cranberry panini (£3.50 sit in, cheaper to take away) which came with a side of two different salads which made for a refreshing change from crisps.

Panini with salad

It was really tasty, not that you can go wrong with a panini, but the salad was a definate bonus for me.

I couldn’t resist the cakes on display and opted for a banana muffin with a pot of blackberry herbal tea.

Banana Muffin

The frosting was fantastic as was the rest of the muffin.  All of their baked goods looked good enough to dive into,  especially the Victoria sponge.  The choice varies daily as they are freshly made on the premises.

The tea was delicious and the pot served up 2 1/2 cups of tea which is pretty good for £1.25.

There are complimentary papers in the Treehouse, so it would be easy to spend an afternoon browsing them or the other glossy magazines they have for customers.

Treehouse cups

On a Sunday afternoon, they have live music which I am eager to experience. The Treehouse also offer student discount of 10% on everything.

Staff are friendly, efficient and food is exactly what you expect it to be.  Definately one of the best places in Tollcross for a quick lunch or leisurely coffee at credit crunch prices.

Suitable for disabled ?    Yes, on ground floor as are the toilets.

Porto & Fi, Newhaven

I visited on a Friday morning around 10.30am and there wasn’t a table free which is testament to how popular this place is with locals and people who travel down to the area to sample their delicious food.

Breakfast is served until noon every day and all day Sunday.  Choices include eggs benedict on a bed of smoked salmon, £6.25 or an Ayrshire bacon roll at £2.95.

Their lunch and dinner menu (last orders 7.30pm) has a fantastic range of dishes, including a fish pie topped with a leek mash, £8.95 and for the vegetarians a chickpea and spinach cassoulet with honeyed sweet potato, £7.95.  They also do smaller portions if you don’t have the biggest appetite in the world and a ‘little people’ menu.  Highchairs are available and families welcomed.

Wi fi is available if you are catching up with work over tea and cake, which I was doing.

I opted for a pot of breakfast tea at £1.50 and a honeymoon slice at £1.80 which I’m pleased to report was simply mouthwateringly delicious but over all too soon.

Honeymoon slice

There was a lovely atmosphere with a buzz in the air as people exchanged their news whilst enjoying good food.  Despite is being so busy, service was still efficient.

Porto & Fi have a ‘vault’ down the stairs which houses ranges of their products such as olive oils, pastas and chickpeas, alongside well known brands such as Hawkshead Relish Company and their fine selections of chutneys and jams.

Porto & Fi Shop

I have eaten here for dinner before and recommend Porto & Fi  for good quality food at reasonable prices.  I would advise to book a table if you have a timeframe to work around and definitely at the weekend as this place fills up very quickly.

Suitable for disabled ?   Yes entry on ground floor, as are the toilets.  Only place that’s not accessible is the vault shop down stairs.

Fair Trade Coffee Shop, Albert Place

The couple of women in front of me ordered the pancakes, so I thought I was onto a winner and that these woman knew the secret of the best panckes in Edinburgh, coming back for them time and time again.  They were informed, and in turn me, that it would be 5 – 10 minutes for the pancakes as they had to make some more batter.  No problem I thought, I could wait.

I ordered tea, despite there being a huge selection of fair trade coffee on order (I don’t like coffee) and at 85p for tea, very reasonable.

My pancake order was for plain pancakes with maple syrup at £3.35 with £1 extra for bacon.  Not a bad quick lunch price of £5.10 as you’re getting savoury and sweet at the same time.

I made myself comfy through the back reading the free magazines and my tea arrived after 10 minutes or so, strongly brewed and practically undrinkable.  Not a good start.  Another 10 minutes passed, no sign of the pancakes, for either me or my fellow diners.  The smell of the fried food coming out of the kitchen was strong and visibly hung in the air of the seating area.  Not a good way to relax.

10 more minutes later (and a running total of 30 minutes), my stomach was screaming out for food as the stewed tea didn’t hit the mark,  the pancakes finally arrived. 

Mmmmmm, I thought – they certainly looked good if a little on the small side.

Pancakes with bacon and maple syrup

The amount of the maple syrup on offer was not enough and was soaked up quickly by the pancake before I set about tucking in.

Soaked up syrup

At this point my mouth was watering and when I cut into the pancake, it crumbled.  When I tasted it, I was sorely disappointed as it was more like a scone.  It was so dry inside, even with the syrup, it was practically inedible.  The women at the table next to me clearly thought the same, as they left the cafe with their pancakes still on the plates.

I was too hungry to leave them behind  (I had waited long enough for them)  so when the waiter (I think owner) asked me if everything was ok, I asked for more maple syrup and told him they were slightly on the dry side.

Expecting him to take my small jug and refill it with fresh maple syrup, or even bring the bottle so I could soak the pancakes and their dryness away – I watched in shock as he picked up the syrup that the women had just left behind and offer me that !  

‘You don’t mind do you ?’  he said,  I replied  ”yes, I actually do mind.”    I am usually quite laid back to food hygiene when travelling the world, but when in Edinburgh, I expect certain standards and didn’t want some random women’s maple syrup (no offence ladies).

I asked him for fresh stuff, but the size of the tutt drowned out the music playing and at that point I decided that the ‘best pancakes in Edinburgh’ was a very poor description of what I had been served, along with the service and left.

At Edinburgh Spotlight, we normally eat twice at a place before reviewing it, to give a fair overview of both food and service, but on this occasion, it’s a one time visit, never to be repeated.  The gentleman who I had shared his table with could not believe what he had seen either, but then he was using the wi fi for a cup of what I presume to be reasonable coffee.

Not recommended from us and their sign should be changed to the ‘driest pancakes in Edinburgh with second hand maple syrup’.  With the added bonus that you get to leave the cafe smelling of greasy food which I can still smell in my hair as I type this a few hours later 

Illegal Jacks, Lothian Road

Illegal Jacks is a brand new restaurant on Lothian Road which previewed this evening.  Edinburgh Spotlight was lucky enough to be one of them since we love all things food !

Serving up what promises to be the ‘best South West American food in town’, the owners AC Muir and Graham Hall have been two years planning and bringing to life this new concept of good quality fresh food, served fast.

Taking up residence at the premises previously owned by Pizza Hut, diagonally opposite the Odeon cinema, this 100 seat restaurant is going to be handy for office workers and students at lunchtime and ideal for a quick bite to eat before attending a show at one of the nearby theatres or cinemas.

Food is fresh and served in front of the diners’ eyes with an open plan preparation area and views into the kitchen. 

Kitchen at Jacks

I can’t think of anywhere else similar in Edinburgh as the food covers burritos and tacos similar to those served from California to Texas and all areas in between.  Mr Muir was keen to point out that he has not chosen the Mexican route as some people may think, as burritos were actually invented in America.   The walls of the restaurants are decorated with the origins and meanings of the meals served up.

Definitions as decorations

Jack’s has a ‘four step plan’ according to their menu, choosing a ‘weapon’ of a burrito, taco or quesadilla and then ‘filling it with the good stuff’ – a choice of chicken, beef steak or sauteed vegtables or vegertarian chilli, making sure everyone is catered for.  The third and fourth step is adding some black or pinto beans and topping with salsa (mild, hot or roasted).

Fajitas, come under ‘Jack’s Specials’ and are the only thing on the whole menu you have to sit in to eat as they come in hot skillets (everything else is available to take away).  Other specials include chili bowls, nachos (with the tortilla chips served hot, not just melted cheese on top of cold ones), again with a choice of chicken, beef chili, vegetarian chill or just cheese.  Salads and chicken wings finish the specials list and my mouth is watering thinking of all the fantastic combinations.

The menu is finished off with soft drinks, Lavazza coffee and Twinings tea.

Fresh produce and ingredients

Mr Muir told Edinburgh Spotlight that all the staff have been carefully chosen and passed every food hygiene and health and safety course required.  There are 6 full time members of staff with the rest of them being university students working part time and studying courses such as chemistry, languages and psychology when not smiling and providing good service !  Having had a part time job whilst studying at university himself, Mr Muir is offering staff incentives to keep and reward loyal members of the team.

Wooden seating at Jacks

There was a selection of the menu on offer and I am pleased to report everything I tasted was delicious.  The chicken was extremely flavoursome and the roasted salsa a great option for those that don’t like the hot stuff.  The portions were very generous and I hope this transfers over to the paying public.  With a few minor tweaks to production line, I am sure this will be a slick way to get your hands on Illegal Jacks’ food.

Opens to the public on Tuesday 17th November, 5pm.

Opening hours are :

Mon-Thurs: 12.00-20.00  Fri-Sat: 12.00-21.00  Sun: 12.00-20.00

You can find the latest information about Illegal Jacks on their facebook page and on twitter

Happy testers

Suitable for disabled ?      Yes even ground access with disabled toilets.

New premises for Spoon at Nicolson Sreet

What I loved about the old premises was the cosiness to the cafe, the friendly staff and the general buzz about the place (and of course the food).  Well I am pleased to report that this atmosphere has transferred, despite a huge jump in size with the new cafe seating 98 people on a mixture of tables of all shapes and sizes.

Entrance, complete with stairlift

I visited on a Wednesday morning about 11am and there were a few tables occupied, but it was filling up on approach to lunchtime.

I sat at a great circular table with light streaming in the huge windows and views over Nicolson Street.  No need to worry about being cold, the radiators were on, making me very cozy.  The tables are fabulously decorated in Spoon – the one I sat at had a map of Skye laminated into its’ surface.  But I really liked the neighbouring chairs.

Funky tables and chairs

My dining partner and I ordered a bacon roll and a sausage roll at £2.75 each, along with a cappuccino and pot of breakfast tea.  We were also given iced tap water in a lovely jug complete with slice of lemon and lime.

Drinks on map table

What I love about the Spoon cafe is all the lovely touches that go into creating the food.  The bacon was delicious and my roll contained 3 beautifully cooked sausages containing herbs of some kind which gave them a wonderful flavour.  The bread roll had been brushed with what I presume to be olive oil and warmed in the oven.  You can’t beat a breakfast roll served on warm bread !

3 sausages in a roll

I was almost full up after this, but after seeing a piece of carrot cake being served to another table, my stomach got the better of my brain and before I knew it, one was winging its way to my table !

Now, when I say that this was good carrot cake, I mean it was good carrot cake.  It was perfectly moist with the frosting having a hint of lime flavour, making this whole sweet treat simply divine.

No 1 carrot cake in Edinburgh

I would go as far to say that this is the best carrot cake I have tasted in Edinburgh and that is coming from somone who has eaten a lot of cakes in the city !

It would be easy to spend a few hours in this place, reading a book, using your computer, chatting over good food and because there are so many tables, there is no need to feel rushed out of the place. 

They positively encourage people to spend the day writing and making use of their free wi fi.  You never know when the next JK Rowling is around the corner, after all this is the place she penned the early book.

Other appointments beckoned, and the wonderful lunch menu consisting of dishes such as braised lamb shoulder with potatoes, onion and thyme and the farmhouse goat cheese salad would have to wait for another day.  Preferably the next day.

The bill came with some retro cola cubes and a wonderful smile from the waitress who was genuinely happy to see we had enjoyed our food.

Spoon Cafe Bill

The place is popular with professionals, students, ladies who lunch and families (special child’s table and high chairs available). 

Open Mon – Sat 10am – 11pm and Sun 12-8pm.  Telephone 0131 557 4567

Suitable for disabled ?   Yes, they have a stair life, pictured below

Stair lift

Moo Cafe, Brandon Terrace

Two days later and a gloriously sunny day, I found myself having breakfast at Moo with two dining partners.  By sheer coincidence, friends of mine were also eating there at the same time, a popular choice it seemed.

Moo Interior

The decor in Moo is fantastic and designed beautifully with one half of the restaurant as above and the long side wall being like this

Moo Decor

The seating is very comfy with a mixture of furnishings and cushions.  There are complimentary papers and free wi-fi, making this a very easy place to relax in.

The menu is simple, but delightful.  I love the option of being able to choose a main and whatever side you want with it (included in the price).  An example being sweet potato and pumpkin curry with a portion of vegetable fried rice at £5.45 to sit in or £4.25 to take out.

For breakfast, my two dining partners opted for the full Scottish breakfast at £5.95.

Full Scottish

What perhaps lacked in presentation was certainly made up for in quality.  The haggis and black pudding I tried were a melt in the mouth experience and the sausage and bacon very tasty.  Original HP and Heinz tomato sauce is served (I dislike substitutes).

I opted for the slightly different breakfast stack at £4.50 which came with tomato chutney.

Breakfast Stack

Again, very tasty but after sampling the haggis, I wished there had been some on my stack.

We had coffee and tea to accompany this food and then on the menu, the banana brioche pudding (£2.50) caught my eye and the fact that it was only 10ish did not matter.  I ordered one………. with cream !

Banana brioche

Mmmmmm, it was served warm and barely lasted more than a minute.  I swear I could have eaten another there and then.

A really good breakfast experience and fantastic that you can get everything to take out as well if you don’t have time to sit down.

This cafe is warmly welcomed to Brandon Terrace making the area have another good place to eat.

Suitable for disabled ?     Seating and entrance on ground floor, but bathrooms downstairs.

Tea Tree Tea

Head away from Princes Street and the usual suspects of Starbucks and Costa, and take the quick 5 minute walk from the West End up Lothian Road to Bread Street and visit the wonderful  ‘Tea Tree Tea’.

I’ve spent a lot of time here over the last few months, all with different people – my family, friends, visitors to the city who have all enjoyed their Tea Tree Tea experience.  I’ve also happily sat in there on my own reading a book with a decent cuppa in my hands.

Interior Tea Tree Tea

Visit their website where you can read about the history of Tea Tree Tea and order tea products online if you’re not from Edinburgh.  The owners, Jamie Russell and Drew Buchanan, are old school friends and their friendship is obvious as they serve their customers in a double-act fashion.  Completing the Tea Tree Team are Lindsay and Louise, who welcomed and bid farewell to every customer as they came and went during my afternoon there.

The staff know their tea, that’s for sure.  There is a huge selection of tea and drinks on offer ranging from world wide teas such as formosa oolong and rooibos to Friceteas and coffees.  The entire range can lead to indecisiveness over which tea to have, but the patience and advice on hand helps you choose the right tea for you, sampling them by smell if necessary.

Selection of Teas

When you enter the shop, you feel like you’ve walked into a big friendly kitchen cum lounge with chairs and tables of all varieties and comfort, reminiscent of Central Perk from US comedy Friends.  There are good working tables if you are taking advantage of the free wifi (fast connection) or writing.    I like the different choices of furniture, something suitable for everyone and all comforts with plenty of room around them allowing for buggies and prams etc. Highchairs are also available.

Mouthwatering Cakes

Prices start at a reasonable £2.00 for a pot (2-3 cups). When sitting in, the tea you choose is brewed to perfection before they serve it at your table for you to experience the full flavour.  The cakes and tray bakes are to die for, and I speak from experience.  I can’t really see past the honeymoon slice or carrot cake, but endeavour to try them all.  No worries for those with wheat intolerance, there is even a gluten free option of cake.  Prices start from £1.50.

Take away customers pay £1.50 for a breakfast tea ‘to go wee’ and £1.70 for tea ‘to go large’.  Be sure to pick up a loyalty card, buying nine teas earns you one free (sit in and take away).

Selection of Food

A selection of savoury sandwiches and paninis are offered alongside the soup of the day. 

After 2pm you can opt for the popular afternoon tea. This consists of a sandwich, scone or loaf cake, a tray bake slice and a pot of tea for £8.  This is good value and the cake stand it’s served on is classy and not a replica of something your Great Aunt Nellie would have used.

The music played in the shop is mixed, all easy listening.  A book exchange has recently started, which has a varied selection of titles in good condition – simple rules apply of dropping one off in exchange for one from the shelves. The downstairs seating can be booked to enable business meetings, groups of friends, sitting 10-15 comfortably.  There is no charge for reserving the space, but it’s on the understanding that drinks will be bought.  In addition, local artists and photographers can display their work for a month at a time (including an opening or closing night) only paying a small commission for any work sold.

Downstairs Tea Tree Tea

As I sat anonymously, pondering this review, I saw a staff member help a tourist with her computer and when she didn’t have the technical know how, she enlisted the help of the owner of the neighbouring computer shop to fix it.  The tourists were delighted with their service and that was before they tasted the tea and cakes !

I can’t express how good this place is, with exceptional service which is getting harder to find in Edinburgh these days. The team members are happy to work there and their good mood is reflected in the laid back atmosphere.

I will always opt for here if I am in town as it’s only a short walk from the Castle, the Grassmarket, Lothian Road, West End and well worth the few minutes to get there.  Ignore the Starbucks and Costas of this world and try a local place for a nice cup of tea and for that, you need look no further than Tea Tree Tea.

The shop is open from 7am to 7pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 7pm at the weekends.  Follow their blog and find them on facebook for the latest news from the Tea Tree Tea world.

Suitable for disabled ? There is one step up to the shop, but the staff are more than happy to assist with wheel chairs and help you inside (they are strapping lads after all)     There is plenty of room to manoeuvre once inside.  Unfortunately the bathrooms are located downstairs.

The Alonzi family have been selling their great home made Italian ice cream in Edinburgh for the whole of my lifetime (30 + years). They have other shops around Edinburgh (sadly no more at Blackhall).

I have yet to find a better ice cream anywhere in the world (and that includes, lots of places in Italy, Australia and America).  It beats Luca’s and Mackie’s Scottish ice cream hands down.

Personal favourite is the vanilla, but all the usual flavours are there too.

Go visit and get one, you wont be disappointed !

SUITABLE FOR DISABLED ? Yes, it’s on flat ground with wheelchair access on the pavements at the crossing.

Ironically it’s next door to Martin Wishart’s cooking school     It’s full of characters, Leith locals, workies and people like me who just want a decent cup of tea and an egg and bacon roll !

I love the retro interior of this place and the old fashioned sauce bottles on the table.  It’s table service unless you’re ordering to takeaway and the woman who runs this place and her staff are very friendly.

The menu is huge and is any combination you can imagine of bacon, sausages, eggs.  Aswell as sandwiches at lunch time, pizzas and chips.  Mugs of coffee, teas, irn bru and a selection of ice cream sundaes.  A real variation.

They also sell Tunnocks caramel logs and wafers 

Give this place a try if you’re in the area, but not if you’ve got somewhere important to go afterwards as you do tend to smell a bit of fried food when you leave !  Prices are very reasonable.

Suitable for disabled ?   Yes it’s on ground level, but the toilets are quite small and probably not enough room for a wheelchair.

Kebab Mehal, Nicolson Square

In my opinion, the Kebab Mahal is the best place for halal traditional tandoori and curry dishes.   They also run a thriving kebab and pizza takeaway into the early hours.

I’ve been eating there since the 90s – an example menu is here

You can get take away food, but you can also sit in the restaurant.  You don’t go there for the plush decor and comfortable surroundings – but what they lack in those, they make up for in quality and prices.  You can eat on your own there and no one will bat an eye lid.  It’s popular with locals and you always come away completely full and satisfied.

Worth a visit – in Nicolson Square, a short walk from the Bridges and the High Street.  You wont be disappointed in the quality of the food here.

Suitabled for disabled?    Yes, there’s only one small step up, then everything is on one level.  Staff very helpful

The Kismot

I had wanted to dine here for ages so that I could try their chocolate nan !   But I also loved Indian food, so always happy to try somewhere new.

I can’t begin to describe how friendly the staff are here (without being over the top) and ample time is given on menu choice.

Since eating at the Kismot a few weeks back, their website now states that their corkage for BYOB is free now. 

Since I am a big chicken when it comes to all things super spicy, I decided to not go for the Kismot Killer.  On ordering you have to sign a disclaimer due to it’s hotness, but if you manage to eat it, you get it free.  On asking about this challenge, the staff member told me – ‘my dad just gets a bit carried away with the chillies, there’s no way I would attempt it’.   My dining partners were not going to take the risk with their weak western pallate (compared to his dad !)

We hadn’t brought any alcohol with us, so settled for iced water which was served by the jugful.

We opted for 3 dishes,  a honey fruity curry for me (to go with the chocolate nan), a lamb madras and a lamb bhindi.  All the main dishes are around £9.00, nan breads £2.95 and boiled rice £2.75

Lamb Bhindi

Lamb Madras

Honey Chicken & Chocolate Nan

 My dining partners and I couldn’t fault the quality of the food at all, it was simply delicious.  Their curries were suitably spicy and one had to be washed down with a lassi (bhindi).  I didn’t say much as I savoured the sweetness of my curry, dipping my chocolate nan in the honey and almond sauce – could a girl be in a better sweet curry heaven ??

We actually had somewhere else to be that evening, so were in and out quite quickly, but I can imagine there is a nice atmosphere in there at the weekend and would definately love to try more of their dishes on the menu.

I am stuck in my ways and always go for a white pudding or sausage supper when I visit here and save my fish suppers for when I am travelling around Scotland.

At £3.20, a very reasonably priced cholesterol-on-a-plate but a neccesity from time to time in the Scottish diet     They do a huge menu and a good selection of fish, haggis, pies and pizzas.  They also do over 300 bottles of wine !!    You can take your supper out, or sit in at one of the window seats.  Make sure you try some proper chippy sauce (it’s an Edinburgh thing, not even Scottish) which is brown sauce and vinegar carefully mixed together to get a mouthwatering flavour !!

I am getting hungry again just thinking about it.  Thumbs up from me, this is my chippy of choice 

Suitable for disabled ? Yes, on ground level   

Their website is HERE and you can also find them on Facebook, twitter and  trip advisor reviews of the restaurant are HERE (currently #9 in Edinburgh !)

I had wanted to try this place for ages and found that an author of a blog I read had eaten there and loved it, therefore I was sold.  Her post about Mezbaan is HERE.  Thanks Alice 

All food served is halal and it’s BYOB

For starters we had – King Prawn Mango Puree Puffy whole wheat bread with prawns cooked in mango sauce.  £6.50  

My friend said it was simply divine !   I am allergic to shellfish, so couldn’t try it     It was a very reasonably sized portion for a starter.

Murgh Mirch Kebab        

Breast of spring chicken de-boned, then marinated in yoghurt tandoori spices coated with a sweet chilli sauce and cooked in tandoor. £4.95 

I absolutely loved this starter – so flavoursome (with a wee kick to it) and again, good sized portion.  Thankfully we were served a jug of iced water to help cool down my throat

For mains we had, 

Alphonso Chicken Delicately spiced fillet of chicken cooked in mild cream and smooth mango sauce. £9.95

 Lamb Kotyam Lamb marinated in yoghurt overnight, with desiccated coconut and cooked in lentils. £9.95 with plain paratha and steamed rice.

Having had a starter, the rice was big enough for 2 people.  The mango chicken was simply wonderful    I could have eaten 2 more dishes of the stuff.  The chicken was soft and tender nad has to be one of my all time favourite dinner dishes, which is saying something !

The lamb dish was also wonderful, stimulating all parts of my palate !  It wasn’t spicy, just really flavoursome and the lentils worked well.

I really had no room left for dessert, so didn’t look at the menu to see what was on offer.

I am torn between my usual Indian restaurant – Pataka at Causewayside and this new one to my list.  Their menus are different, so I will be alternating in the future to work my way through the menu at Mezbaan      The food is highly recommended from me.

Suitable for disabled ?    The restaurant is on ground level, but unfortunately the toilets are down a steep set of stairs.  

I have eaten here more than a few times and have yet to find another Indian / Bengali which has such delicious dishes in such nice surroundings.  They have table and booth style seating amongst Charles Rennie Mackintosh inspired decor.

Three of us were dining and we started with some poppadoms with a chutney and pickles tray (mango chutney, lime pickles and onion salad).  They came out piping hot and the pickles tray was ample for the 4 poppadums .

The candle-lit hot plates are a nice touch, especially for the main dishes so that the food keeps hot whilst you are enjoying your meal.

We weren’t in a particularly spicy food mood, so opted for the more mild dishes on the menu (although those with a desire for hot dishes have plenty to choose from)  and shared 3 between us.  We opted for the Red Fort Special chicken (diced chicken, mild ground herbs, yoghurt sauce, garnished with almonds and fresh tomatoes) at £8.95 and a lamb passanda (lamb marinated in special ingredients and cooked in a mild creamy almond sauce) also at £8.95.

The one on the left is the Red Fort chicken and it was just so flavoursome and delicious, we finished this one first.  The lamb in the passanda was so tender, it was easy to eat without being chewy and again, the flavours were wonderful.

We had 2 sides of pilau rice (£2.60) and the third of our dishes was the chicken tikka massalam at £8.95.

The chicken was beautifully cooked in a mild sauce with herbs and spices.  In addition we had a garlic nan and a peshwari nan – £2.60 each and raitha (cucumber yoghurt) £2.25.

We were all in agreement that the quality of the food was fantastic and were all completely satisfied at the end of the meal.

The Pataka has an extensive wine list, but we had beer with our curries.

With no room for dessert (a first for me!) we asked for the bill and found it to be reasonably priced for such a good meal on a Saturday night.  It came with lots of ‘after eight’ dinner mints which was a nice retro touch as opposed to the usual mint imperials.

The restaurant was pretty much full all evening, so booking is advisable at the weekend, but they also do the whole menu as takeaway (cheaper than sit in prices) so if you don’t want to eat in at the Pataka, you can have the delights of the menu in your own home.

I thoroughly recommend the Pataka, the staff are efficient and friendly and remember you if you dine there more than once.  Open every day at lunch time and again from 5.30pm until 11.30pm.  Also avaiable for private dining (maximum 33)

I live in the North of town, but don’t mind the journey across town to come away satisfied every time

Suitable for disabled ?    Yes, the restaurant and toilets are on the ground floor

I have been eating here for years and was a regular place for lunch when I worked nearby. They don’t just sell baked potatoes, but do baguettes and paninis aswell.

I chose a small potato (knowing that this is more than enough, even for me ) but you can get medium and large which would give you enough carbs for the week .  There is a huge choice of toppings and you can choose what ones you want if you don’t like the mixtures they suggest.

I opted for the cheese and pineapple one at £2.75 and as you can see, it’s not exactly small.

Tattie

They are very generous with their portions.  There are no tables inside the shop, but you can sit at the window ledge on bar stools to eat your lunch and watch the world go by.

Outside the shop there is a lovely view of North Bridge and the Balmoral Hotel to and up to Calton Hill.  You can eat as you wander or find a spot on the Royal Mile.

I thoroughly recommend this place for both locals and tourists, as it beats the more expensive options in the area.  It is very quick and allows more time for sightseeing.

Tempting tattie also do a rather nice selection of home made cakes.

Suitable for disabled ?      Yes, it’s on flat ground into the shop and plenty of room inside 

You can also take advantage of their take away section if you don’t have time to sit in (also cheaper)  WEBSITE

Great fish and chips

It’s run by the same people behind the famous award winning Anstruther Fish Bar, which as some of you will know is well worth the journey up the Fife coast (there even used to be coach trips organised just to go eat there, they’re THAT good !)

I’ve eaten here a few times since it opened last year, but this is the first time since I started this site.

It was quiet when we arrived (4.30pm Monday) but pretty much full by the time we left an hour or so later, which shows how popular it is.

Interior Tailend

Staff were friendly and service efficient.  The majority of their menu is fish based, but they do other dishes as well if someone in you’re party is not overly fond of fish.

I opted for the Traditional Fish Tea, which was a lovely piece of haddock (I chose breadcrumbs, it normally comes in batter), peas, chips and a side of bread and butter (£9.50).  My mum, knowing how big the portions were had the haddock in batter with peas  (£8.25).

Fish, chips and peas, cannae beat it

The fish was delicious, flaky and tasted extremely fresh.  You can have the peas in mushy style, but I prefer them as they come.  There was a good selection of sauces to accompany the fish along with proper sarsons vinegar.

We had a soft drink with dinner (£1.95) but after finishing the large portions, had no room for dessert.  They had specials on the board (sticky toffee pudding and apple crumble and custard) but they also sell Luca’s ice cream which is normally irresistable, but I really had no room left.

There was a selection of other fish on the menu, but I just love their haddock and never seem to deviate from what I know and love.

The food is not cheap nor expensive, but as far as fish and chips go, this really is the place to eat as the quality doesn’t disappoint.

Suitable for disabled ?    Yes the entrance in on ground level, but they would have to shift a few chairs to make room as the seats and tables are packed together.

It’s a little more expensive (and better) than Greggs but not as expensive as eating out for lunch.  Their website is  HERE.

The menu is based around different kinds of burgers and steak standwiches which are cooked fresh to order.

I opted for the steak baguette (£5.50) which came in lovely cracked wheat bread with caramelised onions and honey /mustard mayonnaise.  The smell in this shop makes you VERY hungry – it’s simply wonderful and the staff were friendly and efficient.

I sat outside at the table, and got stuck into my lunch

The beef was cooked to perfection, really tender, melt in the mouth stuff.  The onions were lovely and it didn’t take that long to eat it !!   Generous portions of meat and I was not left feeling hungry afterwards (although I could have eaten another one through sheer greed )

This place is no good if your vegetarian –  they only do meat.  A selection of raw meat is available for purchase if you want to cook at home .

A delicious change of the lunch time sandwich despite it being twice the price.

Suitable for disabled ?        Yes – it’s on even ground and room to move inside 

For £4, I was pretty happy with this quick lunch and will be heading back there sometime.  The carrot cake was lovely and moist and I got 2 cups of tea out of the pot.

Suitable for disabled ?         Yes, it’s on one level