Restaurants

There is no dearth of good places to eat out in Edinburgh and you can find every kind of cuisine being served in one of the city’s many restaurants. The top drawer, unarguably, is the restaurant Martin Wishart with its precious Michelin stars and a talented chef. ‘Spoon’ in the heart of the Old Town at Blackfriars dishes out some of the most appealing salads and sandwiches. Mix in some fresh soup and you have a weight-watchers’ meal to die for.

Everyone thinks Edinburgh is nuts about meat but one meal at David Bann's Vegetarian Restaurant near the Royal Mile can convert anyone. For one of the best traditional Scottish meals try the Atrium on Cambridge Street. The restaurant can satiate the hungriest and fussiest eaters with their innovative take on frills-free hearty dishes.

Edinburgh with its volcano seated castle is one for views and no where is this combo bested than at Oloroso on Castle Street and Forth Floor at Harvey Nichols on the Saint Andrew Square. Scenic views distract the diner at both restaurants from sumptuous Scottish meals cooked with an innovative kick.

If you would like a meal that doesn’t cut up your wallet try the Kebab Mahal at Nicolson Square for a good, hearty Indian food at budget prices. For all those late weekend nights when after an energetic session at one of the city’s nightclubs, all you can think of is food, try the Lothian Road where you can find mouthwatering pizzas at Lazio. Another Italian late nighter in the Old Town is Gordon’s Trattoria on the High Street which is open till the unearthly hour of 3am at weekends. For something a bit more modern and trendy, Favorit is an NYC-style diner on Teviot Place that again stays up till 3am.

Edinburgh’s Nightlife

Summer time in Edinburgh is defined by the Edinburgh Festival, which encompasses the Fringe, International Festival, Book Festival, Film Festival, and Jazz Festival. The festivals are a boon to the economy and business they together they reel in at least a gazillion visitors who come here to enjoy scores of acts in comedy, dance, drama, music, and more.

During the rest of the year entertainment come in the form of Dance Clubs, of which there aren’t too many now as compared to the 80s and 90s, but the dance scene is still explosive enough to attract a hoard of visitors. The best of the lot lie in the Cowgate and Grassmarket areas in the Old Town and Broughton Street in New Town. The university and its multicultural population ensure that the south side of the city has a vibrant club and bar scene and the pubs on the waterfront in the port of Leith also make a great choice.

The West End of the city is where all the theater and music action lies; the legendary Traverse Theatre and the Royal Lyceum Theatre are popular evening time haunts. For concerts the best place to go to is the classic Usher Hall. The Filmhouse which is next door has the best in independent and art-house cinema and other venues for drama include the Playhouse and Festival theaters, while live music of a more contemporary vein takes place at venues such as the Liquid Room in Old Town. The folk music scene is aggregated in a couple of pubs (Sandy Bell's and the Royal Oak), and for jazz, your best bet is Henry's Jazz Cellar.

For a complete rundown of what is happening in Edinburgh, pick up a copy of The List, a biweekly magazine available at all major newsstands and book shops. It previews, reviews, and gives the full details of arts events here -- and in Glasgow.