The White Lady Wetherspoon

Situated on a prime corner site in Edinburgh's West End, this former bank is now filled with a different kind of gold. Culinary delights ranging from house-baked breads and pastries to a full menu of unfussy, European-influenced dishes will ensure you leave satisfied, whenever you decide to drop in. A beautiful conversion has left the interior with polished bistro tables and the feel of a smart dining pub, helped out by the local beers, impressive whisky selection and carefully curated wine list. Look out for the dishes to share, such as Borders venison, red wine and smoked bacon pie.

In Edinburgh's bustling West End, this unpretentious spot offers an enticing combination of wine bar and seafood restaurant. Start in the ground-floor bar with a glass from the interesting international list, before heading upstairs to enjoy a celebration of Scottish fish and shellfish. The quality of the produce shines through, from Shetland mussels to Skye langoustines, sometimes enhanced by flavours from Jamaican jerk spice to harissa butter. Head to their sister branch in Leith to put your bib on and get stuck in to the 'seafood boil' experience featuring an array of shellfish.

The Pompadour is one of the city’s most famous restaurant names and it sits within one of its best-known hotels, The Caledonian, a historic and eye-catchingly grand property standing proud at one end of Princes Street – if you’re lucky, you may get one of the tables that look up to the castle. The restaurant is run under the auspices of Chef Dean Banks, who has dropped the former tasting menu format for an à la carte focused on showcasing prime Scottish produce in dishes such as champagne-baked market fish.

This buzzy wine bar and trattoria is set in the heart of bustling Stockbridge, where you can pop in just for a glass of wine with some olives and salumi around the communal, marble-topped island counter – or choose from the full à la carte of appealingly unfussy Italian dishes. Whether you opt for one of the pastas or the fish of the day, it’s all simple, fresh and wholly enjoyable. The top-notch wine list is almost exclusively Italian, with owner and sommelier James on hand to recommend something to suit.

Honest, intimate and sweet, this is a proper neighbourhood restaurant which focuses on the country's delicious seafood. Kick things off with a choice of fresh oysters or internationally influenced dishes such as squid 'puttanesca' or Thai coconut Shetland mussels. Comforting and flavoursome main dishes pair well with the homely surroundings, where you can relax with some super views of Bruntsfield Links and The Meadows. The concise wine list has a bias towards minimal intervention options.

In 1962, Janet Henderson opened one of Scotland's most famous vegetarian restaurants; decades later her grandson Barrie is running the show in a busy premises by Bruntsfield Links. The appealing, skilfully cooked selection of meat-free dishes are mostly vegan, with options like salt-baked celeriac and their take on classic haggis, neeps and tatties. Friendly service creates a lovely neighbourhood feel, while unfussy plant-based puddings are on hand to satisfy the most sweet-toothed of diners.

An affluent area of the city plays host to this cosy, atmospheric basement restaurant which comprises just 9 tables. The experienced chef-owner creates ambitious modern dishes which mix tried-and-tested flavours with contemporary techniques. Service is friendly and the set lunch menu is steal.