The Townhouse, Leith

There's such a pleasant feel to this neighbourhood restaurant, courtesy of a bright, clean look that’s matched by warm and unstuffy service. The skilful cooking is founded on fine Scottish produce, whether that be excellent sea trout or the finest berries from Fife. The tasting menu will allow you to make the most of the chefs’ talents, and all fits together like a well-crafted jigsaw. Ask for a table by the window if you want to watch the world go by around the Port of Leith, or opt for a seat at the spacious counter.

Housed in the historic Port of Leith, this restaurant has been at the forefront of the Edinburgh dining scene for years. It’s no wonder it’s such a success, given the consistent quality found in the balanced, flavoursome dishes that champion seasonal Scottish produce – come in grouse season and you won’t be disappointed. An array of menus includes a well-priced lunch option and the Prestige surprise menu, which offers the most complete experience. Try to get a table by the kitchen, which lets you in on the action via a large viewing window.

Next-door neighbour and sister restaurant to The Little Chartroom, Ardfern is named after a village in Argyll & Bute that brings back fond memories for owner Roberta Hall-McCarron. Describing itself as a café, bar and bottle shop, it has an appealing brunch menu, a relaxed air and a wine list that will delight enthusiasts. You’d be a fool to miss the evening’s small plates, however, which pack in plenty of flavour and have both a heartiness and a pleasing familiarity to them. The hash browns with whipped feta and jalapeño ketchup are a particular treat.

Edinburgh’s finest row of Georgian townhouses is the setting for this elegant seafood restaurant, where only the very best produce will do. Start in the stunning first-floor bar for an aperitif and finely crafted snacks prepared at the island counter, before moving to the understated dining room for a tasting menu based on delicious, sustainably caught fish and shellfish, be it wild halibut or Scottish langoustines. This produce drives the eye-catching dishes, which deliver subtle yet complex blends of flavours and textures. If you’re staying the night, luxurious bedrooms are available.

When American chef Rodney Wages visited Edinburgh on holiday, he fell in love with the city so much that he decided to move himself, his family and his restaurant here. And that's how Avery, which once graced the streets of San Francisco, came to be located in a classic Georgian townhouse in Stockbridge. Rodney has wholly embraced his Scottish surroundings, taking the country's bountiful produce and treating it with a Californian lightness, while providing bold, distinct flavours – like Orkney scallop dressed with pineapple jus. The drinks flight combines wine, sake, sherry and, of course, a w

A big red door indicates that you have arrived at this rustic warehouse conversion, in which the chefs practise a culinary ethos that centres around the local, the seasonal and letting the produce speak for itself. It takes a lot of skill and no little ability to take just a few prime ingredients and fashion dishes that are so well defined and satisfying, and the kitchen here pulls it off with aplomb. You can warm yourself by the stove in winter or sit in the walled courtyard in the summer. The lovely service team are on the ball and the music’s great too.

Just outside the city centre you'll find this smart, understated shop conversion with seasonally changing décor and just six large tables. The cooking takes the form of a surprise menu, with a hand-drawn bookmark picturing some of the ingredients the only hint at what is to come. An interesting and individual streak runs through the cooking, with flavour combinations carefully thought through to enhance one another. The skill of the kitchen is most evident in dishes that extract wonderful flavours from seemingly basic ingredients, like kohlrabi with goat's curd.