Mr & Mrs Smith

In Leith, visit Iso-Bar on Bernard Street (+44 (0)131 467 8904), a small, smart-looking establishment that caters to a cappuccino crowd during the day, transforming to an standing-room-only bar at night. Nautical knick-knacks and cartography charts bedeck the Waterline Bar and Bistro at 58 The Shore (+44 (0)131 554 2425), a sizeable bar and eatery on the water. Port O' Leith on Constitution Street (+44 (0)131 554 3568) is a cheap-and-cheerful little local that's a favourite of Irvine Welsh. Despite a close-knit core of regulars, the attractive prices solicit a passing trade. La Camargue on Commercial Street (+44 (0)131 554 9999) is a classy fin de siècle French brasserie that specialises in fish, where a meal ranges from the reasonable to the ever-so-slightly extravagant. The artwork and menu change regularly at Compass Bar and Grill at 44 Queen Charlotte Street (+44 (0)131 554 1979). A handsome, stone-walled, moodily lit premises, it tends to draw an artsy clientele. Britannia Spice at 150 Commercial Street (+44 (0)131 555 2255; www.britanniaspice.co.uk) is an award-winning Indian, Bangladeshi, Thai and Nepalese restaurant where booking is recommended. Waiters dress as midshipmen and diners come from all over Edinburgh to discover whether the cuisine measures up to its stellar reputation. Maison Bleue on Victoria Street (+44 (0)131 226 1900) serves a tasty French bistro menu and is a great place for a casual lunch. 

Take a walk up Calton Hill; it only takes ten minutes from the top of Leith Walk roundabout and it gives the best view of the city. Have lunch or a coffee at Harvey Nichols Fourth Floor brasserie. Foodies should stop at Plaisir du Chocolat on the Royal Mile for the ultimate sweet-toothed experience, or visit Crombies, the best butcher in Edinburgh, and take home some haggis. For an Italian experience, Valvona & Crolla at the top of Leith Walk is difficult to leave without a laden basket.