Chef Tom Kitchin’s newly-opened gastropub exhibits a casual hunting lodge vibe, with bleached antlers, blankets thrown over chairs and subtle tartan upholstery. The menu might take a bit of deciphering – ‘oor menu’ (our menu, get it?) is written in a Scottish dialect – but offers an impressive array of ‘pub grub’ favourites such as oysters, crab claws with lemon mayonnaise and venison sausages. The seasonal cocktails menu is equally impressive. Booking is recommended, though 50% of tables are available on a walk-in basis.

This intimate Japanese restaurant has a slick, neutral interior that gives diners a stylish and calming environment to enjoy their meal in. The menu is extensive but offers none of the noodle-based comfort food you might expect elsewhere; this is serious sushi, best served with sake. The scallop sashimi is excellent, and if it’s in season, be sure to try the surf clam nigiri. Booking is essential.

Sitting at the foot of Calton Hill on Edinburgh’s Royal Terrace Gardens, The Gardeners’ Cottage was built in 1836 as a home for the then gardener. Now a restaurant dedicated to seasonal cooking, communal tables populate the central dining area. With a daily changing menu, enjoy weekend brunches, a la carte lunches or an inventive, seven-course set dinner menu. When the late A. A. Gill visited some years ago he remarked: “The piece de resistance – a very Edinburgh expression, that – was the five-year-old mutton with winkles and a mild onion puree. This was exceptional.” We’ll have the same.

For a leisurely weekend brunch, look no further than Urban Angel. The eggs Benedict with smoked salmon is delicious, while the French toast with free-range bacon and maple syrup is also a marvel. The café prides itself on locally sourced ingredients – it even employs a band of foragers who decamp to nearby woodland in search of edible flowers.

This Swedish bakery-cum-café serves delicious soups, open sandwiches and salads at lunchtime and is popular for its irresistible selections of breads and cakes in the afternoon. They also serve seriously good coffee starting at just £1.65. The biggest outlet is conveniently located on the pleasantly leafy Middle Meadow Walk, though the smaller Stockbridge branch serves delicious sourdough pizza.

Just off the Royal Mile and nestled in the shadows of Edinburgh Castle, The Witchery is Edinburgh’s most atmospheric dining option. Now in its fourth decade, the restaurant has become something of a landmark of Scottish fine dining. The food is good but the setting is better – with sumptuous upholstery and dark wooden seating offset by soft candlelight.

Family-run Timberyard keeps things local. All ingredients are sourced from local artisan growers, breeders, producers, suppliers and foragers, and natural wine is sourced from small producers and growers from across Europe. Situated in an repurposed brick warehouse, choose from a four-, six- or eight-course meal, with a focus on traditional dishes (with a contemporary bite). Enjoy on cooler nights be a wood-burning stove in the main dining area.

Word of mouth alone has ensured that this authentic and discrete Thai restaurant, nestled along Thistle Street, is a firm Edinburgh favourite. Opening in 2002 by chef Pom, this is some of the tastiest contemporary Thai food ​to have ever passed our lips. The menu is vast so save yourself some time and brain fatigue and order the “Dusit banquet menu”.

Tucked away at the very bottom of Broughton Street, this quaint vintage tearoom is a haven for sweet-toothed tea connoisseurs. An irresistible selection of baked goods is made fresh everyday by the owner, Marie-Claire Semeraro, and her talented pastry chefs. Their afternoon tea has been unanimously dubbed the best in Edinburgh and is a cut above the rest in taste, presentation and flavour combinations.

A long-time favourite of students and east-end inhabitants, the coffee here is expensive but second to none. All the baristas seem to genuinely care about their craft, and don’t expect the same blend twice as it constantly changes. Grab your cup to go or sit in the cosy back room with guitars hanging from the walls.

Casual and cosy, The Larder is a homemaker’s ultimate aspiration. Long wooden tables, hotchpotch chairs and the smell of freshly baked currant scones make this the optimum spot for a laid back lunch or a late-afternoon tea break. Choose from a menu of soups, hearty sandwiches and baked goods With two locations in Edinburgh – a café and takeaway just off the Royal Mile – we’re twice as likely to pop by The Larder for a quick bite post-shopping.

Open daily from noon, BABA plates up Middle Eastern delights. Located off Charlotte Square, dishes are inspired by the flavours of the Levant – the butter bean hummus, beiruti burrata and labneh with cherry tomatoes, harissa and dill are must-orders.We could write sheets and sheets about the mezze alone and don’t even get us started on the mains.

Our new favourite sushi restaurant in Edinburgh, Yamato steals gold from its sibling restaurant, Kanpai, by a whisker. Delicate interiors – think pale-pink lighting features and tatami-mat-style woven seat covers – set the tone for this subtle sampling of Japanese fodder. The snow-crab vulcan, assorted tempura and nigiri, vye for top-billing.

Works by local artists populate the walls at Broughton Delicatessen. Here, brunch is the main event – served weekdays until 2pm and on weekends until 3pm (no judgment to the sloth-like among you). Gluten-free pancakes with bacon, shakshuka and a vegan breakfast burrito are all winners.