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hand picked restaurants

Well, the name says it all and even the décor echoes the spirit of Spain, albeit in a stylish way; housed in Wisharts warehouse in Leith, Tapa brings on a case of déjà vu with a bull fighting portrait on the wall, reminiscent of the owners initial success with similar successful ventures such as Tapas Ole and Tapas Tree, both in Edinburgh.

The ambience is lively and fun-filled with groups of people congregating and sharing plates of Serrano ham and traditional sheep cheese, and pork escalope with an herb and tomato jus. World fusion tapas is possibly the highlight on the menu embracing tapa style tuna with a Japanese dip and courgettes stuffed with peppers and hummus, topped with melted cheese and finished with a red onion sauce.

A traditional Spanish crème caramel or sticky toffee bomb could satisfy a sweet tooth, the latter being an explosion of flavours with toffee ice cream and sticky toffee sauce enclosed in a thick chocolate casing.

This historic institution is a wonderful place in which to regain your equilibrium after having had your first glimpse of the new Scottish Parliament building. Founded as a bar and restaurant in 1817 it moved to its present premises in the heyday of Victorian building and, having survived WW2 had a narrow escape later when Woolworths sought the site.

There are two rooms, a bar with honest leather seats which offers a limited menu chosen by somebody who knows a great deal about the relationship between people and food. In the restaurant we move to higher planes with fresh fish, shellfish and game, served amidst highly decorative surroundings featuring exotic plasterwork, mahogany panelling and the famed Doulton Murals. A typical dish could be collops of wild Highland venison with a bitter chocolate and red wine jus.

An interesting wine list draws heavily on France but also travels into other old world and, increasingly, new world sources. Prices throughout are outstandingly reasonable and whilst this is not necessarily the best reason for going there it does round off well a whole series of other ones.

Located in a building that takes us back in time, Teuchters Landing was the waiting room for steamship passengers, who used to embark at Leith Docks for the ferry to Aberdeen. The whole place has now had a major facelift, and, having cleverly retained the really historic bits, they then added an elegant conservatory, which has become the restaurant 'a room in Leith', promising a warm welcome to locals and visitors to Edinburgh.

Having indulged its clientele's taste buds with a discerning menu for 25 years, the Lancers Brasserie in Edinburgh's vibrant Stockbridge is well poised to continue doing so. Located in Hamilton Place, its fine selection of Bengali and north Indian dishes served in comfortable and convivial surroundings has many fans in this part of the country. The friendly welcome at Lancers sets the tone for the meal and a well-organised menu helps diners enjoy the evening to the full.

The Lancers à la carte menu is well stocked with delectable vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. Get started with shrimp cocktail or fish kebab and move on to a lamb, chicken or vegetarian main course option with naan or roti breads, and a biryani, rice with lamb, chicken or prawn. Dessert options include kulfi, almond ice-cream, and dahli mishti, fried cream balls in yoghurt. End a satisfying meal with the in-house spiced tea special or liqueur coffee.

A stylish and chic restaurant located on George Street, Le Monde offers a cosmopolitan ambience that is a blend of various European cultures. This is reflected in the décor of the restaurant as well as the range of international cuisines served. Classic and elegant, the atmosphere of the restaurant caters to people with varying taste, and the interiors have been designed accordingly. Guests can either enjoy breakfast or snacks in the airy, Italian inspired Milan room, a lunch meeting in the vibrant atmosphere of Vienna or an intimate dinner in the cosy setting of the Parisian room. All three, are embellished with beautiful wall paintings, ornate chandeliers and comfortable seating.

The food prepared by Chef Glyn Stevens reflects the same variety, with a mix of Scottish and innovative international cuisine. It consists of prosciutto, mozzarella and basil, an Italian ham and cheese dish; and char grilled vegetables and gorgonzola, marinated in olive oil with tomato sauce and melting cheese. Besides this, there are also other choices of cuisines, for those wanting to experiment.

The restaurant also serves an extensive wine list sourced from various regions of Europe.

Pizza Express remains a hugely popular bedrock of casual eating. Its popularity is testimony to the fact that across the country, they have restaurants where you will always be guaranteed a good nosh, with children's tastes being well catered for.

Pizza Express has gone even more Roman, and following the success of that particular example of listening to their public have introduced Romana pizzas, including the scorching Etna and the hearty Siciliana.

These pizzas are now thinner, bigger and crispier, and if that sounds like a marketing line, it is. However, unlike many such lines, this one is true, and their quality is always consistent, though cleverly they have still managed to retain a homemade feel to their pizzas.

As an alternative to pizza, try their pollo pesto - cavatappi pasta with torn chicken breast, mushrooms, red onions and mozzarella in a creamy gruyere, parmesan and pesto sauce and finished with grana padano - or the niçoise salad with mixed leaves, yellowfin tuna, free range egg, green beans, potatoes and tomatoes with olives, anchovies, capers and house dressing.

Many of the big chains have come a long way, and Pizza Express is certainly amongst them. One of the first to be quoted on the Stock Exchange - in 1993 - Pizza Express is not a franchise operation and retains tight control through its own staff.

Their wine list - though short - contains some surprisingly good offerings, especially their intense Australian Chardonnay, and a big, full-bodied Merlot from Cusumano, Sicilia.

Located underneath two of Edinburgh's most iconic buildings, situated in the very heart of Edinburgh; the National Gallery of Scotland and the Royal Scottish Academy Buildings, play host to The Scottish Cafe and Restaurant. In August 2004, the £30 million Playfair Project was completed, which involved the restoration of the Royal Scottish Academy Building and the creation of the state-of-the-art Weston Link to connect it to the National Gallery of Scotland, resulting in quite simply one of the most prestigious settings in Edinburgh for dining and corporate events.

Home to Scotland's greatest collection of European Art from Renaissance to Post-Impressionism, including masterpieces by Titian, Raphael, Rembrandt and Poussin, these galleries provide opportunities to entertain on a grand or intimate scale and are available to hire for events. The Scottish Cafe and Restaurant offers uninterrupted vistas across Princes Street Gardens and other famous Edinburgh landmarks, bringing a world-class visitor facility linking two of Edinburgh's principal Galleries to Scotland's capital city. The restaurant is split across three tiers, defining the creation of a versatile dining space and magnificent views for all.

The menu offers the best and freshest local ingredients, combined to provide a selection of dishes, rooted in excellent modern Scottish cuisine. Their inventive carte is not long, but is high in the temptation factor, a vital ingredient of dishes of which some chefs tend to lose sight.

The Restaurant at Bonham aims to give stylish cooking amidst gracious surroundings and is certainly in the top ten restaurants in the city. You'll be tempted by distinctively European-inspired food and enticed by provocative wines. Start with a fillet of beef carpaccio with a potato salad, winter black truffle and extra virgin olive oil. Fish is rarely so good as in Scotland and my preference would be for the pave of halibut poached in cabernet sauvignon, parsnip and nutmeg puree and a salmon gravadlax sauce.

You might need to be dragged kicking and screaming from a selection of Iain Mellis cheese but once done would gracefully succumb to the rhubarb and lime cheesecake with Earl Grey crème anglaise and rosemary tuile. The wine list is not over long but there are some quite special items, with eight by the glass starting at £3.50.

'It isn't easy to blend modern furnishings with Victorian Interiors, but the visual tug-of-war works at its best in the Bonham's restaurant, with its airy height, stripped floor and cool colours. Lunch is carefully priced - two courses for £12.50, three for £15 - cheap enough to lure one away from the city centre, but not so cheap that the chef is inhibited. Which, with options of rib eye steak, tiger prawns and red mullet, is clearly not the case.' (Gillian Glover, 13th September 2003, Scotsman Magazine.)