Hotel du Vin Edinburgh

HDV arrived in Edinburgh in 2008, & its menu has evolved to stay in step with the needs of guests & the wider public. The Bistro has a contemporary ‘Gallic brasserie’ style with lots of wood, framed pictures & wine paraphernalia all around; dining here also has a French flavour. You could start with soup au pistou, move on to Normandy-style mussels & finish with pot au chocolat. Affordable plats du jour are popular during the week (corned beef hash on Mondays, poached salmon hollandaise on Tuesdays), while bargain hunters are attracted by the ‘food for thought’ offer: £35 buys two courses (Caesar salad followed by smoked haddock cassoulet, perhaps) plus a bottle of house wine & coffee for two people. Flexibility is a watchword, so you can also pop in for a burger, sandwich, salad or a light savoury such as roast bone marrow on toast.