The Queens Arms - Edinburgh

Once an instantly forgettable city-centre boozer, The Queens Arms has been seriously overhauled, extravagantly recast and made to look like a faux 18th-century gentlemen's club – complete with linen-backed shelves of books, ornate fireplaces, candles in whisky bottles, pictures of Mary Queen of Scots on every wall and even wine bottles embedded in the ceiling. OTT kitsch, yes – but it works. The menu has been given a facelift too, with upbeat dishes ranging from maple-glazed confit pork belly with walnut pesto and pea shoots to Mediterranean vegetable skewers, or pan-fried coley with mussel and chorizo linguine, chilli and lemon butter – plus desserts such as strawberry posset with shortbread. There's also an impressively stocked bar offering more than 50 whiskies, well-priced wines, cheeky cocktails and a vast selection of draught and bottled beers from Scottish breweries and beyond.

The Queens Arms is a rustic pub that is hidden below the cobbles of Frederick Street in Edinburgh. You can enjoy home cooked dishes paired with cask ales and a brilliant range of malt whiskies, along with fine puddings and a sell out roast every Sunday. The Queens Arms are also the official Away Match Hub for Edinburgh Rugby, so you’ll frequently find rugby fanatics inside these doors.

Snacks and sides include buttermilk fried chicken and pickle skewers with ranch dressing, along with crispy topped mac and cheese and beer battered onion rings using Cold Town beer. For lunch, you may wish to enjoy the light bites such as a homemade soup of the day with crusty bread and herb butter, a true Scottish pairing of haggis, neeps and tatties with a whisky peppercorn sauce, or roquefort salad with chicory, pickled pear, roquefort cheese and walnuts, coated in a honey and mustard dressing. Bigger bites are The Queens Arms version of main dishes, and include the royal allotment burger with a grilled patty in a toasted bun, layered with lettuce, vegan smoked applewood cheddar, tomato, sriracha vegan mayonnaise and with hand cut chips on the side. Other main dishes include classics like a pie of the day with herb mashed potatoes, beer battered fish and chips and chicken supreme. On a cold winter’s day, the royal mac and cheese with pulled ham hock, bacon and topped with a duck fat crumb sounds absolutely divine.

The pudding list is short but has everything you could need. Opt for the ginger and date sticky toffee pudding with Arran Dairies vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce, a passion fruit parfait with berry compote or chocolate brownie with a sharp cherry sorbet and silky white chocolate sauce.