• Added: 4th of September 2008
• Area: Edinburgh
• Category: Bars and Pubs

Edinburgh EH3 9JH
0131 221 9997

FrodoBaggins said
Fantastic traditional style bar
Cloisters is a relatively new addition to Edinburgh's diverse and vibrant pub and bar scene and is typical of the imagination of venues in the city compared with the chain pubs that dominate other towns in the UK with their depressing generic blandness and predictability. Here a relatively small bar with plain white walls, cornices, large and small tables, an excellent selection of real ales and malts and all without the distraction of music makes for a great pub for the dying art of conversation and a good blaether. A good mixture of students and businessmen and real ale fanatics too without being full of beards. I can't comment on the food having never eaten here.

• Added: 3rd of September 2008
• Area: Edinburgh
• Category: Events and Entertainment

Edinburgh EH3 9LZ
0131 228 4141

FrodoBaggins said
Edinburgh's second arthouse cinema
Is there enough of an audience for two arthouse cinemas in Edinburgh? To be fair the Cameo does target a slightly different audience than the Filmhouse but it has done so less successfully and perhaps falls a little between two stools with its selection of the more 'mainstream' releases in non-Hollywood cinema. Its main auditorium is impressive and the seating comfortable, the other screens are bijou. It has an excellent value membership scheme with a lot of worthwhile benefits and also has a small but pleasant modern bar that can get busy at weekends and has quizzes and djs too. However the cinema's existence still appears to be under threat and its future uncertain.

• Added: 3rd of September 2008
• Area: Edinburgh
• Category: Sightseeing and Attractions

Edinburgh EH3 5LR
0131 552 7171

FrodoBaggins said
Five star treat for all the family
Children bored? The Royal Botanic Gardens of Edinburgh is a true gem and very highly regarded for the management of their gardens as well as their links with other gardens and projects around the world and particularly in China. The gardens are beautifully and imaginatively themed with the Chinese Garden being a particularly favourite along with the Scottish Heathlands area, and its collection of Giant Redwoods (though relative babies here really), fantastic glass houses representing different climates and habitats, it also has some very good exhibition spaces for art and botanically related subjects as well as an excellent series of nightclasses and horticultural qualifications. There's much more to it than just flowers! It also has a pleasant shop though I'd avoid the over-priced cafe. Oh and your children can play there too.

• Added: 3rd of September 2008
• Area: Edinburgh
• Category: Shops and Amenities

Edinburgh EH3 9LJ
0131 229 9532

FrodoBaggins said
Original clothing shop to be supported
Monkey Temple has been around in Tollcross for a while now and is run by a friendly and genuine couple. They have the clothes made in Nepal and as well as the clothing there are other associated things for sale, like Buddhas, cards, incense and other trinkets. The clothes themselves are cool, colourful, thick knitted jumpers, hats and jackets and hoodies and funky skirts, tops and dresses for the girls in a kind of cyber-hippy stylee. Unfortunately there is a limited selection of stuff for guys but I'm assured that this is more down to the lack of demand than because of a willingness to supply them.

• Added: 3rd of September 2008
• Area: Edinburgh
• Category: Sports and Leisure

Edinburgh EH9 1DU

FrodoBaggins said
Hyper and efficient rather than friendly
I want to like the Edinburgh Bike Co-op even more than four stars as its a co-op who make their own bikes but the shop, though the service is good, is a bit too serious for my liking. They are all SERIOUSLY into bikes rather than just being friendly and more personable. Having said that there is a good range of bikes though don't expect too much in the budget range and ofcourse they do go up to the very high end in mountain bikes. There is also a good selection of accessories, clothing and parts. I recently bought a new Ridgeback bike through them online for a 10% discount and they dealt with its 30 day service efficiently.

• Added: 3rd of September 2008
• Area: Edinburgh
• Category: Cafes and Coffee Shops

Edinburgh EH2 2DL
0131 226 4814

FrodoBaggins said
Bog standard costa with a view
This is ofcourse like all the other Costas in terms of the products on offer, the usual collection of coffees, hot chocolate, cakes, muffins, and snacks though I was pleased to see they don't charge any extra for decaf coffee or soya milk. This place is usually very busy given that its on the corner of Princes Street and Hanover Street and two sides of the cafe have lovely tall, wide windows that look onto the impressive columned facade of the Scottish National Gallery (or is it the RSA, I always get them mixed up), Princes Street Gardens and the castle. The room is spacious with the usual comfy sofas and chairs and the service is efficient if not terribly warm. Warning though - its up two flights of stairs and the toilets are up a further flight so its not very useful if you aren't ambulant able bodied.

• Added: 3rd of September 2008
• Area: Edinburgh
• Category: Food and Drink

Edinburgh EH1 1PB

FrodoBaggins said
Great value vegetarian baked tattie shop
The Baked Potato Shop is another long running Edinburgh institution that has stood the test of time. Its a tiny shop with a tinier table for two or three to squeeze around and eat their excellent value baked tatties with a goodly selection of vegetarian and vegan fillings and salads. They also do filled pitta pockets that are equally scrumptious as well as some lovely home made cakes, a soup and a selection of drinks. Its all excellent value for money and great for anyone on a budget. This is also an excellent place to see the latest club and gig posters on its walls as well as listen to the staff's non-mainstream selection of music!

• Added: 3rd of September 2008
• Area: Edinburgh
• Category: Bars and Pubs

Edinburgh EH1 3SA
0131 557 0234

FrodoBaggins said
Excellent unpretentious boozer
Some pubs are pretty predictable but the Phoenix is still a one off even if its not quite as wild as in days gone by. The landlord has been here for many years and the bar attracts a very unusual and very diverse clientele which is its great strength including posh Newtown students, gay women, locals, young folk, clubbers, you name it. The selection of beers is reasonable but unspectacular but you go here for the craic and to meet new people in an unpretentious environment. There's also a fantastic little basement bar downstairs that can be rented for private functions.

• Added: 3rd of September 2008
• Area: Edinburgh
• Category: Cafes and Coffee Shops

Edinburgh EH8 9DH
0131 622 7209

FrodoBaggins said
Pleasant enough independent cafe
Black medicine coffee company is a pleasant enough cafe but its interior makes it a little more unusual than your average Starbucks or Costa with a preponderance of wood furniture and finishes. Unfortunately the overall effect is of bland beige-ness. It offers a pretty much standard range of the usual coffees, a selection of milkshakes and four standard smoothies though mine recently was overloaded with honey which dominated the flavours of the fruit (presumably out of a fear that it wouldn't be 'sweet' enough otherwise). They did a rather nice pesto and cheese melt in a foccacia which was tasty enough. The 'chilled' music was cliched and unimaginative and the cafe loses marks for me for charging extra for decaf and soya. Surely any business can spread out the costs of these products over its range like the bigger chains do? When I last checked soya milk is certainly no more expensive than cows and sometimes cheaper.

• Added: 3rd of September 2008
• Area: Edinburgh
• Category: Restaurants

Edinburgh EH8 9DB
0131 667 8729

FrodoBaggins said
Institution Vegetarian Cafe
Susie's is a bit of a vegetarian institution in Edinburgh having been here at least as long as my 18 years in town (under a previous guise as 'Seeds'). The standard of food at Susie's is pretty high with a good selection of hot dishes (hearty and familiar fare though nothing wrong with that), as well as a lovely selection of salads, excellent soups, and some scrumptious sweets. Ofcourse there are vegan options but it also caters for lovers of caffeine and alcohol too so its not completely 'worthy'. There isn't a massive amount of room but it makes the whole atmosphere convivial and warm. There are a fair number of students who use the cafe as well as those that work at the University but it attracts a broader crowd. Live music also makes a regular appearance here too. My only criticism is that the pricing system based on sizes of plates and additional amounts for salads isn't always that clear.