• Added: 28th of August 2008
• Area: Edinburgh
• Category: Bars and Pubs

Edinburgh EH1 3RZ
0131 556 3132

bathgatebuyer said
Great pub, no frills............
You are not spoilt for pubs along Broughton Street, but of them all, this is perhaps the most pleasing. Apart from the TVs, this put could easily be something from the early 1900s with decor consisting of old images of Edinburgh and a series of barrels providing unofficial counters upon which to place your pint.

Overseen by Mitch, this is a real favourite of those who prefer the traditional 'boozer' rather than the trendy bars on George Street. While the rest of Edinburgh appears to have hit the 21st century with gusto, the Cask and Barrel is a genuine piece of 'Auld Edinburgh' where the most important thing in the pub was the pint you get rather than whether it is hip or not.

Would easily recommend this as the top pub in Edinburgh. Try it and you will not disappointed.

• Added: 28th of August 2008
• Area: Edinburgh
• Category: Restaurants

Edinburgh EH1 1SX
0131 556 5888

bathgatebuyer said
Another Satisfied Veggie..................
Now let's be clear, Bann's should not be judged on the basis that it is a vegetarian restaurant, but it is, in fact, a great restaurant to the extent that it is regularly chosen as the place we have our staff nights out even though I am the only veggie in the team.

I would heartily recommend David Banns whether even if a meat-eater as there is enough of a selection on the menu that you will find something you will naturally chose.


A particular favourite of mine is a weekend brunch over the weekend papers.

Great value for a fantastic selection of food served in a well appointed venue.

4/5 for me!

• Added: 28th of August 2008
• Area: Edinburgh
• Category: Cafes and Coffee Shops

Edinburgh EH1 3SA
0131 558 3837

bathgatebuyer said
Great for an early morning coffee...
Let's be honest, I buy a coffee here most mornings on the way to work. All regular take away coffees are £1.20 before 9.30 am which is very cheap by comparison with some of the neighbouring coffee outlets.

Service in this branch of The Globe is always with a smile, and it appears to be somewhat better than the other Globe tht I have tried on Henderson Row (who ended up leaving me with a scalded arm one morning!). The clientele in the morning largely consists of the same faces, which is a positive sign of the welcome they get time after time.

I don't really have any criticisms at all of the food or service in here and it has become part of my morning routine just as brushing my teeth is!

• Added: 28th of August 2008
• Area: Edinburgh
• Category: Restaurants

Edinburgh EH1 1QN
0131 226 3038

bathgatebuyer said
Full of Students and Tourists...........
This is a deceptively large branch of Pizza Hut given its relatively shop front. Don't be fooled as there is a fairly large range of seating inside.

It is at its busiest on weekday afternoon (particularly fridays) because of the lunchtime 'all you can eat' buffett offer for just over a fiver.

Like all Pizza Huts, the buffet is reasonable fair and this branch is relatively quick in terms of churning out pizzas as the hungry vultures rush to grab themselves a slice.

If you are after little more than cheap pizza in a comfortable environment, then this is an ideal location - but do expect be shoulder charged out of the way when the fresh pizzas appear on the counter!

• Added: 28th of August 2008
• Area: Edinburgh
• Category: Take Aways

Edinburgh EH15 3RD
0131 657 5363

bathgatebuyer said
Reasonable.............
A McDonalds is a McDonalds and this is as good as could be expected. It is of reasonable cleanliness largely due to the gent who walk around making sure everything is spick and span.

The drive-thru part of this restaurant can get very busy on a Saturday and Sunday to the extent that it is sometimes difficult to get out of some of the parking spaces because of the numbers of cars queued awaiting take aways.

Like most McDonalds, the worst aspect is the accumulation of rubbish in the car park across the road cuased largely by boy-racer types who have no problem just dumping everything out of their car windows when there is a bin within 10 yards! (Apparently littering is the cool thing to do if you drive a souped up Citroen Saxo!)

• Added: 28th of August 2008
• Area: Edinburgh
• Category: Cafes and Coffee Shops

Edinburgh EH2 4AD
0131 226 5881

bathgatebuyer said
Plenty of Seating, Great Views
Of the Starbucks available in Edinburgh City Centre, this is about the best. It was, until recently, the largest Starbucks in Europe (or so I'm told!) nad is very popular because of the terrific views across Princes Street to Edinburgh Castle.

There are plenty of seats in here from which to enjoy the views of the castle, however, the negative side of this place is the sheer number of people in here! It seems to be crowded almost all the time, with particular peaks at lunchtime from about 12 pm onwards. You will always find a corner to sit in, but don't be surprised if strangers need to sit at your table too.

• Added: 28th of August 2008
• Area: Edinburgh
• Category: Sports and Leisure

Edinburgh EH2 3NH
0131 225 8384

bathgatebuyer said
The best I've found..........
Of the gyms I have tried in Edinburgh, I find those which are part of the Bannatyne's chain to be the best by far. For my £55 a month membership, I get to use this gym on Queen Street (which is close to my work) as well as the larger facility in Newcraighall (which is much handier for home!).

Like most city centre clubs, this gym is very busy around 6pm or thereabouts as office staff complete a quick workout before heading home. By all accounts, there is a nice swimming pool in here, but I've never used it. I stick mostly to the gym, and there is enough in here to get a real benefit from an hour or so in here over lunchtime.

The larger gym at Newcraighall is my main gym and this has a great range of classes to suit just about everyone. Again, it has a great pool, steam room and sauna, although most of my time is in the main gym. There is about 50 pieces of CV equipment including treadmills, elliptical trainers, rowers, bikes, etc, plus a wide range of weights machines and free weights.

Staff are also very friendly - if a bit ever changing - and I've found it a really friendly atmosphere within which to train.

• Added: 28th of August 2008
• Area: Edinburgh
• Category: Cafes and Coffee Shops

Edinburgh EH2 2LE
0131 220 5670

bathgatebuyer said
Better Starbucks Nearby...........
Well all know Starbucks don't we? They are pretty much the same the world over (unless you go to the States where they are half the price!), however, of all the city centre stores, this is perhaps the least likely to enjoy a quite natter in a comfy corner. The reason? It's just too small.

The front area is often jam packed with office workers looking to get something to takeback to the office with the result that the seats downstairs are often cramped and uncomfortable in amongst the crowds.

The seated area to the rear is too small to really take more than 5 or 6 small groups, so unless you're looking for a quick take-away coffee, I would suggest another Starbucks within the City Centre - particularly the large first floor cafe on Princes Street.

• Added: 28th of August 2008
• Area: Edinburgh
• Category: Restaurants

Edinburgh EH3 9AN
0131 466 9888

bathgatebuyer said
Avoid the Pizza Hut next door, come here!
Situated on Lothian Road, Izzi is a fantastic break from the tacky and tatty on this bus road in central Edinburgh.

Specialising in Chinese and Japanese foods, there's a great range to ensure that, even if the delicately parcelled suhi is not enough for you, you will find an alternative to keep you going throughout the day.

I would heartily recommend a Bento Box which is pretty much the speciality in here and provides little compartments of Japanese food. Even as a vegetarian, there was a great choice for me, and I am more than happy to revisit to enjoy again and again.

This definitely provides a small bit of culture which is much needed on Lothian Road - if only there were more places like this here.

• Added: 28th of August 2008
• Area: Edinburgh
• Category: Food and Drink

Edinburgh EH7 4AA
0131 556 6066

bathgatebuyer said
An Institution but I don't know why
This is a long-established part of Edinburgh's society which serves as a deli and cafe to the bourgeiose of the Capital.

I have often walked past but never ventured inside given my plain culinary tastes. Having a free afternoon, I did venture inside and was fairly mesmerised by the range of produce on offer in such a small space. It was very easy to spend half an hour in here just browsing, even if the only product I bought was a pack of decaf coffee!

Mesmerising? Yes. Worth a nosey? Absolutely. However, if you really have to pay £50 for some cheese, then you clearly have more of a reason to visit here than I do!