Apex Hotel, 31-35 Grassmarket, Edinburgh
+44 (0)131 474 3466
Metro Edinburgh is a triple-height modern white-painted timber-floored basement restaurant with street-level bar by Ian Springford Architects: opened 2000. The sense of space at Metro - great views and sensitive use of materials - is impressive, and a big jump up from the mundane restaurant at the top of the building.
Apex City Hotel, 61 Grassmarket, Edinburgh
agua hotel by Ian Springford Architects, as Apex Hotel & Metro above. agua restaurant was created by converting the former Bank of Scotland's Uberior House office building into a four-star hotel. Above the restaurant are 119 bedrooms including 3 suites, meeting facilities and bar.
Bread St, Edinburgh.
+44 (0)131 221 5555
An Edinburgh Restaurant with real atmosphere (influenced by Obecni Dom, Prague, and it shows) and competitively-priced food. For details of refurbishment from old Co-op interior. Vibrant planes of colour and wonderfully-clean modern lines let down at-times by ordinary fittings (those brass rails for example), cutlery and service. Architects’ discount on rates: attractive, modern rooms by Andrew Doolan Architects.
Bread St, Edinburgh
+44 (0)131 221 5555
Architects’ hang-out at the Point Hotel also by Mr Doolan: stong colours lots of flush black linings and cool oval bar. Monboddo's is let down by the fiddly and gaudy artwork at odds with the minimal architecture. Glass spirits shelves easily get dusty and the brushstroked orange bar bookends look dated. Needs a makeover to catch up with the seriously refined Point Conference Centre next-door-but-one.
10 Cambridge St, Edinburgh
+44 (0)131 228 5383
The Traverse is reputedly the longest bar in Edinburgh - downstairs, by Nicholas Groves-Raines Architects. More a theatre bar than fine dining.
barcafe@traverse.co.uk
10 Cambridge St., Edinburgh
+44 (0)131 228 8882
The Atrium is an expensive, but excellent restaurant. Owner Andrew Radford won The Macallan Taste of Scotland Award 1994.
info@atriumrestaurant.co.uk
10 Cambridge St, Edinburgh
+44 (0)131 221 1222
blue is a sedate, restrained contemporary interior with limited cream-coloured palette set-off with blue. blue is by Andrea Faed Architects. Up the stairs on left of the Traverse entrance; unusual views of internal courtyard by others. blue is one of a number of Andrew Radford restuarants, including The Atrium.
73 Morrison St, Edinburgh
+44 (0)131 221 9998
Roti Restaurant in former rogues restaurant premises
- cool interior concealed behind office block exterior, part of Scottish Widows building
8, Conference Square, off Lothian Road, Edinburgh
+44 (0)131 221 7789
This Edinburgh restaurant, by Terry Farrell & Partners, on the ground floor of the Sheraton Health Club is sadly rather pedestrian compared to the spa above. Quite expensive, high-quality Italian food but poor views. Includes a cheaper cafe.
1 Morrison Link, Edinburgh
+44 (0)131 228 9819
Another Doolan product - bar/restaurant. Edinburgh City Travel Inn is a sister hotel of the Point Hotel.
Princes St, Edinburgh
+44 (0)131 222 8888
The Pompadour Restaurant
Exclusive red-sandstone clad former railway terminus hotel with
restaurants and bars. The Caledonian Hotel isn't contemporary, but one half of the Victorian double-act with the Balmoral (formerly North British or NB) Hotel, Edinburgh's class stalwarts. Edinburgh's Hilton has four bar / restaurants.
