Leftfield Edinburgh is a charming, neighbourhood-style bistro in the heart of Edinburgh - the kind of place that only locals know about, and tourists wish they did. An independent haunt, the vibe here is honest, friendly and passionate, with the team putting their efforts into sourcing the best ingredients from across Scotland.
She's not bad to look at either - think richly-toned, teal walls, adorned with stylish wooden panelling bringing interest and character. Seating is modern and arranged into intimate corners, making this a great little place to meet up with friends for a good ol' fashioned chinwag. Large windows allow diners to gaze out to the nearby greenery and hills beyond, while seasonal floral arrangements add to the cosy vibe.
As the menu is seasonal dishes are subject to change, but you can check online for a taste of what to expect. First things first, and you may decide to kicks things off with nibbles such as sourdough bread and salted olive oil, mixed olives and Natural Islay oysters.
As for starters, small plates such as Shetland mussels with white wine and garlic, alongside cullen skink soup and cured halibut with fennel and kohlrabi slaw all sound delicious. When it comes to mains, dig into the likes of indulgent Scottish Borders ribeye with garlic butter, or perhaps hake, smoked arenkha caviar, potato, butter sauce and buttered leek. And, if you fancy sides with that, the hasselback potato with parmesan and truffle sound divine.
Desserts are also sure to please; how about poached pear with pistachio and ice cream, or chocolate mousse with hazelnut caramel and shortbread? As we said, dishes do change with the times so don't get too comfortable, but from this assortment it's pretty clear the kitchen know what their doing!