To first time visitors Edinburgh will seem like an extraordinary city. Its Old Town and New Town are, together, listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites and the breadth of beautiful buildings is very impressive. I had been to this city once before to visit a friend who was at university here so I had an idea of what to expect. Personally, it is not a city I would choose to live in because it is too classy for me but it is a lovely place to visit at any time of year.

Edinburgh Castle, in particular, is spectacular and the views it holds across the city are truly lovely. This remarkable castle, built on the remains of an ancient extinct volcano, holds court in the city centre and it’s from here that you get a panoramic view of the city. She’s a haughty, ice maiden of a city, sitting as she does on the frigid Firth of Forth. Edinburgh possesses the arrogance of a capital city (albeit still in the shadow of feudal overlord London), and the smugness which comes from a combination of wealth (some of it tainted by immoral enterprises such as slavery), old and new, history, culture and academia. She knows she’s pretty and classy, in a hard-edged way. Really, Edinburgh is a big village. The centre is free of high rise buildings. There’s a golf course round the corner just next to a faceless Anglican church. It is lovely middle England, with round hills and the stain of centuries of rain.

Edinburgh is desperate to shake off her provincial feel (those Festivals in August help), eclipsed as she is by larger and brasher Glasgow. Edinburgh is the slightly judgy cousin with a well-paid job who never got caught with a bottle of vodka. Definitely likely to find a sensible partner to settle down with and make mutually beneficial tax arrangements. Glasgow is the more unpredictable youngster. Equally as likely to arrive with a black eye as an adopted cat.

Edinburgh can’t wait to strike out as a capital in her own right, free of the sinking ship (HMS Brexit) that is England. Edinburgh wants to throw her lot in with Europe’s diverse and vibrant cultures and economies. Scotland’s kings and queens, some of whom had European ancestry, have long had mutually beneficial dealings with their European counterparts for centuries, as have Scottish businesses. And, it will be a cold day in Hell if a true Scotsman supports England over France and Italy in the Six Nations!

At the same time, Edinburgh is inexorably linked to England by that chameleon, the Anglo-Scot, equally at home in the richer parts of Edinburgh as he/she is in deepest Sussex. Where will these mongrels end up when independence comes?

The Edinburgh of Trainspotting doesn’t exist, apart from maybe in the increasingly gentrified shadows; Leith is now full of sleek bars, artisanal cafes and over-priced flats. In reality, the era of rough British cities is in the past. Homeless people are moved out to provincial towns and the developers have replaced three generations of a family with soulless two bedroom flats that start at £250,000. The small satellite towns house the cleaners, the cities are one long row of Airbnb’s.

Indeed, Irvine Welsh himself has moved on from Edinburgh. This is a slicker, more international city than it was in the mid-90s with not a radge in sight in Leith.  And, the literary scene is more about Alexander McCall Smith and Iain Rankin, not to mention a certain English adolescent with magical powers.

It has also produced one of the most delicious ironies that I’ve ever witnessed. The statue of the highly influential philosopher and sceptic, David Hume, has had his toe rubbed for luck so often that the bronze shines through. The man who rejected the concept of miracles now has to endure the daily ignominy of having his likeness become a lucky charm.

Like all cities in the UK that are popular with international tourists (Oxford, Bath and Stratford-upon-Avon to name a few), Edinburgh is relatively pricey. But, you do get your money’s worth as the aesthetics are unique and you don’t seem to mind mingling with other tourists. The fact that there is less rampant commercialism here than in places such as London’s Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus helps to improve the experience.

In this guide, I have included a variety of pubs and cafes that I visited during a week in Edinburgh. They are all places which will not break the bank whilst still providing high quality experiences and products. For any young travellers these are mostly places which have predominantly young clientele and are busy pretty much every day of the week. Edinburgh has a large student population which guarantees a constant lively atmosphere even in the darker winter months.

There are many great places in Edinburgh for a snug Sunday lunch when the weather is not perfect.  One such place in the New Town, which holds many thriving independent cafes, is the lovely The Cumberland Bar. The wood panelled walls and soft yellow lighting, which I think always creates a nicer feel, combine to lend the old pub a cosy feel. Ideal for those cold Scottish winters. We arrived in the late afternoon to find it relatively full and lively already. Like a lot of more old fashioned pubs it was sparsely decorated with just a few pictures here and there that blend into the background. Mostly it was a slightly older crowd with people sitting in twos and threes, quietly enjoying their drinks and each other’s company at wooden tables or on stools at the bar. I guess the alcohol eventually blurred the discomfort of sitting on hard surfaces. Everybody kept themselves to themselves. We were all cocooned in our own amniotic fluid, not feeling the need to engage with other groups. I wonder how any intrusion into another group would have gone down. This old British pub (I’m sure the Queen was mourned here but what about English ejections from various football tournaments?) is perfect for a quiet afternoon pint, without loud music blaring or big groups of students shouting. I dare say, on quiet weekdays you would find a few souls working on their manuscripts here, writers periodically trying to gain inspiration from the way the beer, or wine, catches the exterior light. Failing that, there’s always another pint or glass waiting to be poured for them.

The younger clientele stay here for a drink or two before heading to livelier places but a few young couples soak in the relaxed atmosphere, no doubt hatching unrealistic plans. The chatter here is at a volume conducive to chatting, even intimate whispers.

The pub has a full menu which contains all of the classic British pub staples if you have developed an appetite. This is not the pub to come to if you want Pad Thai or tacos, or other exotic cuisine. The pub is almost parochial in its Britishness but the hard-core fans are willing to overlook this. Neither is it the spot for a range of wines to pair with your burger and chips. But, they do have a range of vegetarian options from a cauliflower curry to nachos (begrudging concessions to modernity and alternative culinary preferences?) with vegetable chilli. A personal favourite is always sausage and mash and the large Cumberland sausages here were delicious and cooked perfectly. They were slightly crisp on the outside and luxuriantly juicy once cut open. The skin made a crackling sound just before releasing the juice, the mash mounds waiting to soak it up A perfect sign. There was also a good selection of ales. A pint and the meal came to just under £20 which is what I would expect for a pretty pub such as this.

For a more modern style the Bellfield Taproom has a wide range of craft beers and a lovely courtyard to drink them in. Their impressive list of beers, largely brewed onsite, allows them to have a full range of flavours and prices. As this is more affordable than many of the pubs further in the centre it ensures there is always a lively atmosphere. Groups of young people sat around tables chatting away whilst some inoffensive music played. The conversation and music mingling to create a gentle wall of sound that meets you upon arrival. I always find that this encourages me to open up and be a bit louder too as everybody else is engrossed in their own conversations. It is somewhere I would recommend on a Friday night when everybody is letting off some steam after work. It’s not a party venue but the informality of the place allows everybody to feel at home and begin to unwind. Alcohol-provoked intrusions and intermingling of cliques would probably not be frowned upon here. Interlopers aren’t interlopers here, they’re just friends you haven’t met. It’s the kind of place that would collectively lift the moment Deaf Havana’s ‘On The Wire’ comes on.

Whilst the proprietors are brewers by trade they are no slouches when it comes to cooking either. Their menu is not extensive but they have many fried bites and different specials that would pair well with their tasty pints. I was definitely intrigued by the breaded camembert bites but I had no right to be hungry so they will have to wait until another day. The pints varied in cost from between £4-£6.50 which is very reasonable for the quality. I would definitely recommend the Full Moon Stout for an unusual but delicious beer. It is at the more expensive end (a pint is £6), but it is one of the nicer stouts I’ve tried. Mainly though, I drank their Session Ale which was pleasingly hoppy helping it to slip down nicely (the £4.50 price helped too!).

Another pub with a lively atmosphere is the Pear Tree which is situated near to the University. It takes its name from the hugely impressive espaliered pear tree which dominates the front of the pub. There is not such an interesting range of drinks but if there is a sporting event on which you would like to watch this is the venue. They have a large outdoor screen and plenty of tables which soon fill up. I imagine this place is a heaving scrum whenever there’s a Six Nations match on. The fact it is sponsored by Guinness almost certainly means it is a popular spot for a rugby game. They do also serve food but I was just here to watch some Champions League football and drink a couple of pints of Guinness. Its proximity to the University and the relatively cheap prices mean it is packed with a slightly younger, studenty crowd. It is very tidy inside, more of a hotel bar feeling than an old cosy pub. The soft lounge chairs that are dotted around low tables add to the sense of cosiness, sending you subliminal messages to stay longer. The pints are around the £5 mark but they had a cheaper pint of Tennent’s lager. It isn’t for me but if you are on a budget this is usually the cheapest option in most pubs in Scotland.

One of the lovelier pubs in Edinburgh is Bennet’s Bar, this ornately decorated pub has been there since 1906 and exudes an old world charm. It is perhaps a little bit snooty but the staff were very accommodating and we didn’t feel unwelcome at all. The wood panelling and decorated tiles match the ale and whiskey selection behind the bar. Both seem slightly out of their time but make any visitor feel welcome. It’s definitely worth a visit if you want a delicious drink and a sophisticated aura. It is slightly more expensive but it is worth the price thanks to its hugely impressive selection of drinks. Of course, this is Scotland so there is an extensive range of whiskey. Personally I don’t particularly like whiskey much but I did try some of their whiskey from Aberfeldy as I was going to be visiting the town later on. It was actually not too bad but it may have helped that I’d also had a couple of Glen Spean ales. These are delicious and I would highly recommend them anytime you come across them. They are often only sold in bottles rather than draught but they are tasty enough to overcome this disadvantage. As this was a slightly more sophisticated place there was an older crowd here. I came here fairly late in the evening so they had stopped serving food but I would recommend it as a spot for a night cap. It was at the more expensive end with a pint being closer to £6 on average.

Another pub with plenty of heritage is the Stockbridge Tap, this pub displays the old style of half tiled walls. The food is now a more gourmet take on pub grub but the ales are uncomplicated. They have a wide range of guest ales which are largely from local independent breweries and as a result cater for all tastes. We had come primarily because their ale selection has a very good reputation. As a result I didn’t eat here and poured my money into some delicious Scottish ales. The one I would recommend the most was a pale ale called Rogue Wave by the Cromarty brewery. It was a very reasonable £4.50 and really tasty. They also had a whole mixture of unusual beers, one of which was Black Isle – Porter. This was more of a stout so it was a bit of an acquired taste but one I enjoyed. It was slightly more expensive at £5. Stockbridge is certainly an affluent area, with a nearby botanical garden and cricket club highlighting this. The pub itself flies a little bit more under the radar and is not as high end as some of the other pubs and cafes nearby. As a result there seemed to be a few locals propping up the bar and sitting at stools ruminating over their next choice of drink. The other occupants were sitting at pinewood tables on hardback chairs polishing off some sticky toffee pudding or quietly chatting away about the forthcoming week. It seemed like the kind of place two older small business owners would come and have a sandwich at Friday lunchtime and chat about all the things that had niggled in the past week. The clientele were a little bit more friendly and down to earth than in the busier, more student-facing pubs, which is exactly what we were looking for!

There are two great outdoors spaces to view this city from when you are walking off your previous meal. The ever-present Arthur’s Seat and Blackford Hill. Arthur’s Seat is a large hill which anybody can walk up and explore the various footpaths. From here you can look out across the entire city and the Forth Estuary. In spring this hill is lit up a bright yellow as the gorse that clads it comes into flower. It can be reached on foot from the city centre and this lovely walk will also take you past Holyrood which houses the devolved Scottish Parliament. After walking around these hilly streets it is highly likely you will need a bit of sustenance. Not far from Arthur’s Seat are some great places to buy some reasonably priced and delicious food. My favourite was the Nile Valley Cafe where you can buy delicious falafel and aubergine wraps. Their hummus is extremely creamy so I would definitely recommend adding it to any order. These wraps were available for between £5 – £7 and genuinely delicious. There is a reason it is always busy!

If you are looking for a lively atmosphere and an alternative food option I would also recommend the Boteco do Brasil. We had some Bolinhos de Bacalhau (essentially mini cod cakes) and a Caipirinha to grease the wheels. The Bolinhoswere £6.95 and the Caipirinha was £7 which is actually reasonable for a cocktail. Caipirinha is a classic Brazilian drink made from Cachaca, crushed limes and sugar. The fact they are pretty strong means only one will be needed! This bar has an infectious atmosphere and it is often full so be prepared to book a spot. It’s where the locals come to get their ‘Latin/Samba Fix’. Here, ‘let’s get a Brazilian’ means something else.

The bouncy reggaeton and mixing of cultures – is there a sexier, more vocal and passionate people than the Portuguese and Brazilians? And, boy do they know it! –  which draws in passersby. It’s loud here so forget about hearing entire conversations or engaging in profund discussions. Enjoy the food and let the Ibero-Brazilian vibes envelope you. Most of the staff are Brazilian or Portuguese so it feels like a real experience. My friend can speak Portuguese so we used that to our advantage to ingratiate ourselves. This seemed to help and many of those working here would chat away in Spanish and Portuguese amongst themselves. The fact the tables are pretty close together outside meant that everybody was part of the same group. It helped that the table behind us was a load of Glaswegians on a stag-do who were already quite a long way into their day. This meant the whole place was a lot louder and we could just join in as we pleased. They also have a full range of typical Brazilian foods which I had not come across before such as mariscos (fresh mussels and clams in a white wine sauce) and macaxeira (fried cassava). These are all around the £7 – £9 mark which is about how much a cocktail will cost you too. The food and the music gave the whole place a unique ambience: popular with people just back from a GAP year spent travelling around Latin America or those planning such a trip. Its popularity with the city’s homesick Brazilian and Portuguese residents (how do they deal with the cold?) is a given.  The injection of uniquely Glaswegian bonhomie into the bouncy, sensual Luso-Brazilian atmosphere just added to the experience and, frankly, stuffy Edinburgh needs this kind of place to help it shake off its occasional overly formal bearning.

Another international option is Greek Artisan Pastries. This small cafe has a few chairs outside the front and serves specialty Greek food and drinks. I had a delicious spanakopita and a slice of baklava which was not far from being liquid. All of these treats were delicious and handmade each day. Their ready-to-go snacks are around the £5 mark and extremely filling so they represent a very good deal. Within the shop they also sell a range of Greek deli items which can be tucked into a backpack for a snack later in the day. If you are visiting Edinburgh in spring then you have to walk off all these tasty treats by heading to The Meadows and admiring the rows and rows of beautiful cherry trees in full blossom. It is a very welcoming space and something you rarely find in a capital city. It is something which many cities are losing but these green spaces are so integrated and well cared for that I can’t imagine the city existing without them. It is encouraging to see them entirely free of rubbish and open to all comers. The cherry blossom is truly beautiful and I couldn’t recommend it highly enough if you are lucky to visit when it is in full bloom around early May.

Edinburgh, like all cities in the UK, is enriched by multiculturalism and the restaurant options speak to the diversity of cultures which call this city home. Of course, if you want Scottish food then you have to try Haggis, Neeps and Tatties. This was available in most of the pubs I have previously mentioned and can be found in most restaurants. Personally it is not my favourite but this combination of mashed potato, haggis and mashed swede (the swede is the ‘neeps’) is a mainstay in Scottish food. It is not a true Scottish experience without at least trying haggis once. I had already had my head turned by the arrays of other delicious foods that I have mentioned by this stage so I had no room for an extra meal!

If you have any extra time, a short train journey away is the lovely seaside town of North Berwick. On a sunny day this town is bustling and the lovely sandy beaches are a great place to enjoy some sunshine out of the city. On a hot day Alandas Gelato is the perfect stop for a tasty ice cream in the Italian style. After a day on the beach the pretty Ship Inncan provide refreshments. Again this is a classic British pub menu with Fish and Chips and Steak and Ale pie. They also have more seafood options such as smoked Mackerel and a Fisherman’s pie. These range from £10.45 – £14.95 so there is something for everyone. We had a refreshing pint of lager but after already eating a pistachio ice cream from Alandas I was not particularly hungry. As North Berwick is predominantly a tourist town the pub was mostly full of families which created a welcoming atmosphere. It is relatively sparsely decorated but the staff were very friendly. Owing to the opulent surroundings the drinks were at the more expensive end of the scale with pints costing around £6. I would certainly recommend North Berwick, however, as a little extra destination if you have already enjoyed your days walking around the many sites in the city centre.

Blisters notwithstanding, our hiatus in Edinburgh turned out to be a revelatory and pleasantly surprising mini-food (and drink) odyssey. In hindsight, I should thank the blisters for making an appearance because, had they not, we wouldn’t have experienced Edinburgh’s culinary offerings.