Negociants

The 2013 edition of The List's Eating & Drinking Guide is out now – only £5.95 (+p&p).

This review is taken from the 2010 edition.

Negociants celebrates its twentieth anniversary this year as one of the most popular bars among Edinburgh’s student population. Year-round the place bustles, particularly at weekends, while the Edinburgh Festival brings a tourist clientele attracted by the bar’s proximity to major venues and the convivial outdoor seating. The evening food menu at times feels like a bit of an afterthought but there are some enjoyable dishes among the unpretentious fare. The starter of sweet potato, red pepper and coconut soup is creamy and smooth, while the chicken skewers have a pleasant char-grilled taste that’s enhanced by aioli and barbecue dips. A highlight among the main courses is the red pepper stuffed with cous cous and lentils, which is filling, crucially not mushy, and full of flavour, accompanied by a robust side salad. Desserts are definitely worth waiting for: sticky toffee pudding is a generous portion, moist with crunchy walnuts and swimming in rich sauce. A glass of dry pinot grigio ramato is a good complement to the bar’s warm, Mediterranean colours that extend a certain glow, even in the depths of winter.

• High point: A pleasant atmosphere and decent food in a central location
• Low point: Finding a table during the rush hour