The Abbotsford

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

This review is taken from the current (2013) edition.

The kind of classic if somewhat old-fashioned pub visitors expect to find in the heart of Edinburgh, the Abbotsford benefits from an impressive range of around 70 whiskies and half a dozen guest ales served from a vintage central circle bar, with open tables around the edge of the room helping to foster a convivial, chatty atmosphere. A well-worn haunt of older regulars on a day out in the city or having a pint with lunch, it’s also a no-frills lunch option serving pub classics including battered haddock and chips and steak and ale pie, although more ambitious mains like the tender pork loin alongside a limp slice of black pudding and a fridge-cold pear chutney seem out of place in such a resolutely old-school establishment. The more dining focussed Above Abbotsford on the first floor has a separate entrance around the corner.

• High point: A no-frills traditional pub with good beer and whisky choices.
• Low point: Steer away from the more exotic and overly ambitious meals.