Whighams Wine Cellars

Cellar-based wine bar and restaurant where business lunchers and the after-work crowd enjoy a glass of wine in good company.

The 2017 edition of The List's Eating & Drinking Guide is out now – only £5.95 (+p&p).

With its old school aesthetic, hidden snugs and candlelit coves, Whighams feels like a throwback to the New Town of old Edinburgh. It's been around a while (30 years, in fact), but its bustling atmosphere gives the impression it's been a part of the city forever. As a wine bar, vino is the drink of choice. You can get a glass of red or white for less than £5 or you can spend well over £100 on a bottle of champagne. Whichever you choose, staff are well versed in both tasting notes and accompaniments. Seafood lovers are well catered for on the à la carte menu, and there's always a catch of the day on the blackboard. The Loch Eishort mussels are cooked in a crowd-pleasing garlic, white wine and cream sauce, while cod is paired with black pudding – an unusual but welcome bedfellow. Carnivores have the usual burgers and steak to get stuck into. The dessert menu is a little basic, mostly made up of ice-cream, but the whisky, beer and spirits range will likely have you pining for a liquid finish anyway.

• High point: Cosy candlelit coves
• Low point: Can get a little busy at the weekend
• Notable dish: Loch Eishort mussels