Maison Bleue Le Bistrot

A charming corner café-cum-bistro with a relaxed, arty feel and eclectic menu.

The 2019/20 edition of The List's Eating & Drinking Guide is out now – only £5.95 (+p&p).

Morningside's Maison Bleue Le Bistrot is the suburban little sister to the original Maison Bleue, located in Victoria Street, the heart of tourist central. Although they share pretty much the same French / North African menu and similar décor, Le Bistrot still manages to feel very different. With a charismatic supervisor running the show, this cosy neighbourhood restaurant is much more geared towards locals and regulars. There's a good mix of the French dishes you would expect on the menu: onion soup, moules frîtes, steaks and the popular lunch choice of lapin à la moutarde – rabbit cooked in a white wine, mushroom and mustard cream, served with mousseline of mash. With two Algerian chefs creating the dishes, expect lots of spices in the North African options, such as their twist on fish of the day, cod cooked with harissa pesto and served with sun-dried tomato rice. It all adds up to an eclectic menu with some hearty choices.