White Horse Oyster & Seafood Bar

Oysters make a welcome return to the High Street, accompanied by all sorts of fishy delights in this laid-back bar/restaurant.

The 2018 edition of The List's Eating & Drinking Guide is out now – only £7.95 (+p&p).

When the White Horse pub first opened in 1742, oysters were cheap and plentiful and standing in the evocative Canongate today it’s not hard to imagine the carts pushed by Newhaven fishwives which sold bivalves by the dozen up and down the Royal Mile. Fast forward to the 21st century and oysters are at the heart of the White Horse – and they can still be affordable food for the masses, particularly if you arrive in time for the ‘buck a shuck’ happy hour (Mon–Thu 4–6pm). Sipping a glass of bubbles at the elegant bar while slurping on oysters with friends is certainly an appealing post-work wind-down. Through in the dining room, contemporary décor of dark grey, wood and stone with minimalist mariner touches echoes the seafood theme. Share a platter or a few small plates to sample the carefully sourced seafood, almost all from British waters. There are plump monkfish skewers with satay sauce; chargrilled octopus with ponzu; enormous crisp prawn tempura with wasabi mayonnaise; scotch-bonnet cured salmon, and sesame tuna, plus a handful of main dishes. A small but interesting lunch menu rounds things off nicely too.