THE GILDED BALLOON, Cowgate, Edinburgh. Forget clrches, abandon preconceptrons and try and rmagrne a perfec1ly sen/Iced space that has everythmg that's best about a bar, cafe and brassene and yet manages to create a unrgue fusron of rts own. Sounds rmpoSsrble, sounds expensrve? You'd be wrong on both counts. Wrth coffee and crorssants all day, a menu that rncludes crepes, burgers, vegetarran drshes, a wrde selecuon of drrnks rncludmg Castle Eden Ale and Stella Artors, not to mentron space, art, a fountarn and flagstones, and Its ourte clear that The Brlded Balloon rs hellbent on subvertrng conventronal attrtudes. Salvatron rs at hand. Prepare ye for the new age.
DIVA, Park Terrace, Glasgow. The style rs seductrve, the flavour contrnental, the place Dtva. A combmatron of pastel sharfes, cool marble and glrstenrng chrome grve an mdefmable atmosphere to Ihrs brrght new lrght on Glasgow's bar and restaurant scene. Savour the gastronomtc delrghts of French classrcal and nouvelle cursrne lwrth a temptrng lrst of over 100 wrnesl m the drscreet rntrmacy of the splrt level restaurant. Or try the Island bar for a long cool glass of Stella Artors, and choose from a menu of Drva burgers, pates, salads and contrnental patrssenes. For anyone who's anyone, there's somethtng dtvrne at Diva.
BUSTER BROWN'S, Market Street, Edinburgh. Srnce 1979 Buster Brown's has managed to stay well ahead of the pack of drscos m Edrnburgh by keeprng a frnger frrmly on the pulse of what makes a good mght great. The newly refurbrshed Buster's rs the same as It ever was, but a whole lot better. Better lrghts, better sounds, better decor. DJ Ronme McKeown rs a master of hrs craft and rnstrnctrvely knows how to set the floor on frre. thh an rmpressrve selecuon of drrnks, the best rnternatronal beers rncludrng the mrghty Stella Artots, Buster Brown's wrll be frrst and foremost for the forseeable future. Bet hip to that trrp and bop trll you drop.
IN THESE RATHER SELECT BARS.