Uni living doesn’t have to be all about ramen noodles and discounted ready-meals. In fact, there are plenty of nice places that offer affordable lunch and pre-theatre deals – if you know where to look. Deborah Chu checks out some incredibly delicious, nourishing food that won’t break the bank and will give your poor mama one less thing to worry about
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
E D I N B U R G H
L’ESCARGOT BLEU CAFE ST HONORE
TIMBERYARD
RONAQ
A true celebration of the Auld Alliance, L’Escargot Bleu’s ever-changing, two-course set lunch features classic French dishes with a local Scottish twist, like Dexter beef ourguignon or Orkney rib eye steak with bordelaise sauce. Best of all, it’ll only cost you £12.90. 56 Broughton Street, lescargotbleu.co.uk Cafe St Honore brings a Parisian pedigree to Scottish cuisine, with their express lunch menu – which starts from £10.50 – featuring such stars from Scotland’s larder like battered coley and hash of pork belly on a bed of heritage potatoes. 34 Thistle Street North West Lane, cafesthonore.com
With a focus on foraging and locality, you won’t get a more authentic experience of Scottish cooking than at Timberyard. Their two-course lunch and pre-theatre menu is organised by portion size, ranging from the £2.50 ‘bite’ option to the £12.50 ‘large’ option. 10 Lady Lawson Street, timberyard.co.uk Ronaq’s tapas lunch menu lets you sample a variety of different Indian dishes for cheap, like their crispy onion bhajis for £2.95 and creamy chicken kormas for £4.25. The view out over the train station towards Calton Hill is similarly splendid. 31 East Market Street, ronaqrestaurant.co.uk
S
THE OUTSIDER A stalwart of the Edinburgh scene, this bustling, upscale bistro serves tasty seasonal fare, like steamed mussels and pan-fried gnocchi and beetroot. Their lunch menu is typically half the price of their evening offerings, with mains starting from as little as £6.20. 15–16 George IV Bridge, theoutsiderrestaurant.com
?
THE SISTERS KELVINGROVE
Traditional Scottish dishes using the best of seasonal produce, such as Ramsays of Carluke ham with buttered savoy cabbage, or roasted caulil ower with Mull cheddar. Choose two courses off their lunch menu for £11.95. 36 Kelvingrove Street, thesisters. co.uk/kelvingrove_restaurant
CHAAKOO BOMBAY CAFE MILLER & CARTER
ALCHEMILLA
CELINO’S
Harking back to the Iranian- Indian cafes of old, sample the char of a classic Iranian grill alongside a Bombay curry for £9.95, or opt for a lighter tifi n lunch of a roomali roti wrap, stuffed to the brim with a i lling of your choice, alongside masala fries for a mere £7.50. 79 St Vincent Street, chaakoo.co.uk
GLASGOW Despite an abbreviated menu, lunch at the steakhouse is still an abundant affair, with robust portions of baked cheddar mushrooms, chicken schnitzel and prime steak burgers on offer. Get two courses for only £11.50, but be sure to bring an appetite. 47 St Vincent Street, millerandcarter.co.uk
Serving up simple, shareable Mediterranean plates made from the best Scottish produce, Alchemilla’s innovative l avours received a nod in this year’s Michelin Guide. Get two dishes from their lunch menu – which changes daily – for only £10. 1126 Argyle Street, thisisalchemilla.com
Celino’s dishes up authentic Italian cuisine just the way your nonna used to make it. Two courses from the lunch menu of baked lasagnas and lamb i llets will only set you back £10.95, or grab a panino packed with Italian charcuterie for £7.60. 235 Dumbarton Road; 620 Alexandra Parade, celinos.com
G L A S G O W 1 Sep–31 Oct 2018 THE LIST 113