Tom Kitchin's restaurant on The Shore in Leith has held a Michelin star since 2007 — the first year it was eligible — and remains one of Scotland's finest tables. The cooking is rigorous Scottish produce with French technique: the Kitchin trained under Pierre Koffmann and Alain Ducasse before returning to Scotland and opening this place. The menu changes with the seasons and is built around what is best that week — game in autumn, shellfish through the year, vegetables from Scottish growers.
The dining room is handsome without being stiff — converted maritime warehouse, wooden floors, the kind of room where you can concentrate on what is on the plate. The tasting menu is the full experience; the set lunch is the best-value Michelin meal in Edinburgh. Book several weeks ahead for dinner, especially on weekends.