festdirectory BEST RESTAURANTS Fringe veteran Jo Caulfield guides you through the top places to eat in Edinburgh. Mums
4A FORREST ROAD, EH1 2QN 0131 260 9806
If my Mum had cooked like this I would never have left home. It’s comfort food cooked from scratch with quality ingredients. Bangers and mash, macaroni cheese, shepherds pie, veggie haggis, neeps and tatties. With that stomach lining you’re ready for a serious night of festival drinking. And they play fantastic music. If you want to eat a chicken and rosemary Pie while listening to Iggy Pop, this is the place.
Cafe Andaluz
Mum’s
77B GEORGE STREET, EH2 3EE 0131 220 9980
Illegal Jack’s
I love Cafe Andaluz, delicious food and a good wine list. I like the informality of Tapas, by which I mean you can eat other people’s food and it’s totally acceptable. I always wish I’d ordered what other people are eating and with Tapas you can ditch your ‘mistakes’ and help your self to everyone else’s plates. I’ve been here several times with other comedians and we always go crazy with the menu. The last time the waitress told us we were ordering
far too many dishes. How fantastic is that? She didn’t want us to waste our money. Mind you, she also said we were ordering far too much wine - we soon proved her wrong.
Delicious Italian
27A MARCHMONT ROAD, EH9 1HY 0131 228 3800
A small Italian in Marchmont. Less of a restaurant, more of a takeaway, but it certainly lives up to its name.
Their Putenesca is really tasty and comes with free garlic bread. I also like the fact that the owner always calls my husband “Boss” – how ironic! As if my husband is allowed to be in charge of anything! And Marchmont wines is right next door! How convenient is that? Why not pick up a pizza and a bottle of wine and spend a couple of hours on the Meadows.
lllegal Jacks
113-117 LOTHIAN ROAD, EH3 9AN 0131 622 7499
Fast Mexican food. Burrito’s, fajitas and bowls of chilli. Reasonable prices and Brewdog beer. When I’m getting my hair done I use Illegal Jacks as a creche for my husband. If they had Sky Sports I don’t think he’d ever come home. Suits me fine.
The Witchery
THE ROYAL MILE, EH1 2NF 0131 225 5613
Beautiful, romantic, classy - but enough about me. If you want to treat yourself but not actually spend a fortune, go for the set lunch or early dinner at The Witchery. The food is wonderful but you’re mainly going for the look of the place. It’s gothic chic done by gay men; huge candlesticks, winding stone stairs, swathes of rich velvet and thrones as chairs. My ideal end of Festival party would definitely be held at The Witchery, with all my family and friends. And on the way home I’d pick up my husband from Illegal Jacks. Jo Caulfield @ The Stand Comedy Club 8:15pm – 9:15pm, 1–26 Aug, not 2, 13, £7 – £10
World premiere of new drama with dance performed by 6th formers from North London Collegiate School.
When three year old Skye is left alone in a car, who has the right to judge?
94 fest edinburgh festival preview guide 2012
www.festmag.co.uk