Scotland has some very unique specialties and the food scene in Edinburgh is nothing short of exciting and surprising. On any trip to a city part of the novelty of being there is to try out the restaurants and cafes to see what they have to offer. Traditional Scottish dishes to delight your taste buds with include haggis and Arbroath Smokies.

The ingredients of haggis can include sheep’s heart, lungs and liver cooked with onion, oatmeal, suet and spices. Traditionally it was boiled inside a sheep’s stomach lining to hold it all together these days however a casing is generally used. Don’t let its preparation put you off haggis has a nutty flavor and delicious taste.  Arbroath Smokies originated in a small fishing village in the very north of Scotland, only haddock is used to produce the authentic 'Arbroath Smokie'. The fish are dry salted in tubs for a period before being tied by the tail and hung on sticks over a smoking pit. They come out as golden brown fish, eaten straight from the barrel they give a lip smacking experience that has to be tasted to be appreciated.

When it comes to eating and drinking in Edinburgh take your pick from contemporary style bars and restaurants to more traditional eateries. Edinburgh is said to have more restaurants per head of population than any other city in the UK and all tastes are catered for in quantity. Here’s just a small selection from the top ten list.

Recently refurbished, the Cafe Royal is a reliable location for good food and drink. It has a lively busy atmosphere afternoons and evenings as people like to come and relax amongst its dark leather booths or chill out at the circle bar. There are some great old favourites on offer, black pudding with slices of baked apple, oysters Kilpatrick with mashed potato, and the fish stew is a combination of half-shell mussels, clams and haddock morsels, in a cream sauce. This place even has its own smokery in the kitchen.

Located in the Grassmarket, Under The Stairs is a basement bar with low ceilings, thick stone walls and second-hand furniture giving it relaxed ambience. Specialities to look out for are the beef burger and chickpea burger with sweet potato oven-roasted chips and red pepper pesto, the Chicken liver pate with spicy pear chutney, and for vegetarians the veggie sausages with caramelized onion gravy. The best dessert here is the walnut and pear crumble. Good for a late night snack at weekends there is a DJ on-site and it’s open till 1am.

Airy and unpretentious, The Dogs has two dining rooms with an intimate feel and mismatched wooden furniture and eccentric canine touches.  The menu offers something different every day but focuses on dishes of local, seasonal ingredients. Dishes include chopped roast ham and turkey terrine served with pickled red cabbage and crispy skinned fillet of Pollock floating on a rich stew of new potato, pumpkin and bacon. The portions are generous and reasonably priced leaving you room for the creamy chocolate trifle with boozy cherries.

The Ship on the Shore has an ambience that brings to mind a drinking den for old sea dogs, and previously that’s exactly what it was. These days however it attracts all kinds of people including families. The bar is busy with regulars come to sample its selection of simple but delicious dishes. The Ship’s fish-cakes are to die for, and the rope-reared Loch Torridon mussels and monkfish with Kalamata olives and chorizo have a big impact.

Once connected to the nearby Innocent Railway line, the Engine Shed gives out a delicious aroma of freshly baked bread from the organic bakery downstairs where breads, cakes and tray-bakes, oatcakes and tofu are created. Family-friendly, this canteen-style café has an industrial feel and homely wooden furnishings. The menu is simple but satisfying with a selection of soups, casseroles, quiches, baked potatoes, wraps and sandwiches. Ethical, wholesome and affordable.