92 Accessible Edinburgh: A Festival Guide Eating 93
All weathered wood and candlelit tables, Café Marlayne is a cosy
nook offering French and Mediterranean cooking – sea bream
with ratatouille and pea shoots salad, stuffed rabbit wrapped
in Parma ham, boudin noir (black pudding) with bacon and
mustard dressing – at very reasonable prices. Bookings are
recommended.
Situated on the main road, parking options are limited, but
bus stops are nearby. Although the street door may prove awk-
ward, and the entrance narrow, there’s level access and room to
manoeuvre in a wheelchair. The turn leading into the toilet is very
tight, but the toilet itself is large enough.
Cafe Portrait
Queen St; mains £6-10; 10am-4.30pm Fri-Wed, to 6pm Thu; St
Andrew Sq
The cafe in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery has something
of the feel of a university refectory. The excellent soups and
sandwiches make it a popular lunch spot for local office work-
ers. It’s located on the ground floor, so is wheelchair-accessible;
there’s an accessible toilet on the same level.
Contini
0131-225 1550; http://www.contini.com/contini-ristorante; 103 George
St; mains £11-30; 7.30am-11pm Mon-Fri, 9am-midnight Sat,
9am-11pm Sun; all Princes St buses
A palatial Georgian banking hall enlivened with fuchsia-pink ban-
ners and lampshades is home to this lively, child-friendly Italian
bar and restaurant, where the emphasis is on fresh, authentic
ingredients (produce imported weekly from Milan; homemade
bread and pasta) and uncomplicated enjoyment of food.
There are two sets of stairs to get in, but portable ramps are
available. Limited circulation space may make it difficult to ma-
noeuvre in a wheelchair.
Fishers in the City
0131-225 5109; http://www.fishersbistros.co.uk; 58 Thistle St; mains
£17-23; noon-10.30pm Mon-Sat, 12.30-10.30pm Sun; buses 13,
19, 37, 41
This more sophisticated version of the famous Fishers Bistro
in Leith, with its granite-topped tables, split-level dining area
and nautical theme, specialises in superior Scottish seafood –
the knowledgeable staff serve up plump and succulent oysters,
meltingly sweet scallops, and sea bass that’s been grilled to
perfection.
There is limited on-street parking available on Thistle St, but
it’s very cobbly with high and bumpy pavements. Two heavy
double doors and a bump greet you at entrance; if you are in a
wheelchair, you may need assistance. The restaurant is on three
levels, two of which are accessible by wheelchair. Unfortunately,
as is common in stylish modern restaurant decor, the ground-
floor bar area comprises solely bar stool seating, so does not
accommodate wheelchair users. Level one is not wheelchair-
accessible either, but level two is accessible from the back en-
trance on Thistle St Lane and has plenty of tables available at a
wheelchair-friendly height. Accessible toilets can be found on
both ground floor and level two.Forth Floor Restaurant & Brasserie
0131-524 8350; http://www.harveynichols.com/restaurant/edin-
burgh-dining/; 30-34 St Andrew Sq; mains £18-25; noon-3pm
Mon-Fri, to 3.30pm Sat-Sun, 6-10pm Tue-Sat; St Andrew SqThe in-store restaurant at Harvey Nichols has floor-to-ceiling
windows overlooking St Andrew Sq, making it a great place to
enjoy sunset views across the New Town rooftops. The food has
as much designer chic as the surroundings, while the less formal
brasserie offers simpler dishes, and also serves Sunday brunch
(11am to 5pm).
The entrance is just around the corner from the main entrance
in Multrees Walk. When you enter, the lifts right in front of you
take you to the restaurant. You roll in one side and roll out the oth-
er side, which is useful. The restaurant is spacious and staff will
rearrange furniture if necessary. There is an accessible toilet.Hadrian’s Brasserie
0131-557 5000; http://www.roccofortehotels.com; Balmoral Hotel,
1 Princes St; mains £15-22; 7-10.30am, noon-2.30pm & 5.30-
10pm Mon-Fri, 7.30-11am & 12.30-10.30pm Sat-Sun; all Princes
St busesThe brasserie at the Balmoral Hotel has a 1930s art deco feel,
with pale-green walls, dark-wood furniture, and waiters dressed
in white aprons and black waistcoats. The menu includes posh
versions of popular dishes such as fish and chips, haggis with
whisky sauce, and rump steak with Café de Paris sauce. It’s listed
as wheelchair level accessible on Yelp, but we have no first-hand
testimonial.