Bang in middle of the Royal Mile and opposite St Giles Cathedral (the name comes from a beautiful wood carving in the building’s Thistle Chapel), Angels with Bagpipes sounds like an expensive tourist trap, but that’s far from the truth. Sensibly priced and serving a really decent range of contemporary Scottish cuisine with European influences, this has been a firm favourite since launching in 2010. A few old faithfuls such as haggis with neeps and tatties fly the Caledonian flag, but native ingredients generally receive more modish treatment – say Orkney scallops with lentils, spiced aubergine ras-el-hanout, apple and caramel or rump of Highland lamb with sweetbreads, peas, anchovy and romesco sauce. To finish, how about the signature Tunnocks cake featuring chocolate and blueberry with bubble-gum ice cream? A semi-private room called the Halo is good for big groups.