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THE KITCHEN RESTAURANT Pollok House, Pollok Estate, 2060 Pollokshaws Road, Southside, 0141 616 6410. Mon–Sun 10am–4.30pm. www.nts.org.uk/Property/48 Well known for its homebaking, the restaurant at Pollok House also serves salads, quiche, and pastas in the tea garden. Follow lunch with a stroll to the White Cart river, the box hedge maze or the fruit garden. Crinoline dresses and blue skies an advantage. (Andrea Pearson)
DRINKING SUGGESTIONS
SLOANS 62 Argyll Arcade, 108 Argyle Street, City Centre, 0141 221 8886. Mon–Thur noon-midnight; Fri–Sat
noon–1am; Sun 12.30pm–midnight. www.sloansglasgow.com The kind of bar where men drink pints and real ladies do not, the charm of Sloans lies not in its central location, generous arrangement of courtyard picnic tables or Friday evening barbecues, but in its eclectic customer base – bustling, banter-fuelled old Glasgow to the bone.
BABBITY BOWSTER 16-18 Blackfriars Street, Merchant City, 0141 552 5055. Mon–Sat 11am– midnight; Sun 10am–midnight. White walls and visible beams in Babbity’s airy interior evoke a village pub vibe, spilling out to an enclosed patio and extensive beer garden to the rear. It’s laid-back and cosy with stovies on the menu, real ale on tap and old blokes with beards at the bar.
COTTIER’S 93-95 Hyndland Street, West End, 0141 357 5825. Mon–Sun noon–midnight. www.cottiers.com The suntrap terrace outside this converted church provides a bohemian setting so pleasant that people even sit there in the rain. If the fresh air doesn’t make you peckish, the smell of the weekend barbecues – fired up Friday afternoon until Sunday night – certainly will.
WEST Templeton Building, Glasgow Green, East End, 0141 550 0135. Sun–Thur 11am–11pm; Fri–Sat 11am–midnight. www.westbeer.com Housed in the former Templeton carpet factory, WEST’s Bavarian styled microbrewery is popular all year-round with dog owners combining walkies with drinkies, and non-dog owners doing much the same. Nab one of the picnic tables on the Green and watch the mutts covet your schnitzel.
SPECIAL MENTIONS: CCA for café culture on their Scott Street terrace; Big Slope for laid back beer garden drinks; Goat & Grill for the beer garden and DJ talent; The Italian Kitchen (sister restaurant of the excellent The Italian Caffè) for the wood oven- baked pizzas, served al fresco.
EDINBURGH Reviews by Jo Laidlaw unless otherwise indicated.
EATING SUGGESTIONS
THE DOME 14 George Street, City Centre, 0131 624 8624. Mon–Sun 10am–6pm (may close earlier if weather is poor). www.thedomeedinburgh.com The Dome’s Garden Café is at the back of the building, making it that rare beast – an outdoor city venue untroubled by traffic. It’s far from cutting-edge, but it is a pretty, calm oasis in the middle of the urban jungle.
FORTH FLOOR RESTAURANT Harvey Nichols, 30-34 St Andrew Square, City Centre, 0131 524 8350. Mon noon–3pm; Tue–Fri noon–3pm, 6–10pm; Sat noon–3.30pm, 6–10pm; Sun noon–3.30pm. www.harveynichols.com Extremely strong contemporary Scottish food, and al fresco for all seasons. In summer, the terrace has some of the best views of the city. In winter, watching the sun set as the Christmas lights twinkle below you is equally special.
OLOROSO 33 Castle Street, New Town, 0131 226 7614. Mon–Fri noon–2.30pm, 7–10pm; Sat noon–2.30pm, 7–10.30pm; Sun 12.30–2.30pm, 7–10.30pm. www.oloroso.co.uk The panoramic views from this roof top bar and restaurant are some of the best in Edinburgh, with the Castle looming large and New Town chimney pots all around. With a menu from renowned chef Tony Singh, it can be a bit pricey but the set menus cover a good variety of dishes and won’t stretch your pocket too much. (Emma Langman)
CHINASKI’S 239 North Street, West End, 0141 221 0061. Mon–Sun 11am–midnight. This hip, urban bar demands a classy drink, but before you order up a Manhattan, nip out back to the covered decking and survey the lush greenery of the cigar garden below. If it’s full, a quick glance at Black Sparrow’s picnic tables next door may tempt a move. 16 THE LIST 22 Jul–5 Aug 2010