http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/ Welcome to Been there. Your tips on the places you know - that you love, live in or have just visited - are what make this guide. http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19231 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19231 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17610 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17610 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17501 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17501 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17181 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17181 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/16660
The stone built artisans cottage was once a cooperage for the long gone brewing pub next door. Lovely walks along the beaches and fields away from the Edinburgh crowds, but within walking distance of the city (four-five miles).]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/16660 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/15452
They are now based in Victoria Street and Altaf has got a wee bit up hisself as he has turned a £2k a week cafe into a mega money making machine, prices are now at their optimum and I go maybe four times a year when previously I could be there twice a week. Still the best though.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/15452 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/15447
Cheap, cheerful, and unbeatable. Very popular with locals and students, but with a very diverse customer profile (based on looking at who's in!). Worth coming to Edinburgh for. No, really!]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/15447 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/15446
Consistently tasty, very friendly staff, great for a romantic meal for two, or for a small number of friends, not so good for large parties, which means it's nice and quiet. Lamb tikka is superb, great pilau rice and succulent sultana naans. Wonderful!]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/15446 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13793
Forget about breakfast in your hotel, cooking your own toast and lukewarm coffee. The Kings Wark do not just do a fantastic fry up, but a wide variety of other options as well (veggie, kippers etc).

Great staff, and the food is excellent, freshly cooked rather than sitting around under warming lights. Plus as much freshly made coffee as you can drink.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13793 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13772
Amazing choice of Bagels, good coffee and not too pricy. Just a brilliant place to hang out and relax (hope my drawing makes it on to the wall).]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13772 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13431
It's not on a main road or thoroughfare, but don't let that put you off. You'll find it tucked just behind the Royal Museum of Scotland and the Festival Theatre.

Friendly and inviting staff - and great food. No artificial flavouring here just fresh tasting food...oh and ice cold Kingfisher on tap as well!]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13431 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/11802
The local fish shop is next door so you know whatever's on the menu is as fresh as it's going to get. We had the salt and pepper squid to start with which I would happily eat again and again and the Thai chicken soup which was flavoured to perfection and contained an abundance of chicken. There are other fish, meat and vegetarian starters.

For mains we chose roast fillets of red snapper, sea bass with cockles, mussels and fennel and pernod sauce and also a grilled duck-breast with a jus of wine and blackcurrant sauce. Both outstanding with fantastic flavours and succulent flesh.

Make sure you leave room for pudding, especially the warm hazelnut and chocolate pudding and also a scrumptious sticky toffee pudding.

Staff are friendly and efficient and the cooking in the kitchen is some of the best you will experience in Edinburgh.

Starters are about £5 and mains about £13.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/11802 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/10451 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/10451 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/8014
The head butcher has a really big belly, which in my opinion is a quality trademark of good butchers, as they want to serve customers fresh produce but don't like to throw their high quality products away - so they eat it themselves. That's the same with my village butcher at home.

Apart from that, there is a wide variety of special sausages to try for free - from wild boar to beef with blackberries and Lucifer's matchsticks.

The butcher is also very friendly and chatty, and they have leaflets on their products such as the history of Haggis and Burn's supper, including a variety of poems. They might even recite them for you at the till to get you to hear them with the original Scots language.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/8014 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/7975 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/7975 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/7971 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/7971 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/3228 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/3228