Compared to The Atrium, its big sister operation, blue offers Edinburgh a more casual dining experience. But don’t for a moment think that casual means less careful. Both blue and The Atrium are run by head chef Neil Forbes and both have the same scrupulous policy of sourcing locally produced, seasonal food. The difference is that blue offers faster service, mainly lighter dishes and lower prices, all delivered in a sleek and chic urban environment. Situated just upstairs from the Traverse and across from the Lyceum and Usher Hall, it attracts plenty of theatre goers as well as people from the nearby law and finance offices.

The lunch menu at blue is designed to feed Edinburgh’s workers and, of course, shoppers on a tight schedule, in an hour. Think of a warming bowl of Cullen skink or a hearty Aberdeen Angus ribeye on an onion jam ciabatta. Alternatively, go for a leisurely three course lunch. Perhaps the beer battered fish n’chips with mushy peas followed by the pear frangipane. At dinner, the dishes step up a notch or two. Start with the slow roast pork belly with Stornoway black pudding and apple salad before tackling the organic chicken stew with herb gnocchi. Whichever way you choose to do Edinburgh’s blue, you will find wholesome, honest food prepped with flair.