The five hottest Edinburgh Festival Fringe restaurant tables to book pronto

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1. THE KEELSON

This brand new place, from Kyle Jamieson and Michael Lynch of Nauticus and chef James Murray, formerly of Timberyard, is the hippest joint in the city right now. Do what you need to do, in order to bag a table so you can try their rotisserie chicken, snacks like smoked mussels and escabeche, and cocktails including the ice-cold and briney preserved lemon vesper. If you can’t get in here, then try the same team’s original and slightly smarter venue, Dogstar (17 Portlad Place, www.dogstarleith.com) where the summer menu includes Atlantic perch, oyster leaf, saffron, jersey royals and vermouth butter.

58 Shore, Leith, www.thekeelsonleith.com

2. THE GILDED SALOON

Fancy a pub lunch? Then try this year-old destination, which also doubles as an Edinburgh Festival Fringe comedy and music venue. Its executive chef is Tomas Gormley of Cardinal on Eyre Place and formerly of Michelin-starred Heron. Expect homely and hearty food, like fish pie and a half chicken and chips. Make sure to save some trouser waistband space for the sticky toffee pudding, ginger and miso.

47 Lothian Street, Edinburgh (0131 259 1856, www.thegildedsaloon.co.uk)

3. THE COTTAGE

Formerly Gardener’s Cottage, this beautiful space had a vacant spell before being taken over by sommelier and hospitality expert Peter Adshead. They offer a wonderful and rather indulgent pre-theatre tasting menu, with five courses for £55 and dishes including hogget shoulder, pomme puree, purple sprouting broccoli and jus gras, or barbecued leek, crowdie, garden pickles and parsley.

1 Royal Terrace Gardens, Edinburgh, www.thecottageedinburgh.com

4. WHIRLYBIRD

This is a dreamy new space, across three levels of a historic Victoria Street building. The menu is an all-day affair, with tourist pleasing options like haggis and ox cheek, shaved turnip and pickled walnut, and an East Coast seafood chowder that might just be Cullen skink in disguise. Interestingly, this place has only been open for a couple of months, but it’s already popped out a baby - Whippersnapper, which offers coffee, soft serves and baked goods at 541 Castlehill.

36-38 Victoria Street, Edinburgh (0131 226 1900, www.whirlybirdedinburgh.co.uk)

5. BROWN’S OF LEITH

This imposing new venue, formerly a steelworks, isn’t only the home of excellent foodie purveyors in the form of ShrimpWreck, Haze and Civerinos, it’s also an Edinburgh Festival Fringe venue, as Grid Iron production Mayflies is being staged in its rear warehouse from August 7-30. Take in some culture, then try one of ShrimpWreck’s crab monsieurs or a Civerinos hot heather honey and nduja pizza.

4-6 The Shore, Leith (0131 510 7571, www.customlane.co)