Harmonium

There once was a time when veganism was a term met with raised eyebrows and an expectation of menus crafted around raw vegetables, flavourless pulses and not much else. Those days are long gone.

Leading the race in meat-free dining is Harmonium, down in Edinburgh's ever-popular Shore. Since opening in 2017, this restaurant/bar combo has proved a massive hit with Leith locals, be they vegan or not. Harmonium prides itself on its menu, which is entirely devoid of animal produce from starters right through to post-meal bevvies.

Proving that nae meat does not equate nae flavour, they've brought out the big guns with cleverly crafted substitutes: take, for example, the pan seared king oyster scallops made with mushrooms or the cheekily deceptive Philly cheese 'steak' pizza. The lighter fare sounds equally appetizing, with the Harissa baked cauliflower and roasted baby leeks coming pretty high up on our list of things to try.

The atmosphere is equally pleasing, with high corniced ceilings, exposed brick walls and dark wooden floors all blending in nicely to Leith's nautical setting. There are plenty of nods to the area's maritime heritage in the menu too, with the Fillet o' To-Fish Burger and Crab Cake winning hearts across the Shore.

Harmonium was brought to Edinburgh by the same team that run Glasgow's Mono and Stereo; if their success is anything to go by, then the capital's diners are in luck. It seems that our readers agree too; in 2018, they voted Harmonium as one of Edinburgh's Best Restaurants, Best Vegetarian and Vegan restaurants and Best Newcomers in our 2018 Food & Drink Survey. In 2019, the love continued to be shared as the restaurant came up trumps in the Best Lunch and Dinner and Best Vegetarian and Vegan category. Check out our 2019 winners feature here to size up the competition.