New In Food: El Cartel, Sonder & more

A second chance to grab the capital's best tacos, great new coffee and cocktails, and exciting fish-based cookery all feature in our latest venue round-up

Feature by Peter Simpson | 31 Aug 2018

The Brunch Club

Brunch; apparently it's not a meal that goes *between* breakfast and lunch, but rather a middle ground between the two. With that fresh/hitherto-ignored fact ringing in our ears, we're intrigued by new West End spot The Brunch Club, on the former site of pharmacy-themed cocktail bar Drugstore Social. Now you can have pancakes or eggs any time of the day! 67 Old Dumbarton Rd, Glasgow, facebook.com/TheBrunchClubGlasgow

El Cartel Casera Mexicana

El Cartel has long been one of our Edinburgh favourites, to the extent that we crowned them world champions when we embarked on a bizarre World Cup-themed pseudo-tournament this summer. Problem is a lot of people seem to agree with us, which leaves us permanently waiting outside for a table. Thankfully, there is now a second El Cartel on the incredible stretch by McEwan Hall that's also home to Civerinos Slice, Paradise Palms and both of the Ting Thais. Grab some amazing tacos, revel in the stained glass windows behind the bar, and get out sharpish so we can grab a seat. 15-16 Teviot Place, Edinburgh, elcartelmexicana.co.uk

Nauticus

Big beards! Dark woods! Fancy aprons! This Leith cocktail bar does have something of a seafaring old world vibe to it, making the ideal place to bunker down for an afternoon. Have a coffee and a pastry round at Twelve Triangles, pull up a chair for a drink, and ponder the fate of the immaculately-named 'Pets & Things' next door – that's your Sunday sorted. 142 Duke St, Edinburgh, instagram.com/nauticusbar

Peruana

This one's for all the fish fans out there, as Peruana promise an authentic taste of Peruvian ceviche at their weekly pop-up. You'll find them at esteemed Finnieston fishmongers Wilson's Catch of the Day, serving up tasty, zesty bowls of South American goodness (and small piles of fried squid on the side). Saturdays only, 71 Houldsworth St, Glasgow, facebook.com/peruanacevichebar

Sonder

Sonder, apparently, is "the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own." It's also, very definitely, a change of pace from previous incarnations of this Newington venue – expect intriguing flavour combinations and exciting presentation in a chilled-out open plan setting which will allow you to sniff other people's food without having to rudely lean over their tables. 74-78 South Clerk St, Edinburgh, restaurant-sonder.com  

Three.14

Get it? Like pi! Not the food, but the number. Mathematical jokes aside, Three.14 is intriguing for a number of reasons. We shall list them here – homemade pop tarts, amazing and comically oversized pies from the fantastic Pie Dolly, delicious-looking babka filled with chocolate and spices... we trust you're on board. 38 Dalkeith Rd, Edinburgh, bakery314.com

Thrive Cafe:Bar

Things just keep getting better and better for the veggies and vegans among us, with seemingly every other new opening catering to herbivores. Thrive is one such place; a relaxed cafe-style menu based around big salads, chunky burgers and veg-packed brunches. Five kinds of veggie burgers, lads, count 'em! 171 Bruntsfield Pl, Edinburgh, thrive-edinburgh.co.uk

Williams and Johnson

The collective march of Edinburgh's indie coffee shops continues, as Leith's own Williams and Johnson have snapped up an absolute corker of a location right next to the entrance to Waverley Station. It's a cool, crisp space filled with chipboard and slightly odd chairs, and the coffee is predictably delicious; that visitors to town will immediately be met by one of the city's best roasters is great news, second only to the fact that we can now get amazing coffee to drink on the train. Everybody wins! 3 Waverley Bridge, Edinburgh, williamsandjohnson.com

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