Sofi's, Edinburgh

Acting as something of a flower of light in a field of darkness that is the fairly rough Henderson St, Sofi’s is simply the daintiest little boozer on Earth. Incongruously set against the concrete background of Leith’s banana flats, it is colourful and almost dream-like in its arrangement and atmosphere. The bar staff are an imaginative lot; they have recreated moments from famous films and decorated the bar with all kinds of miscellaneous paraphernalia- and it works in a quirky kind of way. A splendid wine rack graces the top of the bar and a good selection of continental beers are on offer.

Fancy little tables give the pub a kind of quixotic layout, whilst candles glitter proudly upon the tables. The toilet walls have some pearls of wisdom for anyone in doubt why since they first tasted alcohol they’ve become nihilistic hedonists; like a classic goblet of sagacity from WC Fields, ‘I never drink water - have you seen the way it rusts pipes’.

Sofi’s is part of the Swedish-owned quartet of bars in Leith (the other three being the Boda, Victoria and Joseph Pearce) and it is the most prescient example of how a little continental class can differentiate a pub from the bulk of the drinking dens which surround her. At least some of the barmaids are Swedish (no bad thing) so you will feel somehow nearer to Stockholm than The Shore. It’s gained a loyal following from an eclectic mix of punters, all lured by the Scandinavian siren’s charming appeal.

With regular film and knitting nights, this is a top-draw pub that’s leading the way in banishing all memories of Sickboy, Renton et al.