For years, Bruntsfield’s Leftfield has delighted diners with delicious seafood and permanent house-guest conviviality. Now sassy younger sister Margot, by the same family team, is finding her own identity just around the corner. During the day, there’s a relaxed café vibe for coffee or brunch: try the croque Margot of pancakes, fried egg, spinach, béchamel and roast ham. In the evening, return for 23 wines by the glass (mostly organic and from small producers) and a menu of ten small plates. Each makes a delightful accompaniment to an aperitif, so take a friend and order half a dozen for the full experience. 

Like Leftfield, sustainable seafood is a specialty. Cumbrae oysters with balsamic vinegar and jalapeño are a lip-smacking triumph, while an enormous langoustine comes with red pepper sauce and a little chilli. Cured halibut combines beautifully with wild garlic, seaweed, ponzu and chives; Scottish smoked trout is whipped with organic crème fraîche and dill, served in a pleasingly big scoop on a wedge of Company Bakery toast. Vegetable dishes are equally complex: slow-braised fennel sits on wild garlic hummus; tender broccolini is glazed with tequila and served with smooth salty ricotta. A generous bowl of tangy St Andrews cheddar with home-pickled onions is a perfect cheese course: no fuss, just flavour. For dessert, a rich dark chocolate and raspberry tart has crisp pastry and a hint of sea salt, served with soft burnished meringue and a sauternes syllabub.

Wines are accessible yet surprising. For example, there's a juicy, complex and hard-to-find zelen from Slovenia as well as a Portuguese pet nat with gentle sparkle and crisp acidity, while Les Prunes is a beautiful rosé made with mandó grapes. The team’s enthusiasm is infectious, leading to brilliant pairing recommendations and a relaxed evening of food and wine. 

Margot, 7–8 Barclay Terrace, Edinburgh; average cost for three small plates and a glass of wine, £32.