The Fest Directory: Alexander Devriendt

Lobster Shack, North Berwick

12 Quality St, North Berwick, EH39 4HP

This one is a bit of a cheat as it is not in Edinburgh, but it’s in North Berwick harbour which is only half an hour train ride away. My girlfriend discovered it last year, when we wanted to escape the Fringe for a day. It's just a beautiful haute cuisine fry shop. Delicious lobster, fresh from the sea.

Food: 9

Drink: don't remember, doesn't matter

Atmosphere: 8

Fringeyness: 0 which is perfect if that's what you are looking for

Secret weapon: The baskets.

Fatal flaw: The whole town needs the sun to look beautiful.

Brew Lab

6-8 South College St, EH8 9AA

An obvious choice perhaps, but it’s just perfect for coffee. Everything you want: good coffee, beautiful interior, a bit unfriendly baristas with beards and soft couches. Avoid only if you want to deny that you’re a hipster.

NB: Only slight flaw is that if you want to connect to the internet it constantly spams your Facebook with where you're sitting, leaving our friends in Belgium wondering why the hell we would bother bother them with that information.

Food: 7 the cakes are good

Drink: 9

Atmosphere: 7

Fringeyness: 9

Secret weapon: Electric sockets everywhere.

Fatal flaw: The attention-seeking internet connection.

Farmer’s Market

Castle Terrace, EH52 6RH

This is great if you are tenacious enough to get there early on a Saturday morning. Almost everything is fresh and grown around Edinburgh. If you have the possibility to cook at your appartment it's just a beautiful alternative to a mostly unhealthy Fringe.  

Food: 10

Drink: 5 the coffee stands are okay

Atmosphere: 9

Fringeyness: 10 for a healthy Fringe

Secret weapon: Vegetables.

Fatal flaw: Early start’s a bit hard if you have a late show.

The Dogs

110 Hanover St, EH2 1DR

British pub food with a twist. The only place that can make me enjoy haggis. It's also funny how some reviews on Yelp constantly mention the unfriendly staff, but I just love it. I love to feel like guest and not like a customer. Sarcastic remarks make food so much more delicious.

Food: 8

Drink: standard (6)

Atmosphere: 9

Fringeyness: a refreshing 5

Secret weapon: The staff.

Fatal flaw: Don't go if you want to be 'served'.

Lovecrumbs

155 West Port, EH3 9DP

I'm still missing the Tea Tree Tea shop in Bread Street. That probably closed due to the Starbucks on the corner. God I hate Starbucks.  But Lovecrumbs is there to console us.

Food: 8/10

Drink: 9/10

Atmosphere: 9/10

Fringeyness: 10/10 crowded with artists

Secret weapon: even the boring looking cakes are amazing

Fatal flaw: almost no electricity sockets, but that can also be an advantage of course, obligating you to relax

Alexander Devriendt is the Artistic Director of Ontroerend Goed theatre company