Trying new bars and restaurants is a favourite pastime of mine – and the chance to visit The Bonnington in Leith was too good to refuse.

Now, given that the man behind it is Carlo Carrozzi, hopes were high. Carlo, after all, has a background in some of Auld Reekie’s most iconic venues – including The Voodoo Rooms, Dragonfly, and his multi-award-winning street food venture, The Peruvian, which is part of Edinburgh Street Food and has gained recognition for its unique style of cuisine.

To say his latest venture didn't disappoint would be an understatement – indeed, by the time I left The Bonnington I had a new favourite place to eat.

Located on the corner of Bonnington Road and Newhaven Road, the venue is open 7 days a week. This place was formerly an old man's pub, but you wouldn't know this walking through its doors today. Bright and airy with a modern and minimalist design, it's both warm and welcoming.

On arrival, we were greeted by our waiter and shown to a table before being presented with a drinks menu that includes cocktails, mocktails, real ales, draft lagers, wines, and soft drinks. I opted for a full-bodied red wine, while my dining partner went for the prosecco. Both drinks hit the spot and whet our appetites for the food.

To start, I ordered coronation fried cauliflower, which turned out to be exactly as our waiter had predicted: a great choice. The portion was generous to say the least, and really could be shared by two. But I wasn't for sharing this. It was absolutely delicious, with creamy sauce and various spices that brought it to life. My comrade in gluttony opted for the crispy monkfish cheeks, and like me, he didn't seem keen to share.

We both agreed that these 'small' plate starters were fabulous, but the best was still to come. Now, normally when doing a food review I'd have made sure to pick a different dish from my dining partner, but on this occasion, neither of us were willing to pass on the chance to order The Bonnington’s cheesesteak & chips. This dish has become a real favourite with locals – and it's not hard to know why.

The cheesesteak is an absolute beast of a dish – it's huge. Think two slices of toasted sourdough bread packed with tender steak, caramelised onions, and Isle of Mull cheddar sauce – with a generous side of crispy chips. We both agreed this was as good a cheesesteak as we've ever eaten - anywhere. It was a taste sensation, and oh so filling.

After taking a short break, we decided we just had to try the desserts. After much deliberation, we ordered the Chocolate Fondant with creme fraiche and Meyer Lemon crème brûlée and shortbread. After looking at each other's desserts enviously, we decided to share them and were glad we did – both were outrageously good.

Stuffed and happy, we left The Bonnington with huge smiles on our faces, vowing to return again soon. Neither of us had ever visited the venue before, but our experience at this fantastic neighbourhood venue was worthy of five stars.

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