Cafe Continental, Kirkcaldy

Recipes and food presentation significantly ahead of most other pubs, reflecting its up-market european stylishness, but without becoming extortionate. Useful 2 for 1 drinks offers acccording to time of day. Can get suddenly very busy esp mid-evening at weekends - so choose your times if just wanting to lounge for a blether with a pal or two. Not a real ale type of place but the continental beers or Calders offerings are kept well.

7 May 2008 17:50

The Wheatsheaf Inn, Kirkcaldy

Fast service with reliable, straightforward but well-cooked meals at decent prices mean this is a great lunch stop-off during a protracted round of high-street shopping. Maybe with a pint of Special because you won't be tripping over a big stock of real ales here. Friendly and traditional feel a refreshing change from nearby chainpubs where you have to queue at counters to be scowled at by someone with a lot of hairgel who will not be there the following week. Unless you are young, female and attractive, naturally. Trad pub feel means it shouldn't suffer as much as some from weekend mobbing by the younger crowd.

7 May 2008 17:34

Baritza, Kirkcaldy

Popularity appears to stem from busy central location and diverse product offerings which try to give something to everyone - as long as an interesting pint and excellent food are not on your list of core requirements. A modern, dressy, young-crowd, lager-and-vodka pub, with an ambiance resembling a popular teenager's bedroom.
On 3 or 4 visits the food was persistently pedestrian with pretty surprising lack of tang and zing for a mexican. Plain-jane mass-market beverages are all that can be expected from such a busy modern pub: there is no simply no need for the management to try harder when the pub across the street is also bursting to the seams. More good, central pubs required!

7 May 2008 17:22