I tried Edinburgh's coolest new restaurant and it was like being at the best party

That’s probably because I eat all the crisps in bowls, hide in the kitchen and then take over with the music choices.

So, visiting the new food, drink and arts hub, Brown’s of Leith - established by creatives, Custom Lane, just across the water - for lunch was a thrill.

It’s a bit like gatecrashing the best shindig in town, in a cavernous warehouse of a space that still manages to cultivate living room vibes.

This dog-friendly place is absolutely buzzing. Open the newly installed doors to this historic steelworks, with its ecclesiastically high ceilings, and you’re hit with a wave of warmth and a wall of sound, from tunes, to baby babble and chatter.

Currently, they have official greeters, who explain the concept on arrival. However, it’s not that tricky to grasp.

Head in, find a seat, which may be a pew pour deux beside the Pyrus flower stand, or a spot at the communal table that’s suspended from the warehouse’s original crane.

Then, head up to the counters to order from one or all of three choices - Haze (from the team behind Edinburgh’s Montrose and Michelin-starred Timberyard), pizza slingers, Civerino’s, or seafood purveyors, ShrimpWreck.

We went doolally, and ordered stacks from the trio. Thus, I will be sharing the highlights.

The number one dish from ShrimpWreck has to be their crab monsieur (£15) - a thing of de-pincered and luxurious beauty. It consists of a slab of sourdough that’s topped with garlic butter and shredded brown crab. That’s underneath an 18-tog duvet of cheddar and gruyere bechamel with a tot of brandy for French onion soup vibes, then a lighter drift of pickled fennel and white crab meat.

I think they’re missing a trick if they don’t eventually do a madame version with a fried egg.

Glorious, and their clutch of mussels (£12) in a nduja, white wine and chill broth, with pads of sourdough on the side, will surely snuff out any burgeoning colds.

You’ll also notice lots of red and white checked wrappers in this place. That’s because Civerinos is a popular kid. They always are, as evidenced by the fact that they have six Edinburgh branches now, with one in Glasgow.

We adored their ‘Newhaven-style pizza’, which has a 14” crispy square base, perfect for sharing, and is as fine as your granny’s poshest porcelain. The topping of whisky nduja (£14), along with salami Milano, hot honey and marinara sauce with pecorino pushed all the right buttons with its salty and sweet hangover slaying tang.

I think we’d also return for a second round of the Neapolitan panuozzo (£14), which was shaped like a catcher’s mitt, with a thicker sourdough base and a filling of bresaola, pesto, burrata, rocket and Parmesan.

Now, vendor number three, Haze, is probably the more esoteric concept.

First of all, we can vouch for their perfect coffee, with beans from The Source on Edinburgh’s Spittal Street.

However, there is also a good wine list, and other interesting drinks, like ceremonial cacao (£5), chai with a nip of whisky (£4), a beautiful house kombucha (£4) and Woven Whisky with Gaza Cola (£6.50).

Their all-day food menu is casual, simple, and low on cooking, but high on a fish-in-tins concept like the ‘conservas’ restaurants in Spain; and everything they offer resembles a beautiful Dutch still-life painting.

Essentially, it’s like having nibbly bits out of a sophisticated pal’s pantry.

Served on a pretty glass fish-shaped plate, we had a tin of “squids in ink” (£11), with dense nibs of meat that could be balanced, in a low threat squid game trial, on two neat triangles of melba toast.

We also tried some satisfyingly rustic wild boar saucisson (£8), plus smooth slivers of comte and a handful of zingy cornichons (£6.30).

I also enjoyed the anchovies, lined up neatly on two thickly cut and crusty ovals of sourdough toast, with a wedge of lemon on the side and, reverently raised up in a mental sundae dish like a baby in a basinette, a cold boiled egg (£10) - perfectly seasoned and with a lovely gummy orange yolk.

The grapefruit brulee (£3) is a little stroke of genius - just a ruby red fruit, halved, then sprinkled with sugar and toasted, for a crisp shell.

Refreshing, and how unusual to see a healthy-ish dessert on a menu.

I might have that for breakfast one day, along with toast and preserve (£2.50) and Bircher’s and coconut yogurt (£6.30).

It may feel like a party is going on in here, but it’s a practical place too. I can see that one visit a week might not be enough.

No invitation required.

4-6 Shore, Leith, Edinburgh (0131-510 7571, Instagram @browns.leith)

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