Capital Lodge is carving out a name for having the roasts with the most

The Innkeeper’s Lodge was once known as The Harp.

Its siren call was for steady middle-of-the-road trade, which at weekends transformed into an 18- 30 special – loud and dark with lots of shouting on a sticky dancefloor.

Those days are long gone and it’s been transformed into a bar and restaurant, part of the Toby Carvery chain, with a clientele firmly based around families.

The bar is different from then but remains old school. Oakpanelled with a thick carpet, it makes an ideal snug to take your time supping from a range of all the beers, ciders and wines you’d expect, as well as craft ales such as Brewdog Dead Pony Club and Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. It’s well located for watching the world go by – not that t he r e ’ s anything relaxing about this, as the Lodge is situated on St John’s Road – one of the main routes into Edinburgh.

The traffic goes by like a fair, which is perhaps why the hotel part of the operation is so popular with visitors. There’s a bus stop outside the front door.

It’s busy inside, too, with the carvery restaurant attracting diners of all ages and sizes, and it’s little wonder. An excellent selection of slow- roasted gammon, turkey, beef and pork are on offer, with as much as you can carry from the selection of freshly steamed vegetables, roast potatoes and Yorkshire pudding.

It is cooked with genuine care and for prices which also whet the appetite. You can pay extra to increase your protein intake or go back for as much veg as you like. Self- discipline is required.

It is cheap and the staff are cheerful and helpful.

A cut above.