The City of Edinburgh has more pubs and more liquor licences than any other council area in Scotland according to new government statistics.

The Edinburgh International Book Festival pitches camp in Charlotte Square Gardens this year between 9th and 25th August, hosting a staggering 800 authors from around the world. The quality and range of authors always draws wide interest, and this year is no exception. Following the launch of ticket sales last month, heavy traffic made the web site inaccessible for a while and a good number of events have already sold out.

Join 140 local food and drink exhibitors for a gastronomic fest in The Meadows.

The Scottish government minister who headed a recent three-month public "discussion" on Scotland's food policy said he had been "overwhelmed" by the public response.

Yesterday marked the second anniversary of the smoking ban in Scotland, which radically changed the atmosphere inside pubs. Many non-smokers have welcomed the opportunity to drink or eat out without being enveloped in a fug of second-hand cigarette smoke. The ban has given rise to many outdoor drinking spots around the city as well.

Britain's biggest brewer Scottish & Newcastle, which has its international head office in Edinburgh, is to be taken over by foreign rivals Carlsberg and Heineken.

These are the original words to Robert Burns' Address to a Haggis, written in 1786, which people like to read out on Burns night before plunging a knife into the beastie and serving it up with neeps and tatties.

The Scottish government outlined 9 infrastructure projects that could be potential national developments in the second National Planning Framework which is out for consultation today.

The 8th annual Whisky Distillers Fair takes place today at the Scotch Whisky Experience from 11am. Distillers attending the tasting experience include Dewar's, Tullibardine, Bowmore, Tomatin, Glenfarclaus and Bunnahabain.

Gusto • noun • Enjoyment or vigour, hearty or keen, Vigorous enjoyment, as in eating or drinking. ORIGIN: [Latin] gustus ‘a tasting’ – [Italian 1629]. gusto ‘taste’