You'll be hoping for some extra time

EDINBURGH is famous for many things, among them its diverse selection and sheer number of pubs and bars. With a summer of football fast approaching, we've picked out some of our favourite locals where you can sit back and watch the best of the best compete in South Africa while eating your weight in pub snacks.

One of Edinburgh's newest venues, Hawke and Hunter on Picardy Place, is an opulent boutique bar spread over four floors and with a member's club ambience.

After a grand entrance, the interior is warm and inviting, with friendly and well-informed bar staff, who are just as comfortable pulling a cold pint of lager as they are impressing you with their cocktail knowledge. Hawke and Hunter will also be offering a selection of tasty bar snacks and beer for a fiver for the entire period of the competition and, with three screens in the art deco Green Room, they will also be able to show more than one game at a time.

They have also recently expanded the premises to include a brand new club, One Below, so if you feel like continuing the celebrations of that unexpected victory for Honduras over Switzerland, then it's just a short wander downstairs to dance the night away. If the sun does shine this summer, and you're faced with deciding whether to go out and embrace the weather, then the wonderful Pear Tree just off Nicholson Street saves the day with its huge beer garden and large outdoor TV screen for showing all the games. On a hot day they're also known to fire up the BBQ.

If a giant screen isn't enough for you, Sportsters on Market Street may be what you're looking for, with 30 separate screens dotted around the bar. This sport-themed bar with its excellent drink deals is always busy for the big games, which makes for a brilliant atmosphere, so you'd be advised to head here early if you want to grab a table.

You can always kill time waiting for kick-off by indulging in some retro Playstation 2 action at your table, or do a bit of pre-game research with the constant stream of Sky Sports News on the big screens.

For something a little different, head for Ryrie's Bar at Haymarket, which is running the brilliant "Support the Underdog" promo. Every time the designated underdog scores, everyone in the bar will be entitled to a free whisky, vodka or shooter. Suddenly, North Korea 6, Brazil 0 looks like a cracking score line.