It is a question we had pondered for years: just how do you navigate the world's biggest arts festival? The mass of artists, performers, day-trippers and visitors – never mind residents – can feel overwhelming, and knowing where to go to eat, drink and explore can be just as difficult. So we decided to ask the most loyal of visitors – the comedians who return to Edinburgh each year – to help us through the maze with hints on how to live the Fringe like a performer. Here are a few of their top tips.

Best for breakfast – and hangover cure

Snax Café Overlooking the Meadows, Snax Café is known locally as a proper greasy spoon and a decent place to head to shake off a heavy Fringe night. As double act Horse & Louis say, "The clientele are real people, working people, people who are genuinely looking for chicken curry with a side of haggis at 6.30am and who expect, nay demand, that every meal comes with chips. The bacon is so thick you could use it as a door stop, and the eggs, if hard boiled, would do some damage down a 10-pin lane."
Address 118 Buccleuch Street (0131 662 9009; snaxcafe.com)

Best for lunch/brunch

Cheesee Peasee For those looking to chase down a true Edinburgh delight, Cheesee Peasee is a mobile food van which serves up gourmet French cheeses in and around Edinburgh. Hailing from Lyon, Cédric will slice you a portion of savoury delight – the perfect accompaniment to a late-afternoon picnic in the park. Eric Lampaert says: "Everyone from miles around comes to seek cheese guidance from this Gouda guru and if you impress him with his native tongue, he'll (probably) slice you an extra 50g of Camembert. Merci beaucoup!"
Address (01875 340912; cheesee-peasee.com). Friday: North Berwick; Saturday: Meadow Place, and Sunday: Stockbridge Market, both Edinburgh

Best place to escape the crowds

North Berwick Those looking to escape the hectic pace of the Fringe could follow in the footsteps of Mark Thomas and cycle to North Berwick. "If you want a temporary escape from the sometimes insular world of the Edinburgh Festival," says Thomas, "nothing quite does the job like fish and chips by the seaside in North Berwick after a cycle. One of my favourite days during any festival was visiting the Highland Games in North Berwick. What's not to like? Fairground rides, pipe bands, big things being thrown, the sun out, fish and chips, all good in their own right but together…"

Best for a pre-show pint

Under The Stairs Nestled in an alcove under the main street between Bistro Square and the Grassmarket, Under The Stairs is a hideaway that serves up top-notch food and drink within easy distance of most of the main venues. Regular patron Keith Farnan says: "I snuck in the back door of what I thought was the kitchen and was greeted by soft armchairs, an array of fine foods and a sense of peace that is rarely found in an Edinburgh pub, but that slowly fades away into a pleasantly raucous evening."
Address 3a Merchant Street (0131 466 8550; underthestairs.org)

Best for a post-show pint/bite

Port O'Leith Edinburgh is not short of fantastic pubs and lively clubs which carry on late into the night, but if you take Jim Jefferies's advice, then the Port O'Leith is a good choice for a post-show pint. "I used to disappear here when I didn't fancy having a mad night," says Jefferies, "and this pub has it all: great atmosphere, great people, the walls and ceiling have so much naval history and bits and bobs from all over the world hanging off it or stuck to it, and the drinks are reasonably priced – not the £4 that most venues charge nowadays for a pint. So yes, check this place out!"
Address 58 Constitution Street (0131 554 3568)

Best place to lay your head

The Witchery After a long day at the festival, one of the top places to lay your head (if you can afford it) would have to be The Witchery on the Royal Mile. Set just down from the Castle, the hotel is in the thick of the Fringe action, yet it occupies a corner which at night is a little oasis of quiet. The hotel also comes with a fantastic restaurant recommended by Zoe Lyons, who says: "It is my Edinburgh guilty pleasure. Practically underneath the castle, it is so beautiful at night with candles on the steps as you descend into the Secret Garden dining room. It also looks a bit like it has been built as the set of a Dracula movie, with candelabras, drapes and goblet glasses."
Address Castlehill, Royal Mile (0131 225 5613; thewitchery.com)

Secret Edinburgh: A Comedians' Guide to the City, published by Such Small Portions, is available now from outlets across Edinburgh and from amazon.co.uk at £7.99