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Edinburgh is a brilliant city to dress up for dinner in. Leith has The Kitchin in an old whisky warehouse and Heron by the Water of Leith, and The Little Chartroom sits at the top of Leith Walk. In the centre, Timberyard fills an old warehouse near the Grassmarket, Lyla serves seafood in a Georgian townhouse on Royal Terrace, and Avery and Cardinal are small, low-lit rooms in Stockbridge and Canonmills. Condita, on the Southside, has no menu at all. For pure romance, there’s the candlelit Witchery below the castle, or Rhubarb at Prestonfield House, under Arthur’s Seat.
Our picks
The Kitchin
Commercial Quay, Leith
Address: The Kitchin, 78 Commercial Quay, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6LX- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Foodie
- Romantic
Book dinner at Tom Kitchin's Michelin-starred restaurant in a converted whisky warehouse on Leith's waterfront.
Why it's a good date: Seasonal Scottish cooking in a calm, polished room, the kind of place you save for an anniversary. Book well ahead, and walk along the Shore afterwards.
Heron
Henderson Street, Leith
Address: Heron, 87-91a Henderson Street, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6ED- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Foodie
- Romantic
Book a Michelin-starred dinner of modern Scottish cooking at a relaxed neighbourhood restaurant in Leith.
Why it's a good date: Serious cooking without any fuss, in a bright room by the Water of Leith. It feels like a proper treat but stays easy-going. Book ahead.
Lyla
Royal Terrace, New Town
Address: Lyla, 3 Royal Terrace, Edinburgh EH7 5AB- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Foodie
- Romantic
Book Stuart Ralston's Michelin-starred, seafood-led tasting menu in a Georgian townhouse on Royal Terrace.
Why it's a good date: A small, elegant dining room for a long evening of Scottish seafood, one of the city's big special-occasion bookings. Book well ahead.
Condita
Salisbury Place, Newington
Address: Condita, 15 Salisbury Place, Edinburgh EH9 1SL- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Foodie
- Romantic
Book a surprise tasting menu at a tiny Michelin-starred restaurant on the Southside.
Why it's a good date: There's no menu to read, so you just settle in and let the kitchen take over. Only a handful of tables, which makes it feel intimate. Book ahead.
Timberyard
Lady Lawson Street, Old Town
Address: Timberyard, 10 Lady Lawson Street, Edinburgh EH3 9DS- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Foodie
- Romantic
Book the tasting menu at Timberyard, a Michelin-starred restaurant in an old warehouse near the Grassmarket.
Why it's a good date: A big, rustic room with a wood-burning stove and cooking built around Scottish growers and foragers. It's special without being stiff. Book ahead.
Avery
St Stephen Street, Stockbridge
Address: Avery, 54 St Stephen Street, Edinburgh EH3 5AL- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Foodie
- Romantic
Book a long tasting menu at Rodney Wages's Michelin-starred basement restaurant in Stockbridge.
Why it's a good date: A small, low-lit room where Scottish produce meets Japanese technique, course after course. Make an evening of it with a wander round Stockbridge first. Book well ahead.
The Witchery by the Castle
Castlehill, Old Town
Address: The Witchery by the Castle, 352 Castlehill, Edinburgh EH1 2NF- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Romantic
- Big night
Dress up for dinner in a candlelit, oak-panelled dining room just below Edinburgh Castle.
Why it's a good date: Red leather, tapestries and candles make it one of the most romantic rooms in the city, made for anniversaries. Ask for the Secret Garden room when you book.
The Little Chartroom
Albert Place, Leith Walk
Address: The Little Chartroom, 30 Albert Place, Edinburgh EH7 5HN- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Foodie
- Romantic
Book Roberta Hall-McCarron's modern Scottish cooking at a small, warm restaurant at the top of Leith Walk.
Why it's a good date: An intimate room with an open kitchen, where it feels like a treat without any fuss. Sit at the counter if you like watching the chefs. Book ahead.
Rhubarb at Prestonfield House
Priestfield Road, Prestonfield
Address: Prestonfield House, Priestfield Road, Edinburgh EH16 5UT- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Romantic
- Big night
Have a grand dinner in the opulent dining rooms of Prestonfield House, a country house hotel below Arthur's Seat.
Why it's a good date: Chandeliers, silk walls and old portraits make it feel like a proper occasion, and it's only a short taxi from the centre. Go early and have a drink by the fire first.
Cardinal
Eyre Place, Canonmills
Address: Cardinal, 14 Eyre Place, Edinburgh EH3 5EP- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Foodie
- Romantic
Book Tomás Gormley's tasting menu at a small, candlelit restaurant on Eyre Place.
Why it's a good date: Dark walls, candlelight and only a couple of dozen seats make it feel intimate, and the cooking is ambitious without being stuffy. Book ahead.
Quick answers
What's the most romantic restaurant in Edinburgh?
The Witchery by the Castle, just below the castle on Castlehill, is candlelit and oak-panelled, with red leather and tapestries. Ask for the Secret Garden room when you book.
Where are the special occasion restaurants in Leith?
The Kitchin is in a converted whisky warehouse on Commercial Quay, and Heron is on Henderson Street by the Water of Leith. The Little Chartroom is at the top of Leith Walk.
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