Photo of
November 14, 2014
Scotch and Soda circus will get the joint jumping.
Scotch and Soda circus will get the joint jumping.

Edinburgh’s winter festivals get underway from next Friday as the ice rink opens in Princes Street Gardens and attractions such as the Star Flyer and North Pole Slide come to life.

Friday 21st November will also mark the first night of a month-long run for Scotch and Soda, an oddball circus show taking place in the Spiegeltent at St Andrews Square. ‘Physical feats and gypsy beats’ are promised inside a ‘jazz-soaked den of iniquity’.

Christmas spirit

Well, we don’t know about you but jazz-soaked dens of iniquity always leave the 5pm Dining blog feeling peckish.

Happily, a number of Edinburgh bars and restaurants have already got their festive menus in place and are dishing up the Christmas spirit.

We particularly like the Christmas spirits being dished up at 56 North. The West Crosscauseway bar specialises in gin and stocks over 160 different varieties.

You can begin exploring them with one of the bar’s gin master classes. Available from the 5pm Christmas gifts page, £18 will buy you a tutored tasting of eight gins and afternoon tea.

The festive menu at 56 North is another reason to swing by. They offer three courses for £19.95 with a menu which includes turkey with all the trimmings plus Christmas pudding with a Glayva sauce.

Roast pumpkin

While turkey is integral to many Christmas celebrations, we get that it’s not everyone’s favourite.

Veggies might like to look up the festive menus at the Bread Street Brasserie in the DoubleTree by Hilton.

Their chefs are very veggie and vegan friendly. As well as turkey and sea bass main courses, their festive menu includes a dish of wild mushroom and roast pumpkin fricassée with saffron-scented rice.

The Bread Street Brasserie is also well located for the Royal Lyceum – handy if you are planning on catching a performance of The BFG.

Asian style Christmas

There is a lot to be said for having an unconventional Christmas and the festive menu at Bar Soba on Hanover Street is a far cry from turkey and trimmings.

Hong Kong style dumplings, chilli pork ramen and banana spring rolls bring more than a touch of Asian exoticism to their festive offering.

Usefully for anyone planning to attend the Light Night event on Sunday 23rd November, Bar Soba is just a hop, skip and a jump from George Street.

Switch on to Light Night.
Switch on to Light Night.