There are some places that will make even the fiercest of Grinches smile and start wishing everyone a merry Christmas. We’ve rounded up five Edinburgh restaurants which all, in their own way, evoke that sometimes elusive Christmas spirit.
One Square
They make it very easy to get into the Christmas spirit at One Square in Festival Square. As well as not one but two two Christmas trees, the restaurant is planning a spectacular gingerbread display.
The gingerbread tableaux are due to be unveiled later this week and we aren’t going to spoil any surprises.
However, if they are anywhere near as nifty as last year’s (pictured above) then One Square’s pastry chefs will have earned some mighty fine bragging rights.
Their festive menu is just as enchanting.
Given the option, we would get the ball rolling with the terrine of cured Loch Etive salad and then we could go for the turkey; the thirteen hour beef daube or the sea bream.
Unusually for this blogger, it’s the veggie option that catches the eye.
Lanark Blue and woodland mushroom pudding with creamed kale and braised shallots? Yes, please.
Two courses are £22.50.
Cranston’s
This Edinburgh scribbler thinks that the capital looks its best at Christmas.
Enjoy fairytale views over Princes Street Gardens to the Castle from Cranston’s in the Old Waverly Hotel on Princes Street.
It is also very handy for the Christmas markets if you fancy a spot of festive shopping.
Their festive dinner menu has plenty of traditional options such as the roast Lothian turkey with bacon-wrapped chipolatas and all the other trimmings.
Or diners could wander off the most well beaten path and have a starter like the king prawn and blue crab meat cocktail followed by the baked Scottish sea bass topped with spinach and parmesan crust.
Dinner at Cranston’s is £28.95 for two courses. The views are priceless.
Shake your tail feathers at Peacock Alley
Peacock Alley at The Caledonian, a Waldorf Astoria Hotel, is pretty stunning at any time of year but the hotel’s lounge really comes into its own when the Christmas decorations go up.
It is hard to imagine now but, when The Caley was a railway hotel, this space used to be the station concourse and ticket office.
It still feels airy and spacious but it also twinkles rather beguilingly at this time of year.
A real Edinburgh institution, they tend not to to do anything by half at The Caledonian.
That is especially true this Christmas as they have decided to go gingerbread max and build a full size gingerbread house as part of their Yuletide decorations.
If you can tear your eyes away from their foray into gingerbread-based construction, their festive afternoon tea at £30 a pop has a very seasonal flavour.
From the turkey, ham and cranberry sandwiches to the chestnut and chocolate cake via the eggnog panna cotta, it tastes just like Christmas.
Available noon to 5pm, Peacock Alley’s festive afternoon tea would be the perfect reward after a hard day spent Christmas shopping.
Sygn? This way…
A five minute walk away from The Caley, hidden down Charlotte Lane, Sygn offers a very different vibe.
A quirky cocktail bar and kitchen, it is the sort of place where they might just set fire to your cocktail or tempt you from the straight and narrow with fries topped with not just haggis but also hot cheese.
It is well located for a recovery winter mojito after shopping in the West End. They also offer a refreshingly different festive menu.
We like the sound of the duck roll with winter slaw and cranberry relish followed by the flat iron steak with shredded, chilli Brussels.
Naturally, we’ll be having the Christmas pudding ice cream sundae.
See the full menu here.
Zucca
For many of us, Christmas isn’t really Christmas without catching a show.
Whether you are going to see White at The Trav or The BFG at the Lyceum, Zucca Italian restaurant is very conveniently located for a pre or post-show bite.
Of course, if you want turkey with kilted chipolatas and chestnut stuffing then the kitchen at Zucca is happy to oblige.
If you would like a little more of la dolce vita then try options like the char grilled Mediterranean vegetables, the prawn fettuccine or the wild mushroom risotto with truffle oil and Parmesan.
Finish with Christmas pudding or go Italian with the vanilla panna cotta served with a mulled berries compote.
You can see the full festive menu here. Two courses are £19.95.
