Where to Celebrate Galentine’s Day in Edinburgh

Afternoon tea… Bubbles… Gin in a teapot… On a vintage style bus?! Yes, please. The good folks at the Red Bus Bistro are ready to host you and your mates this February 13th. And you’ll have continually changing scenery as your backdrop, which certainly makes a change from the more standard forms of static dining. Trips depart at 12 noon and 3pm, from Waterloo Place and last for around an hour and a half. Prices start from £37 per person, including scones, finger sandwiches, mini rolls or wraps, mini quiches, petit fours, cakes and unlimited tea or coffee. Beautifully presented on tiered slate stands and tables decorated with flowers, it’s a unique and very feminine setting.

Sunday is brunch day. So what better way to spend your Galentine’s Day than with two hours of bottomless prosecco, accompanied by tasty scran. Tiger Lily is opulently decorated, yet retains accessible price points. Here £35 will get you a Ketel One cocktail, unlimited fizz, a continental sharing plate and your choice of main (veg or meaty fancy fry-ups, Benedicts, smoked salmon, smashed avo on sourdough, spicy buttermilk chicken waffles and caesar salad) with optional added sides and desserts. The trendy venue has a glamorous, contemporary Hollywood vibe, so it’s a superb choice if you want to get dressed up.

The city’s only independent, family-run cinema is a great place to put your feet up and catch a girlie movie. You might like to opt for a rom-com or chick flick to celebrate Galentine’s. But the Dominion’s eclectic programme also includes cultural pieces, like screenings of live opera and ballet performances. The big squidgy sofas and leather footrests (and for VIP ticket holders, table service) mean you can kick back and relax with your mates. There’s a retro-style sweetie counter serving tasty treats, drinks and popcorn. And, as it’s licensed, you can share some vino too. The Dominion’s Morningside location makes it handy for southsiders, while those driving will find free on-street parking this 13th February, as it falls on a Sunday.

Who said that fancy meals were reserved for romantic dates? If you have a special lady in your life who’s been a total rock (be it your mum, sister, pal or colleague), why not treat them to a Michelin starred feast? Chef Tom Kitchin’s Shore-based restaurant is the epitome of understated contemporary elegance and is not only one of the best restaurants in Edinburgh but the whole of the UK. Waiters dress in muted colours, kilts and boots, and serve the best local produce, prepared using French cooking techniques overlaid with a dash of Scottish tradition. The surprise tasting menus are made up of amuse bouche, pre-starter, starter, middle course, main course, cheese course (£15 supplement), pre-dessert and dessert, finishing with coffee or tea and homemade chocolate and coffee financier. Or there are a la carte and set lunch menus.

If flowery and fancy isn’t your bag, you can jump into some superhero action instead. Immersive cocktail creation brand The Cocktail Geeks (formerly known as The Pop Up Geeks) have developed a unique and exciting concept. Best of all, a visit to their bar underneath The Arches never gets old, as the theme changes every few months. So you can return time and again, for a completely fresh experience. ‘Heroes and Villains’ will be brand new for February and will include elixirs from all across the multiverse. Gather your personal band of heroines and book a night of alternative quaffing this Galentine’s Day, with The Cocktail Geeks’ quirky selection of cleverly themed imbibements.