Where to go during Twixmas in Edinburgh

Couples who landed cash as Christmas pressies this year might want to splash out on a romantic dinner for two. The Witchery has a festive menu running through the month, that’s well worth your shared gift money. A regal array of dishes awaits this season, such as roast Balmoral Estate partridge with creamed spelt, East Linton rainbow chard and redcurrant and port jus; lasagne of wild winter scottish mushrooms and roast garlic cream, mushroom veloute and parsley oil; Christmas pudding sundae with brown bread and whisky ice cream and rum soaked golden raisins. The special menu comes from Chef Douglas Roberts and is served in the enchanting setting of the Original Dining Room, an ornate 16th-century oak-panelled affair with tapestries and painted ceilings. You won’t find any little children or large groups in here either, so it’s especially conducive to couple time.

Have a wander hand-in-hand with your other half around the pretty glittering lights of Edinburgh’s Christmas Market. But instead of shivering in the cold while your mulled wine loses its heat, take a few steps away from the tourists into a “secret” bar. Hoot the Redeemer is located just off Princes Street in a quirky basement with a hidden entrance (look out for the Tarot reader). Inside it’s a cosy, intimate bar with an outlandish range of drinks; boozy slushies, alcohol-laced ice cream and a fairground Pinch ’N’ Sip grab machine that lets you pick out a flavour for your cocktail, with more than a little dexterity required. It’s a lot of fun, with decor to match the unconventional approach. And should you wish to spice up your love life, just take some cues from the pages of Victorian literature adorning the toilet walls!

Pay it back this Twixmas by dining together at Social Bite, a cafe and charitable enterprise dedicated to ending homelessness. At the same time as paying for your meal, you can choose to also contribute the cost of a coffee, lunch or dinner for someone in need — the restaurant serves two-course meals to homeless individuals each Monday. Pop in for a fancy sandwich at lunchtime, or a full dinner with Italian, Scottish and Asian-inspired dishes on the menu.

Kids eat a veritable banquet for just a tenner at Bertie’s. The high-class chippie, which specialises in sustainable fish, provides two courses for the little ones along with a fruit juice. They have the choice of tasty dishes like a mini haddock supper, sausage and mash with gravy, and a veggie or meaty cheeseburger with beans and chips. Pud takes the form of whippy ice cream doughnuts or a brownie Sunday, pleasing even the fussiest of eaters. The adult menu is huge with everything from black pudding Scotch egg, to Whitby scampi, halloumi tacos and king rib (as well as a variety of fish and chip options, of course). If you’ve never tried a deep-fried Mars bar, now’s your chance! The drinks menu presents an enticing range of cocktails and mocktails, including some that are exclusive to Bertie’s.

A gastropub based on the Wind in the Willows is a magical place for little ones to visit at this time of year. The festive menu finishes on 24th December, but the venue opens throughout Twixmas with its attractive decorations and Narnia-like entrance way welcoming those of all ages. Kids can order ‘Toad’ in the hole, ‘Ratty’s’ mini fish and chips and ‘Badger’s’ wee cheeseburger amongst other items, and admire the paintings of their favourite characters on the walls. It’s in the New Town, so close to many of the festive family attractions and shops. Offering mains, light bites and small plates, adults with every kind of appetite can dine here. The venue also welcomes four-legged family members, so no one’s left behind.

This sweet treat emporium loves to riff on the season when baking its goodies, making it an ideal place to catch up with your BFF between Christmas and New Year. You can expect lots of festive specials during this season. Look out for extravagant Yule logs. Your visit doesn’t need to be expensive if you’re feeling the pinch post-Christmas. Just a cuppa and cupcake will suffice. And if you forgot to get your bestie a gift this year, why not get them a voucher for afternoon tea as a belated present (you can go with them in this hinterland period, so you each win from the situation).

Planning a shopping expedition for the Boxing Day sales? Then be sure to book a table for food, as the malls are likely to be rammed. Salerno in the St James Centre makes an elevated pizza, with dough that’s proven for at least 24 hours and cooked at 500 degrees, so it’s more easily digestible and perfectly crisp. The pizza oven here was made in San Marino for added authenticity. And the ingredients used to create the 12-inch delights include provola (smoked cheese), cotto (Italian cooked ham), spianata spicy salami, tomato sugo, friarielli (Italian broccoli) and truffle cream. You can also order dips, desserts and drinks, like frozen cocktails, to make the most of the last few days before dry January kicks in.

Did you know that singing releases dopamine, which in turn lowers the heart rate, breathing rate and your blood pressure? So why not let off some festive steam with your pals in a karaoke booth and give your health a boost at the same time. It’ll just be you and your chosen crowd (so no fears about making a fool of yourself in front of a wider audience), great tunes, a couple of mics and plenty of drinks. There are four rooms to choose from, each themed on the1990s, Las Vegas, New York and Hollywood. Each has leather banquette seating, tables, coloured strip lighting and a screen with your lyrics to follow. Unleash your inner Taylor Swift and make as much noise as you like for a few hours.

The festive lunch and dinner menu is available throughout December at this restaurant. Ask for a window table and you’ll be able to look out onto the festive markets below and take in the glow of the carousels, fairground rides, stalls and attractions in full swing. Lunch is priced at £30 per person for two courses and £40 per person for three, with the three course dinner coming in at £45 per person. With dishes like seared scallops, turkey balmoral with all the trimmings, and black forest Alaska on the menu, it’s a great place to do a belated Christmas lunch with all the family present (and at a fraction of the price you’d pay on the 25th), as you eat, drink and be merry together.

As one of the most photographed thoroughfares in Edinburgh, Victoria Street is a wonderful spot to bring family members from outside the city, not least at Christmas, when the boutiques and restaurants have their period windows suitably decorated. Among this vintage charm lies a French-North African-Scottish restaurant offering a fusion of dishes to excite the palate. Inside Maison Bleue, its stone walls and wooden staircase continue the historic feel of the area and create an inviting ambience for your relatives to gather and dine. Each window is bedecked with baubles and greenery, while tables are illuminated by candles and feature little arrangements of dried winter flowers with a touch of sparkle.