Where to spend Galentine’s/Palentine’s Day in Edinburgh

There could be no more appropriately named restaurant than this for Palentine’s Day. If your Spanish is a little sketchy, let us enlighten you; Los Amigos means “the friends” and in this case, is a Latin-inspired steakhouse in Dalry, specialising in premium fillets and T-bones. But it’s not all red meat, there’s grilled seafood and lots of plant-based options too. The restaurant is found in Haymarket but provides a taste of Argentina with a southern hemisphere holiday vibe.

Cam and Jade Laidlaw began their recipe website back in the pandemic. Proving popular online, they took their dishes into the non-digital realm with a number of pop-ups. And after being crowned grand champions at the British Street Food Awards (among other competitions), the local husband and wife team set about opening their first restaurant, Junk, in November 2022 in Newington. Do order Monsieur Crabs; it’s the dish that sealed the deal in the Scottish, British and European Street Food awards. A long bank of tables for two can be reserved to create a trestle table for groups, or book dinner a deux with your BFF (they’ll love you for it). We’re digging the exposed brick and stone walls, as well as the creative libations like the Oh Ramos (a take on Thailand’s Ramos gin fizz, containing gin, lemon and orange).

If your tribe hangs in Corstorphine and loves a little vino, the Little Rascal Wine Bar is a neighbourhood bar to check out. Here you can sample the finest lo-fi, biodynamic and organic wines that are all free from nasty chemicals and additives (so you’ll have a clearer head the next day); order a few bottles and share them between you, as you also share tales of your recent escapades. Groups of up to six can book online, or get in touch with the venue if there’s a larger crowd of you. And when it’s time to go home, you can purchase some bottles to take out and finish off after hours.

This venue on George Street is offering special menus from 7th to 15th February to mark Galentine’s Day. A Sparkling Brunch will be available for £30 per person, with Tapas Tuesday (four tapas plates and a bottle of house wine) for £22. The central location makes All Bar One handy for pre- or post-work gatherings, or as an add-on for a day of well-earned New Town retail therapy together. And the Georgian townhouse building is an impressive yet relaxed backdrop for your treat time.

It doesn’t have to be all about food and drink. Why not book a slot at one of Sing City’s karaoke rooms, located below the City Cafe in the Old Town. Here you can sing your heart out to ballads and pop hits with your nearest and dearest. Whether you’re killing it on the mic or killing the tune it’ll be a whole load of fun, with plenty of laughs and the opportunity for a micro-boogie to the beats, with drinks (like frozen margaritas and pornstar martinis) on tap. There are four rooms to choose from; 90s, Hollywood, New York and Las Vegas, each with themed furnishings and decor to match your mood.

Love to unleash your competitive streak with your friends? Head down to the Omni Centre where you can play a range of games. Try your hand at axe-throwing, shuffleboard, augmented reality darts, ping pong, beer pong, American Pool and Crazier Nolf (golf, but not as you know it — a signature game played without clubs, that’s unique to the Boom Battle Bar brand). Afterwards, or between games, you can grab some Boom Bites and drinks to keep your energy up, so you can thrash your pals at the next battle.

With a focus on fun and community, this is an obvious choice for a gathering with your pals, especially if you want to hang out in an environment that’s committed to diversity. Paradise Palms is an LGBTQ-friendly venue, with a fantastic lineup of events, including live music, cabaret and themed bingo.

You’re sure to find something you and your mates will enjoy during the second week of February, most likely with lashings of glitter and sequins in the mix. Book a table for vegan comfort food with an Asian twist courtesy of Lucky Pig (like corn ribs topped with homemade house Buckfast BBQ sauce and cashew parmesan, or buffalo cauliflower and Padron peppers). Or purely for some quirky and tropical cocktails.

Are you and your pals Bake Off fans? If you love cake then this is the place to be. The family-run Mimi’s Bakehouse is unashamedly feminine in its flirty, French-style decor, that’s made for a gathering of the gals. It won’t break the bank as you can just pop in for a cuppa and a towering slice of decadent home baked cake.

Or go all out with an award-winning sparkling afternoon tea. The first venue was founded by Michelle Phillips back in 2010. Fast forward to May 2023 and Mimi’s was crowned Scottish Baker of Year 2023/2024 at the Scottish Bakers Awards — just another reason to get yourself along to one of its venues and sink your teeth into the sweets treats on offer.

Throughout the land this chain bar will be catering to gals and pals with a special boozy bubbles and dreamy sharers package for £25 per person. You’ll have a choice of the iconic sharer, vegan or chicken feast and your prosecco will be topped up as often as you need for a whole hour and a half (up to a maximum of six glasses each).

There are two Slug and Lettuce venues in Edinburgh; one on George Street and the other at the Omni Centre. So you can go apres work and continue your night at one of the other places on our list, after your 90-minute slot here is up. Book your table on the 13th of February (the offer is also available on the 14th, but we suspect that may be more of a time for the couples).

Large and laid-back, this themed cocktail bar is a great shout if you want a night on the tiles in the capital. Perched above Waverley Station and close to the city centre’s offices, it’s a handy meeting point for those working in the city, commuting, or coming from out of town.

It’s a snug and cosy spot for the winter months, with plenty of gin and whisky beverages to warm your cockles, not to mention some February-friendly comfort food, like oozy melted camembert with crusty bread for dipping, cheese-smashed burgers in fluffy brioche buns and chic charcuterie boards. Toast your mates with a drink from the God cocktail menu; Poseidon’s Paradise, Hades’ Inferno and Chronos’ Elixir are just some of the options available. 

Last year the Voodoo Rooms saw in the first stroke of Galentine’s/Palentine’s with an alternative and inclusive Midnight Lunar Market. The first of its kind in Scotland, the wholesome event was created to celebrate self-love, platonic love and sex positivity. We’re excited to see what Voodoo Rooms has up its sleeve for this year. Still, one thing’s for sure, there’s guaranteed to be a selection of seductive cocktails, excellent food and the venue’s trademark art deco era ambience.

You can also catch live music gigs either side of the day itself. Or book one of the private rooms for your own exclusive bash with your mates (the French Quarter lends itself perfectly with a light-up dance floor, chaise lounge and manned bar all of your own).