If you are planning to take in a show at the Edinburgh Playhouse, there is no better way to begin your evening than a delicious meal at a nearby restaurant.
Luckily, there are a whole host of restaurants near the Playhouse that offer excellent pre-theatre menus. Here are five of our favourite restaurants which are just a stone's throw from the venue itself.
This restaurant is a perfect start to a theatrical evening, due to its dramatic setting and elegant furnishings.
However, the meat is the star of the show at Steak – the chefs only use premium cuts of beef, which are carefully matured using traditional methods. Sometimes, certain cuts are matured for up to 35 days, to ensure the finest possible flavour.
Steak's main supplier is the butcher Donald Russell, who was given a royal warrant in 1984, and has held onto it ever since. The 800g Chateaubriand, and the 900g Porterhouse are particularly scrumptious, and there are some seafood options for those who inexplicably don't want a steak.
A three-course dinner costs from £23.50.
This is a cosmopolitan restaurant with a whole lot of heart, offering an exclusively Italian menu and a celebratory atmosphere. The décor is chic, and the hospitality is warm.
If you would prefer a more private setting, you can hire the conservatory for an intimate evening of food and conversation.
The pre-theatre menu has a diverse selection of classic Italian dishes, including old favourites like lasagne and minestrone, as well as other options.
The pollo funghi crema is well worth a taste: pan-roasted chicken breast with fresh mushrooms, white wine and cream.
The three-course pre-theatre menu costs £19.50.
Pomegranate's cuisine takes inspiration from a variety of Middle Eastern influences. There are dishes with origins in Lebanon, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Iran, to name just a few.
The Middle Eastern décor reflects the food's Eastern origins, and there is even a flavoured shisha pipe on the restaurant's private decking.
Why not try the soujuk, made with spicy Lebanese sausages, tomato and green pepper? Or perhaps the ful medames, consisting of fava beans, chickpeas, tomato, olive oil, and lemon juice?
There is also the eternally popular falafel shawarma wrap, as well as a plethora of excellent mezze dishes.
The pre-theatre menu, which includes three mezze and bread, costs £14.95.
Ada offers an innovative fusion of Turkish and Mediterranean cuisine, with all dishes freshly prepared and beautifully presented. The meat dishes are expertly marinated and char-grilled in the restaurant's open kitchen, following recipes that have been used for generations.
Make sure to try the sigara boregi – four crisp parcels of spiced lamb (£4.75). Also, the Ada delight – sea bass, with prawns and a saffron cream sauce (£14.50).
For dessert, the kunefe is an ideal choice. It is a Turkish baked dessert with shredded wheat, sweet cheese, and chopped pistachios (£4.50).
This Canadian diner expanded into Edinburgh in 2020 after huge success in South Queensferry where it started as a small cafe.
14 Picardy Place, Edinburgh, UK
Giuliano’s, 18-19 Union Place, Edinburgh, UK
1 Antigua St, Edinburgh EH1 3NH, UK
Ada Restaurant, Antigua Street, Edinburgh, UK
Down The Hatch Edinburgh, Antigua Street, Edinburgh, UK
