Coffee date: Beatnik
Founded by Edinburgh couple Jemma and Saf, Beatnik sells the best of Scottish produce from their storefront (Tollcross 📌) and website. The presentation of this café and everything they sell is unmatched, and will ensure that even the worst photographer will come away with an aesthetic Instagram story 😉 Serving up Obadiah and Bonanza coffee alongside Minor Figures oat milk - consider your latte upgraded.
Beach date: ShrimpWreck
ShrimpWreck aims to create seafood dishes which are a twist on tradition, whilst keeping costs affordable for the consumer. Founded in 2017 and starting off in Waverly Train station, the team at ShrimpWreck have finally landed their permanent base on the Promenade at Portobello (talk about a job with a view). Thankfully, featuring on the BBC’s and Netflix’s ‘Million Pound Menu’ hasn’t gone to the staff’s heads, and they will be there rain or shine, 7 days a week, to serve you delicious and freshly cooked seafood.
When we visited a few weeks ago we tried their ‘Buffalo Shrimp, Crab Mac & Cheese and Old Bay Fries’... however our absolute favourite had to be their ‘Monkfish Scampi’. If you are yet to try Monkfish Scampi, we are happy to confirm that it is truly life changing, you can thank us later.
Lunch date: Ikigai Ramen
Thanks to our pal Reviewfinderfoodie (Jamie) over on Instagram, we realised it had been a hot second since we visited our pals over at Ikigai Ramen. If you’re looking for good value for money food which warms your cockles, make sure you check them out! When we went last week we tried the Tantanmen Ramn, Crispy Nori, Truffle, Salt and Seaweed fries and, of course, washed it down with one of our delicious Grapefruit Sodas.
If all of this sounds great, but these days you much prefer curling up with your fluffy socks and electric blanket on your days off, fret not! Ikigai are also available to order on Deliveroo. And don't worry, after featuring on BBC Two's 'Britain's Top Takeaways', you will not be sacrificing quality by staying in the comfort of your own home.
Dinner date: Eleanore
Winning Edinburgh restaurant of the year in 2022, Eleanore serves delicious small plates within a clean Scandinavian inspired interior. If you’re looking for an intimate and romantic setting for date night, look no further than Eleanore! Once you set foot inside, you’ll quickly see why they were awarded restaurant of the year…
The staff are incredibly attentive (but not so much so as to ruin the vibe 😉), offering detailed descriptions of each and every dish, along with having the perfect wine pairing for your dinner upon request. We recently tried out their set lunchtime menu which is aiming to make fine dining accessible at £35 a head - if you’re budget conscious, but still want to treat you and your partner, definitely consider this option!
(it is worth noting that the restaurant exclusively offers bar-style-seating)
Drinks date: Hoot the Redeemer
Now, we know we’ve talked about Hoot before, but we’re still just as obsessed. After being greeted at the door by an old-fashioned fortune teller, a hidden door opens to reveal a space designed like a 1950s funfair in New Orleans. If that wasn’t fun enough already, the bar has its very own claw machine. If you win, you receive a ball with a flavour inside (e.g. coconut), before telling the bar staff your likes, dislikes and allergies. The staff will then make you a unique cocktail from scratch in front of your eyes!
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So there you go! We hope that this blog post gave you a little inspiration of what to do this Valentines. If you’re still stumped on what to get your partner, and are in need of a last minute gift, don’t forget to give our ‘small businesses to support this valentines’ blog post a read! And, if your partner is a fan of our products, why not send them a joyfully juicy gift pack from our website with a wee hand written note? Big love from your pals at Bon Accord ❤️