This city isn’t short of memorable spaces, so it’s worth noting those that have the power to stop you in your tracks. The Lighthouse Restaurant (the main public dining space aboard the hotel ship Fingal, a former lighthouse vessel now docked in Leith) is one of them. Beautifully restored, there’s an air of old-world elegance around the place: ‘Go and have a look around,’ urges the receptionist after sharing a potted history of the ship, encouraging guests to poke their noses into gorgeous wedding-ready rooms, spiral staircases and gleaming decks just waiting for a sundowner. 

The opulence continues into The Lighthouse, where brass, leather and marble accents create a clubby feel and picture windows fool you into thinking you might just be dining on the open waves. Gorgeous, in other words. The sense of luxury continues into a menu that ticks its way through the big-hitters of the Scottish larder: Eyemouth crab, Borders lamb, Peterhead lemon sole and hake, and Black Isle beef are all present and correct in a series of beautifully plated dishes that lean into classic techniques. It’s clearly fancy dinner territory: the crab comes in a circlet topped with a tuille and dotted with hazelnut, dill apple, mandarin and avocado, which don’t all pull their weight at the flavour party. Perhaps a simpler approach would give those hero ingredients more time in the sun, but it’s all perfectly solid special occasion dining. The cherry on top though is the delightful staff, who have a welcoming attitude to dietary requirements and are clearly proud to share their unique venue with their guests. 

Fingal Hotel, Alexandra Dock, Edinburgh; average price £55 for a two-course dinner.