The Witchery by the Castle

The Witchery occupies a group of late 16th-century houses on Castlehill, the first stretch of the Royal Mile, a few steps from the castle esplanade. It's a restaurant and a nine-suite hotel at once, and its fame comes from what you see as you walk in: carved wood, tapestries, leather and dining rooms lit almost entirely by candles. You come here to dine slowly, to celebrate something or to round off your first day in the city.

Two dining rooms with different moods

The Original Dining Room is the more intimate: walls lined with leather and tapestry and a low oak ceiling painted with coats of arms. The Secret Garden is taller and brighter, with a ceiling painted with tarot cards and glazed doors onto a terrace. It's an enclosed dining room, so it works in winter too. When booking you can ask for one or the other.

What to order and how much it costs

The menu mixes French classics and Scottish produce: tournedos Rossini, venison from the Glenfeshie estate, omelette Arnold Bennett, the Angus beef tartare that's a house signature and, for anyone who wants to try it here, haggis. On the à la carte menu, mains range from about £30 to £75. The most affordable way to get to know it is the lunch menu: two courses for £39.50 or three for £49.50. On weekdays they serve afternoon tea from 14:30 to 15:30.

Rules worth knowing before you go

They only admit over-10s: no babies or younger children, and there's no children's menu. Tables seat six people at most. You can't go just for a drink: each diner orders at least a main course. They ask for smart dress. The building isn't adapted: there are four steps up to the Original Dining Room and eighteen to the Secret Garden. Dogs aren't allowed.