Whighams Wine Cellars have been going strong as a bar bistro in Edinburgh’s West End for over a quarter of a century but the building dates back much further. Originally a wine cellar for a Georgian townhouse, it sits just off Charlotte Square, one of Edinburgh’s most prestigious addresses and now home to some of Scotland’s most powerful financial and political institutions. A mix of old, candle-lit vaults and an airy modern dining area, Whighams is popular for lunchtime business deals, after work drinks and, of course, sit down seafood feasts. As you might expect, the wine list is strong on European classics and Whighams offers forty wines by the glass.
The Whighams seafood platter, a selection of langoustine, oyster, clam, tiger prawn, shrimp, mussel, smoked mackerel and trout, has long been a favourite in the Edinburgh wine bar. Seafood lovers can also indulge in Cullen skink soup, smoked Scottish salmon and oysters, fresh from Loch Creran. If seafood doesn’t float your boat then Whighams has plenty of other options. Try the Ayrshire baked honey and mustard ham salad or the ever popular rare roast beef salad made with silverside from the Buccleuch estate. On cold Edinburgh nights, the beef and ale casserole with broccoli mash will keep the chill out.