Edinburgh's 'Unapologetic and Indulgent' New Opening - Lennox

Chef and restaurateur Nico Simeone, best known for Six by Nico, has brought his latest restaurant, Lennox, to Edinburgh's West End. Located on Queensferry Street, it's the third Lennox to open, following Glasgow and Manchester.

With its open kitchen, warm lighting and intimate feel, it made the perfect spot for an anniversary dinner when we visited last week. Guided by our brilliant waiter, we worked our way through a menu full of seasonal ingredients and creative flavour combinations.

We started with the Rosato Spritz, a fresh take on the classic Aperol Spritz with peach and pink grapefruit. Light, refreshing and not too sweet, it was the perfect way to kick off the meal.

For small plates, we ordered the house-baked milk bread, burrata and buffalo squid. The bread was warm, buttery and packed with garlic, ideal for mopping up the slightly spicy jalapeño gazpacho that came with the burrata. The squid, served with nori ranch, completely stole the show. Crispy, spicy and full of umami, it was genuinely one of the best things I've eaten this year and something I'd order again in a heartbeat.

For my main, I chose the linguine with clams, chilli and garlic. The clams were beautifully fresh, the pasta perfectly al dente and the sauce let the simple ingredients do the talking. It didn't quite transport me back to Italy, but it's definitely one of the best bowls of vongole I've had in Edinburgh. On the side, the pea salad with ewe's curd and mint added a welcome freshness, while a forkful (or two) of my partner's truffle and parmesan hash browns confirmed they're worth ordering for the table.

We finished with the smoked banana and custard tart, topped with rum-soaked raisins and served with a lightly spiced ice cream. It was a great ending to the meal and a welcome change from the sticky toffee puddings that seem to appear on almost every dessert menu in the city.

Lennox gets the balance right. The food feels thoughtful without trying too hard, the service is genuinely warm, and the atmosphere is relaxed enough for a casual girls lunch but special enough for a celebratory date night. It's an exciting addition to Edinburgh's food scene, and somewhere I'll definitely be returning to.