Little Capo

You'll find yourself on Howe Street in the New Town, walking past Georgian townhouses until you spot Little Capo tucked away with its warm glow spilling onto the pavement. Inside, it's properly intimate—the kind of place where the kitchen isn't hidden away but feels like part of the room, and you can smell what's actually being cooked rather than some vague notion of 'Italian food'. The staff here know what they're doing without being precious about it, and the wine list reads like someone actually cares. It's the sort of restaurant you'd book for a proper date night but wouldn't feel weird bringing mates to either.