Nadine Reilly

When you're looking for ways to entertain the little ones, playdates are a great option - the little ones get to spend time with their friends, giving you a chance to rest while they burn off some excess energy. Edinburgh has plenty of venues ideal for days out with the kids, so here are five of the best spots for your next playdate. Ocean PlayOn the top floor of Leith’s Ocean Terminal (pictured above) you’ll find this excellent soft play and café venue. With huge windows overlooking the Royal Yacht Britannia and great views across the Firth of Forth, it’s a piece of playdate heaven. Little tykes can go wild in the huge soft play area, which is helpfully split into areas for babies, toddlers and bigger kids. Then they can get busy making their own (fake) pizza thanks to La Favorita’s in-house toy pizzeria, complete with plastic pizza and cardboard takeaway boxes. If that’s not enough, they can even hone their shopping skills with an indoor play-market stoked with plastic veg, meats and trolleys to boot, courtesy of Craigie's Farm. There’s also a daily programme of activities for parents to make the most of, as well as seasonal parties that you can dress your little ones up for. The café's range of tasty sandwiches and cakey things will also go down a storm. If they could just speed up the service a bit for food and drinks, it would be a playdate 10/10.Floor E, Ocean Terminal, Ocean Drive, Leith. The Pantry <img class="photo lazy inline" src="http://medi

Amazing restaurants, great bars, boutique shopping and much more; Thistle Street's got it all going on. Here are eight absolute musts when you take a trip down the cobbles… 1. Treat yourself to lunch or dinner at Café St Honoré. <img id="27767ca7-449d-8bc1-e5ce-38f6fced8b81" data-caption="" data-credit="" data-width-class="" type="image/jpeg" total="2082801" loaded="2082801" src="http://media.timeout.com/images/102532086/image.jpg" alt="Cafe Saint Honore" class="photo lazy inline"> This Parisian style bistro is probably the jewel in Thistle Street’s crown. It’s actually just off the street or, as it more aptly promotes, ‘hidden down a cobbled lane’. With its ever-so-French exterior you might start questioning if you’re still in Edinburgh – especially if you’ve had a few. Step inside and this taste of Paris continues with a simple yet chic interior - black and white floor tiles, cabaret style chairs, wall mirrors and wine bottles aplenty. It may look and feel French but the menu is bursting with fine Scottish fare. No surprises there with champion of seasonality and sustainability, chef Neil Forbes at the helm. His menu even changes daily to match the seasons and availability of produce. An incredible, recent lunch-stop served up a mouth-watering trio of dishes: organic rare breed pork rillette with red onion jam, grey mullet with slow roast Isle of Wight tomato, fennel and basil, and rhubarb Eton mess. All were bea

Since having kids, you may have discovered that eating out ain't what it used to be. But you can still do lunch or dinner in style with these great, family-friendly eats in the capital. And not a chain restaurant in sight! The Scran & Scallie1 Comely Bank Road, EH4 1DT <img id="df4a50df-f740-d3bf-7a17-fa232ea00d91" data-caption="" data-credit="Marc Millar Photography" data-width-class="" type="image/jpeg" total="358069" loaded="358069" src="http://media.timeout.com/images/102316015/image.jpg" alt="Scran & Scallie" class="photo lazy inline"> Marc Millar Photography   If you want to get your little ones off to a flying foodie start, there’s no better place to take them than Stockbridge’s The Scran & Scallie. This ‘public house and dining’ offering from Michelin-starred chefs Tom Kitchin (The Kitchin) and Dominic Jack (Castle Terrace) is sure to get their tiny palates on the road to sophistication. Ravenous tots can enjoy something from the special kids' menu of pub classics while mums and dads can treat themselves to gastro delights like roe deer terrine, roasted hake and artichoke barigoule or Highland bavette steak and corned beef hash. ‘Brave wee scallies’ can even have what you’re having, as half portions of the tasty mains are on offer too. Let’s face it, whatever you go for that dash of Michelin flavour is probably going to make it some of the best scran you and the troop have ever had. You can also all relax in its cozy and stylish, home from h