The restaurants of Penicuik are a real hotspot for anyone keen to explore the region's cuisine. Places like the award-winning Stewarts Bar and Grill on John Street proudly plate the best Tweed Valley prime beef while offering familiar dishes with a playful twist – how about haggis with nachos as a starter? At the same time, the town boasts a number of venerable eighteenth century coaching inns such as The Royal Hotel on the High Street – an atmospheric setting to enjoy a soup of the day or Balmoral chicken wrapped in crispy bacon.

Penicuik's restaurants certainly won’t disappoint those with a penchant for continental flavours. For a taste of the old country, you might want to head to Little Italy on Edinburgh Road. Here you can enjoy pizzas garnished with authentic buffalo mozzarella, homemade Italian sausage, fresh basil and other tasty toppings. Some of the town's trattoria also have live singing and piano recitals – just the thing to add extra frisson to a romantic dinner date. In addition there are numerous options further afield such as Cote on Frederick Street in Edinburgh's New Town, with its menu of onion soup, Breton fish stew, steak frites and other timeless French dishes.