For a totally unique and unforgettable dining experience, head down to the water in Leith and step aboard the Cruz. Originally a cruise ship owned by the Guinness family, Cruz took up residency in Leith during the 1980s, embarking on a new and glitzy life, opening as a piano bar, night club and restaurant in 2007.

Once a popular Italian hot-spot on the south side of Edinburgh, De Niro Ristorante 'jumped ship' and relocated to the floating Cruz, where it now occupies the dining room on the main deck. Stylish, chic and contemporary in design, huge comfy booths, bold colours and port holes give this 90-seater restaurant a funky and friendly atmosphere. The menu offers a Scottish-Mediterranean hybrid, with à la carte and set-menu options. Tagliatelle ai funghi, sea bass alla Siciliana and calamari fritti satisfy the Italian side of the deal, with bistecca al pepe - Scottish sirloin steak - veal limone and swordfish representing De Niro's devotion to its hometown. Prices start from as little as £2.50 for freshly toasted Italian bread with melted garlic butter, with a fried seafood platter consisting of scallops, sea bass and king prawns at £18.90, and scrumptious torta di arance - orange cake with vanilla mascarpone and chocolate crisp - at £5.50.

There's a weekly programme of events aboard the Cruz, with Sunday afternoons dedicated to jazz, midweek salsa classes and weekend DJs in the Engine Room. With its three-level space, Cruz is the ideal setting for corporate and private events. Up to 450 people can be accommodated both during the day and in the evening, and facilities onboard include a separate sound system, big screen overhead projection, bars on every floor and special party buffet options.

Spectacular views on the upper deck make a pre or post-dinner drink an occasion all of its own, and also provides a wonderfully unique setting for a summer party - there is even a bar up there. So, if an exclusive, matchless venue is what you're looking for, whether for an unforgettable party or a relaxing meal out with friends, De Niro Ristorante blows the competition out of the water.