A restaurant within a theatre always seems romantic and in Zucca, at The Royal Lyceum the emphasis is uncompromisingly Italian, so there's even more romance around. The moving spirit behind this enterprise is Richard Glennie, formerly head chef at the Santini Restaurant at Edinburgh's Sheraton Hotel, and Channings Hotel, where his 2 AA rosettes were generally seen as more than well earned, and Giacomo Drago Ferrante, also previously at the Sheraton, where he was Food and Beverage Manager.

Open to theatregoers and more humble mortals alike, the theatrically themed Zucca offers a splendid range of Italian dishes, starting with grilled scallops with pancetta, celeriac puree and gremolata dressing followed by Venetian style sole fillets with local asparagus, raisins and pine nuts. The desserts offer a great selection of interesting choices reflecting seasonality such as marinated strawberries with mascarpone and tarragon cheesecake. The wine list, although strictly Italian offers a good choice of different styles at sensible prices.