Edinburgh
The decor at the Royal Dick alludes to its past as the home of Edinburgh University's veterinary school: there are shelves of laboratory glassware and…
Must-see nightlife in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Situated beside the King’s Theatre, Bennet’s (established in 1839) has managed to hang on to almost all of its beautiful Victorian fittings, from the…
Leith
Cute, quaint, and decked out in flowered wallpaper, old furniture and rose-patterned china (cocktails are served in teapots), the Roseleaf could hardly be…
Leith
Drawing on Leith’s trading heritage with retro maritime design and themed cocktails, Nauticus is a traditional community boozer gone hipster. The…
Edinburgh
This cosy, dimly lit basement bar is unpretentious and just a little bit grungy. The cocktails are outstanding, with an extensive list including the…
Edinburgh
You'll need to take a seat to peruse the 25-page drinks menu at this 'concept pub', themed around the exploits of a fictitious Victorian adventurer called…
Edinburgh
Nicknamed for the cemetery across the street – gravediggers used to nip in and slake their thirst here – the Diggers dates from 1897. It’s still staunchly…
Leith
The delightful Old Chain Pier enjoys a brilliant location overlooking the sea – the building was once the 19th-century booking office for steamers…
Edinburgh
One of the newer additions to Edinburgh’s burgeoning coffee scene, Cult Espresso is an intimate, industrial-chic cafe serving single-origin coffees to the…
Leith
Duke St was always one of the rougher corners of Leith, but the emergence of pubs like the Lioness is a sure sign of gentrification. Distressed timber and…
Leith
In an area stuffed with choice pubs, Nobles might be the most loved by locals. This beautifully restored Victorian cafe-bar in the heart of Leith has…
Edinburgh
A lovably eccentric pub, the Canny Man’s consists of a crowded warren of tiny rooms crammed with a bizarre collection of antiques and curiosities (a…
Leith
This good old-fashioned local boozer has been sympathetically restored – it appeared in the 2013 film Sunshine on Leith. Its nautical history is evident…
Edinburgh
Promoting itself as the Southside’s only ‘alternative’ pub, the Auld Hoose certainly lives up to its reputation, with unpretentious decor, gig posters on…
Edinburgh
Housed in a converted manse (minister’s house) that once belonged to the next-door church, and furnished with well-worn, mismatched wooden tables and…
Edinburgh
This bar is fairly small – half a dozen bar stools, a couple of sofas and a scattering of seats – but its ambition is huge, with a vast menu of bottled…
Leith
Sofi's brings a little bit of Swedish sophistication to this former Leith pub, feeling more like a bohemian cafe with its mismatched furniture, candlelit…
Edinburgh
With its mosaic floors, polished gantry, cosy fireplace and efficient bar staff, the Blue Blazer is a down-to-earth antidote to the designer excess of…
Edinburgh
Set around an airy, stone-floored and glass-roofed courtyard, Indigo Yard is a fashionable West End watering hole that has been patronised by the likes of…
Edinburgh
The Sample Room is a big, lively, convivial pub serving a wide range of wines and excellent real ales, and some of the best pub grub in the city (brunch…
Leith
With a low wooden ceiling, stone walls and a fine old fireplace, the Carriers has all the historic atmosphere that its 18th-century origins would imply…
Edinburgh
The plush banquettes and sleek, polished tables in this sharply styled bar are just the place to pose with a passionfruit bellini or a glass of Pol Roger…
Edinburgh
This cosy bar has more of a lounge atmosphere (sofas at the back) than a traditional Edinburgh pub, but the counter reveals that it is dedicated to real…
Edinburgh
Always busy with students and regulars, the Southsider is a big, old-fashioned, slightly rough-around-the-edges pub that pulls in people from further…
Edinburgh
Tucked in a basement, the Bailie is a Stockbridge stalwart – a dimly lit, warm and welcoming nook with a large circular island bar, a roaring fire in…
Edinburgh
This spectacular bar, with its huge, chunky beer-hall tables, leather-sofa booths and polished black-and-white tile floor, makes a grand setting for the…
Leith
A cosy warren of timber-lined nooks and crannies housed in a single-storey red-brick building (once a waiting room for ferries across the Firth of Forth),…
Edinburgh
A dark, downstairs den of traditional beersmanship, with bare wooden floorboards and dark wood tables and chairs, the long-established Antiquary has…
Edinburgh
Housed in a former wine merchant's office, tiny Kay's is a cosy haven with a coal fire and a fine range of real ales. Good food is served in the back room…
Leith
If you’re serious about spirits, the Scotch Malt Whisky Society has branches all around the world. Membership of the society costs from £65 a year and…
Edinburgh
Set in an 18th-century house with a cobbled courtyard, the Pear Tree is a student favourite with an open fire in winter, bright modern decor inside, and…
Leith
The Starbank is an oasis of fine ales and good, homemade food on Edinburgh's windswept waterfront. In summer there's a sunny conservatory and in winter a…
