Edinburgh’s varied pub choices do not disappoint, whether you’re looking for drams of the best single malts or craft beer made locally. The Edinburgh pubs and bar scenes continue to grow, with new venues opening regularly and old favourites staying strong. Some platforms can suit a stylish, sophisticated night out, as well as others that are ideal for a chilled pint with some friends.
So, are you looking for a cosy pub, a lively contemporary taproom, or somewhere in between? Our list of the most excellent pubs in Edinburgh should suffice.
The Top Best Edinburgh Pubs
1. The Cloisters Bar
Cloisters Bar is a low-key establishment despite its ornate façade, the old All Saints Parsonage. A slew of embarrassingly trendy craft-beer establishments is just down the road, where ordering a flight requires a brewing degree.
Guests’ inquisitiveness at Cloisters, on the other hand, is greeted with modest competence on the star-studded house line-up of barrels and kegs from Scotland brewers like Alchemy, Black Isle, and Pilot. It’s a nice place to stop after an unplanned round of golf on The Meadows.
2. The Sheep Heid Inn
According to its website, this little bar near Duddingston Loch was “a strong favourite with former rulers and poets.” It’s now a solid favourite with Arthur’s Seat hikers needing refueling, students interested in Scotland’s oldest skittle alley, and Sunday roast-hunters.
Most customers will be satisfied since it is a bustling, stylish pub that has been rebuilt from the old 16th-century public house and now has comfortable open fireplaces, squashy couches, and a beer garden. The impression of being in a rural inn. While being in the city and the spectacular views of Holyrood Park and Samson’s Ribs are major selling features.
3. St Vincent Bar
The St Vincent’s wood-paneled bar is delightfully modest, located in the basement of a Georgian townhouse in authentic New Town flair. It’s affectionately known as ‘The Vinnie,’ located at the end of the famed Circus Lane.
It’s often packed with residents from the nearby apartments, frequently nursing cask beers while discussing neighbourhood happenings. The bartenders and residents greet tourists with welcoming grins, making it simple to socialise if you want to stop in for a lone pint.
4. The Lioness of Leith
Leith is best known as the location for the successful novel and film Trainspotting, but it has recently emerged as the epicentre of Edinburgh’s creative sector.
The Lioness of Leith, a corner pub with a pared-back interior, in which authentic capabilities are married with cult icons along with pinball machines, arcade games, and Andy Warhol-stimulated prints. With a few strange soft fixtures to boot – hint: look up! – is the altar for said scene and Leith’s creative enclave.
5. Bennett’s Bar
From one ancient free house to another: Bennets Bar, which opened its doors in 1839 to a male customer exclusively, is located on a critical industrial corner of the city in the nineteenth century.
While Tollcross has since become a bohemian hotspot, Bennets had retained much of its old-world beauty, including stained-glass windows built to mask the evil that took place inside during periods 1800s, while alcohol was considered a devil’s drink.
6. Joseph Pearce’s
Joseph Pearce’s is a breath of Scandinavia in Edinburg. And it’s comfortable, pleasant, sophisticated, and personal. White walls and cream-colored wrought iron frame the room, divided into two floors and surrounded by cosy booths with bright throw cushions.
The pub gives draught beer, however, it additionally has a completely unique collection of Swedish ciders and aquavit drinks, each of that you have to prioritize here.
7. The Last Word Cocktail Saloon
The Last Word Cocktail Saloon, illuminated by an open fire and lined with sheepskin carpets, is often referred to as the ultimate dating place, with a chilled-out ambiance great for long hours of conversing.
Order from the wildly imaginative cocktail bar menu in a significantly more casual environment than the glitter of downtown Edinburgh’s cocktail bars – yet this underground saloon is the ultimate word. Bites and cheese platters from nearby I.J. Mellis may be paired with your elegantly prepared drinks. If the latter isn’t your thing, there are a variety of wines and rotating craft brews to sample.
8. The Last Drop
The Last Drop, positioned off Edinburgh’s Grassmarket, has a dark historical past that provides to its allure: the call refers back to the plaza outside, formerly Edinburgh’s hanging grounds. But do not expect a dreary surroundings at the inside.
The establishment maintains its historical flavour, with lots of conversation and superb beers to sample (plus an excellent selection of British and craft gins).
9. The Blue Blazer
The Blue Blazer, a true local, is well-known among Edinburgh residents for its no-nonsense demeanor and extensive selection of whiskies, rums, and genuine ales. It’s minor, but that improves your chances of meeting your new best friend when they snuggle up next to you on the wooden bench.
10. Café Royal Circle Bar
If the bar’s Parisian-style façade doesn’t catch your eye right away, the ornamental lobster hanging over the entrance will. Cafe Royal, located in the shadow of the historic Balmoral Hotel, is unquestionably one of Edinburgh’s most attractive bars.
The elegant circular pub is a tourist draw because of its Victorian furnishings, including brass chandeliers, comfy seats, vintage cornicing, and age-old tiled portraits. Despite the tourist crowds, Cafe Royal has a devoted local following, many of whom are responsible for keeping the circular centre bar afloat.
While there are no banquets insights, the Victorian flamboyance is echoed in the ice-laden oyster plates carried by human conveyor belts across the room.
Conclusion
Edinburgh is a city known for its pubs: It’s still complete with centuries-old, wood-paneled watering holes, ideal for spending an hour (or more) on one of Scotland’s regularly chilly, wet days. Although pubs maintain to shut all through the United Kingdom, many iconic establishments—domestic to well-poured neighborhood pints, raucous locals, and the peculiar touch of Victorian stained glass—stay open. With more dreary than bright days, Edinburgh pubs are lined with snug pubs where you may take refuge. These are the area drinking establishments for a pint, a dram, and everything in between, ranging from folk music haunts to royal-inspired boozers.
