Looking for the best bars Edinburgh has to offer for your favourite tipple or cocktail? Choose your bars wisely…
The month of August is a busy time of year for the Scottish capital, as wide-eyed and open-mouthed tourists descend on the capital for the world famous Edinburgh Fringe Festival. In fact, the cities’ population doubles in size, so that’s twice as many people looking for a decent drink.
The trend of drinking less, but drinking better is surging across the Edinburgh bar scene, so here’s some tips on the best bars Edinburgh has to offer, where you’ll get a top quality drink served by a professional bartender.
Kaleidoscope Whisky Bar – Whisky bar
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society may seem like a special member’s club, which it is, but one of the most special things about this club is that anyone can visit their wonderful ground floor bar. Celebrating its 35th anniversary this year, the SMWS deserve their phenomenal reputation and offer an exceptional array of the finest single cask whiskies money can buy. Also, their whisky cocktails aren’t half bad either. Check out their fantastic array of whiskies at the SMWS Fringe pop-up at George Square where you can receive £15 off membership…
Contact Details
Address: 28 Queen Street, Edinburgh EH2 1JX
Website: Kaleidoscope Whisky Bar
The Blackbird – A lively bar
A true local’s favourite, The Blackbird is one of Edinburgh’s finest bars. Situated in the area of Toll Cross, they serve an array of cocktails from an ever-changing menu, such as the wonderful rum-based “Shrub Be Good to Me” and refreshing “Salted Cucumber Martini”. The food menu does not disappoint either, with an eclectic choice that will please anyone’s needs whilst you relax in the bar with its captivating décor or outside in the fairy-light-lit spacious beer garden.
Contact Details
37-39 Leven Street, Edinburgh, EH3 9LH
Website: The Blackbird
Panda & Sons – Creative bar
The magnificent Panda… anyone who knows the Edinburgh drink scene will vouch for this local favourite. Disguised as an old school barbershop as an exterior, you then proceed through a bookcase (you heard me) to enter the venue, where you’ll be greeted by charming staff and some of the most imaginative drinks in the world…
Contact Details
Address: 79 Queen Street, Edinburgh EH2 4NF
Website: Panda and Sons
The Permit Room – Picturesque bar
A fantastic late-night cocktail bar with seriously good drinks hidden beneath the kitchen of Dishoom Edinburgh, open until 3am. The décor will take your breath away as soon as you descend down the staircase into this beautiful bar.
Contact Details
Address: 3a St Andrew Square, Edinburgh EH2 2BD
Website: The Permit Room
The Devil’s Advocate – Light and Airy bar
Hidden away in Advocates Close, the bar holds a brilliant collection of Scottish and world whiskies, the award winning bar team also offer inventive seasonal cocktails as well as fantastic collection of craft beer and wine. Visit if you want a great drink in a unique venue. Consistently flawless cocktails.
Contact Details
Address: 9 Advocate’s Close, Edinburgh EH1 1ND
Website: The Devil’s Advocate
Nightcap – Late-night bar
There’s not many better things in life than enjoying great drinks and great food in a great venue… especially when the venue is open until 3am. Nightcap very much abides to the theory that if somewhere serves great drinks, why can’t they serve great food? So indulge yourself in top quality cocktails along with top quality chicken wings and top quality burgers. And when I say top quality, I mean top quality.
Contact Details
Address: 3 York Place, Edinburgh EH1 3EB
Website: Nightcap
Our thanks to Tim Harfield of Steely Fox for this guest blog.
If you like our piece on the best bars Edinburgh has to offer
you might also like
Best Gin Bars in Edinburgh
We’ve cast our #fiercelyfussy eyes over a selection of items from Amazon, picking the very best, so that you can give the gift of Edinburgh.
Purchasing any of these items will earn us a small commission.
