The Skinny Guide to Edinburgh: Bars and Pubs

This article is taken from the 2025 edition of The Skinny Guide to Edinburgh – a 116-page selection of some of our favourite things to do and places to go across the city. Pick up a copy at venues across Edinburgh this summer, or read it online via Issuu.

Traditional Pubs

Edinburgh spills over with great pubs that have stood the test of time. These are the old-school boozers that don't go in for fancy cocktails or the latest fads, and instead offer a sturdy selection of beverages, simple pub fare and a wonderful atmosphere in which to while away an afternoon

Athletic Arms
1-3 Angle Park Ter
Better known as 'the Diggers', this Polwarth watering hole is much-loved by locals for its lively, welcoming atmosphere and its delicious hot pies.

Bennets Bar
8 Leven St
This Tollcross pub is a stunner. It's retained many of its gorgeous Victorian-era features – ornate mirrors, decorative tiles, carved wooden pillars – and boasts a massive malt lineup.

The Blue Blazer
2 Spittal St
This cosy two-room pub is close to perfection. The selection of beers and malts is great, but even better are the vibes. 

The Bow Bar
80 West Bow
This Edinburgh institution offers an escape from the hubbub of the Old Town. Expect great pints, so many whisky options (over 300 single malts!), and a humble food menu of warming soups and pies.

Carriers Quarters
42 Bernard St
This cave-like Leith favourite has barely changed since opening back in the 18th century. The front bar is always lively, while the back room offers more space for socialising and features regular events, from live music to bingo.

George IV Bar
54 George IV Bridge
This characterful pub in the Old Town offers ample space but still feels intimate. The wide drink options should keep everyone happy, and their chips are out of this world.

Malt & Hops
45 Shore
This wonderful pub down by the Shore feels like being invited into a friend's front room. There's a rotating selection of ales and craft beers on tap and friendly bar staff who are always happy to have a natter.

Teuchters Bar & Bunker
26 William St
This laid-back bar feels like someone dropped a country pub in the middle of Edinburgh's West End. The beer selection is excellent, and the menu is heavy on traditional Scottish scran (we recommend the stovies). For more nautical vibes, check out sister venue Teuchters Landing near the Port of Leith.

St Vincent
11 St Vincent St
Tucked away on the boundary between Stockbridge and the New Town, this basement pub, dubbed 'The Vinnie' by locals, is a hidden gem. The bar is gorgeous and surprisingly roomy, with a strong selection of real ales, craft beers and wines.

Paradise Palms. Image: Ines Chapleo

Modern Bars

These bars are newer on the block or have changed with the times, but they're no less irresistible. If you're looking for a fun spot to kick off a big night out, then these are the places for you.

The Blackbird
37-39 Leven St
This Bruntsfield favourite has atmosphere for days. The beers are well-curated, and the cocktail list is a mix of classics and more curious concoctions, while out back there's a hidden beer garden that's usually buzzing, whatever the weather.  

The Devil's Advocate
9 Advocate's Cl
One of two great Old Town pubs situated halfway up one of the area's Escher-esque staircases (see also Halfway House, 24 Fleshmarket Cl). The Devil's Advocate's chic decor is paired with an excellent food menu and a huge whisky shelf.

The False Widow
159 Constitution St
Formally Smoke & Mirrors, this cracking wee pub offers a welcoming mood, with its low lighting, intimate tables and dreamy vibe. It's also an eco-friendly choice: described as 'Leith’s first eco bar,' all its products are sustainable and ethically sourced.

Leith Depot
138-142 Leith Walk
There are many reasons to love Leith Depot: its busy live music schedule, its outstanding pub grub, its buzzy atmosphere, and the fact that it stood up to the property developers who wanted to tear down the block of shops around it. That block of shops is now thriving. 

Paradise Palms
41 Lothian St
Imagine a gay disco on a neon-lit Caribbean island and you're halfway to picturing the decor of Palms. Its excellent DJ lineup and regular cabaret nights make it a firm favourite.

Salt Horse
57-61 Blackfriars St
This is the pub for fans of boundary-pushing beers and craft ales. It's got a tidy selection of cans and bottles from the UK's best small breweries, and its eclectic selection of beers on tap are served by the schooner.

Port of Leith Distillery. Image courtesy of Port of Leith.

Breweries and Distilleries

For a small city, Edinburgh has an impressive bounty of great breweries and distilleries, with many of them selling their wares onsite or nearby. Here's where to head if you wanna try the city's great drinks at their source.

Bellfield Brewery
46 Stanley Pl
Tucked away in a residential corner of Abbeyhill, you'll find this crackerjack beer garden and taproom. The beers brewed on-site are first-rate, and there’s a rotating roster of pop-up food vendors to keep you well fed as you try them all.

Lost in Leith
82 Commercial St
Lost in Leith is both a great pub and a fermentaria. Chief among the many things it has going for it is its full array of weird and wonderful beers from the Campervan Brewery. Great for sitting outside on warm days, but its late-night event lineup isn't too shabby either. 

Newbarns
​​13 Jane St
Newbarns feels like someone decided to build the perfect local pub in the middle of an industrial estate in Leith. It's got darts, it's got atmosphere to die for and lovely ales, lagers and stouts that were brewed next door.

Port of Leith Distillery
11 Whisky Quay
Fancy delicious drinks paired with panoramic views across the Firth of Forth? Then head to the gorgeous bar on the top floor of this nine-story distillery, which offers a sharp cocktail list and delicious small plates.

The Royal Dick
1 Summerhall
Within multi-arts venue Summerhall you'll find two great drinks companies: Pickering's Gin and Barney's Beer. Both provide much of the stock of The Royal Dick (or simply 'The Dick' to locals), Summerhall’s pub, central hub and the place to be during the Fringe.

Wee Vault
7A W Maitland St
From the Vault City crew, this taproom and bottle shop near Haymarket is heaven for craft beer lovers. As the name suggests, it’s small, but with two dozen beers on tap at any one time, the choice is ample

Vessel
73 Hanover St
Pilot has been brewing great beer down in Leith for over a decade now, and have recently opened this swell New Town bar for you to enjoy it in. As well as their own excellent beverages, they've a well-stocked bar filled with locally-sourced spirits and wines.

Lucky Liquor Co. Image courtesy of Lucky Liquor Co.

Cocktail and Wine Bars

Edinburgh's bar scene isn't just about beer, of course. The city has become pretty renowned for its lively cocktail bars, and its selection of wine bars isn't too shabby either. The below are perfect spots for date nights and for those of you who crave something more than beer.

Bramble
16A Queen St
You'll find a menu of wildly inventive cocktails on offer at this low-lit, hugely atmospheric basement bar. Their terrific DJs keep the vibes on point.

Chancho
7 Bernard St
This is an excellent and relatively new Leith-based cocktail bar that has a focus on agave. It's from the team behind Edinburgh cocktail institution Hey Palu (see below), so you know to expect good things.

Dragonfly
52 West Port, Edinburgh
Opulent gold-edged decor and some truly excellent cocktails mark out Dragonfly as a great spot if you’re looking to treat yourself.

Hey Palu
49 Bread St
A fantastic Italian cocktail bar that regularly makes ‘best bars in the country’ lists; expect expert bartenders, amazing nibbles and a lovely vibe.

Lucky Liquor Co.
39A Queen St
Another of Edinburgh’s tucked-away cocktail joints serving up an ever-changing menu of libations pushing the cocktail boundaries.

Nauticus
142 Duke St
This exceptionally good cocktail joint in Leith has a neat twist: every one of its tasty concoctions has taken its inspiration from the area's rich history as a trading hub.

Nótt
13 Crighton Pl
This chic wine bar in Leith has a deli counter specialising in cheeses, meats and homemade Turkish delights to pair with your tipple.

Old Pal
28 West Maitland St, Edinburgh
A relatively recent but welcome addition to Edinburgh's cocktail scene, Old Pal offers a stellar drinks selection, friendly staff and a creative food menu. The Old Pal Croque – a decadent twist on a croque madame – will knock your socks off.

Smith & Gertrude
26 Hamilton Pl
This cosy neighbourhood wine bar in Stockbridge serves up delicious cheese plates to accompany your wine while vinyl crackles on the record player. 

Spry
1 Haddington Pl
Stripped back, monochrome and minimalist, Spry offers an extensive menu of natural wines and delicious small plate options.