Top 10 Late Night Spots: Edinburgh

You'll know the situation well; it's after midnight, you're keen to stick it out on the town for a couple more hours, you're all dressed up, but the pub shutters are coming down. Where do you go? What do you do? Well, panic no more – we've put together a guide of the best late night spots in Edinburgh, designed to suit clubophobes, midnight-snackers and lazybones the world over.  

Late night drinks

Dishoom
3a St Andrew Sq

The Bombay-style cafe's main room serves up a whole host of curries and other delights until midnight, but the Permit Room bar in the basement stays open until 3am for cocktails, fizzes and plenty more besides. 

Lady Libertine
25 W Register St

A two-floor extravaganza, Lady Lib has a lot going for it. The place looks great – that light-up staircase down into the basement has graced many an Instagram feed. The set-up is ideal for a late-night pitstop – good drinks, and a mezze-filled menu that's easy to share with your pals. All of this brought to you by the team behind Devil's Advocate, Bon Vivant and El Cartel, so you know it's good.

Banshee Labyrinth
29-35 Niddry St

A rabbit warren of slightly-gothic delights, Banshee is where to go if you want a pint and some kind of odd entertainment. Could be a cult film in the cinema room, maybe a gig in the music room, or maybe just an accidental impromptu game of Hide and Seek when you turn the wrong way down the corridor. Oh, and it's 'Scotland's most haunted pub', apparently.

Nightcap
3 York Pl

A comfy, cosy cocktail bar next to The Stand Comedy Club, Nightcap is the place to go if you're looking for a late-evening drink that doesn't involve fighting through a scrum at the bar. Great drinks served up in a small but perfectly-formed bar.

Late night live music

The Jazz Bar
1A Chambers St

This sultry cavern is open every day of the year (except Christmas) from the early evening right through until 3am and hosts a handsome programme of jazz, blues, improv and funk music. It's laid back, intimate and you'll even get a land a table if you're proactive enough. It's also conveniently located within walking distance of City Cafe and Palmyra. Just, y'know... in case. 

The Voodoo Rooms
19a West Register St

An award-winning bar, a decent restaurant and a venue for gigs, magic shows and burlesque cabaret, Voodoo Rooms offers an eclectic mix of attractions that beats any other trendy George Street bore. There are five rooms with three bars, so you don’t have to wait till the cows come home to buy a drink - but you better be cashed-up 'cause once you get into the cocktail range there ain’t no turning back…

Bannerman's
212 Cowgate

Decent music, heaps of gigs, a double shot for an extra quid and a pool table. Point taken. Bannerman's is a pillar of the local independent music scene, with the sweaty vault-room the Underworld hosting bands every night. A regular haunt for punks and metallers alike, this pub is also a pit stop for pub-crawls and is student-friendly, price-wise. Beer prices and ticket prices have gone up but hey, so has everything else – everyone's broke, let's just get pissed and enjoy it.

Whistlebinkies
4-6 South Bridge

Whistlebinkies touts itself as Edinburgh’s number one live music venue as one of the only pubs to offer live music right until 3am, 7 days a week. Monday is the resident open mic night, where aspiring musicians and solo artists can bring along their kit and get stuck in, and Tuesdays cater for new acts on the scene. Sporting original stone walls, a laid back atmosphere, friendly staff and, apparently, a vending machine from which you're able to purchase inflatable sheep. If that's what you're into.

Late night dining

Cafe Piccante
7 East Norton Pl

A unique, violet-coloured chippy-meets-club that's open until 2am at the weekend with a divine combo of fried food and fine tunes. They'll happily plunge a mars bar into batter for you if you ask nicely, too.

OX184
184-186 Cowgate

A mile-long bar stocked with a legion of beers, ciders and spirits. The nightly DJing and live music. The clincher? OX 184 has its own wood-fired grill and serves a handsome BBQ menu until 2.30am.