In Scotland—like the rest of the U.K.—the pub is thoroughly woven into daily life. It’s where friendships are built, enemies avoided, and favors exchanged. Whether it’s a postwork pint, a catchup over a soda and lime, or an unexpected adventure, the pub is where that all too elusive “community” is forged. And with the Scottish capital’s history of whisky-making, bottle-forging, and international trade, you can find every kind of spot in Edinburgh.
The city’s pubs are a big part of what made me fall for it. When I moved here from New York City for grad school, it was meant to be just for a year. But everywhere I went, I kept hearing things like “Oh, everyone who comes here stays” and even “I came for a semester abroad, and that was 20 years ago.” I scoffed, but indeed here I am, eight years later.
What made me stick around? Plenty. For starters, it’s easy to succumb to an ambience known in the parlance of the extremely online as “dark academia.” Crows perched on iron fences, candles flickering from pub windows, ghosts supposedly roaming the streets. But there’s more to Edinburgh than the poetry of darkness: The crows are watchful companions as you traipse home through the haar, the candles flicker because of the laughter that surrounds them, and the ghosts—well, they’re unpredictable.
Edinburgh summer is replete with blossoms and festivals, including the famous Edinburgh International Festival and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The city explodes with tourists, street performers, and extended bar hours. Though the temperature rarely goes above the high ’60s and it’s perfectly reasonable to still be packing a hat and scarf in your bag during August just in case, outdoor bars pop up around the city center and windows are thrown open with abandon. The sun basically never sets, and the pubs basically never empty.
Throughout my time here in this postcard-pretty city, I’ve spent an inordinate amount of time both on bar stools and pouring pints for others. Here are my favorites: from quiet “old-man pubs” to trendy bars with inventive menus. Consider this your guide to trawling the cobblestones and tanning pints—there’s really nothing like it.
Canny Man’s
237 Morningside Rd.
+44 131 447 1484
Canny Man’s is an institution set in the upscale neighborhood of Morningside, toward the south of the city and not far from the Pentland Hills. Established in 1871 by James Kerr, a wine wholesaler, it’s still family-run. The architecture hasn’t changed much in the last century, and every item in there tells a story. Musical instruments, ski poles, and even antique strollers hang from the ceiling. Plaques on the seats commemorate generations of neighborhood characters. Prints by local artists, trinkets from decades-ago regulars, and dusty magnums lining the walls of the labyrinthine rooms show the layers of time.
The kitchen serves food on the posher side: smørrebrød sandwiches, seafood platters, Sunday roasts. Champagne comes in a chilled flute, a bowl of strawberries on the side. The average age here may be close to 60, but it can still get rowdy with students, locals, and visitors waiting shoulder-to-shoulder for a dram of their proprietary whisky, The Golden Drop, and the next morning, their house Bloody Mary. There are old-man pubs, and there are old-school pubs. This is the latter.
Bennets Bar
8 Leven St.
+44 131 229 5143
My favorite way to describe Bennets that it is a “rainy-day pub.” It’s ideally suited for whiling away a windy afternoon with a deck of cards and a few pals. The grand stained-glass windows, vaulted mirrors, dark-wood back bar, and fraying leather seats are full of history. Some type of drinking establishment has been in this spot since 1839, and Bennets itself has been pouring since 1906. Its location near the university campus and next door to the soon-to-be-reopened King’s Theatre means that this is where off-duty actors and students come to learn lines, read, and eavesdrop.
With more than 100 available single-malt whiskies, deciding which one to order can be overwhelming. Spare yourself the struggle and opt for a flight or the special half-and-half, a classic Scottish serve of a half-pint and a dram of whisky (think of it as the distinctly Scottish answer to a beer and a shot). Last time I went, it was a Stewart’s 80/- stout and a Tamdhu 12, both leaning sweet. The day was sunny and the room was quiet: a family in the corner doing life admin, a surly regular in the corner. “We Are the Champions” by Queen shyly reverberated in the room.
The Dagda Bar
93–95 Buccleuch St.
+44 131 667 9773
“We do drams. Not drama,” declare the owners of Dagda on the pub’s Facebook page. Despite being slap-bang in the middle of the university campus, Dagda isn’t so full of students that barflies well past their university days feel out of place. Even during the enormous Fringe Festival, it still seems to fly somewhat under the radar. There are no particular bells and whistles here—it’s just an honest-to-goodness excellent boozer. Barrels serve as tables, and local and international beers are available on draft and cask. The bar stocks enough whiskies to hold its own, hosts a weekly pub quiz, and—as is tradition—plays no music.
Sandy Bell’s
25 Forrest Rd.
+44 131 225 2751
Folk music is part and parcel of pub culture, and Sandy Bell’s is the capital of it. Spend enough time in Edinburgh pubs, and you’ll hit a trad session somewhere. This joint has been hosting nightly sessions since the 1940s, with musicians from all over the U.K. and world coming together to show off their skills and jam on everything from fiddles to double basses, uilleann pipes to harmonicas. Sip a Guiness, tip in cash, and try to keep up—you never know what styles, instruments, or musicians you might have the privilege to witness.
Jolly Judge
7, 493 James’ Ct., Lawnmarket
+44 131 225 2831
There’s nothing like weaving through the crowds of the Royal Mile and ducking into a shady close (tunnel-like passageways that weave around buildings and connect courtyards and streets around the city center) to make you feel like you’re a cape-wearing character in an 18th-century romance novel. If you see me cosplaying that, it means I’m heading to the Judge.
Specializing in cask ale and draught cider, this cozy pub is tucked away across from the magical Writers’ Museum. In the winter, the low wooden beams and log fire protect you from the elements; in summer months, the tables outside are filled with convivial clinking. Just two minutes from Edinburgh Castle, which overlooks the city from atop an ancient volcanic plug, you’ll find locals sipping away here at any time.
Kay’s Bar
39 Jamaica St.
+44 131 225 1858
Over in the New Town, the city planning turns square, the townhouses Georgian, and the street names colonial. But cross a couple of alleyways and meander through some peaceful mews, and you’ll find a rare freestanding building, labeled Kay’s. Up until the 1970s, the building had housed the trading premises of a wine merchant for 150 years. Now, it’s a pub with an enormous whisky selection and the best cask ales in the city.
Here, you can go back in time: Signage ribboning around the room, barrels along the walls, and the pillars and paneling are all original fittings. Locals dot the bar, their loyal hounds huddling under their barstools and eyeing every new patron who comes through the door, then inevitably begging for treats. Most of them—the locals and the dogs—know the bartenders by name. Red velvet upholstery, red walls, and very few windows (most of them frosted) give the impression of being sequestered. It’s easy to lose hours here, and that’s exactly what I suggest you do.
St. Vincent Bar
11 St Vincent St.
+44 131 226 3017
Edinburgh is ridiculously picturesque, and a particularly popular postcard spot—with its quaint gray cobblestones and blooming flowers—is Circus Lane in Stockbridge. At one end of it is St. Vincent, affectionately called “The Vinnie,” a basement pub with cocktails, local beers, and plenty of board games. With a few tables in the tiny courtyard out front, overlooked by the imposing St. Stephen’s Church, this spot, even when busy, remains peaceful and beautiful. After a breather here, head to Under the Table for a top-notch lunch of European dishes made from the finest Scottish ingredients.
Roseleaf Bar Cafe
23/24 Sandport Pl., Leith
+44 131 476 5268
Leith, a port town that was its own formal entity until 1920, is markedly different from the rest of Edinburgh. It’s younger, more diverse, and still retains some of the grittier aspects of its industrial past. Many locals around here staunchly consider themselves Leithers above all, even though, even at its outer edges, it’s no more than an hour or so’s walk from the city center.
So after an appetite-whetting stroll along the Water of Leith, head to Roseleaf for some classic pub food. The menu is tongue-in-cheek and filled with Scottish words, so you can brush up on your lingo. Don’t miss the cullen skink, a Scottish soup made with haddock, potatoes, milk, and onions. It’s warming and much more comforting than you’d expect. I also like to tuck into the mac ’n’ cheese, nurse a pint, and let my eyes roam around the patterned wallpaper and tchotchkes on the walls.
The Finch
2–4 Bath Rd., Leith
+44 131 259 1350
The last few years have seen an explosion of flavor and innovation in the Edinburgh food scene. A perfect place to catch a taste of it is The Finch, a neighborhood pub not far from the Leith port. There’s a back terrace stocked with heat lamps and blankets for chillier evenings, a tight cocktail menu, an extensive draft beer list, and even a shelf of vintage liquors at incredible value. Weekly pop-ups by chefs around the city have featured everything from Neapolitan-style pizza to Korean street food to Michoacán tacos. You never know exactly what you’ll get, but you always know it’ll be a blast.
The Persevere Bar
390 Easter Rd.
+44 131 554 0271
Named in honor of the motto of Leith, this large pub is decorated like a People’s Palace, a 19th-century style of pub decor defined by ornate decoration and decadent materials: gilded gantries, leather booths, the works. But deceptively, the Percy (as it’s affectionately called by locals) only dates back to the 1970s. Murals by local artist Kenny Skeel commissioned in the 1990s depict significant moments in Leith history, such as Queen Mary arriving from France in 1561.
In 2015, it was taken over by Polish owners (there’s a large Polish community in Edinburgh) and began offering home-cooked Polish “scran” (Scots for “food”). With enormous portions and extremely reasonable prices, this unassuming spot is one of the best hidden culinary gems of the city. The schnitzel overflows its plate and pairs perfectly with the warm and sour cabbage below. Roast pork neck comes with satisfyingly chewy Silesian-style potato dumplings. The pierogi are the size of an adult fist, and the smalec—a creamy, onion-studded lard pâté—is hearty enough to fortify the system in the darkest of winters. Come here to watch the football, drink a few pints, and slip into a food coma.
Nauticus
142 Duke St.
+44 131 378 9716
Named as a nod to Leith’s nautical history, this pub is on numerous “best cocktails in the city/country/world” lists but retains a resolutely old-school atmosphere. Tattooed bartenders sip post-shift negronis, while traditionalists can still get the ubiquitous pint of Tennent’s. The deep-green walls flicker with candlelight, Harris tweed envelops the wooden bar stools, and the back-room library offers a cozy date spot, while large tables in front of huge windows allow for boisterous group outings.
Nauticus’ guiding light: championing Scottish ingredients, from the base liquors to the garnishes. The menu is a history lesson of the neighborhood—a timeline from Tudor controversies to the gin and whisky boom of later centuries mirrors the makeup of the house cocktails. If you want more from these guys, check out their new restaurant Dogstar. And you’ll definitely find me at their newest venture, The Keelson—with coveted outdoor space, rotisserie chicken, and plenty of dartboards—on the Edinburgh shore all summer.
.saveur-newsletter-embed {
–saveur-tomato: #e9552d;
–saveur-peach: #f5be8f;
–saveur-flour: #f7f4ec;
–saveur-kale: #29483d;
–saveur-rule: #a9a9a9;
background: #fff;
color: #000;
font-family: “Source Serif Pro”, Georgia, “Times New Roman”, serif;
width: 100%;
max-width: none;
margin: 34px 0;
padding: 28px 0 30px;
border-top: 2px dotted var(–saveur-rule);
border-bottom: 2px dotted var(–saveur-rule);
text-align: center;
line-height: 1.4;
}
.saveur-newsletter-embed__title {
margin: 0 0 16px;
color: var(–saveur-tomato);
font-family: Louize, “EB Garamond”, Georgia, serif;
font-size: clamp(2rem, 4vw, 2.7rem);
font-weight: 400;
line-height: 0.98;
letter-spacing: -0.01em;
}
.saveur-newsletter-embed__message {
max-width: 38rem;
margin: 0 auto 22px;
font-size: 1.08rem;
line-height: 1.55;
text-align: center;
color: #6b6b6b;
font-style: italic;
}
.saveur-newsletter-row {
display: flex;
gap: 10px;
align-items: stretch;
justify-content: center;
max-width: 38rem;
margin: 0 auto;
}
.saveur-newsletter-row input(type=”email”) {
flex: 1 1 auto;
min-width: 0;
padding: 14px 16px;
font-family: “Source Serif Pro”, Georgia, “Times New Roman”, serif;
font-size: 1.05rem;
line-height: 1.2;
border: 1px solid #000;
border-radius: 0;
-webkit-appearance: none;
appearance: none;
background: var(–saveur-flour);
color: #000;
box-sizing: border-box;
transition: border-color 0.2s ease, box-shadow 0.2s ease, background-color 0.2s ease;
}
.saveur-newsletter-row input(type=”email”)::placeholder {
color: #7b7b7b;
}
.saveur-newsletter-row input(type=”email”):focus {
outline: none;
border-color: var(–saveur-tomato);
background: #fff;
box-shadow: 0 0 0 2px rgba(233, 85, 45, 0.14);
}
.saveur-newsletter-row input(type=”email”).is-success {
border-color: var(–saveur-kale);
background: #fff;
color: var(–saveur-kale);
box-shadow: 0 0 0 2px rgba(41, 72, 61, 0.14);
}
.saveur-newsletter-row input(type=”email”).is-success::placeholder {
color: var(–saveur-kale);
opacity: 1;
}
.saveur-newsletter-row button {
flex: 0 0 auto;
min-height: 54px;
padding: 14px 22px;
border: 1px solid var(–saveur-tomato);
border-radius: 0 !important;
-webkit-appearance: none;
appearance: none;
background: var(–saveur-tomato);
color: #fff;
font-family: “Roboto Mono”, “SFMono-Regular”, Menlo, Consolas, monospace;
font-size: 0.84rem;
font-weight: 400;
letter-spacing: 0.12em;
line-height: 1;
text-transform: uppercase;
cursor: pointer;
white-space: nowrap;
transition: background-color 0.2s ease, border-color 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease;
}
.saveur-newsletter-row button:hover,
.saveur-newsletter-row button:focus {
background: #000;
border-color: #000;
color: #fff;
}
.saveur-newsletter-row button:disabled {
opacity: 0.85;
cursor: wait;
}
.saveur-newsletter-embed .response {
max-width: 38rem;
margin: 12px auto 0;
font-size: 0.97rem;
line-height: 1.45;
text-align: center;
}
.saveur-newsletter-embed .response(hidden) {
display: none !important;
}
.saveur-newsletter-embed .response.success {
color: var(–saveur-kale);
}
.saveur-newsletter-embed .response.error {
color: var(–saveur-tomato);
}
@media (max-width: 560px) {
.saveur-newsletter-embed {
margin: 28px auto;
padding: 24px 0 26px;
}
.saveur-newsletter-embed__title {
font-size: 2rem;
}
.saveur-newsletter-embed__message {
font-size: 1rem;
margin-bottom: 18px;
}
.saveur-newsletter-row {
flex-direction: column;
gap: 8px;
}
.saveur-newsletter-row button {
width: 100%;
justify-content: center;
}
}
The post The Ultimate Edinburgh Pub Crawl appeared first on Saveur.
