Date: 16th November 2024 Updated: 16th November 2024
One of my favourite places to go for a pint and a bit of ‘pub grub’ has to be Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. There are plenty of establishments on the Royal Mile, Rose Street (where you can take part in the Rose Street pub crawl) and elsewhere in the city but there are also some fantastic pubs I have visited away from the centre. Here are my recommendations on pubs to check out when visiting this amazing city (and of course every time I go to the city, I will be adding more pubs onto this post).
The Royal Mile - there are quite a few bars on the High Street as well as the side streets of this road. There are also plenty of Whisky tasting opportunities as well so spend plenty of time up here. Best time to visit is NOT in August as this area is rammed with visitors during the well acclaimed Fringe festival.
Busy, city centre pub divided into three areas of differing character. The bar, with attractive wooden gantry, is Robert Adam baroque with mirrored sides and carries a good selection of malt whisky. There are also a number of old photos of Edinburgh, old beer mirrors and general pub memorabilia displayed. Conveniently located for a visit to Princes Street gardens. Totally loved this bar and the staff are great and very welcoming. Much more than a typical station pub (as Edinburgh Waverley station is a two minute walk away).
Traditional Old Edinburgh bar with some modern touches, the bar area caters for both drinkers & diners. Located on the junction of the High Street (Royal Mile) and Cockburn Street. Whilst here I found out what Albanach actually means, basically it's Gaelic for Scotsman. Have a pint of beer or a glass of wine however this pub also offers whisky tasting and there is a fantastic choice of over three hundred malt whiskies. Do not let that scare ya if you are not a whisky connoisseur, the staff here know their stuff and will pick the best whiskies for your tasting needs.
Comfortable Old Town establishment, very close to the Royal Mile. For a pub rubbing shoulders with some ancient architecture, there’s something of an enigma about The Advocate. In the heart of Edinburgh’s old town, the pub soon gives clues that it wasn’t always a drinking establishment. Rumour has it that it was historically a hardware shop or printers, with the pub opening its doors sometime in the nineties.
Many years on, the pub has moved with the times to offer visitors a modern yet-down-to-earth experience. Whether it’s a quiet night reading the paper or a more raucous occasion watching live rugby, The Advocate can transform itself.
The Mitre Bar is situated on the Royal Mile in the heart of Edinburgh between two iconic sites, Edinburgh Castle at the top of the hill and Holyrood House at the bottom of the hill.
In 1615 the site of the tavern was occupied by a fine tenement that was owned by John Spottiswood (1565-1639), the then Bishop of St Andrews. He was a strict Presbyterian and was a Royal supporter when King James VI succeeded to the throne in 1603. He became Archbishop of Glasgow in 1610 and Archbishop of St Andrews in 1618 and went on to become Moderator of the Church. He continued in royal favour under King Charles I and was made Chancellor of Scotland in 1635.
‘Legend has it that the Bishop’s throne is buried under what is now the bar area…’
However, he loyally supported the attempt to impose the King’s Book of Common Prayer in Scotland, though he thought the move mistaken, and following the riots in Edinburgh in 1637 he fled to Newcastle, fearing for his life. He was deposed in his absence on a series of spurious charges including adultery and sacrilege. He is buried in Westminster Abbey.
The tenement burned down in 1814 and was replaced by The Mitre Bar, a mitre being a Bishop’s headgear. Legend has it that the Bishop’s throne is buried under what is now the bar area and some say his spirit still walks the pub. Today excellent pub food is offered, together with a number of real ales which is managed by Nicholsons Pubs.
The World's End is a traditional Scottish bar set on Edinburgh's historic Royal Mile. Lower down on Edinburgh's Royal Mile, the bar is a 16th Century listed building as its exterior wall forms part of Edinburgh's ancient Flodden Wall which used to protect what is now known as Edinburgh's historic Old Town. The gates to the city were situated outside the pub, and the brass cobbles in the road represent their exact location. The building has had a few incarnations over the years, from bakers to wine merchants, and finally as the famous bar it is now.
Billed as one of the old style pubs, The World's End pulls in tourists who walk the cobbled streets after a perfectly poured beer. Liked this pub very much. Can't wait to go back.
ROSE STREET AREA OF THE CITY CENTRE: Also known for the ROSE STREET PUB CRAWL - yes, this street is full of bars and pubs (and there are some just off Rose Street) and is the best place for a pub crawl. Here are some of the pubs I have tackled.
Designed by David and John Bryce and built in 1874-78 as the head Edinburgh office of the Glasgow based Union Bank it is now a vast Wetherspoon pub. The large main bar has a superb high ceiling and polished granite pillars. There are three smaller rooms with tables for dining, the larger one partitioned and containing the old Chubb vault door. Toilets are situated on a lower level via a narrow staircase. Had lunch here with the family, enjoying a haggis panini. The bar is located on George Street, however there is a rear entrance just off Rose Street if anyone is looking for a short-cut to get in.
Located on the corner of Hanover Street (basement access) and Rose Street (street level access). This pub was created from two previous pubs, one being Milne’s, famous as the “Poets Pub”. Since 1910, Milnes Bar has been the preferred pub for Scottish literary legends to congregate, debate life and enjoy the creativity a whisky or two inspires.
It has a number of rooms and alcoves on two levels with plenty of seating, including a 'Kremlin Bar', with extensive use of dark wood throughout. Photos of old Edinburgh adorn the walls.
Rose Street Brewery is situated on Rose Street and stands in Edinburgh’s New Town, which was built when a competition was held back in 1766. The challenge went out to architects; “Let us boldly enlarge Edinburgh to the utmost.” It was won by a 23-year-old named James Craig.
The area has a long and interesting history. Thistle Street and Rose Street were built originally for the artisans of the New Town, although in an inferior style and of rougher workmanship than the main streets. But by the mid 1800s, Rose Street had established itself as a drinking oasis and this reputation is proudly upheld today.
Busy split-level floor boarded and flagstoned Nicholson's pub which often has an interesting changing real ale selection. Why not try three one-third pints of real ale? Once the home of Auld Reekie Ale, there is regrettably no longer a brewery here. The interior is atmospheric with dark wood-panelling.
The Auld Hundred is one of the earliest of Rose Street's many and varied pubs. Converted from a Mission Hall around 1800. On entering the Auld Hundred, you are greeted by a traditional bar with exposed warm sandstone walls and a range of seating including comfortable settees. A spiral wrought iron staircase leads upstairs to the restaurant, Edinburgh’s hidden dining room. Auld Hundred is dedicated to drinking and tasting good food in comfort and relaxation. Apart from cask ales, Auld Hundred’s extensive drinks menu includes premium, wine, beer, cider and malt whisky.
Around Princes Street and Waverley train station
This single-storey building was erected in 1898-1900 and operated as Waverley Station Parcels Office until around 1988. Now an attractive, modern Wetherspoon pub which opened in June 2016. Being very close to Waverley station (basically above it) and Princes Street it is popular with travellers and shoppers alike. Various pieces of railway memorabilia adorn the walls and the floor features a large mosaic of the North British Railway Company.
To the east of Edinburgh centre
The Sheep Heid Inn is famously known as the oldest surviving public house in Scotland having been established in 1360. From the medieval period, sheep were reared in the nearby Holyrood Park and then brought to Duddingston for slaughter. It is believed that many of the residents of Duddingston (the village where the pub is located in Edinburgh) became experts at using the head of the sheep in many different dishes and this is where the Inn gets its name.
The pub has had a variety of high profile patrons over its long history including the writer Robert Louis Stevenson, the poet Robert Burns and most famously Bonnie Prince Charlie as his army was encamped at Duddingston for a month prior to the Battle of Prestonpans.
As well as being the oldest surviving public house, the pub also has the oldest surviving skittle alley which is available for hire, using an authentic set of nineteenth century skittles. The focus is on food, but drinkers are most welcome, the enclosed courtyard being popular in summer.
On the outskirts of the eastern side of Edinburgh, there is a cosy warm vibe to this pub, although modern pub aspires to an olde worlde feel with exposed brickwork, wooden beams and numerous knick-knacks. It is broken into several areas for drinking and eating, which are tastefully decorated and comfortably furnished. Just off the A1 and is quite handy if anyone is looking for a lunch or a dinner stop or a quick drink before heading south towards England.
The Espy - 62-64 Bath Street, Portobello
The Espy is a gastro pub that looks out over Portobello promenade. On good days you can eat or drink outside. These days, when the sun shines and Portobello beach is popular, the Espy is very busy. It’s easy to imagine how a sunny day would make a beach facing pub busy and the fact that the Espy is very good compounds the situation. If there are two of you then you might strike lucky and get a table. If there are more of you then you really need to call ahead.
The ambience and decor is mixed. You’ll get all sorts walking into a bar that sits facing a beach. It’s an old building and it feels like it. The Espy feels like a pub with dark wood tables, not the best lighting, posters and a myriad of lights. It doesn’t feel posh. It feels like a pub. In contrast there’s a wait to be seated policy and if you land a table by the window then you’ll have plenty of light and a fabulous view. Great service here and great range of drinks. Defo recommends a sunny Scottish day by the beach.
Essential information on Edinburgh (and then you can hit the pubs!)
How to get to Edinburgh: By plane, the nearest international airports are Glasgow and Edinburgh. There are great connections from both airports to the city centre by public transport to connect to rail services to get around the rest of the country. The first place I would go to find airline tickets to the city is using (I would recommend) Skyscanner to find flights as that is my first point of call. Then if necessary use the airlines directly to find a good deal. I sometimes use Momondo as well to compare prices before booking.
By train: Edinburgh is well connected with all other towns and cities in Scotland and England. It has the East Coast mainline where LNER services run to Inverness and Aberdeen to the north and Newcastle, York, Doncaster, Grantham, Peterborough, Stevenage and London Kings Cross to the south. Cross country trains run to Newcastle, York, and to the south-west towards Birmingham. Scotrail services run to Glasgow as well as all over the country.
By road: from England, Edinburgh lies on the northern end of the A1 - the Great North Road where you can drive all the way to Berwick, Newcastle, Doncaster, Grantham, Peterborough, Stevenage and finishes off near St Paul's Cathedral in London. There is also the A7 which goes to Galasheils, A68 goes to Newcastle via Jedburgh (a beautiful drive and a great alternative to the A1), A90/M90 over the Forth Bridge to Perth and the Highlands, M9 goes towards Stirling and the Highlands and the M8 goes towards Glasgow and Scotland’s South-Western coast. It is very well connected.
Car Rentals - as I do a lot of road trips around the world, I use Rentalcars.com which is very reliable for booking car hire in advance. I also use Turo (the airbnb of car rentals) and never had a problem with them. The cars are insured, owners vetted and never had an issue.
Accommodation: There are a lot of accommodation options and a lot of websites which can do some great deals. My first point of call is always Booking.com and can offer a range of hostels, hotels, campsites, apartments, guesthouses and bed and breakfasts.. After that I always have a look through AirBnb and Vrbo for great deals on apartments and other lodgings especially when traveling as a family.
Currency: Scotland uses the British Pound Sterling currency and also has their own bank notes from the Bank of Scotland which is also legal tender anywhere else in the United Kingdom. Currency can be exchanged at the airports and train stations (for a huge fee) so I would recommend either going to a currency exchange place downtown, to a bank (if they have good rates) or if you got a good bank account with fantastic exchange rates, then use an ATM machine (may incur a small fee but I always do this option as I got good bank accounts). A great website I use to compare currency exchange rates is XE, which gives people up to date information.
Language: Scotland uses English but they also have their own language in the highlands and western isles (mainly) called Gaelic. Although speakers of the Scottish language were persecuted over the centuries, Gaelic is still spoken today by around 60,000 Scots. Endowed with a rich heritage of music, folklore and cultural ecology, Gaelic in Scotland is thriving and enjoying a revival!
Travel insurance: This is essential to anywhere you go in the world. I always carry travel insurance. Having travel insurance will cover you from theft, illness and those annoying cancellations which can happen on the road. Safety Wing offers coverage for a lot of adventure activities as well as emergency medical, lost luggage, trip cancellation and so forth.
Need a visa for the UK? Always check if you need a visa when coming to the United Kingdom. Since leaving the European Union because of BrExit in January 2020, visa rules apply for those coming from the European Union.
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