Ale
WHERE TO FIND GOOD ALE IN EDINBURGH'S BEST PUBS
Difficult to know where to begin in Edinburgh. At times it seems that
every turn brings a new masterpiece of pub design, and if nothing else,
I think there's a strong chance I may run out of hippos. Anyway, those listed
below will get you started. Once you've visited them all, you're on your
own.
THE OXFORD BAR, 8 YOUNG STREET
A lovely old Edinburgh pub, famous these days for being frequented by writer Ian Rankin and his fictional Detective Inspector Rebus. It's small inside, and feels dusty and musty and conducive to the penning of poems. Local ale, too.
A lovely old Edinburgh pub, famous these days for being frequented by writer Ian Rankin and his fictional Detective Inspector Rebus. It's small inside, and feels dusty and musty and conducive to the penning of poems. Local ale, too.
THE CAFE ROYAL BAR, 17 WEST REGISTER STREET
An utterly magnificent bar that is little changed from Victorian times. The interior is festooned with pictorial tile panels, ornate plaster ceiling, and old carved woodwork. Truly, this is what you could properly term 'a palace.'
An utterly magnificent bar that is little changed from Victorian times. The interior is festooned with pictorial tile panels, ornate plaster ceiling, and old carved woodwork. Truly, this is what you could properly term 'a palace.'
GUILDFORD ARMS, 1 WEST REGISTER STREET
Located a few steps from The Cafe Royal Bar, the Guildford Arms is yet another old palace of magnificence. You would be hard pushed to find a more opulently ornate interior in the Queen's chambers at Holyrood. Real ale aside, you could probably spend a few hours doing nothing more taxing than gazing at the stupendous plaster ceiling. It is out of this world. This is a pub you simply should not miss.
Located a few steps from The Cafe Royal Bar, the Guildford Arms is yet another old palace of magnificence. You would be hard pushed to find a more opulently ornate interior in the Queen's chambers at Holyrood. Real ale aside, you could probably spend a few hours doing nothing more taxing than gazing at the stupendous plaster ceiling. It is out of this world. This is a pub you simply should not miss.
THE ABBOTSFORD, 3 ROSE STREET
Edinburgh is without question Scotland's Mecca for wonderful pubs. And here's another one. The Abbotsford is located in the narrow lane that runs parallel with and behind Princes Street, it boasts old wood and ornate plaster work and a cosy comfy atmosphere. Can be busy when food is being served, but it's just so snug that having to pick carrots from your ears and sprouts from your ale is a small price to pay.
Edinburgh is without question Scotland's Mecca for wonderful pubs. And here's another one. The Abbotsford is located in the narrow lane that runs parallel with and behind Princes Street, it boasts old wood and ornate plaster work and a cosy comfy atmosphere. Can be busy when food is being served, but it's just so snug that having to pick carrots from your ears and sprouts from your ale is a small price to pay.
BANNERMAN'S BAR, 212 COWGATE
Located in the lower bowels of the Old Town, below the Royal Mile, Bannerman's has a studenty feel with walls decked in posters promoting the many bands that have played within its walls. The interior has a number of rooms and caverns linked by narrow passageways. A good place for thinking thoughtful thoughts, like, 'Am I going to make it back up that steep hill?'
Located in the lower bowels of the Old Town, below the Royal Mile, Bannerman's has a studenty feel with walls decked in posters promoting the many bands that have played within its walls. The interior has a number of rooms and caverns linked by narrow passageways. A good place for thinking thoughtful thoughts, like, 'Am I going to make it back up that steep hill?'
THE HALFWAY HOUSE, 24 FLESHMARKET CLOSE
Good Scottish ale and good Scottish food - what more is there to say? The Halfway House is a tiny atmospheric pub halfway up a steep set of stairs near the railway station. Inside it feels so overwhelmingly snug that this may indeed be all of Edinburgh that you see before catching a train back home.
Good Scottish ale and good Scottish food - what more is there to say? The Halfway House is a tiny atmospheric pub halfway up a steep set of stairs near the railway station. Inside it feels so overwhelmingly snug that this may indeed be all of Edinburgh that you see before catching a train back home.
BENNETS BAR, 8 LEVEN STREET, TOLLCROSS
With an apostrophe or without an apostrophe, that is the question. Bennets Bar opened at the beginning of Queen Victoria's reign, and is probably little changed since then. Like so many of the capital's great drinking establishments it overflows with the skills of men long gone. Everywhere you look there are decorated advertising mirrors, colourful stained glass, and carved wood. The whole pub is both a work of art and a testimony to the many skills that have sadly taken a back seat these days. It's the sort of bar that you may find very hard to leave. Wonderful.
With an apostrophe or without an apostrophe, that is the question. Bennets Bar opened at the beginning of Queen Victoria's reign, and is probably little changed since then. Like so many of the capital's great drinking establishments it overflows with the skills of men long gone. Everywhere you look there are decorated advertising mirrors, colourful stained glass, and carved wood. The whole pub is both a work of art and a testimony to the many skills that have sadly taken a back seat these days. It's the sort of bar that you may find very hard to leave. Wonderful.
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