Editorial
Edinburgh has the deepest concentration of serious cocktail bars in Scotland and arguably in Britain outside London. Bramble birthed the modern Scottish cocktail scene. Panda & Sons turned the speakeasy form into a national export. The 10 below show how Scotch whisky and modern cocktailing combine in the city's bar rooms.
Bramble lives in a basement on Queen Street and effectively started modern Scottish cocktailing when Mike Aikman and Jason Scott opened it in 2008. The stone-vaulted rooms stay low-lit and word-of-mouth busy. Order a stirred classic or the namesake Bramble and arrive before 9pm, since there are no reservations and the nooks fill quickly once the night gets going.
Panda & Sons hides behind a faux barbershop on Queen Street, down the stairs into a snug speakeasy run by Iain McPherson. It is an Edinburgh Cocktail Week fixture and an internationally awarded room known for technique-driven drinks. Book ahead for a booth. Go midweek for the calmest version, and let the bartenders steer you toward the more experimental menu.
The Last Word Saloon sits in Stockbridge, part of the Bramble family and named for the classic gin cocktail. The candle-lit, slightly bohemian room suits a slow evening over a loud one. Order the Last Word or a stirred classic. Best on a weeknight, when the neighborhood crowd keeps it relaxed and you can settle into a corner.
Lucky Liquor Co. on Queen Street works from a tight constraint: 13 bottles, 13 ingredients, a menu that changes often. The narrow room is another Bramble sibling and rewards drinkers who like surprise over a long list. Trust the rotating menu rather than ordering off-script. Come early evening for a counter seat before the after-work crowd arrives.
The Devil's Advocate occupies a converted Victorian pump house down Advocate's Close, off the Royal Mile. The stone-and-steel room keeps one of the city's deepest whisky lists alongside a serious cocktail menu. It suits a long dinner-and-drinks night. Order a Scotch flight or a whisky cocktail, and book ahead in August when the Old Town fills for the Festival.
Hawksmoor fills a grand former bank hall on St Andrew Square, where the bar holds its own against the steakhouse upstairs. The high-ceilinged room leans into classic, spirit-forward drinks and a strong Martini. It works as a refined first drink before dinner. Take a seat at the bar early evening and order a Shaky Pete's Ginger Brew or a properly built Martini.
Dragonfly on West Port has poured ambitious cocktails since the mid-2000s, its colonial-styled room a fixture of the Grassmarket end of town. The menu runs long and theatrical, with a loyal local following. It suits a group night more than a quiet date. Come on a weekend evening, order from the seasonal list, and expect the room to fill as the night runs on.
The Bon Vivant on Thistle Street is a warm, candle-lit bar and kitchen that has anchored the New Town for years. The cocktails are well made and the small plates make it easy to settle in. It suits a relaxed date or an unhurried catch-up. Book a table early evening and pair a seasonal cocktail with the sharing plates before the dinner rush.
Teuchters Landing sits in a former waiting room on the Leith waterfront, a wood-lined bar leaning on whisky, ale and its Hoop of Destiny dram pick. It is a pub at heart rather than a cocktail temple, which is the charm. Come for a relaxed afternoon by the water, order a whisky flight, and take the outdoor pontoon seats on a clear day.
The Oxford Bar on Young Street is a tiny, unspoiled New Town pub best known as Inspector Rebus's local in Ian Rankin's novels. There are no cocktails here, just well-kept ale, whisky and standing-room conversation. It earns its place as Edinburgh's most literary drink. Come early evening on a weekday, order a dram or a pint, and read the room rather than a menu.
The Voyage of Buck sits on William Street in the West End, its cocktail menu built around five cities a fictional traveller passes through. Booths, warm lighting and seasonal British plates fill the room. Best for an inventive cocktail in a busy West End bar.
Iain McPherson's Panda & Sons has spawned a whole generation of Edinburgh bartenders. The Bramble lineage (Mike Aikman, Jason Scott) shaped Britain's cocktail scene more than people realise. The 10 above represent both. The Festival fortnight in August transforms the drinking culture; off-season the bars are easier and the locals more accessible.
Priya Nair covers cocktail bars and rooftops across Europe and Asia-Pacific for barsforKings, with a travel writer's eye for a room and strong opinions about ice.
Bramble on Queen Street started the modern Scottish scene, and Panda & Sons is the internationally awarded speakeasy from Iain McPherson. Both are small, so visit early or book ahead.
Yes. Panda & Sons hides behind a faux barbershop, Bramble sits in a basement off Queen Street, and The Devil's Advocate tucks down Advocate's Close. Each rewards arriving before the evening rush.
The Devil's Advocate and Teuchters Landing both keep deep whisky lists, and The Oxford Bar is the literary pub for a classic dram. For whisky-led cocktails, start at The Devil's Advocate.
The August Festival fortnight packs the Old Town, so off-season visits are calmer and the locals more accessible. On any night, arrive before 9pm at no-reservation rooms like Bramble.