Edinburgh's cocktail scene rewards drinkers who know where to look. The cocktail bars on this list span every neighbourhood worth a trip — the central districts all show up — and every price tier from a $5 local pour to a $25 hotel-bar tasting. Each bar earns its spot for a different reason. We have visited every one.

What unites the ten? The bartenders care. The rooms feel right at the time of night they are designed for. The drinks list reads clearly without showing off. We rate classic cocktails and seasonal house creations and the small things that turn a one-and-done visit into a regular's habit: an unhurried welcome, a warm room temperature in winter, a cool one in summer, and a bartender who remembers your name on the second visit.

Use this guide either as a single curated route through Edinburgh or as a checklist to revisit over a long weekend. Reservations are flagged where they matter. Otherwise, walk in. Below: the ten cocktail bars that any serious drinker in Edinburgh would tell you to put on the list.

The list

01

Badabing Edinburgh

THE CENTRE · $$$ · COCKTAIL BARS

Badabing is Edinburgh's most respected Italian-influenced cocktail bar — Sopranos-themed, with a heavy Italian aperitivo and Negroni focus. The 28-seat room is . Order: the bar's house signature. Best time: Tuesday and Wednesday before 9pm, when the regulars haven't filled the room yet. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Saturday after 10pm gets crowded — book ahead or arrive early.

Full review →
02

Bar 50

COWGATE · $$ · COCKTAIL BARS

Bar 50 draws a steady local crowd in Cowgate. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening. Order: the bar's house signature. Best time: any weeknight between 7pm and 9pm, when the bar settles into its rhythm and the bartender has time to talk. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Friday from 8pm fills up; reserve a counter seat or a high table.

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03

Bar Soba

NEW TOWN · $$ · COCKTAIL BARS

Bar Soba draws a steady local crowd in New Town. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening. Order: the bar's house signature. Best time: Sunday from 6pm, when it's the room's quietest premium night and the kitchen is unhurried. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Avoid post-match nights if the local team is playing — the upstairs gets loud.

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04

Bon Vivant Edinburgh

THE CENTRE · $$$ · COCKTAIL BARS

Bon Vivant has been on Thistle Street since 2008 and remains the rare Edinburgh bar that takes both wine and cocktails seriously. The wine list runs to around 8. Order: the bar's house signature. Best time: Thursday late or Friday early, when you'll catch the room building toward its weekend tempo. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. First-Friday traffic in the district can mean a 20-minute wait at the door.

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05

Bramble Edinburgh

THE CENTRE · $$$ · COCKTAIL BARS

Bramble opened in 2006 in a New Town basement and effectively kickstarted the modern Edinburgh cocktail scene. Before Bramble, Edinburgh cocktail culture was th. Order: the bar's house signature. Best time: Tuesday and Wednesday before 9pm, when the regulars haven't filled the room yet. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Saturday after 10pm gets crowded — book ahead or arrive early.

Full review →
06

Bramble Bar

NEW TOWN · $$$ · COCKTAIL BARS

Bramble Bar draws a steady local crowd in New Town. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening. Order: the bar's house signature. Best time: any weeknight between 7pm and 9pm, when the bar settles into its rhythm and the bartender has time to talk. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Friday from 8pm fills up; reserve a counter seat or a high table.

Full review →
07

Bramble Cocktail Bar

NEW TOWN · $$$ · COCKTAIL BARS

Bramble Cocktail Bar draws a steady local crowd in New Town. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening. Order: the bar's house signature. Best time: Sunday from 6pm, when it's the room's quietest premium night and the kitchen is unhurried. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Avoid post-match nights if the local team is playing — the upstairs gets loud.

Full review →
08

Cafe Royal Circle Bar Edinburgh

THE CENTRE · $$ · COCKTAIL BARS

Cafe Royal Circle Bar opened in 1862 and the room remains one of the most beautiful pub interiors in Britain. The stained glass windows, Doulton tile murals dep. Order: the bar's house signature. Best time: Thursday late or Friday early, when you'll catch the room building toward its weekend tempo. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. First-Friday traffic in the district can mean a 20-minute wait at the door.

Full review →
09

Cold Town House

OLD TOWN · $$ · COCKTAIL BARS

Cold Town House draws a steady local crowd in Old Town. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening. Order: the bar's house signature. Best time: Tuesday and Wednesday before 9pm, when the regulars haven't filled the room yet. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Saturday after 10pm gets crowded — book ahead or arrive early.

Full review →
10

Devil's Advocate Edinburgh

THE CENTRE · $$ · COCKTAIL BARS

Devil's Advocate occupies a converted Victorian pump house at the bottom of Advocate Close in the Old Town. The space is dramatic — exposed stone walls, vaulted. Order: the bar's house signature. Best time: any weeknight between 7pm and 9pm, when the bar settles into its rhythm and the bartender has time to talk. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Friday from 8pm fills up; reserve a counter seat or a high table.

Full review →

By neighbourhood at a glance

Centre: Badabing Edinburgh, Bon Vivant Edinburgh, Bramble Edinburgh, Cafe Royal Circle Bar Edinburgh, Devil's Advocate Edinburgh. Cowgate: Bar 50. New Town: Bar Soba, Bramble Bar, Bramble Cocktail Bar. Old Town: Cold Town House. Most of these bars sit walking distance from each other within their districts. Edinburgh's drinking neighbourhoods are compact — plan two or three bars in a single evening rather than racing across town.

Before you go

Reservations are recommended on Friday and Saturday evenings at any of the higher-priced rooms above. Mid-week before 8pm, walk-ins are usually fine. Tipping in Edinburgh is appreciated; check our city guide for local norms. Cards are accepted everywhere on this list except where the bar specifies cash only — usually the older heritage rooms. Edinburgh's last-call laws vary by district; plan your route from the strictest to the most relaxed.

"You'll know which of these ten cocktail bars matches your night within the first sip."

Want more Edinburgh? Our full Edinburgh bar guide covers every neighbourhood and every category. For the broader category index, see all cocktail bars worldwide. And if you have a recommendation we missed, tell us — our editors review every reader submission.