The Canny Man's

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The 2011/12 edition of The List's Eating & Drinking Guide is out now – only £5.95 (+p&p).

This review is taken from the 2010 edition.

From the signs outside the door, to the ephemera hanging from the ceiling, to the impenetrable ordering system – everything about the Canny Man’s is unique. They paste the front page of The Times up in the gents’ every day. They give you little snacks with every drink you order. They even blend their own whisky. Every inch of the walls and ceilings is covered with art, objects, pictures and plaques, and one of Edinburgh’s sunniest beer gardens is tucked away at the back. They know their booze, with a monumental display of whiskies stocked, and a legendary Bloody Mary mixed. You should not expect a warm welcome for at least your first ten years of regular visits, but that’s all part of the charm. It’s a proper old-fashioned public house – and they’re choosy about whom they invite in. Nonetheless, it’s an Edinburgh institution and if you haven’t had at least one Canny Man-based lost weekend then you can’t really claim resident’s status.

• High point: Quite simply unique
• Low point: Don’t expect a smile