Pubs & bars and Child friendly
- Whiski
Whiski is one of Scotland's premier whisky bars, located on Edinburgh's world famous Royal Mile - Nobles Bar
In this re-vamped Victorian bar the kitchen makes expert use of the best local ingredients without taking away the bar atmosphere - Moskito
Moskito is a laid-back bar with an extensive drinks list as well as great food - The Tea Rooms at The Butterfly and the Pig
City centre gem serving Afternoon Tea, High Tea, cakes & delights
A Room in the West End
26 William Street,
Edinburgh,
EH3 7NH
The 'Room in the…' chain has won considerable popularity in Edinburgh thanks to unpretentious surroundings, fulsome food and that rare beauty, a BYO policy. The West End branch, a snug basement beneath the frequently rowdy Teuchter’s pub on William…
Barioja
15-19 Jeffrey Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1DR
The older establishment of the burgeoning Edinburgh tapas bar scene, Barioja remains a popular and central destination for diners looking for quick snacks or an evening meal. Its red-hued interior is fresh and modern, and makes a centre-piece of a…
The Ship on the Shore
24–26 The Shore,
Edinburgh,
EH6 6QN
If you like to know more than which coast your lobster was landed on, set a course for the Ship on the Shore. North Berwick lobster is served simply with chips or more grandly thermidor style, a fact that neatly sums up a restaurant that seamlessly…
The Rio Café
27 Hyndland Street,
Glasgow,
G11 5QF
There aren’t many places where you find fashionable students sitting next to an anorak-clad granny who's sitting next to a couple on a date, but that’s what you get at the Rio Café – and it works. Step inside and you enter a 1950s diner – the red…
Firebird
1321 Argyle Street,
Glasgow,
G3 8TL
This well-established neighbourhood bar and bistro makes sense whatever the occasion. The intelligent, free-flowing layout means you can dine more formally at the rear, sip a cool microbrewery pint perched at the curved wooden bar, or snack and watch…
The Living Room
150 St Vincent Street,
Glasgow,
G2 5NE
Stylish moody interiors with dark leather booths and glowing red shades create an urban clubby atmosphere that accommodates plenty of diners but is cleverly zoned to maintain an intimate mood. The busy menu takes its themes from across the globe and…
Hillhead Bookclub
17 Vinicombe Street,
Glasgow,
G12 8BE
With a table tennis area, drinks served in gramophones, DJs playing eclectic funk and soul, and a menu littered with puns and witty comments, it is easy to see why Hillhead Bookclub has a burgeoning reputation as the best quirky hang-out in the West…
The Holyrood 9A
9a Holyrood Road,
Edinburgh,
EH8 8AE
The menu at this smart Old Town pub cuts to the chase with its mission statement of ‘Great beers, great burgers’. Six ounces of beef, in a sourdough bun, can be teamed up with toppings including smoky bacon, ‘death sauce’ or rosemary-scented wild…
The Tearoom @ The Butterfly and the Pig
153 Bath Street,
Glasgow,
G2 4SQ
The unique interior of welcoming shabby chic makes this a pleasant gem of a place to catch your busy urban breath over a quick wholesome soup and sandwich lunch, or a leisurely afternoon tea. The food is excellent. Here they do justice to the classic…
Nobles Bar
44a Constitution Street, Leith,
Edinburgh,
EH6 6RS
Nobles is a very real contender for one of the best pubs in Leith. The Victorian building has been revamped just enough so that it feels fresh but mercifully there are no vacuous style-bar trappings to be found here. The large, dark wood bar takes…
Heavenly
185 Hope Street,
Glasgow,
G2 2UL
Glasgow’s vegetarian and vegan dining options are hardly extensive so a new arrival such as this City Centre café-bar is something of a godsend. Heavenly joins the city's small but established vegan/veggie scene, offering a similar philosophy of…
Sloans
62 Argyll Arcade, City Centre,
Glasgow,
G2 8BG
It claims to be Glasgow’s oldest bar and restaurant and set over three levels this venue has retained some of its original grandeur. Set off Argyle Street in a cute wee lane (or via the Argyle Arcade) the bar is the first place you come across. It is…
The Standard
24 Howe Street,
Edinburgh,
EH3 6TG
With four large TV screens this is a popular location for watching live sports, especially rugby internationals when free pies are served during half time. The decor has a 1930s American feel with fixed red leather seats, deco-style lights and framed…
City Café
19 Blair Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1QR
Things have been a-changing at the City Café in the last year or so. Glittery, red laminated tables, leather booths and a jukebox evoke the kitschy glamour of a classic American diner, and the food at City Café is made to match. Starters big enough to…
The Bank Café Bar
443 Clarkston Road,
Glasgow,
G44 3LL
Part of the Maclay Inn’s chain, this former bank has been nicely refurbished with solid wood and leather furnishings and a chrome-topped bar. Crane your neck to see the detailed cornicing and dramatic domed rooflight. There’s a good selection of draft…
Filmhouse Café Bar
88 Lothian Road,
Edinburgh,
EH3 9BZ
The Filmhouse has been Edinburgh’s home of independent and arthouse cinema for many years, and its café-bar has long been a place to meet fellow cinephiles and chew over the plot with a pint. Just as the cinema itself is like an old friend to many, so…
The Left Bank
33–35 Gibson Street,
Glasgow,
G12 8NU
It is hard to categorise this bistro / bar, mainly because it is so successful in all its guises – as a lazy brunch hangout, for drinks by the window or a relaxed evening meal. The atmosphere is casual but the kitchen works hard, handling flavours…
Treacle
39–41 Broughton Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3JU
As an alternative to the string of pubs along Broughton Street, Treacle successfully caters to a stylish after-work crowd during the week, and relaxed family brunchers at weekends. Groups of lads will prefer to lean at the bar – which can get crowded…
Bar 91
91 Candleriggs,
Glasgow,
G1 1NP
From business suits to groups of students, Bar 91 is as non-pretentious a venue as you get in the Merchant City. Clearly a local for many, its red velvet curtains and dimly lit décor, as well as a smattering of disco balls and a TV fireplace, make it…
Barça Tapas and Cava Bar
Princes Square, 48 Buchanan Street,
Glasgow,
G1 3JN
Eating at Barca Tapas and Cava bar, situated in the upmarket Princes Square mall, is a classy experience. If you can, grab a table on the terrace which overlooks the light and bright shopping centre and browse the impressive menu. The calamari with…
Black Bo's (Restaurant)
57–61 Blackfriars Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1NB
Black Bo’s is another restaurant which has graced the Edinburgh vegetarian scene for over 20 years. If this were to draw you to the conclusion that they must be doing something right you’d be spot on. The shabby chic bistro-style interior is…
Earl of Marchmont
22 Marchmont Crescent,
Edinburgh,
EH9 1HG
A biannual facelift due in April 2011 may see the décor spruced up but otherwise it is business as usual as the Earl continues to serve as both child-friendly café and student watering hole. In its café guise it offers freshly squeezed orange juice…
Joseph Pearce’s
23 Elm Row,
Edinburgh,
EH7 4AA
Joseph Pearce’s provides a glimpse of Scandinavian hospitality in the no-man’s land that exists between Broughton Street and Leith. In its transformation from an old Edinburgh pub, the bar’s split-level layout remained the same, but the atmosphere is…
Valvona & Crolla Vincaffè
11 Multrees Walk,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3DQ
Valvona & Crolla Vincaffè is an Italian enterprise that covers all bases. The ground-floor café and shop serves coffees and pastries. Upstairs, the restaurant hosts weekly jazz nights and language classes; and a Monday to Thursday ‘tea for a…
