Pubs & bars, Outdoor dining and Wi-Fi
- The Standard
Fantastic food, an unbeatable atmosphere, staff and big-screen live sport - Maggie Mays
Outstanding contemporary Scottish restaurant, with a bustling bar and all-year entertainment - Moskito
Moskito is a laid-back bar with an extensive drinks list as well as great food - King Tut's Wah Wah Hut
A legendary live music venue serving cosmopolitan pub food
Pivo Pivo
15 Waterloo Street,
Glasgow,
G2 6AY
Pivo Pivo was one of Glasgow's first pubs to serve an extensive range of world beers - from Argentinian Quilmes to Kirin from Japan - and still largely trades on punters' tourism. Located right beside Central Station, its small bar area lies at the foot…
The Basement Bar and Restaurant
10–12a Broughton Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3RH
Situated below street level, this bar looks like the sort of place American sitcom characters would head for after a hard day’s mirth-making, thanks to the obligatory neon sign, mustard-coloured walls and staff dressed in Hawaiian shirts. It could be…
The Holyrood 9A
9a Holyrood Road,
Edinburgh,
EH8 8AE
If you can’t remember your last really great burger, head to Holyrood Road to have your faith in the patty renewed. Savouries are split between ‘one’ and ‘two handers’ – the former being edible with a fork while chatting, the latter needing both hands…
The Granary
32–34 The Shore, Leith,
Edinburgh,
EH6 6QN
This split-level restaurant and bar is well positioned on the Shore with floor-to-ceiling glass windows and views of the Water of Leith. With its seductive brown leather sofas, dark wood floors, rugs and realistic-looking gas-powered fires, you’ll…
Chinaski's
239 North Street,
Glasgow,
G3 7DL
Named after a Charles Bukowski alter ego, Chinaski’s maintains its underground roots by eschewing any signage on the exterior in an effort to deter large groups of rowdy drinkers from nearby Sauchiehall Street. During daylight hours the bar is bright…
The Rio Café
27 Hyndland Street,
Glasgow,
G11 5QF
The Rio Café’s 1950s diner-style décor and vibe has made it something of an institution in Glasgow’s West End, and it’s menu offers up tempting options whether you’re in for breakfast, lunch, or just a snack. The burgers come large and tasty, and even a…
Cruz Bar and Restaurant
14 The Shore,
Edinburgh,
EH6 6QN
A First World War minesweeper boat anchored right at the heart of Leith’s bustling Shore district, Cruz has to be among the most distinctive drinking venues in Edinburgh. A popular watering hole with the area’s young party crowd, Cruz serves up an…
City Café
19 Blair Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1QR
Pull up your pop socks and pick a song for the juke box: the City Café is your Grease-shaped American diner. Its red banquettes are just right for a short lie down after eating more than your fill of the great BBQ sharing platter, with sticky pork ribs…
Indigo Yard
7 Charlotte Lane,
Edinburgh,
EH2 4QZ
While not as conspicuously trendy as some of its West End neighbours, Indigo Yard’s exposed walls and unusual shape create a cosy, cave-like feel – although at weekends it can be cramped. It’s a popular spot for a tipple, with 15 beers on tap, another…
The Kilderkin
67 Canongate,
Edinburgh,
EH8 8BT
With a name like this (it’s a unit of measuring ale equivalent to two firkins or half a barrel) it’s no surprise to find that Kilderkin is serious about its alcohol. Under the co-ownership of James Nisbet, also of Leith Walk’s Windsor Buffet and…
The Captain's
185 Great Western Road,
Glasgow,
G4 9EB
Sitting atop of one of the West End’s best known live music venues, the Captain’s Rest is a popular destination for the area's music lovers. Serving up wholesome, hearty pub fare, the bar constantly provides a source of live entertainment, from quizzes…
Joseph Pearce’s
23 Elm Row,
Edinburgh,
EH7 4AA
Pearce's huge popularity is testament to the warm and genuine welcome it extends to a diverse clientele. During the day a raised area to the back is a family-friendly haven, stocked with all the toys, highchairs and feeding paraphernalia that junior…
Malone's Irish Bar
14 Forrest Road,
Edinburgh,
EH1 2QN
Malone's Irish Bar certainly can’t be accused of misrepresenting itself. Owned and run by natives of the Emerald Isle, the cavernous property oozes Irishness from its street-level entrance area, the large central room with tables for dining and large…
The Street
2 Picardy Place,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3JT
With its Coronation Street-aping sign, its dual-aspect floor to ceiling windows and the big iron ramp which stretches almost the length of the bar and back, the Street is a landmark pub in the Broughton/Picardy Place area. Its main business is a more…
The Bank Café Bar
443 Clarkston Road,
Glasgow,
G44 3LL
The Maclay Inns group, five of whose premises are featured in this section, tend to choose interesting buildings for their ventures that add a nice bit of character. In the case of The Bank it is, indeed, a former bank, now popular residential café/bar…
Bar Soba
116–122 Byres Road,
Glasgow,
G12 8TB
The sister venue to the Mitchell Street venue of the same name, Soba opened on Byres Road in early 2012 and is described as a ‘Bar & Noodle Kitchen’. The bar aspect means that Soba offers a great selection of cocktails. They may not be cheap but…
Biblos
1 Chambers Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1HU
With a name that means ‘book’ it is hardly surprising Biblos has gone for the decadent library theme. Leather Chesterfield sofas, wingback chairs and dark wood abound, and, in case the point still hasn’t hit home, they even have small pictures of famous…
The Living Room
150 St Vincent Street,
Glasgow,
G2 5NE
Weekends at this popular bar and diner feature live music and even a regular magician – helping to create a lively infectious buzz that is easy to get caught up in. Couples and groups are seated in leather booths, helping to break up the restaurant…
The Waverley Tea Room
18 Moss Side Road,
Glasgow,
G41 3TN
This is perhaps the best of the G1 Group’s Southside outposts, as popular with early-rising families for its coffee and kids' play area as it is with evening revellers for its late licence, strong choice of beers and ten wines by the glass. It’s also…
The Art School
The Beresford Building, 468 Sauchiehall Street,
Glasgow,
G2 3LW
While The Glasgow School of Art is renovated, the union has made its home here in the Beresford building. It’s suitably scruffed up –- creative doodles on the wall, candle-lit tables, and lots of students (though all are welcome). There’s a friendly…
Big Slope
36a Kelvingrove Street,
Glasgow,
G3 7SA
It would be interesting to know how many folk come into Big Slope for a drink, but end up having something to eat. That's what makes a good bar food menu: perched on the table, teasing and appetising. Here we have pub favourites with lovely twists…
El Bar
6–8 Howden Street,
Edinburgh,
EH8 9LH
Little L-shaped El Bar is the tapas bar and restaurant of Scotland’s only dedicated Flamenco school and studio, Alba Flamenca. It’s an unusual set-up, but one that’s won plenty of fans since its inception in 2008. Diners hoping for intimacy here might…
Kudos Bar Restaurant
29 Waterloo Street,
Glasgow,
G2 6BZ
Situated in a prime spot close to Central Station and the financial district, Kudos is the ideal venue for office staff looking for a quick pit-stop at lunchtime. The bar’s express lunch menu, containing favourites such as battered haddock and macaroni…
Kyloe Restaurant & Grill
The Rutland Hotel, 1–3 Rutland Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 2AE
Kyloe, previously the Restaurant at the Rutland, has been reborn as a place for all things beef. Occupying a grand, first floor space, it’s decked out with cowhide booths and other bovine-themed furnishings. The playful interior, however, belies a…
