Pubs & bars
- Revolution
Revolution offers Vodka cocktails to die for! Open till 1am - Nobles Bar
In this re-vamped Victorian bar the kitchen makes expert use of the best local ingredients without taking away the bar atmosphere - Black sparrow
Black Sparrow offers traditional pub food and wide ranged drink list - Tempus
Our concept is quite simple: fresh, local, uncomplicated and delicious food
The King's Wark
36 The Shore,
Edinburgh,
EH6 6QU
The term ‘gastropub’ does not get a lot of airing north of Hadrian’s Wall, but it is an apt moniker for the King’s Wark. On one hand, this is a solid old Leith pub, all dark wooden nooks and crannies, that serves up ales to a mixed crowd of tourists…
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…
The Albanach
197 High Street, Royal Mile, Old Town,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1PE
Right on the Royal Mile, the Albanach tempts tourists with a safe Scottish menu. Its bar, stocking 103 whiskies, leads to a wood and stone dining area out back. One may or may not appreciate the 'modern tartan' walls adorned with patriotic statements…
99 Hanover Street
99 Hanover Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 1DJ
Past a burly bouncer, the high doorway of number 99 Hanover Street opens out into a wide, low-lit space with decadent vintage furniture and tables nestled at the edges. This can make for a somewhat gloomy lunch spot unless you get a window seat, but in…
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…
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…
Chinaski's
239 North Street,
Glasgow,
G3 7DL
Even if Charles Bukowski – whose biographical alter-ego Chinaski’s is named after – mostly lived off a liquid diet, this dark, discreet hipster haunt just off the main drag of Sauchiehall Street is as much about its food as it is its drink. A huge…
Ma Cameron's
6–8 Little Belmont Street,
Aberdeen,
AB10 1JG
Ma Cameron’s is a friendly, old-school pub with a modern outlook and a small unexpected roof terrace. Serving popular Deuchars, Lia Fail and Belhaven Best ales, Ma's remains loyal to its heritage while also offering a wine selection providing far more…
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…
El Bar
6–8 Howden Street,
Edinburgh,
EH8 9HL
It’s a tapas diner, it’s a friendly local bar and, in an interesting twist, it’s a dance studio on the side. El Bar might be just one part of Alba Flamenca’s Southside corner premises (at one time a more old-fashioned local bar), but this sleek and…
Home
80 Albion Street,
Glasgow,
G1 1NY
The decoration at this city centre hang-out is indeed a bit like home – if you happen to live somewhere that’s the ‘before’ part of a makeover. The furniture is a random mixture of leather booths (some with ripped seats), squashy sofas and gaudy…
Iglu
2b Jamaica Street,
Edinburgh,
EH3 6HH
The name Iglu suggests a frostiness that couldn’t be further from reality in this warm and welcoming eatery. Iglu’s ethical approach to food and drink is worn large and its daily-changing menu of locally sourced, seasonal and welfare-rich food is…
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…
The Street
2 Picardy Place,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3JT
Within close proximity to some of Edinburgh’s best LGBT venues, The Street acts as a lively pre-club pit stop. Disco balls reflect off the floor-to-ceiling windows at the front, which allow views of the passing nightlife, and catchy chart tunes are…
Bacchus
80 Glassford Street,
Glasgow,
G1 1UR
Weekends are busy at this Merchant City bar, catering for the post-work and pre-club crowd. The interior is stylish, with comfy low cushioned benches, bar stools and standard tables offering seating options to suit your night. Be careful to arrive…
Brel
39–43 Ashton Lane,
Glasgow,
G12 8SG
Namesake Jacques Brel would definitely recognise this informal wood-filled bar as a distinctly European approach to dining and beer. The former stables at the end of Ashton Lane has the air of a Gallic tavern with its oak-lined walls, wooden floors and…
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…
Villager
49–50 George IV Bridge,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1EJ
Villager was the bar which started the trend for pared-down cool with its retro stylings, vintage paraphernalia and stencil-graffiti art adorning the walls. These days other places have followed suit so it feels a little less unique and a little more…
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…
Hyde Out
2 Fountainbridge Square,
Edinburgh,
EH3 9QB
Hyde Out is somewhat less demure than its name suggests. Located by the canal terminus at Edinburgh Quay, it took over from the old Embark with a splash of publicity and a blizzard of blingin’ style in the autumn of 2010, providing a reinvigorating if…
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…
The Cloisters
26 Brougham Street,
Edinburgh,
EH3 9JH
Situated in an old church in Tollcross, Cloisters is a dependable, straight down the line pub. Here you will find an open fire, large solid wooden tables and a bunch of friendly locals enjoying a pint of ale from the well stocked bar. There isn’t a…
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…
Arta
The Old Cheesemarket, 62 Albion Street,
Glasgow,
G1 1PA
Arta does well to bracket itself as the ultimate leisure suite for an aspirational generation weaned on Ready Steady Cook and Grand Designs. A cavernous, opulent venue for eating, drinking, disco dancing and live music, its menu accordingly hedges its…
Baby Grand
3–7 Elmbank Gardens,
Glasgow,
G2 4NQ
Just a few short steps from Charing Cross station, the Baby Grand is by day mainly filled with office workers and commuters who do lunch and coffee in the long thin room, but by night the mood changes to a more leisurely vibe as the pianist takes over.
Candy Kitchen and Bar
113–115 George Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 4JN
This George Street favourite screams class and decadence, with its gleaming wooden floor and tables, smooth leather booths and dinky eggcup-shaped swivel chairs. It also says clearly night-time fun and frolics for the hip and happening. More sedately…
The Living Room
113–115 George Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 4JN
Tucked behind the Living Room’s contemporary piano bar, the restaurant’s dark wood and potted palms create a welcoming, informal ambience, while the vanilla leather booths are ideal for romantic liaisons or conspiratorial office gossip. The lengthy…
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…
The Basement Bar and Restaurant
10–12a Broughton Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3RH
While the bustle of city life proceeds at street level, down below, and largely hidden from view, drinkers in this traditional bar sip beers from around the world, whether it’s the local Innis & Gunn or far-travelled favourites Corona and Tiger.
The Fiddler's Arms
11–13 Grassmarket,
Edinburgh,
EH1 2HY
A vibrant bar on one floor with groovy music and live folk bands every night, plus a traditional Scottish menu. We attract tourists, locals and groups from our hostel, Art Roch, across the road.
A small bar with just two members of staff serving drinks…
The Grosvenor Café
The Grosvenor Theatre, Ashton Lane,
Glasgow,
G12 8SJ
With its filmic décor and location above the cinema, the recently rebranded Grosvenor Café offers a great opportunity for a movie and a meal night-out. The striking and cavernous venue, lit by spotlights adorning the walls, has silent movie clips…
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…
King Tut's Wah Wah Hut
272a St Vincent Street,
Glasgow,
G2 5RL
Scotland
Read our Eating & Drinking Guide review of King Tut's.
November
Princes Square, 48 Buchanan Street,
Glasgow,
G1 3JX
Situated right at the top of Princes Square, November is a light, airy cocktail bar and café which offers seating 'outside' on the balcony, looking down to the shops below, or under the interior's cupola. It offers a variety of dishes to tempt wearied…
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…
