14 cocktail bar places in Edinburgh we have eaten in, sorted by editor score. All cuisines in Edinburgh | Cocktail Bar across every city.
Edinburgh's cocktail culture is bound up with its whisky inheritance, and the best bars move between classic Scotch service and modern mixing. The New Town holds the heart of the scene, with Bramble Bar and Lounge and Panda and Sons among the most copied rooms in the city, alongside Never Really Here. The Old Town adds character through The Bow Bar and The Devil's Advocate, while The Scotch Malt Whisky Society keeps the membership-club tradition alive down in Leith.
The Bow Bar ★ 4.6
old-town · 80 West Bow, Edinburgh EH1 2HH
The Bow Bar on West Bow in Edinburgh Old Town, opened in the 1860s and refurbished in the 1990s as a classic Scottish pub, with 250 single malt whiskies.
Panda and Sons ★ 4.7
new-town · 79 Queen Street, Edinburgh EH2 4NF
Iain McPherson's Panda and Sons on Queen Street in Edinburgh New Town, opened 2013, a speakeasy cocktail bar in a basement disguised as a barber-shop.
The Devil's Advocate ★ 4.5
old-town · 9 Advocate's Close, Edinburgh EH1 1ND
The Devil's Advocate in Advocate's Close off the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, opened 2013 in a former Victorian pump house, a stone-walled whisky and cocktail.
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society ★ 4.6
leith · The Vaults, 87 Giles Street, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6BZ
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society in The Vaults on Giles Street in Leith, opened 1983, the world reference for single-cask whisky with a members bar and tasting.
Never Really Here ★ 4.6
new-town · 89 Rose Street North Lane, Edinburgh EH2 3DX
Never Really Here on Rose Street North Lane in Edinburgh New Town, a tucked-away speakeasy behind a graffiti-covered black door with seven tables.
The Last Word Saloon ★ 4.4
stockbridge · 44 St Stephen Street, Edinburgh EH3 5AL
The Last Word Saloon on St Stephen Street in Stockbridge Edinburgh, opened 2014, a wood-panelled cocktail bar named after the Prohibition-era drink.
Amber Restaurant and Whisky Bar ★ 4.3
old-town · 354 Castlehill, The Royal Mile, Edinburgh EH1 2NE
Amber whisky bar and restaurant inside The Scotch Whisky Experience on Castlehill in Edinburgh, opened in 1988, a tasting bar pouring 470-plus single malts.
Bramble Bar and Lounge ★ 4.7
new-town · 16a Queen Street, Edinburgh EH2 1JE
Bramble on Queen Street in Edinburgh New Town, opened 2006 by Mike Aikman and Jas Scott, a basement cocktail bar credited with launching the city's modern.
The Dome Cocktail Bar ★ 4.2
new-town · 14 George Street, Edinburgh EH2 2PF
The Dome cocktail bar on George Street in Edinburgh New Town, opened 1996 inside the former Commercial Bank building, a glass-domed grand-room space pouring.
Hawksmoor Bar ★ 4.5
new-town · 23 West Register Street, Edinburgh EH2 2AA
Hawksmoor's bar on West Register Street in Edinburgh New Town, opened 2019 inside the former National Bank of Scotland Hall, a 30-seat cocktail bar.
Civerinos Cocktail Counter ★ 4.3
old-town · 5 Hunter Square, Edinburgh EH1 1QW
Civerinos pizza counter and bar on Hunter Square in Edinburgh Old Town, opened 2016, an all-Italian cocktail and amaro programme beside the slice counter.
Fishers Bar at The Shore ★ 4.4
leith · 1 The Shore, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6QW
Fishers Bistro on The Shore in Leith Edinburgh, opened 1991 in a former 1700s signal tower, a seafood bar serving native oysters and Edinburgh Gin.
The Witchery Bar ★ 4.3
old-town · Boswell's Court, 352 Castlehill, Edinburgh EH1 2NF
The Witchery bar in Boswell's Court at the top of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, opened 1979, a heritage candlelit room pouring cocktails and an extensive wine.
The Caley Picture House ★ 3.2
tollcross-west-end · 31 Lothian Road, Edinburgh EH1 2DJ
The Caley Picture House on Lothian Road in Edinburgh, a JD Wetherspoon pub in the grade-B listed 1923 Caley cinema building, serving budget cask ales.