Bar Finder » Edinburgh
Brand new Bramble Bar & Lounge is the latest addition to Edinburgh's astonishingly good bar scene. Down the stairs at the foot of Hanover Street in what was once the Oyster Bar, it's a proper Prohibition style cocktail bar with lots of nooks and crannies and an intimate laid-back atmosphere. Bramble is the bar for gin lovers with over 25 brands stocked including a massive array of Gintime movers and shakers. There's a cocktail list to die for, created by gin fans Jason Scott and Mike Aikman. It features gorgeous concoctions like current Gintime favourite, the Clover Club, and you'll find a full range of Hendrick's Tea Time Martinis served in those cool tea cup style glasses. Quite rightly Bramble doesn't do food so you won't find any office parties with out of control amateur drinkers. It's open early for cocktails and late for a fantastic range of after dinner snifters - Bramble is a bar for people who take drink seriously.
Circus Wine Bar and Grill
58a North Castle StreetEdinburgh, EH2 3LU
Tel: 0131 226 6743
The Circus Wine Bar and Grill is located seconds away from the hustle and bustle of George Street. Located over two floors with a seriously good restau specialising in steak it's also got a cool cocktail bar with a number of Gintime Movers and Shakers well represented. There's a fantastic cocktail list featuring a range of modern twists on old favourites and some delights that are new to us. Circus also has an extremely good wine list with lots a great selection of wines by the glass. Great cocktails, laid back atmosphere and super friendly staff. Circus is a must whether you're an Edinburgher or just passing through.
Just slightly away from the main hubbub and crowds but still firmly in Edinburgh city centre you'll find Halo, one of Gintime's all time favourite watering holes. A sleek blond interior with lots of comfortable seating it's the perfect spot at any time - early evening cocktails, putting the world to rights over a bottle of wine or a nightcap on the way home. Cool sounds are an essential part of the Halo experience. Halo Cocktails are special too - the best ingredients, top dollar brands and inventive mixologists have resulted in a stunning Cocktail List with many drinks you'll only find here such as the Wee Lassie - a mango lassi made with gin. Champagne is a bit of a speciality here with a fantastic Friday offer of free Scottish Rock Oysters with every bottle of champagne.
Late Ligging: 4pm to 1 am
Home House Edinburgh is the Northern outpost of the famous London private members' club, Home House. Located over four floors of a gorgeous New Town building it has a fabulous restaurant under the direction of Martin Wishart and not just one but three great bars. A new cocktail list has just launched and it features lots of Gintime gins served perfectly.
A first class fine dining restaurant, Oloroso has developed a reputation as one of the best bars in the city too. Inside there's a cosy sofas thing going on. What really makes Oloroso special however is the outside terrace. If you can get a table here, it is truly awesome, looking smack bang on to Edinburgh Castle with magnificent views over the city skyline. On a warm evening you couldn't be in a better spot to enjoy the pageant that is Edinburgh. As you would expect a lot of attention has been paid to the cocktail list and Oloroso claims to make the Definitive Martini using Tanqueray Gin as well as some truly spectacular Plymouth Gin combinations.
Be warned this is not a jeans and trainers kind of place. There is a door policy and if you don't have the right look, you won't get in. Once inside however you'll be mingling with the beautiful people, rubbing shoulders with everyone from footballers (and their wives) to Princes of the blood. A combination of style bar, modern fusion restaurant and late night dance club, Opal Lounge brings a touch of New York style glamour to Edinburgh's shopping street. Cocktails are de rigueur here with a great choice of gin drinks. Don't leave without trying the Spring Martini - gin, cucumber, elderflower and apple - it's gorgeous.
Somehow or other Rick's Bar is so not Edinburgh. It's Barcelona really - a style bar, cool restaurant and even a boutique hotel with 10 bedrooms all rolled into one gorgeous experience. Centrally located close to all of the city's main attractions, down a few steps and you're into a chocolate and cream themed space with lots of different areas for drinking, eating and relaxing. The food and drink menus are designed to be flexible too so you're as likely to spot Edinburgh's famous Morningside ladies enjoying a morning coffee as you are to see the style set tucking into Martinis. Rick's prides itself on its Cocktail List with a wide choice of freshly made drinks with unusual flavours. The Garden Negroni, made with Hendrick's Gin, Martini Rossi, Campari and apricot brandy is sensational.
Sometimes hotel bars can be stuffy places. Not Tempus. Right in the heart of Edinburgh’s drinking triangle on George Street, this is the place to sip in style. A bar, bistro and restaurant it's open all day seven days a week and serves breakfast, lunch, coffees, snacks and dinner and naturally, great cocktails. Tempus is part of the George Hotel, in itself an Edinburgh institution. Yet because it is completely self contained with its own entrance it attracts a young, hip crowd especially in the evening. A recent massive makeover has transformed the interior into a cool contemporary space whilst still respecting the classic Edinburgh New Town Georgian architecture. Like the décor, the Tempus cocktail menu mixes the classic and the new to great effect. So lots of gorgeous fruity new style gin Collinses and Fizzes as well as old favourites like the Aviation and the Martini. Head honcho Chris Deacon has just launched a new list – Peculiar Potions - and really knows his gin so if you find it hard to choose, just ask. For more information on cocktails at Tempus read our interview with Chris Deacon.
Tigerlily is a boutique hotel, bar and restaurant all rolled into one gorgeous, glittering, stylish experience. Walk into the any of the ground floor bars and you can easily see why it's now in the vanguard of Edinburgh's burgeoning cocktail scene. The bar team have lovingly prepared a cocktail list with a mix of classic concoctions revived, contemporary favourites twisted, and brand new libations unique to Tigerlily. Gin is big with White Ladies and Pink Ladies as the gin signature cocktails whilst Kershaws Cobbler is a delicious combo of gin, lime marmalade, white Muscat, fresh lemon and egg white. Five house wines, by the glass, are priced at around a very reasonable £5 for 250ml and there's a good choice of bar snacks like bruschetta, sushi and salads. In season, you can also order a platter of lobster, gambas and oysters. The Bloody Mary as made by Joey Medrington is a bit special too; in fact it's the best.
The Traverse Theatre is an institution and has kicked off the career of every thespian you've ever heard of including Big Sean Connery. During the Edinburgh Festival it is the buzziest of venues and the Traverse Bar and Café is where it all happens - the place you're most likely to chat motorbikes with Ewan Mcgregor or politics with Tim Robbins. So it's a must. Not least for the Traverse Cocktail List which includes real smoothies, old favourites and lots of original cocktails. Loads of gin choice too from stalwart Gordon's Gin to new kid on the block, Hendrick's Gin, and others. Open early till late. In fact people have been known to spend the whole of August here.
The Voodoo Rooms
19a West Register St,Edinburgh, EH2 2NA
Tel: 0131 556 7060 Web: www.thevoodoorooms.com
A brand new addition to Edinburgh's buzzing bar scene, The Voodoo Rooms consists of five lavishly decorated public rooms and three bars – The Bar & Dining Room, The Speakeasy and The Ballroom & Ballroom Bar. The Bar & Dining Room is open from noon 'til 1am every day for lunch, brunch, dinner, drinkies, coffees, cakes, cocktails and fizz. The Speakeasy and Ballroom host a huge variety of entertainments and events including live music, cabaret, clubs, gatherings, happenings, exhibitions & screenings. Loads of Gintime gins here with Fabio and Ben coming up with innovative cocktails such as the So Fresh and So Clean a gorgeous combination of Plymouth Gin, green cardamom, agave syrup and lemon served on the rocks.
