IT was once the ultimate Saturday night destination, and an evening sipping expensive cocktails or drinking fancy beer in George Street was the epitome of stylish socialising.
Now, five or so years on, George Street has lost its shine and you're more likely to be greeted with scantily-clad girls staggering out of loud, bustling bars and groups of young men singing football songs and hollering across the street.
So wher
e are the coolest places to be seen drinking in the Capital now? We hit the streets and asked the public for their hidden gems of watering holes. Here is the Life & Style Guide to the coolest weekend hot spots – by you.
CITY CENTRESygn Bar, 15 Charlotte Lane, 0131-225 6060The West End bar is a bit of a bevvying boudoir with sumptuous black furniture, and dramatic purple walls contrasted with the occasional dark, floral feature wall. Add in some outsized chandeliers, even larger opulent gilt-edged mirrors, and the result is uber sexy.
"It's my favourite bar," says Paul Wylie, 32, a media planner from the New Town. "I've secured new business there and I've also been able to relax and have a good time, without being hemmed in George Street-style and having to worry if I'm dressed appropriately for the doormen."
The Rutland, 1 Rutland St, 0131-229 3402 The institution of Edinburgh night life is back following a £3.5 million overhaul.
Theatrical, opulent and state-of-the-art, it boasts the UK's first interactive iBar."I love it," says Julie Wilson, 26, an auditor from Currie. "The interiors are plush and modern and it's got a cosy feel to it. Plus, it's not too busy so you can get a table or some good standing space. There's a good vibe to it and it makes a refreshing change from the over-crowded, over-priced George Street venues where your face has to fit."
Balmoral Bar, 1 Princes Street, 0131-556 2414 With cool, relaxed interiors of plush purple velvet and vibrant moss-green leathers, as well as natural fabrics such as linen and tweed in warm Scottish tones, this bar is a destination in its own right.
Focus is on table service, innovative seasonal cocktails, fresh ingredients and a range of spirits and whiskies.
"It's very chilled out and has a funky vibe to it," says fashion buyer Saskia Wise, 23, from Leith. "You can sit down with friends, relax, enjoy table service and hear each other."
Monteiths, 57 High Street, 0131-557 0330Hidden up a close on the High Street, Monteiths is funky, feminine and brimming with ambience. Think atmospheric and human rather than minimalist and industrial.
"It's just fab," says 24-year-old model Anita Fairley, from Morningside. "The clientele are all young, funky and fun and the staff are a great laugh."
SOUTHSIDE Spiegeltent, George Square GardensIt's only temporary but Edinburgh's most popular outdoor Festival venue throngs almost every night of the week. The George Square Gardens garden bar, café and club – which is attached to the Famous Spiegeltent venue – is acknowledged as being among the favourite outdoor spots for Festival goers.
"Love it, love it, love it," says Eliza Miller, 21, a student from Stockbridge. "It's like a little village full of stylish people who know each other."
Dragonfly, 52 West Port, 0131-228 4543Winners of the Most Stylish Bar award at the Scottish Style Awards, this multi-award winning cocktail bar is seriously cool, with a relaxed vibe.
"I hate style bars with a passion and this is the complete antithesis," says builder George Goodall, 30, from Bruntsfield. "There's style bars and then there's bars with style – this is the latter."
Assembly, 41 Lothian Street, 0131-220 4288 It's got the feel of a local boozer, the drinks offering of a George Street haunt and the clientele of a trendy club – plus the tunes, too.
"It's definitely a pre-club venue," says paramedic Murray Johnson, 25, from Danderhall. "The music is great too – none of this affected George Street nonsense."
Bar Kohl, 54 George IV Bridge, 0131-225 6936The theme is simple: vodka, vodka, vodka. With around 400 flavours, and an overwhelming array of shots and pitchers, this bar is always heaving.
"It's got a party atmosphere and watching groups do the flaming shots of vodka is great fun," says Jen McPherson, 28, a recruitment consultant from Penicuik.
NEW TOWN/STOCKBRIDGE Bramble Bar, Queen Street, 0131-226 6343 Hard to find and harder to leave, Bramble is a rabbit's warren of a stylish basement bar on the corner of Hanover Street and Queen Street.
With nooks and crannies for enjoying intimate trysts and curious cocktails, the drinks menus are extensive and bound in vintage book covers with an Aladdin's cave of concoctions.
Lively but not rowdy, busy but comfortable, and most noticeably a smiling clientele – perfect.
Hectors, 47-49 Deanhaugh Street, 0131-343 1735With a cornucopia of different beers, continental lagers and even draught cider, as well as an intelligently-constructed wine list, Hectors is a popular haunt with locals.
"It's classy, homely and always full of life," says John Gallagher, 34, a PE teacher from Stockbridge. "From after-work drinkers, to students and those out to party, the mix of people makes it a lively bar that beats George Street any day."
Hamiltons, 16-18 Hamilton Place, 0131-226 4199Deep purple walls, comfy leather sofas and trendy furnishings, this laid back bar welcomes after-work suits, pre-clubbers and students.
"It ticks all the boxes – a welcoming atmosphere, good location and great drinks variety," says Emily Bowmore, 31, an artist from the New Town.
Cumberland Bar, 1 Cumberland Street, 0131-558 3134Traditional, elegant and with the atmosphere of a real local, the pub is renowned for its impressive range of cask-conditioned ales and beers – as well as its beer garden.
"I love the Cumberland, purely for the garden," says Joanna Smith, 29, a marketing manager from Trinity. "And it's a hell of a lot cheaper than the city centre."
LEITH Shore restaurant and bar, 3 The Shore, 0131-553 5080The dark, moody and traditional-style bar is fast becoming the destination de jour for Leithers sick of the hike to the city centre. The wine list is impressive in quality and quantity, and refreshingly cheap. The beer list and spirit selection is equally alluring.
Malmaison, 1 Tower Place, 0131-468 5000The Mal Bar is a top retreat for the city's movers and shakers – as well as visiting celebrities including Trinny and Susannah, Gok Wan and Gail Porter.
The sleek bar serves up a mix of fine wines, cocktails, champagnes, coffees and snacks and is bustling from the moment it opens until it closes.
"It's good. Such a great feel about the place, and it's a fabulous people-watching spot," says Juliette Adams, 34, a property developer from Leith.
"Nowadays, people want to relax and unwind with friends, not be crowded in a George Street bar vying for service and space."
The Granary, 32 The Shore, 0845-166 6005 With cool urban interiors and an extensive drinks selection, it's fast becoming the ultimate destination in the east of the Capital.
The full article contains 1209 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
