14 best cocktail bars, for late night drinks at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe

When it comes to booze, if quality is more important than quantity, Edinburgh has a huge contingent of top notch cocktail bars.

Yes, you could just have a pint of Tennents, but these places craft gorgeous drinks that will blow your mind, tickle your tastebuds and make you want to dig out your disco shoes. We’re lightweights, so just one is all it takes.

Here are our favourites.

DOWNSTAIRS AT BETTY’S

This new bar is a stroke of genius, and it’s open until 1am. The premise involves a pianist, who plays well kent tunes that guests are encouraged to sing along to. Think Fleetwood Mac’s The Chain or Stevie Wonder’s Superstition. There is no microphone, as it’s a communal affair. And they do take requests. Expect sublime cocktails, with prices around the £11 mark, and which include the El Capitan, with NY Ragtime Rye Whisky, Aba Pisco, Cocchi Torino, Lucky Liquor Co Smoky Cherry and black walnut. 

15 Charlotte Lane (@bettys.edinburgh)

JACKSON’S THE TAILOR

This speakeasy cocktail bar, opposite St James Quarter and open until 1am daily, is notable as its interior was shortlisted by the British Institute of Interior Designers in the Scotland and Northern Ireland category of their 2024 awards, to be announced in October. Cocktails are divided into sections including Neither Shaken Nor Stirred and Make Mine a Martini, which includes their Jackson’s Vesper.

5-11 Leith Street (0131 557 5830, www.jacksonthetailor.co.uk )

NAUTICUS

This Leith bar just turned six, and is already quite the institution, with a manifesto that includes serving as much local produce as possible. Apparently, 90 per cent of their menu is sourced in Scotland. Their cocktails include The Naughty Grasshopper, which features Glendronach 12 and a mint liqueur that’s infused with sage and tarragon. Jiminy Cricket, we want one! It’s open until midnight every night, apart from Friday and Saturday, when their doors are open until 1am. 

142 Duke Street (0131 629 9055, www.nauticusbar.co.uk)

NEVER REALLY HERE

This boozy den is something of a secret, so, come closer, we’re whispering this. It’s open Wednesday to Monday, 5pm until late, and the door is always locked, so you have to knock. There’s just 30 seats and seven tables.  That’s all we’re saying.

89 Rose Street North Lane (Instagram @neverreallyhereliquorlounge)

RUMA

If your choice of spirit isn't whisky, gin or poltergeists, this new bar has Scotland's largest collection of rum. Their latest summery treat is She Sells Seychelles - try saying THAT ten times - which contains Takamaka Rum and, um, Buckfast. Don't knock it until you've tried it. Look out for their rum and doughnuts tasting event - a collaboration with Lucky Heather Drinks and plant-based baker Considerit  - on August 18, 3pm, tickets £17.50.

39-41 Broughton Street (www.ruma.bar)

Ruma | Contributed

COMMONS CLUB BAR

Okay, so you won’t get much change from £20 if you have a cocktail at this Virgin Hotel Edinburgh bar, so file it under ‘special occasions only’. There’s even one drink, the Victoria Street, that costs £55 (well, it contains Macallan 18 Single Malt Whisky). Still, they do hit the spot and it’s a gorgeous wood panelled space. 

1 Victoria Street, Edinburgh (www.virginhotels.com)

THE BON VIVANT

Ever reliable, this bar, which recently turned sweet sixteen, is open until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, or 11pm the rest of the week. New cocktails include the Grape and Grain Punch, which contains Aberfeldy 12 and pineau des Charentes, plus a homemade milk punch. You can also line your stomach, with dishes that might include cacio e pepe risotto.

55 Thistle Street (0131 225 3275, www.bonvivantedinburgh.co.uk)

THE DEVIL’S ADVOCATE

This is Bon Vivant’s wicked sister bar and restaurant, with over 300 Scottish and world whiskies. It’s the ideal escape from the Royal Mile’s buskers, as it’s hidden down a close. Cocktails might include The Devil’s Envy, with Amarena Vermouth, Angel’s Envy Bourbon and pineapple tincture. The Bon Vivant Group also owns the excellent Lady Libertine (25 West Register Street, 0131 322 1020, www.ladylibertine.co.uk), where the drinks are stiff and include the Whisky Fix - Cocchi Rosa, Port of Leith White Port, apricot brandy, lemon, soda and your choice of Macallan 12 or Fettercairn 12 whisky.

9 Advocate’s Close (www.devilsadvocateedinburgh.co.uk) 

THREE MARYS

The team here have named their bar after the OG, Mary, Queen of Scots, as well as Mary of Guise and Mary Magdalene. The cocktail menu includes the Smoked Rhubarb Margarita, with rhubarb infused El Jimador Tequila, Triple Sec, lime and agave. They also have the occasional live music sesh.

63-65 Henderson Street, Leith (0131 467 0833)

HEY PALU

There’s not many really good cocktail bars in this part of town, which is often known as the Pubic Triangle, because of the two resident strip clubs. Anyway, Hey Palu is easily the best, and specialises in ‘negronis and shenanigans’, which has won it a place in the UK Top 50 Cocktail Bars the last three years running. For tequila lovers, they recently opened an agavaria, Chancho, at 7 Bernard Street in Leith, which serves cocktails including the Jalisco Collins - tequila, banana, salted plum, cream soda and coconut. 

49 Bread Street, Edinburgh (www.heypalu.com)

PANDA & SONS

A list of Edinburgh cocktail bars is incomplete without mention of this 11-year-old place, which was one of the first to model itself on a speakeasy, with its barber shop frontage. It’s currently number 39 in The World’s 50 Best Bars and number 14 in the Top 500 Bars. Expect innovative cocktails, like the Bakehouse Cobbler, with Dundee Cake Orgeat Havana Club Edición B, Sweetdram Escubac, orange and Angostura Bitters.

79 Queen Street (0131 220 0443, www.pandaandsons.com)

NIGHTCAP

This downstairs bar, which is open from 5pm until 3am, has the right kind of lighting - ie. very dark and, thus, flattering. It’s handy for various festival venues, especially The Stand Comedy Club, which is right next door, and The Playhouse. We love the Edinburgh-themed drinks. If you’ve been up Calton Hill to see the National Monument, then try the cocktail Not Quite a Parthenon, which features Charmed Circle Golden Promise Strong Water, Cocchi Americano, birch, chocolate and mint. Or, there’s the satisfyingly simple Lost in Leith, with Woven Handmade Whisky, barley and Scottish soda syrup.

3b York Place (www.nightcapbar.co.uk)

ENCORE EDINBURGH

Inspired by the “Bohemian style of Paris”, this sexy stop-out is situated underneath the West End Brasserie. Its sweet-toothed cocktail menu includes Bisous au Chocolat with Chambord, rum, Baileys, Tia Maria and chocolate butters, or the less sugary La Vie en Rose, which contains gin, Lillet Rose and elderflower. And, of course, there’s a sharing cocktail called The Roller Disco, which is served to your table from a drinks trolley made from a disco ball. Just because.

2-4 Hope Street (0131 226 6669, www.encoreedinburgh.com)

THE LAST WORD

Stockbridge’s St Stephen Street is one of the city’s loveliest thoroughfares, and has various top notch business, such as jewellery shop, Aetla, and restaurant, Skua, as well as this basement saloon. It’s been in residence for aeons, and is owned by the people behind Edinburgh’s other best bars: Bramble and the Lucky Liquor Co.

44 St Stephen Street (www.mothershipscotland.com)

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