The 'Hollywood' favourite Edinburgh pub that's celebrating its 10th birthday

This popular bar has become an insitution

Edinburgh’s pub scene is burgeoning right now.

However, don’t forget about the OGs. These include Voyage of Buck, which is celebrating its 10th birthday. This cocktail bar is owned by bar operator and special events company, Big Red Teapot, who also look after The Blackbird on Leven Street. We asked head honchos, Martin Luney and Colin Church, to tell us more.

Tell us about the team behind the Voyage of Buck

Martin: We have a small but long standing team at The Voyage of Buck. It’s led by general manager, Stuart Brown, who has been with us for many years, plus Michelin-acclaimed new head chef, Nathan Graham, who joins us from Duthchas in Leith

How does it feel to be hitting 10 years?

Colin: It is a tremendous achievement for a small independent bar to be hitting this milestone. We launched in a very different world. The team has been at the forefront of ever-changing trends in food and drink, and we keep evolving and improving as we go. This year marks our busiest year since we opened, which is very exciting.

What have been your best and worst times?

Colin: Covid lockdowns probably rank pretty high as the worst period – the idea that a bar can open and not serve alcohol or play music seems ridiculous today, but that’s what we were dealing with a few years back. High times have been many. They include winning a second Scottish Style award, which was unprecedented at the time, being a host venue for the festival Tales of the Cocktail and some of the exclusive events and launches we have hosted have been very special.

Anything you wish you’d known before starting the business?

Martin: Wishing for a crystal ball is never realistic, so we just keep reacting and planning as we go. The industry is very changeable and that’s what keeps it interesting. I would like to have had pandemic insurance for 2020 though. I don’t think many small businesses had that in the small print.

Any memorable customers?

Martin: Many. We get a bunch of the Hollywood crew coming in as we are a more intimate venue and can offer a bit of privacy away from the town centre. The Coen brothers, Frances McDormand among others have all been in for dinner over the last year or so, which is always lovely. I’m a huge fan of Christina Hendricks, who has been a regular of ours for a few years. She’s smart and cool and we’d love to join her for a drink and chat some night but never have!

Do you think customer tastes have changed in the last decade?

Colin: Customers change every decade. People are definitely more knowledgeable now about food seasons, which is great to see, as well as wines and spirits. The low and no alcohol customer is a relatively new phenomenon, especially with the younger customers. We have focused on this more and more recently – zero proof wines, cocktails and beers are now a lot more of a focus. Cocktail-wise and it’s great to see so many people drinking less sugar in their drinks – classic martinis and Gibsons are hugely popular and rival negronis for the pre-dinner cocktails.

Do you have any consistent bestsellers across food and drink?

Colin: Seafood has always been popular with us, as well as game. We see less Scottish shellfish and game across the big chains and multi-site venues, so it’s nice to be able to showcase seasonal Scottish ingredients at their best. We have always had an individual approach to cocktail design – the best sellers have always been a twist on older classics. Our Greek salad martini is a current favourite and it will be around for a while.

Any favourite suppliers/producers?

Martin: We love working with Castle Game – their owner Bernhard is very passionate and knowledgeable and we are always getting beautiful Scottish produce to work with.

Tell us about your fancy ice machine

Martin: Every bartender talks about ice with passion. Well, why spend time creating drinks to then serve them over sloppy ice? We have a Japanese hoshizaki machine. The ice is quality, larger and more clear. Larger ice chunks melt slower and so keep a more constant temperature – it doesn’t water down the drink and the clear appearance is for aesthetic reasons primarily.

What’s it like, operating in Edinburgh’s West End? Any favourite neighbours?

Colin: We are spoiled to be on William Street – a beautiful cobbled street with Victorian fronted shops. I never get tired of walking around and chatting to all our neighbours. Frontiers has been there for 10 years too. It’s an amazing womenswear retail space that showcases lots of lesser known quality brands that sit away from the norm. Industry neighbours are great too – our pals at Teuchters are very popular as well as The Palmerston and Old Pal. Caterer and sandwich shop Fox and Co is a national treasure in our eyes and should be there forever.

Where do you see Voyage of Buck in another 10 years?

Martin: We have always focused on having smaller food menus and drinks lists. We aim to carry on with this focus, but elevate everything we’re doing. There are a few restaurant chef swaps in the pipeline and a few exclusive events and projects that we can’t chat about just now, but are very exciting.

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