Auld Rekkie has no shortage of places where you can wet your whistle, but as with many other areas of life, the city centre has seen major changes in recent years – and not all of them good.
Much has been written about the death of the traditional old-man boozer, and in the city centre, pubs are now competing with a wide array of trendy cocktail and craft beer bars. And that’s not to forget the number of ‘proper’ boozers which have been turned into gastropubs.
All is not lost, however, as there’s still some places where you can enjoy a good pint of lager and a packet of crisps – perhaps with a football match on the box or a game of pool or darts.
Scroll through our picture gallery to see 12 traditional pubs in Edinburgh we’d recommend going for a pint.
1. 12 'proper' old pubs in Edinburgh city centre to visit before you die
Take a look through our gallery to see 12 'proper' old pubs in Edinburgh city centre. Photo: Pixabay Photo: Pixabay
2. The Cafe Royal
Where: 19 West Register Street, Edinburgh, EH2 2AA. Styled on those magnificent gin palaces of old, the Cafe Royal is a shining example of grand city bar with an impressive Victorian circle bar, elegant stained glass and white marble floor. The bar opened in 1863 and has remained virtually the same since then; the whole building and its interior were listed in 1970. Photo: Third Party
3. The Waverley Bar
Where: 3-5 St Mary's Street, Edinburgh EH1 1TA. Admittedly, it lost a bit of its magic when the original owner, Ian Walker, passed away several years back. But it still retains enough of its old charm, such as the shabby-chic Whithnail & I-like decor, and Edinburgh Fringe posters from festivals long gone by. It's a bar with so much history. Legendary folk musicians like Bert Jansch and Dick Gaughan cut their musical teeth playing at the weekly open-mic night, and so many famous names have passed through its doors. A dying breed, the St Mary’s Street boozer is a throwback to a bygone age." Photo: Third Party
4. Sandy Bell’s
Where: 25 Forrest Road, Edinburgh, EH1 2QH. Long one of the best folk music venues in Edinburgh, small and cosy pub Sandy Bell’s is about as traditional as it gets. Photo: Third Party