The five must-do moments at Edinburgh Cocktail Week 2023: cocktails, pop-ups, live music and more
Running from Friday 6th - Sunday 15th October there's an unmissable lineup of £5 cocktails, live entertainment, pop up bars and street food. With so much to do, drink, sip and see, we’re here to give you a helping hand by sharing our five must-do things to add to your list for this year’s event to ensure everyone can make the most of the 2023 celebrations.
1 – Make sure you pay a visit to some of Edinburgh’s trendiest venues, speakeasies and hottest hangouts that are taking part this year. 100 bars across the city will be serving a £5 cocktail exclusively to Edinburgh Cocktail Week wristband holders. This year’s roster boasts over 20 venues set to make their Edinburgh Cocktail Week debut including Duck & Waffle, The Botanist, House of Gods, Gordon Ramsay’s Bread Street Kitchen, The West End Brasserie, Patron Saint, Dizzy Izzy’s, Coco Boho, Eve at Virgin Hotels Edinburgh, Brewhemia, carte blanche! and many more. On the back of the sell-out success of last year, many firm favourites are also set to mark their return including The Alchemist, Tigerlily, Harvey Nichols, Copper Blossom, The Dome, Tonic, Cold Town House, The Cocktail Mafia, The Boozy Cow and more. Check the Edinburgh Cocktail Week website for the full list of 100 bars and all the cocktails available for £5 each with a wristband.
2 – Head to the Cocktail Village from 12 noon each day to enjoy amazing cocktails from just £5 from a host of bars and brands including local favourites and international heavy weights. Wristband holders will enjoy access to over 20 pop-up bars serving £5 cocktails, standout street food trucks and the biggest programme of live music so far. Entry to the Cocktail Village is free for all Edinburgh Cocktail Week wristband holders and event goers can enjoy £5 cocktails from 22 pop-up bars and brands taking part. Wristbands are valid across multiple days so make sure you drop in more than once to make the most of the celebrations.
3 – Add this year’s live entertainment to your cocktail week agenda. Situated within the Cocktail Village is the live music stage with a jam-packed programme of local musicians and headline bands. Think Spice Girls tributes, ABBA anthems, Motown floorfillers, Country favourites and Funky Disco dancefloor classics. The music stage is where you’ll wannabe this year (pun intended).
4 – Make the most of the ‘Prestige Cocktails’ on offer throughout Edinburgh Cocktail Week. All wristband holders will gain exclusive access to this elite category where they can each enjoy elevated cocktail serves curated by some of the city’s top mixologists at award-winning venues. Prestige Cocktails will be served in Panda & Sons and Hey Palu – both in the Top 50 Cocktail Bars – The Bon Vivant, Hawksmoor, Harrods Champagne Bar, The Devil’s Advocate, Nightcap, Commons Club, Grand Cafe and Superico, to name but a few.
5 – Last but not least is a visit to the Moët & Chandon bar at the Cocktail Village for a champagne cocktail! In collaboration with the team from Eve at Virgin Hotels Edinburgh, the Moët & Chandon bar will offer a selection of three luxurious, full price champagne cocktails as well as champagne by the glass. The cocktails have been curated to celebrate the festival's fifth anniversary and is therefore, up there on our top list of must-dos.
A reminder. This year's event will run across 10 days from Friday, 6th - Sunday, 15th October. Wristbands are now on sale from £8 (inclusive of booking fees) via the Edinburgh Cocktail Week website and you can also see a full list of the bars taking part on the website too.
Please drink responsibly, over 18s only.