Must-see nightlife in Edinburgh

This bar is fairly small – half a dozen bar stools, a couple of sofas and a scattering of seats – but its ambition is huge, with a vast menu of bottled…

Tucked off the Royal Mile, this independent hybrid combines great beer, food, and a shop next door selling around 400 beers to drink in or take away. Work…

This tiny espresso bar is perhaps the smallest coffee shop in the city, all exposed stone and brickwork with only half a dozen bar stools and a window…

With its mosaic floors, polished gantry, cosy fireplace and efficient bar staff, the Blue Blazer is a down-to-earth antidote to the designer excess of…

Sofi's brings a little bit of Swedish sophistication to this former Leith pub, feeling more like a bohemian cafe with its mismatched furniture, candlelit…

A gorgeous Edwardian drinking palace complete with original fittings – tile floors, mahogany circle bar and gantry, ornate mirrors and gas lamps – the…

Set around an airy, stone-floored and glass-roofed courtyard, Indigo Yard is a fashionable West End watering hole that has been patronised by the likes of…

The Sample Room is a big, lively, convivial pub serving a wide range of wines and excellent real ales, and some of the best pub grub in the city (brunch…

With a low wooden ceiling, stone walls and a fine old fireplace, the Carriers has all the historic atmosphere that its 18th-century origins would imply…

This traditional Victorian pub has been remodelled and given a new lease of life by the Swedish owners. It's a real hub of the local community, with good…

Located in a side alley off the east end of Princes St, the Guildford is a classic Victorian pub full of polished mahogany, brass and ornate cornices. The…

The plush banquettes and sleek, polished tables in this sharply styled bar are just the place to pose with a passionfruit bellini or a glass of Pol Roger…

This is a pleasant gay local with a relaxed atmosphere (no loud music), serving coffee and croissants as well as excellent real ales, including Deuchars…

This cosy bar has more of a lounge atmosphere (sofas at the back) than a traditional Edinburgh pub, but the counter reveals that it is dedicated to real…

Candlelight flickering off hectares of polished wood creates an atmospheric setting for this superb real-ale bar, with more than 20 taps pouring craft…

At the foot of Broughton St, the spit-and-sawdust–style Cask & Barrel is a beer drinker’s delight, with a selection of up to 10 real ales, as well as…

The Oxford is that rarest of things: a real pub for real people, with no 'theme', no frills and no pretensions. 'The Ox' has been immortalised by Ian…

Set in a subterranean vault deep beneath Victoria St, the Liquid Room is a superb club venue with a thundering sound system. There are regular club nights…

Always busy with students and regulars, the Southsider is a big, old-fashioned, slightly rough-around-the-edges pub that pulls in people from further…

A snug little howff tucked away down a close, the Judge exudes a cosy 17th-century atmosphere (low, timber-beamed painted ceilings) and has the added…