New Town
Swirling textured wallpapers, glittering chain-mail curtains, crystal chandeliers, and plush pink and gold sofas have won a cluster of design awards for…
Must-see nightlife in Scotland
Glasgow
In a quiet corner of Merchant City, this handsome spot is perfect for a tranquil daytime drink, particularly in the adjoining beer garden. Service is…
Glasgow
In the heart of the Pink Triangle, this is a popular bar with a good mix of ages and orientations. It packs out in the evenings when bingo, quizzes, drag…
Edinburgh
Nicknamed for the cemetery across the street – gravediggers used to nip in and slake their thirst here – the Diggers dates from 1897. It’s still staunchly…
Aberdeen
Decadent decor of deep blue-green panelling, designer copper light fittings and mirrored walls tempts you to linger in this classy wine bar – there are…
Leith
The delightful Old Chain Pier enjoys a brilliant location overlooking the sea – the building was once the 19th-century booking office for steamers…
Dumfries & Galloway
A traditional, rickety old nook-and-cranny pub down a narrow wynd off the main pedestrian drag, this was reputedly Burns' favourite watering hole, and…
Aberdeen
This lovely Edwardian-style pub with wood panelling, marble-topped tables and walls decorated with old musical instruments is a great place for a quiet…
Old Town
The art college's Wee Red Bar has been around so long there’s a danger the authorities will slap a blue plaque on it and declare it a national monument…
Edinburgh
One of the newer additions to Edinburgh’s burgeoning coffee scene, Cult Espresso is an intimate, industrial-chic cafe serving single-origin coffees to the…
New Town
The Basement is a laid-back bar with a rustic Latin American vibe – check out the weird, welded furniture made from tank tracks, camshafts and motorcycle…
Glasgow
Perhaps the best bar on Ashton Lane, Brel can seem tightly packed, but there's a conservatory for eating out the back so you can pretend you're sitting…
Glasgow
Perfect for a pint after the Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, this great spot offers the delicious range of artisanal beers from the brewery of the same…
St Andrews
This brewery-distillery produces beer and whisky but is best known for its range of craft gins made using locally grown botanicals. One-hour tours of the…
Old Town
A brass plaque outside this pub proclaims: ‘In the White Hart Inn Robert Burns stayed during his last visit to Edinburgh, 1791'. Claiming to be the city’s…
New Town
Immortalised as the stereotypical New Town pub in Alexander McCall Smith's serialised novel 44 Scotland Street, the Cumberland has an authentic,…
Glasgow
A breathtaking domed ceiling and majestic chandeliers make this casino a special space. Originally a bank and later Glasgow's High Court, this regal…
Leith
Duke St was always one of the rougher corners of Leith, but the emergence of pubs like the Lioness is a sure sign of gentrification. Distressed timber and…
Old Town
Housed in the former advertising offices of the Scotsman newspaper, attractively refurbished with red brick, artistically arranged timber offcuts and a…
Old Town
The Edinburgh outpost of Scotland's self-styled 'punk brewery', BrewDog stands out among the sticky-floored dives that line the Cowgate with its polished…
Glasgow
A breath of fresh air, this offbeat spot makes you feel comfortable as soon as you plunge into its basement depths. The decor is eclectic with a cosy…
Leith
In an area stuffed with choice pubs, Nobles might be the most loved by locals. This beautifully restored Victorian cafe-bar in the heart of Leith has…
Perth
The basement of this pub contains a crime scene – the medieval stonework here is all that survives of Blackfriars monastery, where James I of Scotland was…
Old Town
A superstylish lounge bar with a Raffles of Singapore vibe – it’s all crystal chandeliers, polished wood and oriental art – Dragonfly has won rave reviews…
Holyrood & Arthur’s Seat
Set among the glass-and-steel architecture of the redeveloped Holyrood district, Hemma (Swedish for ‘at home’) is one of a stable of Scandinavian bars, a…
Dundee
Students from the nearby university crowd the tables at this modern bar with its cute, Scandinavian-style decor (lots of colourfully painted wood…
Glasgow
One of Merchant City's most relaxed and atmospheric pubs, and far better than some of the lager palaces on the rest on this square, Blackfriars' friendly…
New Town
Edinburgh’s coffee scene punches above its weight, largely thanks to Artisan Roast. The mothership, a tiny, dark cafe on Broughton St, is now one of three…
New Town
Lush leather sofas, red-satin cushions, fetishistic steel-mesh curtains and dim red lighting all help to create a decadent atmosphere in this drop-dead…
Inverness
Decked out in timber and tweed, this bar strikes a distinctly modern chord. There's a huge selection of Scottish craft beers on tap, and even a beer 'set…
Edinburgh
A lovably eccentric pub, the Canny Man’s consists of a crowded warren of tiny rooms crammed with a bizarre collection of antiques and curiosities (a…
Leith
This good old-fashioned local boozer has been sympathetically restored – it appeared in the 2013 film Sunshine on Leith. Its nautical history is evident…
New Town
One of those places that easily earn the sobriquet ‘best-kept secret’, Bramble is an unmarked cellar bar (just an inconspicuous brass nameplate beneath a…
Old Town
A cross between a traditional pub and a pre-club bar, Villager has a shabby-chic, laid-back vibe. It can be standing room only in the main bar in the…
Edinburgh
Promoting itself as the Southside’s only ‘alternative’ pub, the Auld Hoose certainly lives up to its reputation, with unpretentious decor, gig posters on…
New Town
A century old and still going strong, Clark’s caters to a clientele of real-ale aficionados, football fans (there are three TVs), local office workers and…
Holyrood & Arthur’s Seat
Possibly the oldest inn in Edinburgh (with a licence dating back to 1360), the Sheep Heid feels more like an upmarket country pub than an Edinburgh bar…
Stirling
A warm welcome is guaranteed at Stirling’s oldest pub (1733), a spot redolent with atmosphere, with its log fire, vaulted back room, low-slung ceilings…
Edinburgh
Housed in a converted manse (minister’s house) that once belonged to the next-door church, and furnished with well-worn, mismatched wooden tables and…
Perth
One of Perth’s best pubs has a strange outdoor space with windows peering out onto the street, an ornate entrance gate and a large, cosy interior. There…
