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…
Must-see nightlife in Scotland
Old Town
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…
Glasgow
Tucked away in a laneway behind the Bath St bar strip, this club presents eclectic, honest music without dress pretensions. The sounds vary substantially…
Glasgow
A beautiful wood floor, elegant fittings and chessboard tiling give this place a stylish cosiness that perfectly matches its list of cocktails and G&Ts…
Old Town
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…
Islay
If you're serious about whisky, you'll want to stop by this attractive bar to try one of its 700-plus malts. Though customer service can vary, the owners…
Leith
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…
Edinburgh
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…
New Town
A gorgeous Edwardian drinking palace complete with original fittings – tile floors, mahogany circle bar and gantry, ornate mirrors and gas lamps – the…
Glasgow
One of the city's principal gay clubs is an attractive spot, with opulent furnishings. The downstairs Polo Club and Club X areas pack out on weekends,…
Oban
An authentic Scottish pub, Aulay’s is cosy and low-ceilinged, its walls covered with old photographs of Oban ferries and other ships. It pulls in a mixed…
The Trossachs
Callander's best pub isn't in Callander − it's a mile west of town. It pulls a good pint (with its own real ales), and next door it has a shop with a…
Edinburgh
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…
Glasgow
Set in a former cheese market, this place is very OTT with its Mediterranean-villa decor; it really does have to be seen to be believed. Despite the…
Lerwick
This upstairs port-side bar has a distinctly nautical, creaky-wooden feel. There’s a cross-section of young ’uns, tourists, boat folk and older locals. It…
Moray
A pub famed for its whisky collection, the Grouse has an astounding 235 different malt whiskies on the optic behind the bar, and more than 700 to choose…
Edinburgh
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…
Leith
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…
Aberdeen
A long-standing feature of the Aberdeen pub scene, the Blue Lamp is a favourite student hang-out – a cosy drinking den with good beer and craic (lively…
Oban
It's a pleasure to see this four-square 18th-century pub open again after some years closed, with its solid walls, flagstone floor and roof beams in the…
New Town
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…
Dundee
Known to generations of Dundonians as 'Mennie's' (Mrs Mennie was a former barkeeper), this university district pub, 1.5 miles west of the city centre, is…
New Town
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…
Glasgow
Rock, industrial, electronic and powerpop grace the stage and the turntables at this unpretentious central venue. It doesn't take itself too seriously,…
Edinburgh
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…
Stirling
The burgeoning Brewdog empire has come to Stirling, with a cool bar done out in designer-distressed timber offering no fewer than 16 taps dispensing craft…
Scotland
This snug boozer in an 18th-century house serves a decent range of spirits, craft beers and cask ales in a low-beamed space sporting wooden booths,…
Holyrood & Arthur’s Seat
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…
Edinburgh
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…
Lerwick
Tucked away behind Lerwick's tourist office, the Lounge features an earthy downstairs bar populated by friendly local characters. The attractive upstairs…
Glasgow
It's mostly rock, alternative and metal with a touch of Goth and post-punk at this long-standing indie venue. There are two dance floors: upstairs is…
Old Town
Candlelight flickering off hectares of polished wood creates an atmospheric setting for this superb real-ale bar, with more than 20 taps pouring craft…
New Town
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…
New Town
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…
Edinburgh
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…
Old Town
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…
Glasgow
Atmosphere in spades is the call sign of this easygoing West End bar. An ornate wooden ceiling overlooks two levels of well-mixed cocktails, seriously…
Old Town
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…
Islay
In Portnahaven, near where the seals bask on the rocks, this cosy little pub turns out some decent food (noon to 8pm Friday to Tuesday, to 4pm Wednesday…
Old Bean Coffee House & Cocktail Bar
Dundee & Angus
This laid-back little cafe serves the best coffee in town (using locally roasted Sacred Grounds coffee beans), along with a menu of bagels, waffles,…
