Tucked away on Thistle Street in the New Town, The Bon Vivant has the external look of an informal restaurant, and an internal decor dominated by warm, soft wood and candlelight: ersatz trad where no one really cares about the ersatz element. It feels comforting, the bistro-style menu is a major part of the experience and the venue has none of the aesthetic stridency associated with some twenty-first-century cocktail vendors.
Edinburgh is the gift that just keeps on giving. Besides the buzz that ripples through the city during the Fringe, it offers a collection of stunning restaurants, charming pubs and cultural excitement all year round.
The Scottish capital does a lot of things very well. And among those things is its assemblage of specialist cocktail bars. New places are popping up all the time, so you’ll always have somewhere fresh to try. From small, hidden speakeasies to popular themed bars kitted out with decadent furnishings, you’ll be truly spoiled for choice.
Whether you’re a fan of the classics or on the lookout for something a little more experimental, Edinburgh’s mixologists have you covered. Of course, being in Scotland, you’re in real luck if whisky-based concoctions are your chosen poison. Here’s our round-up of the best cocktail bars in the city.
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