Best Cocktails in Old Town

Cocktail Bars in Old Town

Edinburgh's Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site of medieval closes and winding cobblestone streets, provides a dramatically atmospheric backdrop for cocktail drinking. The neighbourhood's centuries-old buildings — some dating back to the 1500s — have been reimagined as some of the city's most inventive drinking destinations. The Cocktail Geeks on Frederick Street brings an immersive, theme-driven approach to cocktails, with rotating concepts that transform the bar into entirely new worlds every few months — think fantasy realms, retro arcades, and cinematic universes, all expressed through meticulously crafted drinks. The Devil's Advocate, nestled in a former Victorian pump house on Advocate's Close just off the Royal Mile, pairs architectural grandeur with consistently excellent cocktails and one of the city's best whisky selections. Tucked deeper into the Old Town's labyrinth, The Burrow delivers an intimate, low-lit experience in a space so small that every seat feels like the best in the house — a neighbourhood gem with near-perfect ratings from locals. The Old Town's drinking scene draws its character from the streets themselves: historic, layered, and full of hidden corners worth exploring.