Best Pubs in Edinburgh: Where Locals Actually Drink

Edinburgh's pub scene is a living, breathing thing, and if you want to find the best pubs in Edinburgh, you need to step away from the Royal Mile and follow the locals into the side streets, the tenement basements, and the corner spots that have been pouring pints for decades. I have spent years drinking in this city, from Leith to Marchmont, from Stockbridge to the Grassmarket, and the places below are the ones I keep going back to, the ones where the bar staff know your order and the regulars nod when you walk in. These are the top bars Edinburgh locals actually trust, and every single one of them tells you something real about this city.

1. The Oxford Bar, Young Street, New Town

The Oxford Bar on Young Street is the kind of place that Ian Rankin wrote about, and it still feels like stepping into a Rebus novel when you push through the door. It sits on a quiet New Town side street, far from the tourist crush, and the regulars here are a mix of lawyers from nearby offices, old Leith dock workers, and the occasional writer nursing a half-pint in the corner. The pub has barely changed in decades, with its dark wood paneling, low ceilings, and a bar that feels like it was built for serious conversation rather than Instagram photos.

What to Order: A pint of Deuchars IPA, pulled properly, and if they have it, the steak pie with mashed potatoes is the kind of thing your grandmother would approve of.

Best Time: Weekday afternoons between 3 and 5, when the after-work crowd thins out and you can actually get a seat by the window.

The Vibe: Quiet, no-nonsense, and slightly intimidating if you are a stranger, but warm once you have been once or twice. The jukebox is there but nobody uses it, which tells you everything.

Local Tip: Do not sit in Rebus's usual seat if it is empty. The staff will not tell you directly, but the regulars will give you a look that could curdle milk. Just pick another stool and you will be fine.

One thing most tourists do not know is that the Oxford Bar was originally a meeting place for Edinburgh's legal profession in the 1800s, back when Young Street was lined with solicitors' offices. That legacy of quiet, serious drinking culture still hangs in the air.

2. The Bow Bar, West Bow, Grassmarket

Walk down West Bow from the Grassmarket and you will find the Bow Bar, a tiny, narrow pub that has been serving locals since 1890. It is one of the best pubs in Edinburgh for real ale lovers, with a rotating selection of cask ales from Scottish breweries that changes almost weekly. The bar is long and thin, with barely room for ten people to stand comfortably, but that is part of its appeal. You end up talking to strangers because there is literally nowhere else to look.

What to Order: Whatever cask ale the barman recommends that day. They know their stuff and will steer you right. The whisky selection is also surprisingly deep for such a small place.

Best Time: Early evening on a Thursday, when the after-work crowd from the nearby law courts filters in but it has not yet hit full capacity.

The Vibe: Cramped, friendly, and unpretentious. The kind of place where a retired teacher might be standing next to a construction worker and they are both arguing about football.

Local Tip: The Bow Bar does not serve food, but you are allowed to bring your own. A local trick is to grab a fish and chip supper from the nearby Oink on Victoria Street and eat it at the bar. The staff genuinely do not mind.

The pub sits on a street that was once the main route into Edinburgh from the west, and the building itself dates back to the Victorian era when West Bow was a bustling commercial artery. You can still feel that old energy in the worn stone steps leading down to the entrance.

3. Sandy Bell's, Forrest Road, South Side

Sandy Bell's on Forrest Road is where folk music lives in Edinburgh, and it has been that way since the 1960s folk revival. The pub is small, always packed on weekend nights, and the sessions that happen in the back room are the real deal, not staged for tourists. I have seen musicians from all over Scotland drop in unannounced and join a session that has been running for three hours straight. This is one of the local pubs Edinburgh musicians consider sacred ground.

What to Order: A pint of Belhaven Best and a bowl of their Scotch broth if you are hungry. Nothing fancy, but it hits the spot after a long session.

Best Time: Saturday night after 9 PM, when the folk sessions are in full swing and the energy in the room is electric.

The Vibe: Loud, warm, and communal. You will be shoulder to shoulder with strangers who feel like old friends by the second pint.

One Complaint: The toilets are upstairs and the stairs are steep and narrow. If you have had a few pints, take care on the way down. I have seen more than one person stumble.

Local Tip: If you play an instrument, bring it. The regulars are welcoming but they can tell the difference between someone who knows their way around a tune and someone who is just showing off. Play humbly and you will be invited back.

Sandy Bell's is named after a famous Scottish folk singer, and the walls are covered with photos and memorabilia from decades of sessions. It connects directly to Edinburgh's identity as a city that takes its folk traditions seriously, not as a museum piece but as something alive and evolving.

4. The Guildford Arms, Rose Street, New Town

Rose Street is Edinburgh's famous pub strip, running parallel to Princes Street, and the Guildford Arms sits at the quieter western end where locals actually go to drink. The building is a gorgeous Victorian pub with an ornate ceiling, stained glass, and one of the most beautiful bar counters in the city. It was built in 1896 and has been a pub ever since, surviving wars, recessions, and the slow gentrification of Rose Street.

What to Order: A pint of Caledonian Deuchars, which is brewed just down the road in Edinburgh and tastes like the city itself. The bar snacks are solid too, particularly the pork scratchings.

Best Time: Sunday afternoon, when the football might be on but the crowd is relaxed and the light coming through the stained glass makes the whole room glow.

The Vibe: Grand but comfortable. You feel like you are drinking in a cathedral of beer, but nobody is going to judge you for slouching.

Local Tip: The Guildford Arms has a back room that most people walk right past. It is quieter, has more seating, and is where the regulars retreat when Rose Street gets too busy on Friday nights.

Most tourists do not know that the building was originally designed as a hotel bar for a nearby railway hotel that was demolished in the 1960s. The ornate interior was saved and incorporated into the pub, which is why it feels grander than your average Rose Street boozer.

5. The Blue Moon, Broughton Street, Broughton

The Blue Moon on Broughton Street is one of those local pubs Edinburgh residents guard jealously, and for good reason. It is a proper neighborhood pub in a part of town that still feels like a village within the city. The bar is run by people who care deeply about real ale, and the selection rotates with a thoughtfulness that you simply do not find in chain pubs. I have been coming here for years and the quality has never dropped.

What to Order: Whatever guest ale is on. The staff will tell you the story behind each one, which brewery made it, what hops they used, and why it pairs well with the weather outside.

Best Time: Tuesday or Wednesday evening, midweek, when the pub is quiet enough to actually chat with the barman about the beer.

The Vibe: Intimate, knowledgeable, and genuinely welcoming. The kind of place where the barman remembers what you drank last time.

One Complaint: The pub is small and does not take reservations, so if you show up with a group of six on a Friday night, you might be standing outside in the cold waiting for a spot.

Local Tip: The Blue Moon is just around the corner from the Edinburgh Bookshop on Broughton Street, one of the best independent bookshops in the city. Grab a book, then pop in for a pint. It is the perfect Edinburgh afternoon.

Broughton Street has been a drinking street since the 18th century, when it was the main route into Edinburgh from the north. The Blue Moon carries that tradition forward in a way that feels honest and unforced.

6. The Athletic Arms (The Diggers), Ardmillan Terrace, Gorgie

Out in Gorgie, far from the tourist trail, the Athletic Arms, known to everyone as The Diggers, is where gravediggers from the nearby cemeteries used to come for a pint after work. That history gives the place a character that no amount of renovation could replicate. It is one of the best pubs in Edinburgh for anyone who wants to see how the other half of the city drinks, away from the polished New Town bars and the Grassmarket tourist traps.

What to Order: A pint of Stewart's Edinburgh Gold, which is brewed locally and has a clean, malty finish that goes down too easily. The pub also does a solid Scotch egg if you need something to soak it up.

Best Time: Saturday afternoon, especially if there is a rugby or football match on. The atmosphere during a game is something else, full of genuine passion and the occasional heated debate.

The Vibe: Working-class, no-frills, and utterly authentic. This is not a pub that tries to be anything other than what it is.

Local Tip: The Diggers is a short walk from Tynecastle Park, home of Heart of Midlothian Football Club. On match days, the pub fills up fast with Hearts fans, and the atmosphere is electric but friendly. Even if you are not a football fan, it is worth experiencing once.

Most tourists have no idea Gorgie exists as a drinking destination, which is exactly why the locals love it. The pub connects to Edinburgh's industrial past, when this part of the city was full of breweries, brickworks, and the workers who kept them running.

7. The Cumberland Bar, Cumberland Street, New Town

The Cumberland Bar is a Georgian gem on a quiet New Town street, and it is one of the top bars Edinburgh's drinking cognoscenti swear by. The building dates from the early 1800s and still has its original Georgian windows, wooden floors, and a sense of proportion that modern pubs simply cannot replicate. It is a pub that respects its own history without making a fuss about it.

What to Order: A pint of Innis & Gunn, the Edinburgh-born oak-aged beer that put Scottish craft brewing on the map. The Cumberland also has an excellent selection of single malts if you want to go the whisky route.

Best Time: Weekday lunchtime, when the nearby office workers pop in for a quick one and the pace is relaxed.

The Vibe: Elegant but unpretentious. You could wear a suit or a pair of old jeans and neither would look out of place.

One Complaint: The pub can get quite warm in summer because the Georgian windows do not open very wide. If you are sensitive to heat, grab a seat near the door.

Local Tip: The Cumberland is just a few minutes' walk from the Scottish National Portrait Gallery on Queen Street. Pop in for a pint after visiting the gallery and you will feel like a proper Edinburgh local.

The pub sits in the heart of the New Town, which was built in the 18th century as Edinburgh's answer to overcrowded medieval living. The Cumberland Bar embodies that original vision of civilized, comfortable urban life.

8. The Sheep Heid Inn, Duddingston Village

The Sheep Heid Inn claims to be the oldest pub in Scotland, dating back to 1360, and whether or not that claim holds up to strict historical scrutiny, the place is undeniably ancient and full of character. It sits in Duddingston Village, a tiny hamlet at the foot of Arthur's Seat, and feels like it belongs to a different century. Mary, Queen of Scots is said to have bowled in the alley out back, and the whole place has a weight of history that is hard to fake.

What to Order: A pint of local ale and the haggis bonbons, which are crispy on the outside and rich on the inside. If you are feeling adventurous, try a round on the skittles alley, which is one of the oldest in the country.

Best Time: Sunday lunch, when the pub is full of families and the garden is open if the weather cooperates. Duddingston in summer, with Arthur's Seat looming above, is one of the most beautiful spots in Edinburgh.

The Vibe: Historic, slightly touristy on weekends, but still genuine. The locals who live in Duddingston still drink here, which keeps it honest.

Local Tip: Walk to the pub from the city center via Holyrood Park. The route takes about 30 minutes and passes right under Salisbury Crags. You will arrive thirsty and appreciative, which is the best way to experience any pub.

Most tourists know about the Sheep Heid but do not realize that Duddingston Village itself was an independent community until the 20th century, with its own kirk, its own character, and its own fierce local pride. The pub is the last living link to that independent spirit.

When to Go and What to Know

Edinburgh's pubs are generally open from 11 AM to midnight on weekdays and until 1 AM on weekends, though some close earlier on Sundays. If you want to experience the best pubs in Edinburgh the way locals do, avoid the Royal Mile entirely after 6 PM, when it becomes a bottleneck of stag parties and tour groups. Instead, head to the neighborhoods, Broughton, Marchmont, Stockbridge, Leith, where the pubs are quieter and the conversation is better.

Cash is still king in many of the older pubs, particularly The Diggers and Sandy Bell's, so always have a few notes on you. Card payments are becoming more common, but you do not want to be the person holding up the bar while everyone waits for your contactless to go through.

Finally, do not be afraid to ask the barman for a recommendation. Edinburgh pub staff are, on the whole, a knowledgeable and generous bunch. Tell them what you like, and they will point you to something you did not know you wanted. That is the real secret to finding the top bars Edinburgh has to offer. It is not about the guidebooks. It is about the conversation.