Cocktail Bars in Edinburgh

Easily one of the prettiest venues in Edinburgh, The Refinery St Andrew Square is the perfect spot to hole up with a tipple in hand. Adorned with cosy blankets in the winter months and boasting floor-to-ceiling windows for when the sun decides to shine, it's a crowdpleaser all year round. 

White chocolate martinis, G and Teas and cinnamon-infused margaritas are just some of the sips on offer at this brilliantly bizarre cocktail bar. However, it's the espresso martinis that The Raging Bull is most well-known for - take your pick from salted caramel, hazelnut, and orange variations of the coffee libation.

Recently undergoing a sleek new refurbishment, Le Monde is now one of the city's most Instagrammable bars. Kitted out in pastel pink tones and luxe velvet furnishings, it's the ideal spot for a cocktail-fuelled girls' night out.

Looking for a quirky cocktail bar in Edinburgh? Ditch your usual spot and head to Bar Soba for a tasty selection of Pan-Asian-inspired sips. Enjoy tasty small plates whilst quaffing Singapore Slings and Bacardi and banana-infused Yellow Dragons.

A hotel, bar and restaurant just off Princes Street, Angels Share houses an impressive whisky selection from across the country, and they know what to do with them. Head down for the chance to sample some sippable delights, bursting with unique ingredients such as pepper-infused Talisker, and a thyme and Irn Bru concoction.

Serving up cocktails from just £4.50 all day, every day come rain, shine, hell or highwater, Las Iguanas has got you covered on the drinks front. This vibrant George Street spot boasts a delectable selection of refreshing South American-influenced tipples from the classic caipirinha to the charcoal and aquafaba-infused Rock Star Martini.

Situated in the heart of Old Town, this charming cocktail bar is the ultimate stopping off spot for pre-dinner drinks, or a relaxed date night. Serving up a sublime selection of sips, their drinks mix simplicity and intelligence, with a fair amount of finesse, to make sure they always hit the spot.

Having coined the term 'theatre served', you can guarantee that a night spent at The Alchemist isn't quite like anything else. Serving up smoking, popping and colour-changing libations, this St James Centre bar is the perfect place to sip on some seriously snappable drinks. 

New Town's most lauded cocktail bar, Bramble has more than proved its worth since being named among the world's best last year. One look at their menu and you can see why though as the drinks on offer go beyond the classics to bring together flavours and ingredients in perfect harmony.

Styled as a vintage barbershop, Panda & Sons is one of Edinburgh's few purpose-built speakeasy bars. Sitting just off Charlotte Square, guests will find a basement drinking den decorated with vintage chairs, Victorian male grooming guides and a truly creative cocktail menu to rival any.

A firm favourite amongst Edinburgh's student population, Cabaret Voltaire is a labyrinth of cosy corners and nooks. Coming alive at the weekend, this late-night haunt also just happens to play host to some of the city's most exciting DJs.

Rabble is a boutique bar, restaurant and hotel in the heart of Edinburgh. Offering something a little different to the city's collection of sultry drinking dens and leather-laden cocktail lounges, this place is bright and airy, with low-hanging botanicals and springtime sips.

Marrying the luxury of a hotel bar with the quirk of an edgy pop-up, the beautifully decorated Tigerlily boasts one of the most impressive cocktail menus in town. Split up into various sections and using a wide range of different spices, fruits, spirits and liqueurs, the mixologists here are always looking to try new things with their innovative creations. 

One of the coolest cocktail bars in Edinburgh, this relaxed and informal spot on Queen Street brings the heat with its very unique drinks list. You ever had seabass and red onion in a cocktail? Well now you can with the LLC Ceviche Sour. What about chorizo? Because their Liquid Lunch can sort you out for that too. We weren't lying when we said 'unique'.

Home to some of the city's finest shakers and master mixologists, the Heads & Tales team have crafted a superb cocktail menu of unique and moreish tipples, from twists on the classics, to something entirely different. On top of that, they've got one seriously impressive gin list that would humble even the most knowledgeable juniper junkie. 

Identified by its signature cherry blossom trees, Tattu is the Mint Building spot known for its stunning design, sumptuous Asian cuisine and elegant cocktails. Each drink here has been hand-crafted by the team of expert mixologists. Our favourite? The Crouching Tiger - a gin, tequila and pink grapefruit concoction that looks as good as it tastes.

Step off George Street's beaten path and you'll find this neon-lit marvel taking up a spot on North Castle Street. Wearing its sense of humour loud and proud, the drinks menu here is designed around your favourite film and TV references, from the Bond-inspired tipple Golden Eye to The Devil Wear's Prada-esque pornstar martinis.

Throwing bunting, huge indoor plants, kitsch antiques and vibrant tropical cocktails all into one snug venue, Paradise Palms on Lothian Street is the Edinburgh party bar that refuses to sit still. While the decorations continue to get louder and more outrageous, the drinks menu follows the same path, featuring tipples that'll make you feel as if you're on a Polynesian beach. 

A relatively new edition to Edinburgh's secret bar scene, Cask Smugglers offers vintage furnishings, retro tunes and incredible cocktails... but only for those in the know. Hidden away behind an unassuming door on Princes Street, this place is perfect for those nights when you're looking to impress.

Based just a short stroll away from the iconic Grassmarket, Dragonfly is a cocktail bar that reached new heights by keeping things simple. While others in the city have gone for an in-your-face look and serve the quirkiest creations, the team at this spot simply serve their guests classic and signature recipes in a laidback, relaxed environment.

Experience a slice of sunshine as 52 Canoes brings a taste of the tropics to the heart of Scotland's capital. Fuelling late-night sessions on the dance floor is an impressive menu of rum-packed cocktails, and alcohol-free alternatives, including batches of uber-fiery homemade ginger beer.