Best & Cool Bars in Gowkshill

"Although not a distillery itself, The Scotch Whisky Experience is a five-star visitor attraction on Edinburgh's Royal Mile tells the tale of Scotland's national drink and is well worth a visit. With a stunning multi-sensory tour and tasting, The Scotch Whisky Experience fully immerses visitors in the water of life via a breath-taking 180° panoramic tour of Scotland’s five whisky-making regions, and a carefully crafted recreation of an 1870s Blender’s Room. Set up in 1987 to educate visitors to Edinburgh about the joys of Scotch whisky, it is now home to the world’s largest private collection of Scotch whisky, held in a glittering vault."

"Set in the heart of Edinburgh, The Whisky Collection provides a novel setting for events. Guests will be treated to dining among 3,384 bottles of whisky and a five course tasting menu with courses focusing on food from the field, rivers and seas of Scotland. Each course, as you might expect, is also matched with a whisky."

"Casual but stylish vegan restaurant Harmonium opened its doors in Leith in 2017, and has gone from strength to strength ever since. The airy ex-pub is friendly and has a great menu that changes regularly, but at various times of year you can expect to see their take on a surf n'turf: a large seitan steak served with creamy potato puree, garlic butter, seared vegan scallops, steamed kale and green beans with smoked paprika. Other popular menu items include their battered "to-fish" supper, and their spicy jackfruit curry."

"Harmonium is one of the most famous vegan establishments in Edinburgh. From the same people who brought you the likes of Stereo, Mono and The Flying Duck in Glasgow, this bar and restaurant is completely vegan, from the food menu to the wine list. Comfort food is top of the agenda here at Harmonium, so expect to find tempting classics like pizzas, burgers and macaroni cheese alongside new inventive dishes like mushroom “scallops” and vegan Bhan Mi."

"Following on the success of their Hanover Street restaurant and the wonderful cafe in the values of St John's, comes a fully vegan restaurant situated in Thistle Street. This is Edinburgh's first fully vegan restaurant, and it looks to be a great success. The menu is brimming with luxurious flavourful dishes and there is certainly no sense that by eschewing meat and dairy diners are missing out."

"The name Brew Lab alone evokes images of an experimental coffee house, run by an eccentric but genius barista on the hunt to achieve world coffee domination with his signature blend. Although there are no evil geniuses in sight, these guys do take coffee mega seriously and the tweaking and precision that goes into their brew methods are worthy of the laboratory name. The coffees they serve change week to week, so are ever seasonal and offer a rich and new experience every time."

"Located near The University of Edinburgh, Brew Lab is the brainchild of coffee aficionados Dave Law and Tom Hyde, who—as the shop's name suggests—take a scientific approach to brewing. A variety of pulled, brewed, and filtered phenomena prevail here, all highlighting methods and single-origin coffees from partner roaster Union-Hand Roasting. Each type of bean is selected to complement different milks or straight-up black espressos."

"While the decor highlights the venue's love of all things Scottish, the highlight of the restaurant is the menu. Serving a handful of traditional recipes - all made using local ingredients and cuts of meat - each dish has been purposely paired with a particular whisky to highlight certain flavours."

"Haggis and whiskey should be on everyone’s ‘to eat and drink’ list when they visit Scotland, and Whiski Rooms has the best of both. Their haggis spring rolls with plum sauce are a great way to ease yourself in to the delicacy and while there make sure you try one of their 300 whiskies."

"For a quirky and casual brunch outing, try a visit to Roseleaf, located in the historic Leith area of Edinburgh. It’s a mix of bar, cafe, and bistro, open all day and welcome to all ages. Furnished with second hand items, and a collection of unusual trinkets and treasures, and run by friendly and welcoming staff, you will have a laidback, but still top quality, dining experience."

"We’re always on a mission to find Edinburgh’s best burgers and we’ve eaten far too many in the name of research. To be fair, I was eating a lot of burgers before we set up EdinBraw, I’m not sure I can keep using it as an excuse for my addiction. Whilst I couldn’t tell you how many burgers I’ve eaten in Edinburgh, I can tell you where I’ve eaten the most – The Roseleaf in Leith."

"The Roseleaf serves top-notch grub|Courtesy of Roseleaf / © AdamJBellPhotography. There’s a real buzz in Leith just now, with the diversity of its restaurants, from gastropub to Michelin-star restaurants, unrivalled elsewhere in Edinburgh. One of its most beloved pubs serving top-notch grub is the Roseleaf."

"Celebrating the very best of the city’s vibrant creativity, The Angels Share has a distinctively Scottish feel throughout and is located just a 2-minute walk from Princes Street. Each of the carefully crafted bedrooms at this funky Edinburgh accommodation is individually themed around Scottish cultural icons, as well as being swathed in gloriously Scottish textiles and high thread count sheets and contemporary touches. The hotel also offers a stylish restaurant with high-back leather booths, that serves locally sourced produce and of course, plenty of Scottish delicacies for all to enjoy."

"Situated in the heart of Edinburgh's trendy West End district with the Castle, all the best shopping, bars and nightlife on your doorstep. The Angels Share Hotel is a destination. With a stunning bar, restaurant and late night drinking venue all under one roof."

"The chicest gay bar in the city, The Street is not your average bar and nightclub. Having become a cornerstone of Edinburgh’s Pink Triangle, not only do they host quiz nights and DJ sessions in their downstairs nightclub space but they have a great selection of food- ‘Street Food’ and 'Mexican Street Food’ menus are not to be missed, and ideal to be washed down with a choice from an extensive cocktail list. The Street attracts a lively, trendy crowd throughout the night and is an ideal space to come with friends to enjoy a laidback vibe in the city."

"Image SourceThe market is an ideal place in Edinburgh to explore shops from leading-edge designers to fashion origins. The market is filled with designers, artists, and individuals selling crafts and classy clothes. Take a look for designer hats at Fabhatrix and Mr. Wood’s Fossils and if what you are looking for are old trend hats then Armstrong’s is the place to be."

"Taquito is dedicated to serving delicious, no frills, Mexican street food. What this means in practice is a short and to the point menu of tacos, quesadillas, burritos, fajitas or nachos with hearty cuts of beef steak, succulent chicken, rich barbecued pork, spicy pork or vegetable chili. They have a range of sauces to cool down or spice up your meal and serve pitchers of rather good cocktails."

"Famous for their large portions, Mexican street food takeaway, Taquito, is great value for money. A regular burrito costs £4.20 and comes packed with rice, guacamole, sour cream, salsa, vegetables and your choice of meaty filling, including smoky pork, chorizo or shredded beef. Visit: 32 Home Street, EH3 9LZ - taquito.co.uk"