10 Best Breweries and Beer Places in Water of Leith

"The name gives off a draft beer and IPA vibe - but that is far from the only thing that Cold Town House has to offer. The pub sell some really awesome-looking cocktails that are begging to be held while posing for Instagram shots on the rooftop bar, with Edinburgh Castle in the background. Cocktails on offer include amazing slushie Pornstar Martinis and a classic Pina Colada number - not to mention frozen strawberry margaritas, which are perfect for the heatwave we are expecting this weekend (that reminds us to buy more suncream)."

"Cold Town House, an après-ski-themed beer garden on the Grassmarket in the heart of the Old Town, is a relaxed urban venue, with views of the castle. Owned and run by local brewery Cold Town Beer, it serves its own craft beer, as well as prosecco and warming whiskies. Great value pizzas can be ordered from the vintage van parked on the pergola-covered rooftop."

"CTH opened in 2019 and has already proven popular with the stag weekend crowd. Set over three stories and with a rooftop terrace overlooking Edinburgh Castle, the former church has the added advantage of having its own brewery on hand. As well as its own-brand beers, it has a range of cocktails, prosecco, whisky (obvs), and a locally-sourced menu."

"Located in the heart of Edinburgh’s old town, this bar is anything but old-fashioned. The styling is industrial featuring exposed brick and stainless steel but fret not, the atmosphere is warm and lively as residents and visitors flock to sample the now world renowned, headline grabbing beer. Perhaps unsurprisingly the beer offering is vast and not just from the brand itself, which can be sampled in a range of measures."

"Offering some of the best beers in the city, BrewDog's Lothian Road is about both quantity and quality. A huge space boasting over 20 craft beers as well as a menu of hearty eats, from beefy burgers and healthy salads to delicious chicken and cauliflower wings."

"Perhaps a controversial choice as an essential Edinburgh craft beer, given that Paolozzi, the Edinburgh Beer Factory's flagship brew, only launched on October 18 - but in that short time, the crisp, sparkling lager has gained enviable comparisons (in our local bottle shop, anyway) to Munich's much-revered Augustiner Hell. Perhaps such a success straight off the mark is due to the wealth of experience behind it - the EBF is headed up by John Dunsmore, former boss of both Tennent’s owner C&C Group and macro brewing plc Scottish & Newcastle. Of course, the beautifully-labelled bottle (sporting designs by Leith-born Pop Art figurehead Eduardo Paolozzi) makes it a lovely drink to be seen holding as well."

"Combining old and new ideas and techniques, Edinburgh Beer Factory create beer inspired by the Edinburgh-born ‘Godfather of Pop Art’, Eduardo Paolozzi. Their brewery tours include a walkthrough of their lager-making process, from blank canvas to final product. You’ll even get the chance to taste the raw ingredients and the unfiltered brew!"

"Founded and operated by veteran brewer Andrew Barnett in the Summerhall former vet school, and on the site of the historic Summerhall Brewery (demolished circa 1913), Barney’s is a micro-brewery literally rooted in tradition. There’s no pasteurisation or filtration in the process, which is 100% natural. All of Barney's beers – including the humbly-named Good Ordinary Pale Ale plus a lager, a red beer and a dark porter – are cask-conditioned or bottle-conditioned."

"Barney’s Beer is a craft brewery located at the southeast corner of Edinburgh’s Meadows in Summerhall. Ranked as one of the best Edinburgh breweries, Barney’s Beer is housed in the stables of the city’s old vet school. Barney (Andrew Barnett) started working in his hometown brewery in Wolverhampton back in 1983 at 16 and has been in the industry ever since."

"Barney’s Beer offers public and private tours|Courtesy of Barney’s Beer. Housed at Summerhall in a former vet school’s stables, Barney’s has been brewing for the people of Edinburgh since 2010. The use of the Summerhall site as a brewery actually predates its use as veterinary college."

"It represents an extensive selection of wines, whiskies, fine spirits and a range of world beer. Their wine list includes Champagne, Dessert wine, Fine wine, Fortified wine, Fruit wine, Port wine, Red wine, Rose wine, Sherry, Sparkling wine and White wine. Apart from wines, they also offer grape spirits, fruit spirits, rum, agave, gin, vodka, anise, liqueurs, and cocktails."

"This Grassmarket stalwart seems to exert a gravitational pull on small to medium sized groups of both locals and tourists looking for an impromptu food stop. Starters like sweet potato fries and macho nachos are decent enough, but their function is to…"

"Address: 61 York Place, Edinburgh, EH1 3JD, Scotland, UK Tel: +44 (0)131 556 1798 This popular Roman Catholic church dates back to 1814, being designed by James Gillespie Graham. Each month on the third Tuesday, look out for the organ and choir recitals. The adjacent Cafe Camino provides a rather tempting menu, offering bacon sandwiches, freshly made soup, lunchboxes for children, a choice of beverages (including coffee, tea, wine, beer and cider) and tubs of locally produced ice cream."

"St Mary’s Catholic Cathedral, originally called the Chapel of St Mary’s, held its first masses in August 1814. The Cathedral houses the National Shrine of St Andrew, Scotland’s patron saint, and even has an underground passage leading to a priest’s house in York Place. It wasn’t until the 1970s that passers by could see the Cathedral in its full splendor when tenements in front of the building were demolished."

"Cramond Island: This pretty tidal island is located an hour or so from Edinburgh’s Waverly Bridge by bus. Purchase some picnic essentials, grab a book and hop on a bus on a sunny day to make the most of this short day trip from Edinburgh. Nearby, there are coastal paths to follow and history to uncover; the most important Roman statue ever found in Scotland, the Cramond Lioness was uncovered in the estuary near Cramond Island!"

"A two story extension was added in the 1820s by architect William Burn, and finally a library was added in the 1870s. The interior is beautifully decorated and furnished in Edwardian style and features some beautiful works of art. There are regular craft workshops for all ages held in the Victorian kitchen throughout the year."

"Tucked away near Cramond Beach, enjoy the delights of Lauriston Castle while being surrounded by an open green space. Don't forget to take a walk through their Japanese Gardens as recommended by Rosa, our Design Assistant!"

"Well worth a visit to find out how the children of Edinburgh past the time through the years. Filled with toys, games, clothes, books and dolls dating back to the 18th Century, this museum is packed with plenty of interesting artefacts to keep you entertained for an hour or two. Highlights include a teddy that was on the last train out of Vienna to rescue Jewish children from Nazi Germany in 1939, a large doll’s house with running water and electricity and a doll from 1905 made from the sole of a shoe, showing the ingenuity of a family struggling to make ends meet."

"You don’t have to be a child to enjoy the Museum of Childhood, but it definitely is a place for the kids to go and see the toys of years past and get to try some of them out. This is the first museum of its kind that was dedicated to the culture of childhood and preserving toys and childhood culture, which also means adults will take great joy in seeing toys from their own childhoods. Of course, no one visiting would be old enough to remember playing with the Queen Anne Doll on display, as this dates back to 1740, but perhaps you remember the Peter Rabbit toy."

"Getting to Edinburgh’s Museum of Childhood : Located on the Royal Mile, the museum is a 5 minute walk from St Christopher’s Inns Edinburgh. Photo credit: Museum of Childhood. Edinburgh’s Museum of Childhood was the world’s first museum dedicated solely to the history of children."

"Chambers Street, Edinburgh EH1 1JF Open daily from 10.30 to 16.30 Free to enter, donations welcome. Arguably Edinburgh's largest and busiest museum, the National Museum of Scotland has a range of exhibits from around the world, showcasing the Natural World, World Cultures and Scottish History and Archaeology. Before you explore the exhibits on display, take a moment to take in the striking architecture of the Grand Gallery, a beautiful example of Victorian design with soaring high pillars, large windows and a magnificent glass ceiling that floors the gallery with light."

"This great museum has some fantastic ways to get hands on, so it’s worth a visit at any time of year – although especially if you’re looking for things to do in Edinburgh in the rain with kids. The different galleries have different themes – creativity in Imagine for example, plus science and technology, as well as Adventure. You could climb into a human hamster wheel, or dig for dinosaur bones in the Adventure Planet gallery if they fancy themselves as mini archaeologists."

"Want to see a dinosaur, a shark, and a bunch of artifacts all under one roof?. Then come on down to the National Museum of Scotland!. The amount of exhibits is astounding – and it’s all free!"