10 Best Breweries in Livingston Village

"Cold Town House is situated in the famous Grassmarket area of Edinburgh and has a range of traditionally brewed offerings along with their signature dish, the stone-fired Neapolitan pizza. There is a full roof which is rolled back when the rain stops, revealing ‘that’ Edinburgh Castle shot. There’s a decent selection of drinks including Cold Town Beer, which is freshly brewed on the premises and served by the glass or in the six-pint tower."

"There are three storeys to this Grassmarket bar, including a rooftop terrace that’s perfect for summertime drinking. Born from a desire to move past hipsterism-for-the-sake-of-hipsterism, Cold Town House dedicates itself to pretence-free pizza, beer and prosecco. They also have their own lager and pale ale (OK, that sounds a little hipster), and you can watch the brewing process through floor-to-ceiling windows on the bar’s first floor."

"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."

"Head on over to BrewDog's Lothian Road bar and you'll find reclaimed tables lining the street, giving you one cool spot for a post-work pint or two. That's not all though, as the venue is dishing up droolworthy burgers, boozy weekend brunches and a hearty choice of plant-based bites."

"Born and bred in Scotland, Brewdog is such a successful brand that it’s gone global, with 78bars spread around the world. Though founded in Aberdeenshire, three are located inEdinburgh. Choose between the Lothian Road or the Cowgate location (which is a little bit more central)."

"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."

"Bellfield Brewery is the UK’s first craft brewery dedicated to producing quality gluten-free beer. The gluten-free craft brewery in Edinburgh is located a short walk from Holyrood Palace with plans to fully launch its tap room in summer 2019. Located in the historic area of Edinburgh alongside the mainline train track, with a birds’ eye view of the London train, visitors to Bellfield Brewery are able to enjoy beer in the sunny yard or indoor taproom."

"One of the best breweries in the city also happens to house of the best beer gardens. Bellfield is sure to have you coming back for more, with its range of award-winning craft creations, alongside gins, whiskies and organic wines for those avoiding the hoppy stuff."

"When it comes to humble beginnings, Paul Gibson certainly takes a top spot. His home-grown brewing project began in his garage out of a green VW called Olive. After heading out on the road across the UK and creating beers on a shoestring budget, Paul set up a permanent (and much larger) home for his microbrewery in Leith."

"Situated in Leith, on the Edinburgh coast, thisbrewery started life on the road as a “mobile brewery” in a 1973 VW campervan (hence thename). Today, having opened a permanent location in 2017, it’s still going strong. Their spacious taproom is laid-back and unpretentious."

"Paul Kitching’s 21212 is predominantly known as a high-class restaurant which is renowned for its exquisite cuisine, but the four, beautifully appointed spacious bedrooms above offer guests the chance to immerse themselves in luxury during a stay in Edinburgh. With commanding views over the city or the rear gardens, the tasteful rooms offer all the features you’d expect, including a stylish en-suite bathroom, smart TV, Bluetooth speaker, luxury toiletries, bathrobes, and complimentary WiFi. The Grade A listed building is situated in the elegant New Town, only five minutes from Edinburgh Waverley station, at the foot of Calton Hill."

"Set in a beautiful Georgian townhouse in Edinburgh’s Royal Terrace, 21212 is an award-winning restaurant with four beautifully appointed large bedrooms, each with a dedicated lounge area. Guests are able to relax here with pre-dinner drinks before taking their seat in the dining room. with a new menu each week, the two course unch start at just £28 on weekdays."

"Between the ever-evolving weekly menu, swanky furnishings and informed wine list, 21212 is one to watch out for. Pinned as Edinburgh’s only Michelin-starred restaurant with rooms, Paul Kitching’s masterpiece is housed in a striking Georgian Townhouse. The chameleon menu sports three choices per course and pays tribute to his contemporary French cooking flair."

"What: Edinburgh-born Martin Wishart is one of Scotland’s most famous chefs and this Leith flagship (he has another restaurant on the shores of Loch Lomond) has held a Michelin star since 2001. It’s not hard to see why: neutral furnishings and thick carpets look sleek and suave, though everyone is here for the sophisticated French-accented interpretations of Scottish ingredients, best sampled by first timers from a tasting menu that might include Orkney scallop with Jerusalem artichoke and sweet potato. There’s also a great-value lunch menu."

"Located in the port of Leith and opened in 1999 Martin Wishart has a solid reputation in Edinburgh as being one of the best restaurants in the city. Rather than piecing together your own meal from the extensive menu, it is best to opt for the six-course tasting menu prepared by the chef each evening, there are some variations available, including a vegetarian menu, and a fish menu, so that the dishes cater for a wide audience. If you are drinking have staff pick out wines to pair with each of the dishes."

"The Pantry’s Finn & Bear has settled in nicely in Leith, we’ve already lost count of the number of brunches we’ve consumed (possibly connected to the number of Bloody Marys that seem to accompany our early morning feasts). In The Pantry’s Stockbridge restaurant, you can tuck into Sunshine in Stockbridge – it’s only fitting that there should be a Sunshine on Leith too. We proclaim this to be one of Leith’s (possibly Edinburgh’s) Best Brunches!"

"A post shared by Finn & Bear (@finn.and.bear) on Feb 25, 2019 at 5:30am PST. Finn & Bear located on the Shore next to Toast is also open 7 days a week serving lunch, brunch, and dinner. It has a rustic interior with wooden floors and reclaimed furniture and an outside waterside seating area which makes it a popular location all year round."

"Established in 2017, Yummys Desserts has become a huge hit and the go-to for delicious desserts. After many sleepless nights wondering whether it’s possible to create a second branch during a pandemic, the owner of Yummy’s Desserts decided to go for it. The team have given it their all over the last few months, creating a huge range of freshly-made cakes, desserts, cookie dough, waffles, pancakes in the new Hampden branch."

"Last but certainly not least we have Artisan Gelato Edinburgh in the Old Town, with their authentic Italian-looking store that is the perfect backdrop for a shot of your Instagrammable ice cream. Their hand crafted ice cream is to die for and some of their most popular flavours include pistachio bronte Sicily, chocolate orange and cheescake...we will take ten scoops please. One reviewer said it is the "best gelato outside of Italy" and, like their neighbours Over Langshaw Farm, they offer vegan, gluten free and dairy free options."