EDINBURGH: SHORE
On the waterfront
Gone are the days of wondering what to do with the drunken sailor down at Edinburgh’s chic water-front, says Rachael Street.
The Compass
GET WITH THE COOL CROWD
The gentrification of Leith has brought with it some quirky drinkeries. including Boda Bar (229 Leith Walk. 553 5900). a funky Swedish-run hangout which offers Scandinavian treats such as moose sausage. herrings and meatballs. plus pear cider and cognac. The owners have recently opened a second venture nearer to the Shore called Sofi‘a (65 Henderson Street, 555 7019). which mirrors its sister's friendly atmosphere. The Compass (44 Queen Charlotte Street. 554 1979) is another newcomer. turning what was a rather grim establishment into a stylish haunt With plenty of personality. But for pure class. you can't beat the The Shore Bar (3 The Shore. 553 5080). a well-established drinking spot With dark wood panels. high mirrors and candles on the tables. Further afield The Village (16 South Fort Street. 478 7810) embodies the phrase ‘best of both worlds'. At the front it's a traditional pub. which contrasts nicely with a modern and stylish back room. It also plays host to the Leith Folk Club every Tuesday. But no trip down Leith way is complete without a visit to The Pond Bar (2—4 Bath Road. 467 3825). The eclectic decor. not to mention the great range of German lagers and unusual munchies. makes it worth the trip.
ARE YOU LOCAL?
All the trendy y0ung places springing up have by no means deprived the area of its more traditional pubs. Walking into The Malt & Hops (45 The Shore. 555 0083) is like stepping into someOne‘s front room. but the real attraction is its real ales and cask conditioned cider. Likewise The Old Dock Bar (3—5 Dock Place. 555 4474) always has guest beers on tap and manages to offer something to discerning drinkers and diners. Nobles Bar (44a Constitution Street. 554 2024) is good for a quiet pint or watching the footie. except at weekends when the live music takes over. Fans of the beautiful game. especially those of the Hibee perSUasion. head to Robbie’s (367 Leith Walk. 554 6850) on match days when it can get stowed out. But even if sport isn't your thing. this much-loved
haunt has a home grown feel. with a c0uple of stuffed animals above the bar and the warm glow of the puggies. However, the ultimate Leith local has to be The Port 0’ Leith (58 Constitution Street. 554 3568). It can be pretty intimidating if yOu're not from the area. but its lively. bawdy atmosphere is unique.
STYLE QUEENS
Not all bars in Leith are dark, real ale-sewing affairs: there are some with uptown looks. One of the most prominent is The Lighthouse (32-34 The Shore. 554 9465). a typical style bar offering after—work drink promos that make it popular with young professionals. Along the road. The Cameo Bar (23 CommerCial Street. 554 9999) has been expanded from a long. narrow bar into a bright and shiny space. with a cosier feel at the back where there's a fire and comfy seats. Bar Sirius (7—10 Dock Place. 555 3344) is another loud and vibrant post-office hangout. but if you're looking for music of the live variety. try The Cougar Lounge (28 Bernard Street. 476 8080). which often hosts band nights. Across the road Isa-Bar (7 Bernard Street. 467 8904) will unveil its new look in early December after refurbishments to create a lounge at the back. Let's hope it remains the same unpretentious. stylish little hang-out that Shore folks have come to know and love.
The Cameo Bar
BEST BARS|2006
THE MORNING AFTER
Come on, eat something, you 71 feel better for it.
Kafle Politik
I it's a well known fact that the key to surviving that slightly delicate feeling induced by overindulgence in alcohol is decamping to an appropriately low key venue and eating what your heart truly desires. The King’s Wark (36 the Shore. 554 9260) is legendary for its distinctly above-average selection of breakfast treats. all served up in the warm and cosy surroundings of this Iow-ceilinged pub. For those who prefer a meat-free morning, David Bann (55—58 St Mary’s Street. 556 5888) does brunch until 5pm (Sat and Sun only). accompanied by a laid back soundtrack and plenty of newspapers for the intellectual look. The Blue Moon Cafe (1 Barony Street. 556 2788) does classic and veggie breakfasts with aplomb (watch out for that scrambled egg mountain). as well as great nachos. burgers and other pub grub staples. The more adventurous should head to Cafe Truva (77 The Shore. 554 5502) for Turkish delicacies and coffee that will not only wake you up but keep you buzzing all week. Civilised Marchmont types frequent Kafl‘e Pollth (146 Marchmont Road. 446 9873). where the light. breezy feel of the place is enough to erase memones of smoky pubs and the French toast with bacon and maple syrup is possibly the best in the city. Finally. a note on Bloody Marys. Experts disagree on what is the exactly the right combination of ingredients. but it is widely accepted that The Shore Bar (3 the Shore, 553 5080) comes closest to perfection. (Rachael Street)
FAMOUS DRINKERS
Matt Palmer
Cult film programmer
and distributor
I really detest corporate and style bars. In Edinburgh that doesn't leave too many options. Burlington Bertie's in Tollcross has a better. a more genuine feel. as does the - —=~~ Pond in Leith. In terms of clubs I try and get down to Mondo-A‘Go-Cio as often as possible. That's a great club to get completely wrecked and dance at.
Tommy Sheppard Comedy promoter
I tend to end up doing most of my drinking at Edinburgh's Stand Comedy Club, When out and about I like to get as far away from George Street style bars as
possible. Cloisters was my local for a while and specialises in real ales and an absence of audio-visual distractions (although when there's a load of rugger buggers in the background. their chatter might make you yearn for dance music). Also near the top of
my list WOuId be the Holyrood Tavern and the Pond.
l 15> Der: 2005) THE LIST 29