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    56 North

    3.4 (45 reviews)
    ModerateWine Bars
    Open 11:00 am - 1:00 AM (Next day)

    56 North Photos

    56 NORTH ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Classy
    Casual
    Loud
    Outdoor seating

    Recommended Reviews - 56 North

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    Gin cocktail with sherbet spaceships. Yum!
    Claire C.

    I have been to 56 North a couple of times in the past and never considered it anything special. However, after enjoying a gin masterclass here I now think there is something quite appealing about the bar. It's decided to give itself a niche and opted for gins from all over the joint in order to set the place apart from the competition. With comfortably over 100 gins on offer (as well as a cheeky wee off-licence), if the juniper berry floats your boat then this is the place to stop for a tipple. Saying that, if gin isn't your beverage of choice, there seems to be plenty other options on the drinks menu. I enjoyed several mulled wines here so there's lots of scope for drinky goodness. Ambience wise, it's a bit lacking in atmosphere. I think my winter visit and large glass frontage probably don't marry that well together. The seating is upright and table focused - not too cosy and laid back. Could do more with a couple of comfy couches and more booths. Service was good. The guy that did the gin masterclass really knew his stuff and the barmen were friendly and polite. Having not tried the food I can't comment on how good it is. But I'd be happy to come here again of an afternoon or evening and sample the drinks on offer.

    logo from official website
    Alice W.

    Where did Human Be-in go? Oh wait, no it's still there but with a different name, some nasty LED backbar lights and some snotty staff. Overpriced drinks only served after you've been evil-eyed for ruining two Edinburgh Uni looking girls conversation behind the bar. I now know three things, barmaid 1 had her shoes ruined by a girl in a club, barmaid 2 is shocked and disgusted. Three, I'm never going into 56 North ever again.

    56 North
    Chris D.

    I wonder if there's a restaurant for every degree of latitude. My home town sits at the 54th parallel, while Edinburgh sits at the 56th. My town has a North 54, Edinburgh has a North 56--well, okay, 56 North. On a whim I did a search for a North 53 restaurant...bingo, Edmonton. North 52? London. North 55? Northern Ireland. Holy crap, it's true! I could run a blog where I travel the world visiting a restaurant named for every latitude. I'm waiting Hollywood! That being said, I'm sure there would be at least a few degrees missing--not sure if there's one at the North Pole. Taking this train of thought, would there be duplicates in the South, and would they be the Norths' mortal enemies? Would they explode if they touched each other like matter/antimatter? I have to check--HOLY SHIZZA, there totally is a South 55! Upon passing 56 North, I couldn't help but enter. It's a modest bistro where sections of charcoal tiles and tan wood panels spread across the floor. Matching tables and chairs are frugal; the tables feature hooks for people to hang bags from....novel. The bar carries enough alcohol to inebriate all of Goldie Hawn's children. The menu is the definition of humble--one paper affixed to a clipboard. A clipboard. No really, a clipboard. The prices are very reasonable with only a few items over ten quid and only one at seventeen pounds. I opted for two starters rather than one with a main. The first was a pork belly & black pudding filo parcel with homemade apple jam. I then followed it up with the autumn vegetable soup. While the filo parcel was amazing, I thought the soup was honestly...the best word to describe it was fibrous, which is...totally a word I just discovered. Thankfully, it was only a daily soup, which means I hope that in the future it won't repeat. A good meal and a good value. I liked the décor, especially the hole built into the dividing wall allowing me an unobstructed view of the TV in the corner--I kid you not, they did this. The service was great with the waiter/bartender/probable owner bragging about the free Wifi offered inside the restaurant. By the way, the password for the network was totally "FreeScotland". 56 North is a lovely modern addition to a bucolic, borderline antediluvian landscape (yeah, antediluvian). I've said that I loved and still do love the look of Edinburgh--the stone construction, the towering spires, the fact that the city is perpetually moist all the time--but I do appreciate it when I cross the threshold to an interior and find it upbeat and modern. There's a TV, but it's not a pub. It has a bar but it's not a club. 56 North is comfortable. It's like a giant pillow in front of a fire on a cold night. It's where you take someone to hang out with for two hours. It's where single guys work off a pint of bourbon and lament the days when they were in love. Okay, that last one doesn't sound very fitting, but I could totally see it happening. 56 North gets my recommendation because it was unpretentious, welcoming, with better than average food. With my review of North 54, that makes two latitudes. That leaves 178 more to go....more or less. DECOR: 7 PLATING: 7 SERVICE: 8 FOOD: 6 VALUE: 8 OVERALL: 7.2 out of 10

    Great seating
    Helen M.

    I found this little gem when I was perusing places to eat during a mini break in Edinburgh. I am very glad I did the food was delicious, I started with Buffalo Mozzarello and beef tomatos with some really nice ciabatta that I pinched from my friend who had ordered the soup of the day Mushroom and equally enjoyed by my friend. For mains I had Belly Pork with apples auce black pudding mash and parsnip crisps .OMG I have never eaten pork crackling befor but I will try it again this was so delicious and the pork very tender and full of flavour. My companion had a ciabatta steak sandwich with fries & salad my goodness they could not possibly got anymore into the sandwich, the steak was complimented with onions and mushrooms . I had a very nice Joker IPA and my friend had a glass of house red then we both had a cheeky wee cocktail, I had a Hendricks Gin with cucumber muddle , rose syrup and topped up with some fizzy it was served in a wee cup and saucer and was very nice, my friend had a Cosmopolitan which she also enjoyed. We had booked with a deal 33% of the a la carte menu which saved us £11.00, they do a variety of deals and also have Gin tasting session from their 100 Gins that they stock I will return to do that some day soon. PS. the service was impeccable and the venue quirky I loved the decor.

    Anna F.

    This swish bar is bigger than it appears and tends to be quite popular. Its large glass window/walls allow plenty of light in and also give it an even cooler appeal at night. There are small booths for those seeking more privacy and low tables and stools/couches throughout. When it's sunny they sort of spread out on to the pavement outside as well. The nachos are particularly good here and I am a big fan of the fishbowls, (cocktail bowls literally) which are fun to share. The low tables make it a bit hard to eat on of their mains though. The bar has a very good selection of cocktails etc even though it is a bit more on the pricey side compared to the other local student hang-outs and the bar tenders always seem grumpy. However, it's great for a chilled out chat, to start your night or for a casual date.

    Gibson A.

    56 North seems to be the place to go for the local middle classes on their lunch breaks and after work. Nothing wrong with that except the place prices itself accordingly, and who can blame them. It has a really cool atmosphere with lots of blue lighting, big screens shwoing the latest match and comfortable seating. Some of the staff think they're the bomb, but on the whole the service is fast enough. The food is good and modern gastropub stuff. It's also surprsingy well priced(ish). The drinks are gut-wrenchingly expensive, however, with some pints costing around the £4 mark. This isn't the place to come if you're out of pocket, but it does have a great atmosphere and a vast outdoor seating area for warm days.

    Rezzi I.

    This restaurant/bar near the University of Edinburgh campus of George Square appears much more serious and grown up than the other cafes in the area, who cater mostly to students on a lunch break. So it makes sense I was only there once with my parents, during Fresher's Week and haven't really thought to head back since. There's nothing THAT special about it, yet there's quite little to complain about. Everything was okay when I had drinks there, and one thing it does have going for it is the large outdoor seating area. It may seem useless for most of the year, but while it's warm enough it's quite nice to sit out there and take in the sights, such as... Appleton Tower? Granted not the best of locations, but it'll do I suppose. They serve food as well, but I never planned to eat there so can't really say what's on the menu.

    Mmmm...... My beautiful food!!

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    Photo of Pat J.
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    9 years ago

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    16 years ago

    Nice place, good food most of the time, great cocktails! Trendy decor, chilled atmosphere.

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    14 years ago

    Spent most of last night working my way through there gin selection. Great drinks, great staff and great fun.

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    14 years ago

    Really enjoyed a proper old fashioned made with an ICE BALL... Simply stunning drinks and spirits.

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    Page 2 of 2

    Review Highlights - 56 North

    Beyond their 100+ varieties of gin, they have quite the extensive cocktail menu and wide array of whiskey, malts, vodka, and rum.

    Mentioned in 8 reviews

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    The Devil's Advocate - Smoked fish plate

    The Devil's Advocate

    4.3(630 reviews)
    0.5 miOld Town, Royal Mile
    ££

    Just an awesome, rockin' final meal in Edinburgh - fantastic food, good service and energized local…read morevibe! Absolute must to get reservations! We tried on our first week in Edinburgh and failed, but were able to make reservations 3 weeks out for our last night in Scotland, and we are glad we did. Pork cracklins were a bit hard and crunchy, but everything else was perfect. We had fresh bread and langostinis for starters, along with a smokey whiskey cocktail, the Smoked Indiscretion! For mains we enjoyed the poached Cod, and the Pork with Barley. Service was very good, and wine selection was extensive. Atmosphere was loud with music and locals' chatter in the bar below, but dark tables and heavy wood panels made it a perfect place for a couple celebrating 3 weeks of travel. Highly recommend a visit to the Devil's Advocate, if you can book a table in advance.

    The Devil's Advocate is undoubtedly a treasure to find in Old Town Edinburgh, especially if you…read moreaccidentally take the News Steps to get there, only to realize you should have simply taken the steps up Advocate's Close from Cockburn Street. But they call these lessons, "character building," apparently. No matter, the Devil's Advocate is worth the search. Located in an old Victorian pump house halfway up (or down) Advocate's Close, the Devil's Advocate is known for a killer whisky shelf of more than 300 different bottles from various distilleries across the Highlands, Lowlands, Speyside, Campbelltown, the Islands, and Islay. I finally sipped on a 15-year Tamdu that has convinced me to keep a bottle at home. Then there's the Clydeside 2024 Limited Edition Cask Strength that was wicked impressive. The bartenders are class at making and serving seasonal and regular cocktails that have their spin and character. My wife enjoyed gin-based cocktails such as the Clean Slate (with St-Germain, citrus, and sugar), Rose Garden (with Yellow Chartreuse, Cocchi Rosa, apple, lemon, and mint), and Bee's Knees (honey and lemon). I went full speed ahead with the scotch cocktails, which are essentially classics with a scotch-substituted twist. The Double Shot is an Espresso Martini with Dalmore 12 in addition to Kahlua, espresso, and demerara -- quite smooth without being too sweet. The Scotzia is a Negroni with Fettercairn 12, while the Boxcar is a Sidecar only with Aberfeldy 12. We enjoyed the bar for a few hours, watching the bartenders make magic while sipping on cocktails, while listening to 80s pop tunes. A great evening indeed.

    Photos
    The Devil's Advocate - Whiskey flight tastings

    Whiskey flight tastings

    The Devil's Advocate - Fish Filet

    Fish Filet

    The Devil's Advocate - Double Shot with Dalmore 12, kahula, espresso shot, and Demerara.

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    Double Shot with Dalmore 12, kahula, espresso shot, and Demerara.

    Monteiths - The salmon, the he monkfish and the broccoli. We also had other sides that were brought later

    Monteiths

    4.0(87 reviews)
    0.4 miRoyal Mile, Old Town
    £££

    Terribly disappointing. We made reservations and we're excited upon walking in. Upon arrival, it…read morewas awkward. At least four people said they'll be right with us. We just stood there waiting, waiting, waiting, and waiting. We were seated at the bar and were assured we would get full service and menu. Given it was NYE, we didn't have many options even though we made a resy. It was a while before anyone took our order. The drink came and we were still waiting to place our dinner order. The person who took our drink order is consumed by other tables. Finally, someone comes and takes our dinner order. As we wait, they load the dishwasher and place dirty dishes near us. Not cool. Food comes and we are tempted to scoot to the right away from dirty plates, but they move another couple from their bar area table to the bar. Lost opportunity. Food wise, it was okay. My salmon was fine, nothing to rave about. The vegetable was on the undercooked side. The portion left hubs and I looking for more food that evening. Very disappointing experience given the price point.

    This was recommended by our amazing Air BnB host and he wasn't wrong. The setting is in a cellar…read moreand matches Edinburgh perfectly. The mushroom side dish was absolutely amazing and could be a meal alone. I had the lamb, which was cooked to perfection. The staff were friendly and engaging and never rushed but were attentive. Definitely worth checking out.

    Photos
    Monteiths
    Monteiths - Lemon Crème brûlée and tea

    Lemon Crème brûlée and tea

    Monteiths - Wine

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    Wine

    Vino at the Arches

    Vino at the Arches

    4.5(2 reviews)
    0.5 miRoyal Mile, Old Town

    Vino at the Arches is like a dream - part wine bar, part bottle shop and amazing little snacks,…read moretoo. The weather was ok so people were sitting out the front drinking as well as inside the shop and this place just totally won me over straight away. I was just after a bottle of wine to take back to Glasgow so I just picked something from the fridge. Prices are quite high but it's not your standard supermarket wines so you'll get something a bit different. I also got a packet of locally made cheese sablé biscuits which were AMAZING and I scoffed the whole lot in one go (woops). I'll definitely be back here for a classy drinking spot next time I'm in Edinburgh. What a great addition to the Arches area.

    Woah, this place is AWESOME! I visited recently with a group of colleagues. We were quite a big…read moregroup, and the chap couldn't have been more helpful, swiftly re-arranging many tables so we could all sit together. And he was just brilliant really, explaining the drinks to us and such like. Vino is kinda like a combination between a wine bar and an off-license. So you can buy wine etc to drink, as you would normally. You can also buy products from the shelves, and pay 'corkage' to drink it in-house. They have an impressive range of craft beers for example. They also have a particularly good range of gin, and there were also a few dark rums which caught my eye. I'm not sure if you can buy the spirits and drink them there and then, I'd missed that part of the explanation, but you probably wouldn't want to do that anyway. They have great products that you don't often see elsewhere, for example the new Eden Mill 'mixology project'. We tried the 'basil smash hop gin' and the 'berry bramble love gin'. I also lingered over some Chocolate Tree chocolate bars, but decided against it as I wouldn't have been able to resist trying them and that would have spoiled me for my imminent dinner. We were sat inside the main shop area, and there is also outside area where you can have your drinks. Maybe not so much in winter, but nice during the 'summer'. It was a quick visit as we were heading off for dinner, but I would definitely like to return to Vino, for a more leisurely visit (you could while away many hours here) and to browse their wide range of spirits and craft beers. And obviously wines. Cool place, and the main man was just brilliant, very welcoming,

    Angels with Bagpipes - Haggis with whisky gravy - SO good!

    Angels with Bagpipes

    4.4(132 reviews)
    0.5 miOld Town, Royal Mile
    £££

    Given that this place is in an extremely touristy part of town, surrounded by souvenir shops and…read morefamous landmarks, you kind of have to appreciate the effort they put into their food presentation and service. Most places survive on knowing they can serve terrible food and still bring in the tourist crowd. These guys are serving up some healthy and hearty cuisine with a nod to their Scottish roots, but with a more sophisticated take. Everything packs amazing flavour. I came in just a few minutes after they opened for lunch, so snagging a seat was easy; however it filled up in record time, so reservations are highly recommended. The menu offers everything from light seafood salads to hearty steak dishes, to a few veggies options that leave nothing to be desired. Yes, they serve haggis, too, and I have to say, it wasn't bad, even for my first-timer's palate. They fry it up and serve it in ball form, so the taste is mild and appealing. My BBQ Lentils and Vegetables dish was beautifully presented and so tasty, I didn't miss the meat. Cocktails, wine, and beer are also available, so pick your poison.

    My brother and I had the chicken, which was delicious but was a small portion which left my brother…read morefeeling hungry as we left. My husband and I ordered the burrata, but it didn't come with bread as listed on the menu. The service was quite slow so we gave up on requesting the bread. I was pleased that they allowed for multiple side sauces to my husband's Denver steak. Ambiance was lovely, allowed for casual dress.

    Photos
    Angels with Bagpipes - Their sign is adorable.

    Their sign is adorable.

    Angels with Bagpipes - Battered cod was fresh and not oily at all. Scottish crab, lemon and crumpet was super fresh and delish.

    Battered cod was fresh and not oily at all. Scottish crab, lemon and crumpet was super fresh and delish.

    Angels with Bagpipes - BBQ Root Vegetables and Lentils

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    BBQ Root Vegetables and Lentils

    Pickles of Broughton Street - Inside front room (there's a back room as well)

    Pickles of Broughton Street

    4.9(20 reviews)
    1.0 miNew Town
    ££

    We were doing our regular research, hoping to find the perfect anniversary restaurant, when we…read morestumbled upon Pickles on a map. A quick Google search later, we decided to add this to our "must visit while in Edinburgh" list. This wasn't our anniversary restaurant, of course, but we knew we needed to dine here at least once. It was a long walk from our hotel, but it was a nice way to see parts of the city that we wouldn't normally have gotten to. The restaurant itself is nestled in the basement (or downstairs) of a cute building. It's small in there, but they're very good at maximizing the space they're given. We settled in at a teeny-tiny table off to the side and swiftly ordered a couple of pints. The menu is very straightforward: you're either getting a meat and cheese plate, just a cheese plate, or pates. We decided to share the Mixed Meat & Cheese platter. We figured that we'd snack and drink some Scottish beer, then head off into the night to find our "real" dinner. Thing is, though, that combo platter filled us the heck up. The waitress came out with the meat and cheese plate and a box of bread, oatcakes and crackers, and my husband and I had a "where is all this going?" moment. But our pro-waitress dropped the plate on the table and popped the bread box into a shelf on the wall next to us - a shelf that neither of us ever even noticed, to be honest. The meat and cheese selections were delicious and paired really well together. Kind of hidden away on that shelf (holding the bread and oatcakes) were a couple chutney jars. That chutney - lots of fruit pieces and complex flavors - brought a lot to the cheeses. We really did love the food, the surroundings, the beer and the staff. I wish we had something like this back home.

    Comforting environment, food and drink. It's like being in your own home, warm with friends. Staff…read moreare helpful and friendly. Enjoy yourselves.

    Photos
    Pickles of Broughton Street - Cheese platter

    Cheese platter

    Pickles of Broughton Street - The cheese board

    The cheese board

    Pickles of Broughton Street - Amazing cheese and bread and wine.

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    Amazing cheese and bread and wine.

    The Outsider

    The Outsider

    4.1(275 reviews)
    0.4 miGrassmarket, Old Town
    ££

    Three of us stumbled upon The Outsider while out looking for a place for dinner. It was so good we…read morewent back with 2 more friends a few nights later. Nice pleasant room with good size tables and very helpful, friendly courteous wait persons. Very good steaks, and fish, and affogato for dessert. Go to read the creative food descriptions on the menu!

    My wife has been following The Outsider on the socials for a bit. So as we find ourselves in…read moreEdinburgh, this was a must. Tonight's dinner destination. We got here at 6 with no reservation. We were able to be seated upstairs. This place is busy (much busier when we were finished for sure). So if you can, I'd suggest reserving a spot. It's a bit loud in here. Not out of the ordinary for a busy place. We started with the pressed pork belly app. Perfect crisp. Could've used more of the celeriac puree bed. The confit shallots were so good and nicely sweet. Black pudding cubes (small. More of these!). Candied pears. Mmm. Great start. Wife got the char grilled venison on a butternut squash purée and spicy daikon planks (I didn't find the heat, she did tho!). It was excellent and perfectly prepared. Not gamey at all. I got the 35 day aged hangar steak. This is hands down one of the best steaks I have had out in a very long time. So well seasoned! Which was such a pleasant surprise as it left me wanting for nothing to add flavor. The hand cut fries were good but did need some salt. No dessert as, well, our server was scattered a bit all night. We asked for the dessert menu. She brought us dinner menus and we didn't see her for 10 minutes. So we opted to leave, a bit disappointed at the end. We would come back tho. Thats for sure.

    Photos
    The Outsider
    The Outsider - Char grilled Venison, black pepper polenta cake, butternut squash purée, daikon, fine beans, whiskey and passion fruit dressing.

    Char grilled Venison, black pepper polenta cake, butternut squash purée, daikon, fine beans, whiskey and passion fruit dressing.

    The Outsider

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    56 North - wine_bars - Updated May 2026

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