Rose
Street and area
Rose Street is famous for many a pub crawl with a pub every
few yards for almost a mile. This narrow and lively street
is now pedestrianised, and has many food outlets, smaller
shops and access to some of the big stores.
Lanes serve the back entrances of the shops and businesses
on Prince Street and George Street and is crossed by Castle,
Frederick and Hanover streets, opening out to Charlotte
Square on the west and St Andrews Square on the east. We
include pubs in the immediate area too.
Some Rose Street pubs have remained unchanged for a century
and are Edinburgh institutions. Others have evolved and
changed many times.
The Abbotsford
3-5 Rose Street
0131 225 5276
Built originally for Jenners across the street, this early
1900 listed building was designed by Henderson who also
did Leslies in Ratcliffe Terrace. Island bar, restaurant
food upstairs with good menu including Cullen Skink. Real
ales, good selection of whiskies. A gem of a pub architecturally
with a real Edinburgh feel.
Auld Hundred
100 Rose Street
EH2
Fascinating old style pub on two levels with neuks and crannies.
Wonder where it got its name?
Bar 38
126-28, George St
EH2 4JZ 0131 220 6180
Another trendy converted bank or office. Food all day is
good but pricey. This is up market and cool so no real ales.
Brecks
110-114, Rose St
EH2 3JF 0131 225 3297
Nice central island bar with imaginative bar meals and
snacks. Pictures of RL Stevenson (Alan Breck, Kidnapped)
and a cosy room off. Lively at weekends but still a good
place for a chat. Some cask ale, range of whiskies and wines.
Was the Goblet which was one of the 'in' places of the 60's/70's
set. Its two bars were knocked into one.
Cafe Royal
19, West Register St
EH2 2AA 0131 556 1884
A must. Central island bar, famous Doulton tiled walls,
good variety of real ales and beers and of clientele. Dating
from 1862 it is an Edinburgh institution that almost went
the way of the hideous St James centre when Woolworths wanted
it in the 60's. Circle Bar, a famous screen and the Oyster
Bar upstairs.
Dirty Dicks Bar
159, Rose St
EH2 4LS 0131 225 4610
E-mail belowthebeltfoodco@hotmail.com
Imaginative traditional look on the sight of an older bar.
Variety of real ales well kept and food served all day.
Almost as much a restaurant as a pub with seating out on
to Rose Street. Despite its size it has a cosy almost rural
feel with dark wood and musical instruments hanging up.
Takes its beer and food seriously. Friendly service. Sister
pub to Clever Dicks in the Royal Mile.
Fibber Magees
24, Howe St
EH3 6TG 0131 220 2376
Big Irish bar but lots of little neuks and cubicles for
a quiet more tete a tete time. Big range of beers and food
served.
Filthy McNasty's
Rose Street
Bills itself as a 'Braw Heilin Howff' which was fair jumpin'
when we visited on a Sunday. Big window that opens out onto
the street.
Fingers Piano Bar
61 Frederick St
EH2 1LH
0131 225 3026
The Fling & Firkin
49, Rose St
EH2 2NH 0131 225 6362
Lively corner bar with tables out onto Rose Street. Real
ales and usual spirits selection in what used to be Paddy's
Bar
Gordon Arms
135 Rose Street
You'll find regulars in all Rose Street pubs, but the Gordon
Arms makes being a local an art. Through all the phases
of Rose Street it has managed to stay almost exactly the
same with a reputation of a no-nonsense pub. Small traditional
bar with authentic interior, cottage-style plate shelf and
an imposing gantry.
Guildford Arms
1, West Register St
EH2 2AA 0131 556 4312
Selection of regular and guest real ales in a beautiful
and well refurbished Victorian Edinburgh pub, CAMRA listed
in 2001. Food served but not to children. Revolving door
warning.
Hogshead
22, Rose St
EH2 3HT 0131 226 1224
Real ales in a bright basement. Serves food day and evening.
Very busy at weekends.
Ivanhoe
South St David Street
EH2 0131 524 0051
Victorian style theme in a modern building. Before refurbishment
a while ago it was a contemporary 'designer' bar of its
day in the 60's. Named after the Sir Walter Scott novel,
the bar is just up from the Scott Monument on Princes Street.
Keg beer, 10 or so wines, food all day.
Jekyll & Hyde
112, Hanover St
EH2 1DR 0131 225 2022
Theme pub on lots of different levels and wee neuks, quite
exciting really.
The Kenilworth
152 Rose Street
0131 226 4835
Dating from about 1900 as a pub, but going back further,
the Kenilworth has retained and built on its charm over
the years. In the 70's was popular as a gay bar. Now a mixture
of locals and tourists. Real ales, food all day and family
and children room. Worth pausing outside to admire the first
floor windows.
Milne's Bar
35, Hanover St and 21 Rose Street
EH2 2PJ 0131 225 6738
Once the drinking hole of famous and emerging poets with
photos and documents to prove it. Frequented from the 50's
by McDairmid, McCaig and the likes, it boasts a 'Little
Kremlin' room. A basement entrance on Hanover Street and
continental style open-up front onto Rose Street with seats
outside. Very lively at weekends and a range of good beers.
Mr Q's
Rose Street
Billed as a 'Metro Fun Pub' , there is pool, all day food
and DJ on Saturdays. Downstairs club feel.
Olivers
178a, Rose St
EH2 4BA 0131 220 3933
Tartan seats back on to a window that opens out to the street.
A lively pub in a lively part of the street.
O'Neill's Irish Bar
99, Hanover St
EH2 1DJ
0131 225 0911
Penny Black
17, West Register St
EH2 2AA
0131 556 1106
Queen's Arms
49, Frederick St
EH2 1EP 0131 225 1045
Traditional and unpretentious basement bar with lots of
Scottish history on the wall - not contrived but built up
over the years (perhaps not dating quite back to Mary Queen
of Scots). Real ales, good whisky selection.
Robertsons 37 Bar
37, Rose St EH2 2NH
0131 225 6185
Established 1901 and still famous for its long gantry
of whiskies.
Rhodes & Co Brasserie and Bar
13-15 Rose Street
EH2 2YJ 0131 220 9190
Bearing the Jenners label, this up-market bar sports elegant
bar stools, French style beer fonts and buckets of champagne.
Happy hour from 5-7pm.
Rose & Crown
170, Rose St
EH2 4BA
0131 225 4039
The Rose Street Brewery
55, Rose St
EH2 2NH 0131 220 1227
Used to be the White Cockade moons ago, we think. Like so
many pubs in the area nowadays it has an 'open-out' front
that make the bar part of the street and vice versa. However
it retains its traditional look and feel. Originally came
in as a pub that brewed its own real ales.
Scott's Bar
202 Rose St
EH2 4AZ 0131 225 7401
Largely unchanged over the years, a traditional corner
pub with the bar unusually backing on to the street side.
Real ales, range of wines and food served. Was 'Ma Scott's'
after the famous Mrs Scott who was one of three not-to-be-messed-with
women publicans of the Abbotsford and Old Chain Pier.
The Standing Order
62-66, George St
EH2 2LR 0131 225 4460
One of the new huge barns converted from a bank or something.
Good to look at but no real character. Smaller rooms off
(good for group nights out) and a no smoking area. Corporate
type menu but good food. Range of beers sold at ridiculously
welcome low prices at certain times and nights.
Three Tuns Wine Vaults
7-11, Hanover St
EH2 2DL
0131 225 5412
Tiles Cafe Bar Bistro
1 St. Andrew Square
EH2 2BD 0131 558 1507
Original art-deco tiles, real ales and food all day. Very
nice for a sit down during the day and watching the world
go by.
Victoria and Albert
13a/15a Frederick Street.
EH2 0131 226 4562
Quite an innovation when it appeared in the 70s. A Victoria
theme pub if you will. Very cosy, piano for anyone who wants
to entertain and a restaurant. Real Victorian parlour feel
on basement and just above street level.
