A candlelit wine bar or Scandi-inspired haunts? Edinburgh wine bars, where to begin? From organic wine focused venues to cosy nooks to while away an evening over a sharing board, here is our choice of the best Edinburgh wine bars for hanging out.
Toast, Leith
Leith’s Shore has very few wine forward hang outs. But even if there were more, we still reckon most of the neighbourhood would be found in Toast on a Saturday night. There’s just something about that exposed brick wall interior in warm candlelight, especially during the winter months. Toast’s speciality is the carefully-curated and predominantly biodynamic, organic and natural wine list. By no means rule out popping there for brunch though; they do perfect poaches atop thick sourdough; a welcome break from the usual brunch suspects.
Smith & Gertrude, Stockbridge and Portobello
Established in 2015, Smith & Gertrude (or S & G) has become a real highlight of Stockbridge’s bar scene. They’re all about great wine, cheese and company, as epitomised by their brilliant wine flights which come with well-matched cheeses, presented by one of the chatty, knowledgeable sommeliers. Alongside a cracking wine list that showcases some lesser-known grapes and unexpected European wine regions, the section of the food menu dedicated to variations of grilled cheese and burrata is a triumph. With long communal wooden tables and more intimate seating for date night, folk and jazz on vinyl, mood lighting and large glass windows from which you can people watch, Duncan and Amy have done a stellar job at creating a welcoming space for all occasions.
Sotto
Sotto is fairly new on the scene but it’s already making a big impact. Lovers of Italian wine will be in grape heaven here. This buzzy and vibrant enoteca and trattoria in Stockbridge offers a first class wine list of 200 wines, mostly Italian, and many which can be enjoyed by the glass. If food is more your thing, dinner is served downstairs with a great choice of simple and thoroughly delicious Italian dishes. Pasta at its finest.
Spry, Leith Walk
Unlike its name, meaning active or lively, the interior of Spry is stripped back, monochrome and minimalist with more of a calming effect. The wines do all of the talking and, being organically-made, additive and preservative free, you can certainly expect something a little funky, perhaps sour, effervescent, yeasty or earthy. Their small plates follow in the same vein. Cheese and charcuterie with pickles and ferments sit alongside more adventurous options. We’d recommend buying lots of plates to share or opting for the five-course set menu for £60 so that you can try it all.
Piggs, Royal Mile
A Spanish wine bar and cafe on the Royal Mile, Piggs stands out for its authentic jamon reserva, salchichon, lomo, Cecina, and morcilla. It’s a compact space with a handful of tables, where you could easily end up hogging your spot, sampling ‘just one more’ tempranillo whilst gorging through the tapas menu all evening. Here, the wine list is treasure trove of Spain’s best. From Verdejo and Albariño to Garnacha and Tinta de Toro, Piggs has pretty much every Spanish wine region covered.
Nott Edinburgh, Leith Walk
Decadently packaged up in moody teal with plush velvet seating at the marble bar and at the tables nestled towards the back and in the basement. This wine bar on Leith Walk is all about bountiful sharing platters. The deli counters, brimming with quality meats, cheeses and antipasti, makes them too tempting to turn down. The attentive team have made every effort to cater towards vegetarians and vegans too, with multiple plant-based options, including cheese. The speciality Turkish delight is a unique and scrumptious addition.
Pickles, Broughton Street
Pickles is the most affordable of Edinburgh’s wine bars. There’s also a no reservations policy at this Broughton Street dig, so come Friday or Saturday evening you’ll have to be super lucky on your timings to get a seat at the rustic wooden tables. On a dreich evening, when you’re putting the world to rights over a great value-for-money Scottish cheese and Mediterranean charcuterie board, accompanied by Edinburgh Preserves pâté, that’ll be you nestled in for the night and reluctant to leave.
Whighams Wine Cellars, West End
Warm and intimate early 19th century cellars energised by live jazz music set this New Town hang out apart from its competitors. Whighams Wine Cellars was founded in 1983 and has become an Edinburgh institution. It’s one of those “something for everyone” spaces; choose from a cosy snug or sit in the modern, spacious dining area for homely Scottish fare for all tastebuds. Here, seafood is the speciality and so an all-out Friday date night could well involve a chilled seafood platter for two, washed down with a Joseph Perrier blanc de blanc.
One 20 Wine Cafe, Cannonmills
Dundas Street’s light and spacious all-day wine café, complete with granola, pastries and coffee for when it’s not quite wine o’clock, offers an experience that’s elegant and relaxing. The extensive wine list mainly of upmarket, Italian delights is matched by a food menu that is equally peppered with opulence. Expect options with Normandy Lescure butter, Oscietra Caviar, black truffle pecorino, Cantabria top grade anchovies and pata negra 5% bellota ham from Jabugo.
Looking for a place in Edinburgh that does a mean Sunday Roast?
