It’s August. It’s Edinburgh. You find yourself watching a musical production of Hamlet at 10am, squeezing past tourists on a bustling Royal Mile, the penetrating sound of bagpipes playing in the distance (I’m Scottish – I can say that). It’s overwhelming, you NEED a pint to take the edge off. But where? Well, despite being Glaswegian, I’m somewhat of a drinking connoisseur and can sniff out a good pub anywhere. I did some research for this piece by daytripping to Edinburgh on a tax-deductible pub crawl to find my favourite spots…it was hard work, but someone’s got to do it.
Step #1 – Get on a train to Glasgow.
Only joking (obvs!). Despite the deep-rooted rivalry between Glasgow and Edinburgh on which city has better craic, I’m willing to admit some of my favourite nights out ever have been in Edinburgh… As far as I can remember.
My first pub rec is Paradise Palms: Good cocktails, good vibes and right in the heart of the Fringe, so ideal for squeezing in an Aperol Spritz (or three) between shows.
Another great spot is Dragonfly in the Grassmarket, Edinburgh’s oldest cocktail bar but with a modern feel. They have a section of the wine menu called ‘Weird + Wonderful’ which sums up pretty much every day at the Fringe.
Then, escape Fringe madness for a while at Newbarns Taproom in Leith, who make Gilded Balloon’s official 40th birthday beer, which I’ve been promised endless pints of (post-show, obviously).
Once you’ve had a couple and you’re feeling ready to laugh at someone else’s misfortune, head over to Appleton Tower to see my show Last Orders which is on at 5pm every day. It’s about drinking and working in pubs and I guarantee I’ll make you feel better about even your worst hangovers and nights out.
Alana Jackson: Last Orders, Gilded Balloon at Appleton Tower, 30 Jul-24 Aug (not 11), 5pm