Discover Edinburgh - Discover Scotland: Experience the Best of Scotland - page 196

taps pouring craft beers from all corners of the country. If you're peckish, they serve ex-
cellent gourmet burgers, too.
Top Five Traditional Pubs
Edinburgh is blessed with a large number of traditional 19th- and early 20th-century pubs, which have preserved
much of their original Victorian or Edwardian decoration and serve cask-conditioned real ales and a staggering
range of malt whiskies.
Athletic Arms Offline map Google map (Diggers; Click here ; 1-3 Angle Park Tce) Nicknamed
after the cemetery across the street - the gravediggers used to nip in and slake their
thirst after a hard day's interring - the Diggers dates from the 1890s. It's still staunchly
traditional - the decor has barely changed in 100 years - and has recently revived its
reputation as a real-ale drinker's mecca by serving locally brewed Diggers' 80-shilling
ale. Packed to the gills with football and rugby fans on match days.
Abbotsford ( www.theabbotsford.com ; 3 Rose St) One of the few pubs in Rose St that has
retained its Edwardian splendour, the Abbotsford has long been a hang-out for writers,
actors, journalists and media people, and has many loyal regulars. Dating from 1902,
and named after Sir Walter Scott's country house, the pub's centrepiece is a splendid
mahogany island bar. Good selection of Scottish and English real ales.
Bennet's Bar Offline map Google map ( 8 Leven St) Situated beside the King's Theatre,
Bennet's has managed to hang on to almost all of its beautiful Victorian fittings, from
the leaded stained-glass windows and ornate mirrors to the wooden gantry and the
brass water taps on the bar (for your whisky - there are over 100 malts to choose
from).
Café Royal Circle Bar Offline map Google map ( www.caferoyal.org.uk ; 17 West Register St)
Perhaps the classic Edinburgh bar, the Café Royal's main claims to fame are its magni-
ficent oval bar and the series of Doulton tile portraits of famous Victorian inventors.
Check out the bottles on the gantry - staff line them up to look like there's a mirror
there, and many a drink-befuddled customer has been seen squinting and wondering
why he can't see his reflection.
Sheep Heid ( www.sheepheid.co.uk ; 43-45 The Causeway) Possibly the oldest inn in Edin-
burgh (with a licence dating back to 1360) the Sheep Heid feels more like a country
pub than an Edinburgh bar. Set in the semirural shadow of Arthur's Seat, it's famous
for its 19th-century skittles alley and the lovely little beer garden.