Best & Cool Bars in Brightons

"Located right by the famous castle inside an old school building, this interactive, ever-so-slightly Disney World experience is the perfect introduction to whisky if you're a beginner, and a fun reminder if you're not. Visitors start off on a ride for two people inside a giant whisky cask. The ride introduces you to the ghost of a master blender who takes each couple through the process of turning water, grain and yeast into Scots whisky."

"This museum is dedicated to the history and fabrication of whisky, the national pride of Scotland. It’s located at the beginning of the Royal Mile, right next to the Camera Obscura and World of Illusions museum. The tour starts in a merry-go-round where you ride in a barrel through different rooms."

"This bar and restaurant from the Stereo team doesn't even need to flag vegan options on its menu because the whole damn thing is free from any animal products. Offering all your favourite comfort eats, from burgers and macaroni cheese, to laverbread cakes with streaky bacon, they're easily one of the best vegan restaurants in Edinburgh."

"Harmonium offers vegan cuisine that everyone will enjoy|© Harmonium. Brought to Edinburgh by the people behind Glasgow’s fashionable Flying Duck, Harmonium evokes Leith’s maritime history with nautical decor. With offerings like chicken parmigiana and ground beef tacos, it might not be obvious they are meat-free."

"Located near The University of Edinburgh, Brew Lab is the brainchild of coffee aficionados Dave Law and Tom Hyde, who—as the shop's name suggests—take a scientific approach to brewing. A variety of pulled, brewed, and filtered phenomena prevail here, all highlighting methods and single-origin coffees from partner roaster Union-Hand Roasting. Each type of bean is selected to complement different milks or straight-up black espressos."

"Brew Lab is the first choice of many a coffee connoisseur in Edinburgh, focusing on single-origin speciality-grade coffee provided by Union Hand-Roasted – those in the know appreciate this brand for its ethical sourcing and heritage in the UK coffee community. The shop itself is as trendy as they come with bare-brick walls, modern tunes and a happily drip-fed clientele of hipsters, university students and remote workers."

"They’ve been serving the best coffee in the city here since 2012. Brew Lab feels more like a high end cocktail bar than a coffee shop, and we love the uniqueness of the place. Their coffee menu features four rotating single-origin coffees: two brewed on their brew bar as pour-overs, and two on their espresso bar."

"A post shared by Whiski Rooms (@whiskirooms) on May 17, 2017 at 6:01am PDT. Now that you’re in Scotland and have probably tried a proper Scottish Breakfast as well as taken some great photos of the castle, you might feel like a night out on the town. Whiski Rooms has great haggis as well, but you’ll probably be a bigger fan of the beautiful views and Whisky Bar."

"If you are looking for a traditional-looking pub then Roseleaf Bar and Café in the historic Port 'o Leith is where to head. Decorated with pre-loved furniture, it is split into two main areas -with the back area more suited for family dining. The pub grub includes daily specials, fresh baked goodies and Sunday roasts too and is served from 10am right through till 10pm every day."

"Roseleaf Café is located in Leith near the port and Royal Yacht Britannia, so handy if you’re planning a visit there. Established in 2007, they’re family run and a cross between a gastro pub, cafe and bistro. Decorated with vintage furniture, hats from around the world and other quirky finds, they’re open from 10 am to 10 pm every day."

"Another great Leith favourite, Roseleaf has Schiehallion Craft Lager on tap alongside two guest kegs, a range of guest ales, and a selection of the best bottles."

"Originally opened as a Fringe pop-up, Checkpoint is now a permanent and popular restaurant (Photo: Checkpoint). Checkpoint’s daytime menu offers a range of delicious dishes for less than a tenner, with options like the crispy halloumi burger, mac and three cheese toastie, and fish bouillabaisse stew on offer. The evening menu is slightly pricier (with most mains around £15), but the relaxed restaurant still offers affordable dining without compromising on taste or portion size."

"Checkpoint is a trendy restaurant around the corner from the National Museum of Scotland. It is close enough to the Old Town centre of Edinburgh, to be convenient for lunch or dinner on a city trip, but also far enough from the Royal Mile to have a more local feel to it. They offer a full vegan breakfast and several vegan options on their day time menu, but since I went there for dinner, I’ll tell you more about that."

"A post shared by 𝓽𝓲𝓯𝓯 ☮️&💗 (@tiffanyjtan) on Feb 26, 2019 at 10:35am PST. Checkpoint is located in Bristo Place near the University and has an industrial contemporary interior mixed with the feeling of your own front room, think cosy and relaxing. For any sleepy heads breakfasts run throughout the day until 5pm in tandem with their lunch options."

"The Compass Bar is a lovely gastro pub located close to Leith Links at the corner of Queen Charlotte Street. The rough brickwork and rich red paint of the interior is studded with wooden framed prints and simple dark wooden tables sit snugly in the cozy dining area. The menu is not particularly adventurous; featuring classic pub dishes like fish and chips and steak pie, but the food is lovingly prepared from fresh produce."

"The charming Orchard Bar and Restaurant in the heart of Canonmills, on Howard Place, is a favourite with families. In the winter the windows are lit up with fairy lights and by summer there are seats outside lining the street so you can have drinks on the terrace. The Orchard is ideal for a meet up with friends and their kids, a quick drink or a sit down meal and can be followed by a scenic walk along the Water of Leith."

"This is a definite hidden gem tucked away on Rose Street and is only a 10-minute drive from Straits Meadow and a 15-minute drive from Goods Corner!. You won’t have to wait too long for your tasty middle eastern cuisine from the comfort of your own luxury accommodation with them both being so close. Meze Meze do serve meat, but there are plenty of vegan options available, whether that be hot or cold meze."

"Why: Turning out authentic Chinese cuisine to the punters of Edinburgh since 1956, Rendezvous is one of the city’s original Chinese restaurants. We would go for the Peking-style banquet, which features all your favourite Chinese specialities, such as crispy aromatic duck, lemon chicken, special fried rice and toffee apple for pud. The extensive a la carte menu showcases all you would ever want from a Chinese restaurant, though, so you’re guaranteed to find your favourite knocking about if you don't fancy a full set menu."

"A unique Chinese restaurant serving Cantonese specialty dishes to a very high standard, Xanadu is well worth seeking out. The menu is extensive and packed with favorites and seasonal delicacies. The décor has a real flavor of minimalist Far Eastern style and you'll find the service is always warm and friendly."

"The kind of place you turn into a weekly ritual, Rendezvous is no stranger to Cantonese and Pekingese eats. This place really is an unstoppable entity that has been going strong since 1956. The extensive menu features all you could want from a Chinese place."

"Not quite as busy as its big sisters, Stockbridge and Grassmarket markets, but well worth a visit nonetheless. The market consists mostly of food traders, bringing you locally produced and sourced products as well as sizzling hot street food that you can enjoy sitting down at one of the tables. On the first Saturday of the month the market also hosts the Vegan Quarter with a variety of vegan treats to choose from."

"Each Saturday the Leith Market at Dock Place if filled with foods to tempt any palate as well as a monthly Vegan Quarter on the first Saturday of each month. Each month the market welcomes a variety of delicious vegan treats alongside the regular traders."