What to do after your Ghost tour
Hello again! If you’re here, it means you’ve just finished my Dark History Tour, you’re standing outside the gates of Canongate Cemetery, and are looking for somewhere cosy to warm up with food, drink, and maybe some more spooky vibes? If, for some reason, you’re here by accident - maybe they’ll entice you to book the full tour? Either way, I’ve got you covered!
Pubs
Pubs are your best chance to warm up with great food and drink without prior booking (some still take reservations, but you’re much more likely to get a seat in a pub than a restaurant). The majority will close between 10 PM - 12 AM. Bear in mind most pubs will take last food orders at 9 PM :).
The Kilderkin - 2 mins away. The only pub further down the Royal Mile (the others are back towards the start point). Affordable food and whisky deals, weekly live music and the highest likelihood of meeting a politician after work, since the Parliament is just around the corner.
The Tolbooth Tavern - 1 min away. Very atmospheric pub in a historic 16th-century building, which was once part of the grim Canongate Tolbooth (prison). Said to be haunted by the ghosts of the former detainees.
The Canon’s Gait - 3 mins away. Cosy pub with traditional Scottish food located in a 500+ year old building which once housed the personal tailor to Mary Queen of Scots, Jacques Soulis.
The Waverley (drinks only) - 5 mins away. Vintage pub from the 1920s with walls plastered in old Fringe leaflets and local folk musicians serenading in a casual setting. It’s where stars like Billy Connolly, The Dubliners, The Corries and others started their careers.
Brewdog DogHouse - 4 mins away. Pub with great food (try the wings!) and one of the widest craft beer selections you’ll find in the city, plus a spacious, industrial-style two-storey interior.
2. Restaurants
Remember that most restaurants will close around 10 PM, and more often than not, will require prior reservations. However, if pubs are not your thing and you’re really longing for that restaurant experience, it’s still worth coming in and asking - they’re all less than 5 mins away from each other, so who knows? Maybe you’ll get lucky :)
Piggs - 5 mins away. A great tapas and wine bar. If Scottish pub food is not really your thing, it’s worth popping in and asking for a free table for some culinary variety.
Black Grape - 4 mins away. An award-winning small-plate restaurant with excellent seasonal produce and a fantastic selection of wines.
Hot Toddy - 6 mins away. Edinburgh’s ONLY late-night cafe, open until midnight. For this city, that’s a miracle - so if you’re after coffee at this hour or a smaller snack, that’s a great option. They also have a proper dinner and drinks menu if you fancy something more substantial. Bonus - 99% chance that no booking will be needed.
Monteiths - 6 mins away. Fine dining restaurant with mouth-watering plates of traditional Scottish food. While it’s unlikely that a place at this level will take walk-in customers, it never hurts to ask. I’d do it - just have a look at the food on their Google Maps page!
Chop House - 5 mins away. Great steaks with local Scottish produce on the side, and stylish industrial decor. Might be a bit easier to get in without a reservation than some other positions on the list. And it’s right next door to Cocktail Geeks, since it’s also situated in the Victorian arches (see point 2) - so you can head there for drinks after :)
3 Blind Mice - 8 mins away. I’ll be honest, if I were to choose somewhere to warm up after a tour (that isn’t a pub), I might go for that one. Next to Hot Toddy, it’s the most laid-back option - and their specialty is fresh, wood-oven pizza, so that’s a solid yes from me. My guess is, it will also be less reservation-dependent than the higher-end options.
3. Pubs mentioned on the tour
Food & drinks pubs (food served until 9 PM)
The World’s End (pub in the location of the old city wall) - 5 mins away.
The Beehive Inn (pub in the Grassmarket with a special attic featuring the door from the Calton Jail Death Cell, where William Burke, the body-snatcher-serial-killer, was kept before his execution) - 19 mins away.
The White Hart Inn (pub in the Grassmarket where serial killers Burke & Hare used to hunt for victims) - 19 mins away.
2.2 Drinks only pubs (no food)
Banshee Labyrinth (late night spooky-themed bar located in the old vaults) - 10 mins away.
Whistlebinkies (live music bar – also in the vaults) - 9 mins away.
Bannermans (live music bar in the vaults) - 10 mins away.
4. Experiences
Surgeon’s Hall Museum – the museum of anatomy/medicine with the skeleton of William Burke and the book bound in his skin. Please research before going as it gets very graphic!
The Cadies & Witchery Tours – a shop for all things witchy/occult with a (free) display of a calling card case bound in William Burke’s skin. They also do walking tours of the Greyfriars Cemetery, the main burial ground of the Old Town.
The Palace of Holyroodhouse – Edinburgh’s royal residence, where in the 15- and 1600s countless witches were tortured, including Geillis Duncan and Agnes Sampson.
The Real Mary King’s Close – a network of 17th-century streets, now completely underground. A great way to experience Edinburgh’s living conditions 400 years ago, including some ghost- and plague stories and very informative guided tours.
The Edinburgh Underground Vaults Tour by Mercat Tours – if you’re looking to descend to the vaults, Mercat Tours are one of the two companies with access.
