IN ASSOCIATION WITH STUDENT GUIDE | EAT & DRINK
FIRST ORDERS
There’s more to drinking in Scotland than Tennent’s and whisky. Claire Flynn picks out some of the best bars in Glasgow and Edinburgh for a range of occasions
BEST FOR: ACTIVITIES
GLASGOW EDINBURGH
P H O T O © S T E P H E N R O B N S O N
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THE FLYING DUCK 142 Reni eld Street,l yingduckclub.com Hidden in the bustling city centre, this bar not only offers cheap drinks, but a weekly pub quiz, performance evenings and club nights too. They’ve also had a go at hosting grafi ti jams, life drawing and i lm screenings, so it’s dei nitely the place to head when you fancy more than just sipping a pint. BRASS MONKEY 14 Drummond Street; 362 Leith Walk Screening classic movies every day from 3pm and serving affordable drinks, this well-known Drummond Street haunt is very popular with students. It now has a sister venue in Leith as well, complete with its own big screen, weekly pub quiz and jam sessions.
ALSO TRY: The Butterfl y and the Pig, Firebird, Òran Mór, Lebowskis. ALSO TRY: Frankenstein, The Tron, Clerk’s Bar, The Three Sisters.
BEST FOR: FREE LIVE MUSIC
GLASGOW EDINBURGH
BLOC+ 117 Bath Street, bloc.ru An independent pub renowned among the city’s music ai cionados for the free alternative concerts it provides (before midnight). It also offers a wide range of deals on food during the week, so you can get a good meal from as little as £3. Better still, they serve food until 3am, so it’s ideal for a post-gig snack. WHISTLEBINKIES 4-6 South Bridge, whistlebinkies.com Featuring bands every night of the week and offering free entry (before midnight on a Friday and Saturday), this bar is ideal for music lovers short on cash. They aim to host four bands per night Sun-Thurs with more on at the weekend. Plus, they have a wide selection of beers and whiskies.
ALSO TRY: Waxy O’Connor’s, Blackfriar’s, Babbity Bowster’s, The Rio Cafe. ALSO TRY: The Royal Oak, Finnegan’s Wake, The Black Bull.
3 Sep–5 Nov 2015 THE LIST 99