Scotland is no stranger to a historic pub, with the country being home to some of the oldest boozers found anywhere in the world. Unsurprisingly, Edinburgh and Glasgow are the places to head if you are keen to visit a centuries-old bar.
The former especially includes a pub that has remained relatively unchanged for more than 100 years. Bennets Bar is located on Leven Street in the Scottish capital, near the picturesque Meadows public park.
The building has housed a pub since 1839, though the current bar opened its doors in 1906. Despite being almost 120 years old, Bennets Bar looks incredibly similar to how it did back then.
The Victorian pub, which is a Grade B listed building, is absolutely bursting with retro charm. Stepping inside, you will immediately notice the bar’s stained-glass windows located near its entrance. The colourful windows dominate the front wall of the pub, and make for a very strong first impression.
Other amazing classic features of Bennets Bar include the gorgeous tiles that depict cherubs and its original tiered and alcoved gantry—the latter housing a vast collection of more than 150 single malt whiskies. Meanwhile, the wooden bar also retains the original working brass water taps and a brass gas cigarette lighter.
Perhaps the most unique aspect of the pub, though, is its ‘jug bar’ or ‘snug’. This refers to a small private room in the bar where people—mostly women—would have enjoyed a drink in private since consuming alcohol was looked down on by many at the time.
There are plenty of other objects of note around Bennets Bar to admire. These include the round glass-topped tables that feature Ordnance Survey maps of Edinburgh and Scotland and the roaring fire at the end of the bar that regulars can be seen huddled around on particularly chilly days.
In addition to its wide whisky selection, Bennets Bar is renowned for its varied range of craft beers and real ales. You can also enjoy classic pub food, from fish and chips to steak and ale pie.
As well as being a piece of Edinburgh history, Bennets Bar continues to be a popular watering hole to this day. It currently has an average rating of 4.6 out of five based on 1,177 reviews on Google.
One recent visitor wrote: “A must-visit if you’re interested in late-Victorian Edinburgh pub architecture. We must be thankful that many of its original features have been retained.”
A second review reads: “Fabulous and friendly traditional Edinburgh pub with beautiful stained glass, fireplace, and brass bar fittings. There is also a tiny snug with its own hatch to the bar which is great for a conspiratorial chat!”