09/01/18 - Finishing off Edinburgh's Waverley Circuit - Cafe Royal and Guildford Arms

Inspiration - CAMRA's Edinburgh Pub Walks - Walk 1
Pubs - 2
Distance - About 250 Yards
Previous Edinburgh Pubs Walks - Rose Street, Royal Mile around the Castle, Around the Castle, Tollcross, Fountainbridge and Haymarket


A quick blog about two pubs that are going to be my "local" for the duration of my Edinburgh sojourn.  Believe me, they are worth it.

Walk 1 in the excellent CAMRA Pub Walks additional details Tiles, a place visited as part of my Around the Castle walk last week.

Cafe Royal, West Register Street, Broughton Pale Ale

A richly deserved, legendary Edinburgh pub.   I first learned about it from the author Iain Banks and then noticed it popping up in various Ian Rankin Rebus novels.  In the Bank's Complicity, a character comments on the optical illusion created by the myriad mirrors;

I can see those bottles on the gallery ahead of me and I can see their reflections behind them but I cannot see me.  I cannot see my own reflection!

We've all been there.

Perfectly positioned, its always been a first calling point for me.   I've been to this place more regularly than some of the pubs in my home town.

I think the reason is that I cannot quite believe such an opulent pub is available to the likes of me.  The price of entry - the cost of a pint.

We'll start with the Interior

The central bar (lamps and all) hides the full length Doulton tiled murals depicting scientific innovators like Faraday, Watts and Stevenson.  Bizarrely, there are stained glass windows detailing sporting themes that also include a cricketeer.  A particularly English pursuit, I would have thought.

Place too busy for photos of these - so use Google Images to satisfy your curiosity.

About 10% of the time, I manage to get a seat and about 10% of those times - its one of the delightful leather clad booths.  Tonight we were lucky, even if myself and 6 other colleagues had to pack into the smallest one available.

Once in, it was impossible to easily extract oneself for another round. 

At least that was his excuse.

The Cafe Royal's Exterior

Guidford Arms, West Register Street, A Wynters Ale

Externally, the Guidford Arms may be even more striking that the Cafe Royal.

Right next door

It's also the only pub I can think of that comes with a revolving door.  I'm sure this must be the source of several chucking out time misadventures.

I've always considered it to be the slightly rougher cousin of the Cafe Royal but on a quiet Tuesday night, I will re-consider.  Once the bar is not packed with standing room only, its beauty can be fully revealed.

Not too Shabby Either

I do like the description in my guide book;

... that by letting people drink in opulent surroundings, their behaviour would be suitably civilised.  And just in case it wasn't the central bar allowed the landlord to easily wade in quickly before things got out of hand.

Superb beer range in here and since following them on Twitter, I can see how frequently the guest ales come on board.

Two pubs in Edinburgh that really should not to be missed.