Cold Town House

Perched in Edinburgh’s Old Town, Cold Town House brews its own beer beneath the gaze of the castle and serves it with swagger. The mood is vibrant and sociable, a lively hub where fresh pints meet Neapolitan pizza fired in a custom-made oven. Accolades speak for themselves: Best Beer Bar at the Scottish Beer Awards 2021 and a National Pizza Awards finalist the same year.

The live bar and taproom pours straight from gleaming tanks while musicians set an upbeat tempo and the crowd brings the buzz. One floor up, the brewery and pizza space slows the pace just enough to watch artisan dough blister and rise, matched to experimental pours from the microbrewery. Dogs are welcome, and so is a good time.

Food skews big on comfort and bigger on flavour: think halloumi fries to start, a classic bacon and cheese burger or a chargrilled flat iron steak with chimichurri, and those soft-centred, leopard-spotted pizzas from margherita to prosciutto and mushroom. House-baked ciabattas arrive stacked with Parma ham or burrata, while sticky toffee pudding and lemon cheesecake seal the deal. Sundays bring sharing roast beef with all the trimmings.

For the city’s most postcard-perfect sip, the rooftop terrace frames Edinburgh Castle in all its glory. Swing by for fresh beer, pizza, and skyline drama—come for the view, stay for the chew.