The Doric, Edinburgh

Doric official site - www.the-doric.com

Doric official site - www.the-doric.com

Small, square pub with various traditional Scottish pub features including real ales served from four brass 'tall founts', a wooden gantry behind the bar housing a display of whisky bottles and narrow tables just big enough to accommodate a few pint glasses. There is plenty of memorbilia on the walls and three interesting Art Deco lanterns providing illumination. Coulsons EPA, Deuchars IPA and two from the ever-reliable Stewart Brewing: 80/- and the seasonal Three Wise Men (£3.50) available. Overall, a decent place for a quick pint if you are waiting for a train at the nearby Waverley station. NB - The upstairs Bistro (not visited) also spans the adjacent Hebrides bar.

When I lived in Edinburgh in the mid 90's this place was a bit of a shabby mess. After a fairly recent refurbishment (2009) it's now a decent place to avoid the tourists. It's close to Waverley station, so avoid rush hour as well. It's now all "aged" wood and fairly random breweriana, but it's quite comfortable with a couple of nooks & crannies. 4 ales on the bar and my pint of Stewarts Copper Cascade was a decent pint if a little pricey even for Edinburgh. There's a bistro upstairs offering overpriced food with decent views of Thunderbird 3 (the Scott Monument) and the surrounding gardens. It's a good place to call in for one, but I wouldn't stay all evening.

Built in the 17th Century, the pub’s great claim is that in the 18th Century it became Edinburgh’s first of we now term gastropub. My purpose of visiting was less gastro and more pub although as a final stop on a long crawl my memories are limited to some scribbled notes and blurry photos. The main bar (refurbished 2009) is a single room The décor included masses of random pictures, retro advertisements, brewery mirrors and even mounted fish. A pair of flat screens were well positioned, one over the entrance porch and one to the right of the bar. Upstairs is a wine bar and restaurant that I was both unaware of on this visit and probably incapable of finding. The place was busy and bustling without being uncomfortable and there was a good Saturday night ambience about the place that uis rarely found in pubs with major railway stations as neighbours. 4 ales were available, a brace from Stewarts (80/- and Copper Cascade), Caledonian Deuchars and Coulson’s EPA. All the ales were expectedly steep as far as prices go at £3.50. There is a selection of bottled beers (£3.50-£4.25) and about 50 specialist whiskies ranging from £3.80 to £30. The worst value is probably Kalibar at £3.30 a bottle but then anyone who chooses it deserves what they get. Ales are poured from air pressured fonts rather than hand pumps and served in dimpled mugs which is always a nice traditional touch. It is very handy for a decent pint before catching a train at the adjacent Waverley station although commuters should be warned, the clock behind the bar is craftily (though I doubt deliberately) 3 minutes slow so you may end up missing a train and returneing for an additional pint. I would certainly return and hopefully fill in the missing gaps.