Chez Mal Bar

You'll find Chez Mal wedged into one of Edinburgh's grandest Georgian squares, but it doesn't announce itself loudly—which is precisely the point. This is where you go when you're sick of the New Town's louder, more self-conscious drinking dens. The bar has that lived-in feel of a place that doesn't need to try too hard; locals pop in, staff actually know what they're doing, and the drinks taste like someone cared about them. It's the kind of spot where you might end up chatting to whoever's next to you at the bar, or sink into a corner booth and pretend the outside world doesn't exist.