The Black Rose Tavern

You'll find yourself on Rose Street—that narrow, slightly chaotic spine of the New Town—and slip into The Black Rose, where they're not interested in impressing anyone with craft nonsense or Instagram angles. This is a proper pub: wooden bar, the kind of lighting that doesn't make you look ill, and the sort of crowd that ranges from office workers escaping the afternoon to regulars who've probably got their own seat. The drinks list won't blow your mind, but the ales are well-kept and the bartenders actually know what they're doing. Food-wise, expect straightforward pub fare that hits the spot without pretension—pies, burgers, the kind of thing you want when you're three drinks in and genuinely hungry.