Tigerlily Edinburgh

You'll spot the dramatic black and gold frontage from halfway down George Street, and that's exactly the point. Inside, Tigerlily commits fully to its feline theme with plush velvets, moody lighting, and enough theatrical flourishes to make you feel like you've stumbled into a burlesque show rather than another New Town drinking den. The cocktail menu runs deep, with bartenders who actually know their way around a shaker rather than just following laminated cards. Expect to pay around £10-12 for properly made drinks that arrive with a bit of ceremony. The crowd skews towards after-work New Town types and tourists who've done their research, but it never feels stuffy. Service runs long hours daily, making it one of the few places you can get a decent late drink on George Street without resorting to chain pubs.