Starbar — Restaurant in City of Edinburgh

Mama, I'm in love. With Starbar.

I came to Edinburgh for a festival and found my way to the beautiful, delightfully hidden Starbar because I knew the bartender. The spot is tucked off a main road, nestled between these beautiful, historic townhouses that span the neighborhood. Once you get close enough though, a curtain of twinkly lights interrupts the pattern of residences, revealing itself like a secret haunt that's only visible to witches and locals. Only when you get right in front of the entrance and listen can you hear the muffled merriment and warmth coming from within.

Inside, the walls are lined top to bottom with posters, polaroids of the bartenders, trinkets, vinyl records, and more sorts of delightful kitsch. Your eyes will never get bored. The foozball table off to the left presents a universal ice-breaker if you came on your own and are looking to make friends. The leather couches and candlelit coffee tables toward the back give couples a cozy spot to have drinks. The back garden's outdoor tables are filled with friend groups in the late afternoon. Below the bar is a scrappy little vintage shop, where the uniquely charming and adorable owner, Bella, whisked me away and encouraged me to try on items just for fun.

On top of all of this, the venue has such a beautiful, community-oriented spirit that this world needs so desperately right now. (Shoutout to the kind smile of the lovely bartender, Christopher, who made me feel so welcome!)

The world we inherited has fewer and fewer places like this, and younger generations who've grown up surrounded by ever-encroaching Starbuckses are at an incredible loss that needs to be reversed. In the meantime, what will help is for Star Bar to forever...

The Star Bar gives nothing away from the outside and it's too easy to walk on by. Indeed, years ago I lived round the corner and never gave the bar a second thought. Fortunately this all changed during the summer this year when my best drinking buddie and I were heading from Broughton Street to Jamaica Mews and decided to pop in on the off chance we might find a decent mojito; our mission for the evening! The welcome was mighty and we knew immediately we'd found our tribe. Bella ( she who runs the place supported by an extraordinary troupe) shook our hands warmly and all notion of mojitos quickly evaporated when she prepared us both her own version. We were home. Something that quickly became apparent was that every other person there felt exactly the same! A roasty toasty, inviting, inclusively alternative, independently-minded venue with something to say for itself; so lacking these days in the blank face of corporate institutions. No visit to Edinburgh is complete these days without a visit. I always look forward to...

The Star Bar is one of my favorite bars in Edinburgh - Whilst the range of beers on offer may not appeal to those in search of more cultured ales there is more to this place than what's behind the bar. First of all it has the feeling of being secret, partially due to being tucked away in the New Town and easy to miss unless you're looking for it. There are also little touches in the decor that bring it to life and a fussball table, board games and Jenga are all available if you want to add a little bit of challenge to your drinking session. Unlike most bars you should be able to grab a seat without too much trouble, something I appreciate more and more as the years roll on! There is also a small beer garden, better enjoyed during the summer months and occasional live music made all the more intimate by the small size of the venue. It's difficult to sum up what makes the Star Bar so special so my advice? Try it...