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Conan Doyle Pub

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Red Mezz
Red Mezz
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2 out of 5
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1
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Conan Doyle Pub

  • February 3, 2007
  • Rated 2 of 5 by Red Mezz from Inverness, Scotland
Conan Doyle Pub

Edinburgh is a town filled with bars and pubs reminiscent of some historic figure, and choosing which one to make your Edinburgh memories with can be quite a task. The Conan Doyle, named after the creator of the beloved Sherlock Holmes character, sits in a very enticing position in town, not 5 minutes off Princes Street heading into the new town area. It sits on a corner, its big windows and rich green exterior very inviting, particular to the weary traveller with bags in tow coming from the bus station, only a 2-minute walk away.

It is a nice pub, and though it's not a bad place to eat, I do caution that it is indeed a pub first, even if the exterior and seating area looking out over Picardy Place suggest otherwise. It is a bit smoky and the atmosphere close, which can be very comforting on a chilly Edinburgh afternoon. It's a warm atmosphere, though, with a good bar and an open fire.

It's a nice place to look at, but unfortunately, it has its downsides. If you're looking for a nice eating atmosphere, go elsewhere. This is, at its heart, a pub. The staff are at best adequate, often in dour moods, and in general the service is standard to poor. The food, though not bad, is deeply ordinary and a bit pricey. It is pub food, no matter how much it costs or how nice it sounds. The steak pie is probably the nicest thing on the menu, being very tasty for pub food, but in my opinion, it's not worth £6.50. The side orders are bland to the point of being a disappointment. Having said that, they do have Caffreys Velvet Ale on tap for an excellent £1.75 a pint. It's a drink worth coming to Edinburgh for and somewhat hard to find on tap.

If you're looking for a nice meal out, there is no limited supply of choices in the central Edinburgh area, and I would put the Conan Doyle farther down my list. But if you want a moment of Scottish atmosphere, to sit in a pub having a flavourful beer near the birthplace of the man the pub was named after, it can be a very pleasant experience to take home.

From journal Scotland Cuisine: It's Not as Bad as You've Heard

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