(by 7 people)
A place where Edinburgh's history comes alive...
The Last Drop is a pub in the very centre of Edinburgh's historical Old Town and can be found at 74/78 The Grassmarket. It is a place of wooden beams, a friendly atmosphere, fine ales and quality food.
It is a pub I have been visiting regularly for what is now more than twenty years and as a consequence of which, you may rest assured that what follows comes very much from personal experience. Regular updates will be posted, as and when required. This is by no means a bland, standard recommendation from someone writing ten pub guides a day via the dubious benefits of internet research and vague word of mouth - this is the real deal. Why not put me to the test and try it out for yourself? Visit The Last Drop and meet real Scots, in a real Scottish pub - I honestly don't believe you will be disappointed!
Site Contents
This site was last updated on Wednesday 18th June 2008.
Click on any of the options below to go straight to the section, or better still, browse the entire site for a greater idea of what is going on at The Last Drop.
- Where is The Last Drop?
- Thirsty?
- Hungry?
- Get to know your way around Edinburgh
- Why is "The Last Drop" so called?
- The Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2008
- Tourist Information in Edinburgh
- Edinburgh on flickr.com - a city of beauty, culture, heritage...
- Maybe you can get to meet Maria, The Last Drop's very own Ghost!
- The Smoking Ban in Scotland (2006)
- Want to know more about the history of Edinburgh and the Grassmarket?
- Visit Edinburgh soon!
- What did you think?
Thirsty?
Come in, sit down and have a drink...
From the very moment that you first set foot in The Last Drop, you cannot help but get a feel for its historical significance and associations. Whether that be due to the "Old Worldly" wooden beams aplenty, the deliberately and carefully subdued lighting, the memorial sites in the street you have just left or a complex blend of all three and more, you will have to judge for yourself. This sense of tradition and heritage is very important to the proprietors and something they are always looking to maintain.
So what is your favourite tipple? You certainly won't be short of choices from this well-stocked bar. Is a traditional pint the order of the day? Select an ale from a choice of Belhaven Best, Caledonian 80 shilling or perhaps that favourite of Ian Rankine's Inspector Rebus, Deuchars IPA. Lager drinkers also have the option of partaking of Scotland's favourite lager, Tennent's.Wines and spirits drinkers also have a great selection to choose from but being in Scotland, surely you have to try a "wee dram" of the world's finest malt whisky? The owners of The Last Drop have actually supplied a tasting guide to help you make an informed choice from thirteen of the very best. Browse the guide, or ask for advice - there will almost certainly be at least one there to suit your taste!
Soft drinks and coffee are of course available for any drivers or teetotallers. I can also strongly recommend a "Gaelic" or "Irish" style coffee, laced with fine whisky and topped with cream. This is particularly enjoyable after a fine meal, which we shall look at in more detail a little later on...
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I have been a customer of Amazon for several years now. In that time, I have purchased from them chiefly books, CD's and DVD's, often making incredible savings without having to leave the comfort of my own home, but there are a whole host of other products available to buy in the same way.
As a company unburdened by the considerable overheads of maintaining High Street or Mall premises and all the expenses associated with same, Amazon are able to pass such savings on to us, their customers.
Don't believe me?
Click here to see for yourself...
Hungry?
Grab a menu and prepare yourself for a treat!
I vividly recall the occasion of my first visit to The Last Drop. I was in Edinburgh with an uncle to attend an international rugby union match and went there on his personal recommendation.I was immediately impressed.
I liked the layout of the pub, the beer was great, and as it was around lunchtime, we decided to order some food. Being the carnivore that I am, I went for the Steak and Guinness Pie and I was not disappointed. It was absolutely delicious and I am delighted to say that it is still made by the same recipe and served up right to this very day. I have since partaken of it on a great many more occasions.
The food in The Last Drop is served from noon until nine pm, seven days a week, and is prepared fresh on the premises wherever possible and practical. This is something which very much comes across in the eating experience. It is also cooked in a healthy fashion, with not a deep fat fryer to be found in this kitchen. The other big seller on the menu (apart from the Steak and Guinness Pie) is the haggis, turnip and potato - or haggis, neeps and tatties as you are perhaps more likely to hear it referred. The haggis is bought in fresh from a trusted local butcher and is not of the "chemically enhanced," tinned variety!
There are of course many more items on The Last Drop's menu at extremely reasonable prices, including everything from snacks and wraps to salads and baked potatoes. Perhaps you may fancy something with an international flavour, such as pasta, curry or enchiladas? Whatever your choice, I very much hope you have the chance to experience it soon and know that regardless of what it may be, you are in for a treat.
Get to know your way around Edinburgh
See the sites, visit the pubs, sample Scotland's finest malts!
Click on the image or link below for further details. This will automatically take you to Amazon.com and offer anyone not in the USA the option to divert to their national Amazon page for local currency information.
Pocket Map and Guide Edinburgh (EYEWITNESS POCKET MAP & GUIDE)
Amazon Price: $6.99 (as of 07/25/2008)
List Price: $6.99
Why is "The Last Drop" so called?
A brief look at the history of Edinburgh's Grassmarket
The Grassmarket is situated in the shadow of the city's most famous landmark, Edinburgh Castle, and is currently in the process of receiving a multi-million pound redevelopment. It first appeared in the 15th century as a marketplace but has a rich, often dark, cultural history far beyond the boundaries of the purpose for which it was created. Historical figures such as Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott and the infamous Burke and Hare have all graced this place at one time or another and many of the properties on the Grassmarket were at one time in fact owned by the Knight's Templar, the secret society so recently brought back to prominence by Dan Brown's book, "The Da Vinci Code."
But it is the Grassmarket's function as the place of public hangings which leads to the name, "The Last Drop." Many a wicked criminal, innocent soul and religious martyr alike met their end at this location. The exact spot where the gallows once stood is marked by a St Andrew's cross in the cobblestones bearing the inscription, "For the Protestant faith, on this spot many martyrs and covenanters died." The Last Drop offers t-shirts for sale to those seeking a souvenir of their visit with the solemn monogram of a public gallows emblazoned prominently on the front. The Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2008
Are you visiting Edinburgh for the Festival this year?
Are you intending to visit Edinburgh for the Festival this year? If so, why not make a point of visiting The Last Drop? It is ideally located, just off The Royal Mile, the area which forms the very heart of the Fringe.-
Discovering Edinburgh: The Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2008
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The Fringe consumes the City of Edinburgh for three weeks in August every year in a vibrant Festival which is effectively a colourful celebration of the International Arts. Performers come from all over the globe - the famous, the not so famous...and...
Tourist Information in Edinburgh
Find out what you need to know before you go!
- Official Tourist Board - accommodation, attractions and events around Edinburgh.
- Accommodation, attractions and events in Edinburgh - Official Tourist Board
- Visit Scotland
- Visit Scotland's guide to Edinburgh and surrounding areas
- Auld Edinburgh - History, Tourist Information, Accommodation, and much more
- A site focusing on Edinburgh and its rich cultural history.
What time is it in Scotland?
Think of Scotland whenever you check the time on this striking looking wall-clock, available to buy online for the incredibly low price of just $13.69 (approx £7) plus p+p. How much would you expect to pay for this in a tourist shop or indeed any shop in Edinburgh?...Double that? More? Probably! And you have to go there to get it, then carry it home!The even better news is that this is but a sample of the fantastic Lion Rampant merchandise available to buy at great savings online by clicking here now. From sweatshirts to t-shirts, from coasters to baseball caps, see what's on offer today!
Edinburgh on flickr.com - a city of beauty, culture, heritage...
The list is endless
For but a tiny sample of some of the most magnificent places Edinburgh can offer to the visitor or resident alike, click on any or even all of the photos in turn to see them full size.
Calton Hill
Princes Street Gardens
Edinburgh Castle
Observatory House
Below the Castle
Princes Street
Victoria Street
The Castle in the half-light
St John's Church
Edinburgh View
Edinburgh View
Edinburgh View
Edinburgh at Dusk
Maybe you can get to meet Maria, The Last Drop's very own Ghost!
A spooky tale of times long gone and a mischievous spirit not yet at rest
Many a visitor to The Last Drop over the years has felt a gentle tug to their shirt or jacket from a seemingly unknown source. Some have even caught ill-defined sight of a young girl standing forlornly in the corner. Have you had, or could you yet have, such an experience?Legend has it that Maria was a young Irish girl, murdered by a Scotsman and that she still frequents The Last Drop with mischief on her mind. Do you believe in such tales...?
The Smoking Ban in Scotland (2006)
How has it affected our pubs?
There can be little doubt that pubs were right at the forefront of businesses affected by the introduction of the Smoking Ban which came into effect in Scotland in March 2006. Two years on, where do we stand...?-
Smokers Are People, Too!
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I feel it is imperative that I begin by pointing out that this is by no means a site dedicated to encouraging people to start smoking, discouraging smokers from stopping smoking, or creating the impression that smoking is an acceptable social practic...
Want to know more about the history of Edinburgh and the Grassmarket?
Here are but a few suggestions...
The following publications - some offering great discounts - on Amazon.com give but a taste of what has gone before...
(Remember...if you're not in the USA, you will be given the opportunity to quickly switch to your own country's Amazon site.)
Note that Edinburgh's Grassmarket is currently undergoing extensive refurbishment work. The Last Drop and other businesses remain open for business, however, and the work is due for completion in July 2008.
Edinburgh Castle: Scotland's Haunted Fortress (Castles, Palaces & Tombs)
Amazon Price: $25.27 (as of 07/25/2008)
List Price: $25.27
R. D. Laing (Edinburgh Review: Introductions to Scottish Culture)
Amazon Price: $18.00 (as of 07/25/2008)
List Price: $18.00
Capital of the Mind: How Edinburgh Changed the World
Amazon Price: (as of 07/25/2008)
List Price: $41.35
Edinburgh: The Making of a Capital City
Amazon Price: $35.00 (as of 07/25/2008)
List Price: $35.00
Edinburgh: A Cultural and Literary History (Cities of the Imagination Series)
Amazon Price: $11.25 (as of 07/25/2008)
List Price: $15.00
Visit Edinburgh soon!
Flights available from across the globe to Scotland's cultural centre
What did you think?
Have your say here...
This is the place where you can give your own feedback, either upon this work or the pub itself.
Thank you for reading, and hopefully, your visit to The Last Drop.
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BMontez
Great Pub, very nice food. Posted March 01, 2008 |
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Travel-Guy
Thanks for joining my world travel group! World Travel Group Posted February 11, 2008 |
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Monteath
Hello, great lens! I'll definitely have notes from this when I make my trip to Scotland in summer 09, see the land of my ancestors. I'll be making a lens soon on the best watering holes in Fairbanks, Alaska--my last home that I miss! Great job, 5 *s!! Posted December 12, 2007 |
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flowski
If I ever make it to Scotland I'll make it a point to stop in Edinburgh for a pub tour to soak up some suds and enjoy the local flavor. Posted December 04, 2007 |
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Rusty-Quill
Thanks for swinging by the Review Central headquarters, great lens and a welcome addition. Now I know where I'll have to stop if I get a chance to visit Edinburgh! Posted November 26, 2007 |
