joseph pearce, Edinburgh

Pearces bar was, until recently, a bit old and worn, only visited by regulars and drama students from the Gateway theatre down the road.
But after it was bought over and refurbished it is now an exciting, trendy bar with beautiful decor and great food and drink. It is distinctly Swedish, with an exciting menu (cutely placed inside a childrens book), with much better than average pub food. Meatballs are the speciality but there are other dishes such as fishcakes and avocado salad.
By day, Pearces is a trendy cafe/bar with a specially set aside childrens area where parents can meet up, have a drink, and trust that their children will be amused with the selection of toys and books (there are even safety gates by the loos!) It’s a great place to grab a coffee, and the wifi is an added bonus.
By night, the lights go down and its a buzzing atmosphere with drinkers from all walks of life sampling the exciting drink menu, and chilling out on the sofas and cushions.
As one of the aforementioned drama students who loved Pearces before it went trendy, I was gutted when it changed. But now, having sampled the new, fun Pearces, I have to admit it has totally changed for the better! A great place to hang out!