Derby day in Scotland's capital is no less passionate that its Glasgow equivalent and this year's first instalment comes under the lights at Easter Road this week. It's early in the season but there'll be no less edge for that - both Hibs and Hearts have got off to good starts in the league with two wins out of three, so it's a great chance for one to put some daylight between themselves and the other.
Easter Road is conveniently situated about a mile and a half from Waverley train station in Edinburgh, and there are plenty of pubs and bars to choose from as you make your way down Leith Walk and across to the ground. We've picked a few of our favourites to get you started.
1. The Guildford Arms, 1 West Register Street, EH2 2AA
https://guildfordarms.com/
Enjoying a good few moments in the limelight on social media recently due to Edinburgh's festival season, the Guildford Arms is more or less the first pub you come to upon crossing Princes Street from Waverley station. Which is lucky, because it's one of the best in the city. Owned by the same family since 1896, it's known not only for an amazing selection of ales but it's Victorian interior, with a dark wooden bars, nooks for seating and a spectacularly ornate ceiling.
Part of the reason for the incredible design is thought to be in order to get a licence from the strict authorities during the temperance movement, who you'd imagine were less than keen to hand out permission to sell booze to anyone with a back room and a few bottles of ale. The result is one of the few surviving pubs in this style in Edinburgh - if you've time, you can head west along Rose Street to seek out a couple more. Watch out for the Guidlford's unique revolving doors though - you don't give them a second thought on the way in, but they can be a real challenge once you've had a beer or two and are trying to get out.
2. Jeremiah's Taproom, 7-8 Elm Row, EH7 4AA
https://jeremiahstaproom.co.uk/
Don't get me wrong, there are an awful lot of options once you've left the Guildford and are heading down Leith Walk. This is partly beneficial, as you can at least take advantage of the options at the Omni Centre or the bars dotted in and around the Playhouse Theatre if you need to duck in somewhere. But it's worth moving beyond the tourist/shopping crowd to get slightly further down Leith Walk, and Jeremiah's is a popular staging post on matchdays.
It's a decent spot for food (there's a Sunshine on Leith burger, if proof were needed that they cater to supporters), but the real story is the 19 taps and massive range of bottled beer from Scotland and all over the world. There's seating out the front too if you want to watch the world go by and the streets begin to throng with fans heading down the road.
3. Robbie's, 367 Leith Walk, EH6 8SE
https://www.robbiesbar.co.uk/
Again, you'll walk past plenty of pubs on your way down Leith Walk to Robbie's, but it's worth staying the course to get to this classic Scottish pub on the corner of Leith Walk and Iona Street. It's a reasonable size (certainly compared with the Strath, as explained below) and the bar staff are expert at keeping things moving on matchdays. There's limited seating outside but as Iona Street isn't actually a thoroughfare to Leith Walk, there's the possibility of some reasonable standing space.
Given Hibs' heritage it's not a massive surprise that Robbie's, which should be one of the stops on every supporters' pilgrimage to Easter Road, serves a sensational Guinness. Beyond that, it has a great selection of other pretty reasonably priced ales and beers, and shows live sport if you're looking to catch an earlier or later kick off.
3.5. The Strathmore Bar, 17 Iona St, Leith, EH6 8SG
https://www.instagram.com/thestrathmorebar
The Strathie is less than a minute or two from Robbie's but very specifically references Leith in its address - Easter Road gets ever closer. When the weather's good, the pavement's packed with fans and movement in and out of the small bar isn't too bad, though it still helps if you know a regular to help catch the bar staff's eye.
When it's not packed with punters, it's a cosy bar packed with character. They've a good selection of beers, and serve burgers Thursday-Sunday (although this isn't the priority on matchdays, and you're probably best sticking to beers here, there's loads of other options for eating back up Leith Walk!).
4. The Iona Bar, 203 Easter Road, EH6 8LF
https://ionabar.uk/
A neighbourhood pub with more than 30 years of family-run history behind the bar, the Iona Bar is one of the true homes of Hibs fans pre-match. A five-minute walk from the ground and the famous approach along Albion Road and Albion Place, the Iona Bar fills up fast before kick-off, with fans inside and out, come rain or shine. It's a really traditional, local feel though, with entrances to both bar and lounge in the grand old pub tradition. Last I was there, the bar was cash only, but this shouldn't be too much of an issue if you're prepared - there are cash machines at the Sainsbury's and Scotmid supermarkets up on Leith Walk over the road from Robbie's).
4.5 Old Eastway Tap, 218 Easter Rd, EH7 5QH
https://www.crossborders.beer/old-eastway-tap
As a backup to the matchday authenticity of the Iona, you could check out the Old Eastway Tap, where you're probably more likely to be able to squeeze in as kick-off approaches. Another pub celebrating the best of Scottish, the Eastway's 16 draught lines and 4 cask ale lines pour a wide range of craft beers, lagers, and ciders. It's much bigger on the inside, too, with a small beer garden out front if the weather's good.
5. The Mash Tun, 154 Easter Rd, EH7 5RL
https://www.instagram.com/mashtunedinburgh
Given its proximity to the ground, you can only really get here early if you want to have any chance of a seat or even a pint. If you do though, you'll be rewarded with a decent pub showing live sport and so close to the stadium that you won't have to worry about missing kick off. Later on, security on the door and its popularity with fans make it tricky to get into, but after the game it's not as packed, and as good a place as any for a pint to aid with your dissection of the game.
