There is a certain pleasure in finding a place that is not where you would expect it to be. The Devil's Advocate is one of those: a whisky bar and restaurant tucked away on Advocate's Close in Edinburgh's Old Town, hidden off the main tourist paths and set inside what was once a Victorian pump house. The building keeps that history on display, with stone walls and soft amber lighting that set the mood before you have even looked at a menu. It is part of the Bon Vivant Group, the same hands behind The Bon Vivant, The Register Club, Lady Libertine and Luckenbooths, so it sits in good company.
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The whisky is the obvious starting point. There is a mezzanine dining area and a shelf holding more than 300 Scottish and world whiskies, a collection that is updated seasonally rather than left to gather dust. Around it, award-winning bartenders turn out inventive seasonal cocktails, and the drinks list rounds out with a considered wine selection, chosen craft beers and a wide range of low and no-alcohol serves for when you are not in the mood for a dram. It is the kind of place that works as well for a quiet drink as it does for a full meal.
On the food side, the kitchen leans on Scotland's seasonal produce, with a menu that changes as the ingredients do. A few of the better-known starters give you the sense of what to expect: black haggis with celeriac purée, crispy leeks, apple gel and rocket, and whisky-cured Scottish salmon served with sourdough melba toast, horseradish aioli and pickled red onion. For mains, there is chicken breast with black pudding boulangère, sweet potato purée, fine beans and a lemon thyme jus, alongside duck breast with a plum and ginger sauce. The steaks are a particular point of note, specially selected by John Ritchie, Master Butcher at John Gilmour Butchers, with dry-aged 32-day Scottish steaks on the menu. John Gilmour Butchers itself is a third-generation family business that has been purveying quality meats since 1946, and Ritchie is the Master Butcher there.
It is worth knowing how the day is laid out before you commit. The doors are open from 12pm to 10pm daily, with the menu split into chapters: nibbles all day from 12pm to 10pm, lunch from 12pm to 4pm, and dinner from 4pm to 10pm, with desserts available at any point in between. The price range sits at £££, so it is more of an occasion than a cheap bite.
One final detail is worth flagging if you are planning your route. Advocate's Close is a narrow, steep medieval close that drops from the Royal Mile near St Giles' Cathedral down to Cockburn Street, and it is not accessible for people with disabilities because of the multitude of steep steps, which get slippery when wet. The close was redeveloped in the early 21st century at a cost of 45 million pounds and picked up several awards, including the RIAS Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland Award in 2014. The name comes from the house of Sir James Stewart, who was Lord Advocate. It is a bit of history in itself, and the pump house inside has settled in nicely.
