Edinburgh nightlife is a vibrant part of the city experience and the Pink Triangle, as it is locally known, is the centre of LGBTQIA+ nightlife in the Scottish capital! Located between Broughton Street and Leith Walk, the Pink Triangle has the best selection of Edinburgh gay bars, and offers a great night out. So, we’ve narrowed down some popular ones to head to on your next night out!
CC Blooms
In the centre of the Pink Triangle is CC Blooms, Edinburgh’s oldest gay bar and notorious for their Tuesday nights with The Rabbit Hole! CC Blooms is open from 6pm to 3am (with the nightclub officially opening at 12am every night!) and runs several weekly events for its guests. For a fun Tuesday night, CC Blooms hosts The Rabbit Hole from 9pm, with performances and vibrant live music. They hold a classic pub quiz every week on Thursdays, starting at 8pm in Lab, their underground cellar turned bar/club space! And of course, Fridays and Saturdays are reserved for cocktail nights from 6pm.
This is a great Edinburgh gay bar that guarantees you’ll have a good time!
The Street
The Street is an LGBTQIA+ bar on the corner of Picardy Place, right next to Leith Walk. With inspiration taken from street food, music, and drinks, they offer a massive selection of all the above! Open from 12pm Mondays to Fridays, you can enjoy a variety of grilled cheese toasties and dirty fries. But after dark, the café and bar transforms into a sought-after nightclub, with cocktails and cracking tunes! Staying open until 3am on Fridays and Saturdays, it’s one of the best of Edinburgh’s gay bars to spend your weekend wind-down after a long week of work.
Café Habana
With upstairs and downstairs seating, Habana can easily accommodate its popularity. Located next to CC Blooms, Café Habana is an ideal place to start off your night out, with DJs playing seven days a week! With regular drinks promotions and frequent live gigs, Habana is definitely worth checking out if you love Edinburgh’s gay bars and vibrant nightlife.
Planet Bar and Kitchen
Not only does Planet Bar and Kitchen have a free entry policy, but it is also open from 1pm until 1am every day! Drinks are priced low but not to worry- the quality is definitely not compromised. Every Friday, Planet hosts both local and international Drag Queens for their infamous Showtime Fridays! And if you can’t make it on a Friday, you are still guaranteed a night to remember. Planet frequently hosts bingo, quizzes and karaoke events, and is one of the most well-loved Edinburgh gay bars.
Planet Bar and Kitchen is active in the community, running events for local charities and World Aids Day. They also acts as the main sponsors for the Hot Scots, Scotland’s very first LGBTQIA+ football team!
If you’re looking for something a little more low-key, why not check out Edinburgh’s secret bars instead?
Last Updated on June 17, 2024
Published on February 9, 2023
