The Other Place

This is a friend’s local so have been coming to this ‘gastropub’ quite often. Staff are friendly and professional and I get the impression that the locale, range of drinks on offer, comfortable but chic setting and food offer mean it has built up some loyal regulars. I am certainly reluctant to try elsewhere with The Other Place on the doorstep. The ‘baby bowl’ £5 option is a good deal — I love the veggie chilli — and filling enough. Mulled wine AND mulled cider are on offer at the minute. I always enjoy coming here and it genuinely feels like a second living room! My brother visited from the west end of Glasgow recently and got some ‘you have a better, closer local’ envy.

A great beer selection, friendly staff, and a well priced menu. Well worth checking out :)

Had a lovely meal with my little one. Kiddos are allowed until 8pm. Lots of vegetarian options available. The falafel burger was excellent. They have a lot of smaller plates available, too, so would be a nice place to go with a few friends for apps and drinks.

Great little place. Stopped in with our 2 yr old, who was allowed in until 8. They were very accommodating to her, even pulling out kiddie silverware. Food was very American, burgers and dogs. 3 cask ales and a great bottle selection. Overall a great stop. Very happy

This pub is perfect. We really enjoyed to eat and drink here. The food is delicious and the ambience nice.

Walked by this place several times and seems really nice, but when we tried to visit for dinner at 6:30 with our family they said the «dont normally serve children» and it was implied we should leave, so we did.

Went back here beginning December as a place to meet up with far-​wide pals as we had enjoyed good service last time. We waited awhile for a table to sit at because of christmas lunch bookings that would not leave! But the staff kept us notified and took our orders and were able to seat us before the food came, which was brilliant. The fried chicken, Caesar salad and everything else got big thumbs up and we constantly monitored for drink refills and did not at all feel like the staff were tired of christmas. Cant believe they pump a;; that food out of that wee tiny kitchen!
All things considered with how incredibly disappointing new places have proven recently, we are glad to have found somewhere nearby that seems honest, not trying too hard to be something hipster-​cool-​and-​failing, and just simply providing really good food at great prices with, most importantly, easy, comfortable and GOOD solid customer service. Thank goodness for The Other Place.

My friend and I sampled one of the many, many beers they have on offer. A Weiss wheat beer. Delicious. We also had fantastic belly pork ribs, a shrimp salad and their divine chilli fries. Our waitress was lovely & I was given an «I love ribs» bib to wear :)
All in all, great food and ambience, especially if you can sit by the window on a sunny day.

How lucky am I to have The Other Place as my local! («What other place?» ho ho ho, as Jenny L. pointed out, this name lends itself to endless fun.)
Friendly staff, nice cheery atmosphere, fun décor (top tip: look up at the pretty ceiling!) and plenty of cider options (a particularly deeee-​lish cider from New Zealand, my antipodean cousins!).
Although I haven’t sampled much of the food, it all looks and smells lovely as it wafts out from the exposed kitchen and I did share a fancy looking cheeseboard which came loaded with a selection of fruits and cheeses… dare I say nearly TOO much cheese? Oh no, I suppose you can’t ever have too much of that.
The only reason it loses a star is because of all the dang reserved tables! I don’t quite understand why so many busy places whack a big ‘reserved’ sign on a table only to leave it empty for a pint or so’s worth of time, but perhaps there is just something I am missing. I also had a coffee here one Sunday morning and it wasn’t particularly special, not really something I would be rushing back for.
Asides from those little gripes I do really like The Other Place and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend if you are in the area!

On the last day of our holiday, The Man and I ventured into town. We found ourselves in our old neighborhood and decided to check out the recently refurbished pubs of the area. This corner used to be skeezy boozer central. Since we moved, it is now poshpub central. Coincidence? Hmmmm.
For a Monday night (though admittedly, Easter Monday), The Other Place was surprisingly busy. We got a seat at the bar and were greeted with an interesting selection of international beers. Admittedly, I felt there was a bit too much stress on the «international» aspect (Red Stripe? Really??) there as I felt the Scottish beer selection was poorly represented. I tend to shy away from bottled beers in bars, but their bottled beer selection looked pretty hefty.
The refurb was very well done (with bonus points for the framed stag’s head by the toilets as a nod to the old boozer), with maybe a bit too much TRYING HARD in terms of the attempt in being kitchy cool. The completely random shelf with gardening instruments irrationally irritated me.
The problem now is that there is a LOOK — when bars get a makeover, the exposed brick/​kitchy/​minimal/​industrial/​timber look is cool. And it totally is cool, until everywhere and its cousin adapts the same look and it goes from being cool to uninspired.
I’m harping about the look unnecessarily, though, because really they’ve created a good space where there was a not so good space previously. They’ve laid the place out well, and have included some good comfortable corners.
Now all I wonder is where did all of the young professionals come from who frequent here, and where did the old junkies go?

The Other Place bodes so well! A good range of draught beers, whiskies, sexy décor, a very visible kitchen — by all rights, this should be one of my favourite pubs. But really it’s not.
Why? Because there’s only one decent thing on the menu! So, here’s the good news: the beef brisket chilli is really good — spicy, tasty, rich, thick and satisfying, this is chilli as it should be, while the use of slow-​cooked brisket gives it an unpretentious twist on the usual gastropub effort. Add a cold beer and you’ll walk away from The Other Place with a happy tummy and the beginnings of a good review in your head.
Sadly though, the food goes rapidly downhill from there. A grilled king prawn sandwich with paprika mayo sounds great, but it doesn’t really tally with the prawn cocktail mix slapped between two slices of stale white bread that ends up on your plate. Chilli lentil soup? Not tricky, but what arrived had clearly been on the heat for so long that it had reduced to a kind of painfully salty dal.
So why three stars? Well, it’s a nice atmosphere, the music is usually good and the bar staff are friendly. So grab an interesting beer and soak up the cool surroundings by all means, but if your stomach starts to rumble, head over the road to the Cross & Corner.

Let me explain my rating first of all — I’ve only been here once so far, and I do intend to revisit (ideally very soon!), hopefully eventually bumping this rating up to 4 stars as I feel it could easily be attained, but based on last night it’s a solid 3 for now.
I’d been meaning to try out The Other Place since it opened, and last night my sister and I popped by for food and drinks. The place was busy, so we were given a table at the very back, next to the open kitchen. So, where we were was actually quite quiet, but also fairly soulless, it wasn’t til we went to the loo that we had the chance to see just how nice the rest of the place is. Next time I’ll come at a less busy time in the hope of getting one of the tables nearer the bar…
Sister ordered a cider, I had the house lager which was nice — both priced just below £4. When we ordered a repeat, we were given two lagers. This was probably my fault, as whereas my sister said «the same again» I said «yes, the lager please», but the mistake was rectified swiftly and we were actually charged for the lagers (which was cheaper than the cider).
The menu, oh I wanted to eat it all! But that would have been immensely greedy of myself, so I opted for the Juicy Lucy (or, a classier version of chip shops’ Cheeznburger) — a delicious meat patty with the cheese on the inside. This meant that the bun was quite dry, but I smothered on some mayonnaise and voila, problem rectified! The chips were okay but verging on cold by the time they arrived (and it took a while), and a few were slightly undercooked. Sister had the tuna melt, which looked good, and the garlic chips — not that the garlic was particularly detectable.
We both ordered the ‘pie a la mode’, as we were still hungry, a pleasant pecan pie. But completely overpriced at £5 for what was a rather small slice. In fact, price is really my main issue. My burger was £10.50, which is a good pound or so more than similar establishments would charge.
So, for the moment The Other Place gets 3 stars. I was impressed by my burger, and I’m keen to try the chilli cheese fries as they sound delicious, but our atmosphereless table and the prices prevent it from getting any higher. But, I will be back soon so watch this space for an Update.

Oh, what an amusing name! «Let’s meet at The Other Place.» «What other place?» «The Other Place!» I like the owner’s sense of humour.
After reading the reviews that popped up when it first opened, and knowing that my friends frequent it quite a bit, I was curious. I’d heard their chilli fries were good, the window seats adorably cosy (and the windows open during the summer) and it was just a laid-​back, nice bar in Canonmills.
So I popped down here for lunch, and went for the BBQ Hot Dog (see the photo!) The hot dog itself was really thin, like a really thin sausage. It was made with 50% beef and 50% pork… but I was a little disheartened at the size. But the BBQ-​sauce simmered onions that came with it were plentfiul and delicious. It was a really nice hot dog, I just would have liked more of it! The chips that came with it were tooooo good though, and if I hadn’t gorged myself on chips and cheese at 3am the previous night, I would have eaten them all!
I’ll definitely come back here to try more, especially the burgers (one with a melting cheesy middle). The tables are a little small and not the ideal size /​shape. Not bad, but just not… my ideal seating arrangement.
But yep, I liked The Other Place! It’s nice to see bars popping up in quieter ends of town to give some options against the heavy-​weights like Holyrood 9a and BrewDog.

Have been meaning to check this place out since I saw it’d been done up and re’opened in the Summer. it’s amazing what they have done to what used to be a really dingey ropey pub.
All the times I’ve walked past on a Friday afternoon it has been absolutely packed… although they really don’t do themselves any favours by having big massive chairs. which I’m sure are lovely and comfy to sit on. but probably not the best idea when space is at a premium.
My friends and I ended up sat around a wine barrel on some bar stools right in the middle of the doors to the bathrooms. which wasn’t really ideal but the other option was to stand and mill around at the bar.
Our party of four had plans to dine, although many of the tables were only set up as twos… so with only 2 tables that could fit 4, it got rather dicey as to how long we’d need to wait for a table to free up so we could sit…
I asked the staff if we could put our name down for a table and they said they’d come get us if a table became free. I was getting hungry so I asked again about a table and the waitress said we could order then once our food was ready we could eat it at the «kitchen bar»… We all agreed, though I also spied a table of four leaving, only to be told that as the table was quite small it was hard for 4 people to eat around it and we would have more room at the kitchen bar…
Erm. Not particularly true. Anywhos! We’d ordered starters and mains. and somehow she’d not split the order when she put it in the till… and apparently the kitchen didn’t think to double check with her about 8 dishes being made at once for a party of 4… so it ended up being a bit Man V Food for us to try and eat both courses before they got cold.
The manager did come to speak to us to apologise straight away which I appreciated. He offered to buy us a round of drinks, but as our friends had just got a bottle of wine and we both had full drinks, we declined, so he offered to take some food off the bill which I thought was a generous gesture.
SUMMARY: Food was really good, stand out dishes were the Beer Chilli, Steak & Fried Chicken. Prices are pretty average for drinks and food. Service was fantastic apart from the mix up with our food. Décor and atmosphere was great tho quite cramped and a bit hard to get around. Wouldn’t hesitate to head back and can understand why they are so busy all the time~!

Been in here a couple of times now. Good booze on tap, some interesting spirits, friendly staff and interesting looking venue. Aiming to head back and try out their menu at some point. Well worth a visit if you are passing.

A fantastic new bar in Cannonmills, Edinburgh. It’s a big bar with lots of comfy seating and doors/​windows that open right onto the street, the staff are all very good! The food is really enjoyable but could offer more on the menu and lastly The Other Place has good draft beer on tap for everyone and a wide rage of bottled beers… Just ask staff for the beer list! I go a lot for lunch but also good to visit at night!

i honestly could not believe when a friend told me she had visited a new bar in what was previously known as the stags head. see, the stags head was the type of bar i avoided, a popular local for the older men crowd who drink real beer and stand outside smoking cigarettes. definitely not the place for me. but then it shut and almost overnight it re-​opened into a cool gastro-​pub that was welcoming for all the young professional types that have been moving in the area as more and more new developments are built.
i finally had a chance to try this place out when nikki a and i decided we needed a drink and some time to catch up. i arrived first and grabbed a seat in the corner of the front room bit. this bar is a bit odd as what appears to be the front entrance on rodney street brings you into what actually appears to be the back of the bar with a view into an open kitchen. two steps down brings you to the actual front area where there is a well stocked bar and massive windows that can be fully opened on a nice sunny day.
we ordered a bottle of wine, reasonably priced, and contemplated the food menu for some nibbles. this place offers up a good array of pub grub but with a classy edge. i had the chili cheese fries, which was a massive bowl of a hybrid between a roasted potato and hand cut chip topped with shredded beef brisket in a spicy sauce and loads of cheese. it was delicious! the chips, OMG, the chips! this hybrid between a roasted tattie and a hand cut chip was just awesome, they were crunchy on the outside but soft and fluffy inside and just soooo tasty. the beef brisket chili was also really good, with tender beef and a nice kicky chilli sauce. nikki a had the nachos, which i can also confirm were quite tasty!
the service was friendly and they were quick to clear our plates and take our order to replenish our wine. however, while the chairs looked comfy i have to say i struggled to find a comfortable position to sit in. it was almost like the seat was just a bit too small for me. it’s a small thing, but would sort of put me off staying in the bar for ages with drinks since i couldnt’ get comfortable sitting.
however, this bar is great! and sooooo close to me! i literally cannot believe the transformation it has went through and i’m definitely looking forward to making this my regular :)

It was only after they descended the stairs to the bar area that Joe realised he was ducking his head. A full week had passed since a section of the ceiling had fell away — mere days after opening — only to be repaired within a matter of hours. Obviously the story had stuck in his mind but looking around he could see the staff buzzing about a hive of tables, most occupied by friends and lovers, lost in conversation
The Other Place was very much back in business.
Feeling a little foolish, and hoping Jennie hadn’t noticed, he straightened up and they took their seats; a small, round, European-​influenced table, far enough from the patio doors to avoid the glare of the sun yet close enough to appreciate the cooling breeze that whipped by outside.
Almost instantly they were greeted by their waitress, a petit and cheerful girl with an accent that served to echo their surroundings. They placed the usual drinks order: a white wine (large) for her; a Jack and Coke (Diet) for him.
Typically they discussed the events that had momentarily staggered the Other Place’s opening week. Looking up, they could easily differentiate between old and new ceilings. The largest flat section was now a spread of grey mortar, but all the rest retained its classic elegance. There were three sections over the bar area in all, chandeliers hung centrally from all, but the older two also held circular mirrors that rounded the light fixtures, and the detailed cornicing, with its ornate engravings, were captivating.
A moment later Joe spotted their drinks, albeit atop a waiter’s tray that was headed the wrong way. The waiter seemed not to know where the beverages were destined to be but Joe certainly did and intervened just as the waitress with the accent pointed out their table.
The summer weather had drawn an unexpected crowd, or so it seemed from the tables that had been amassed inside. This by no means made their stay uncomfortable but the impromptu table layout was obviously leading the waiting staff a merry chase as a result. Spirits were high and the waiter made his apologies by way of some charming banter, which they both appreciated.
Then their waitress returned. «Ready to order?» she said with an enthusiastic smile.
«Absolutely,» Joe replied. «If the portion is big enough, we’d like to share the Spicy Shrimp and Chorizo starter???»
He glanced at Jennie as he spoke, her cool green eyes glittering thoughtfully as if she was trying to calculate how much food she might manage, before she confirmed his choice with a nod.
Joe smiled appreciatively, «And for mains???» He gestured to his partner to take the lead.
«I’ll have the Chilli Cheese Dog with extra Fried Onions,» Jennie said, decisively.
«And for me, the Juicy Lucy with the Hash Brown topping.»
While they waited for their first course, they took in the place. Beforehand it had been an old gentleman’s public house, with a name involving a Stag or some other woodland creature no doubt. The transformation was impressive; the room in which they sat now the bar area, while the upper level housed the open-​face kitchen, artfully circled by an array of stools for those who wished to watch their food being prepared.
The bar itself was rather impressive too, Art Deco in style — much like the majority of the décor and furnishings — with a vast selection of bourbons and rums, whiskies and wines on display. Joe had heard rumour they stocked 100 various beers and ales back there too.
The Shrimp and Chorizo dish could not have been any better. A perfect sharing dish, but good enough to make Joe wish he’d bought his own. The shrimp soft and delicate, the chorizo veritably haemorrhaging flavour; it needed to be tried to be believed. Joe initially added the romantic touch of sharing the dish with the same fork, however he had clearly forgotten how slowly Jennie tended to eat, so — once he’d tasted that chorizo — snapped up the spare fork with fervour.
Equally so, they enjoyed their mains. The Chilli Dog as messy animal indeed, and Jennie used her cutlery wisely, albeit to Joe’s horror (few things in this world must be eaten by hand but both burgers and hotdogs are at the apex of that list). The chilli itself, which they had experienced once before, was interesting in that it closer resembled pulled pork, but in no way was that a criticism; it was delightful.
The burger patty was handmade, and clearly so as it crumbled juicily with each bite. Stuffed with subtle cheese and topped with a flaky hash brown, his only gripe was that the latter was under-​seasoned. Despite that negative, he made a note to contact all his friends on the quest for Edinburgh’s Best Burger to take note of The Other Place.
The meal had been a test. A test of the Other Place and what they were bringing to the capital. A test of how they intended to compete with neighbouring Stockbridge without being as wanky. A test of why they could justify some of the prices on their menu.
It was test they passed.

Last night I had the following conversation with a friend:
Friend: «Lets go to ‘The Other Place’»
Me: «What place?»
Friend: «The Other Place»
Me: «Yes…but what’s it called?»
Friend: «The Other Place! It used to me the Stags Head in Canonmills!»
Me: «Ah…that makes sense now, let’s go!»
Confusion aside, I’d noticed that the Stags Head was being renovated, but had no idea the resulting bar would be such a joyful addition to the area.
The décor kind of identifies two areas to the bar, which blend seamlessly into one another. The bar area up one end is more traditional, with mirrors & chandeliers, while the open kitchen end is a tad more industrial, with bare brick walls and lots of shiny metal. The only downside to an open kitchen was the fact it was quite toasty at that end, but I always like to see where (and how!) my food is being prepared, and besides, there was air conditioning on and a nice breeze from the open windows to keep the temperature regulated!
Around the bar are full length windows, which open up in the summer and let you feel you’re drinking outdoors. Perfect on a mild, summers night, and there are lots of comfy leather bucket chairs, or cow hide covered stools to perch on too!
It’s a well stocked bar, and the beer list is superbly extensive, although I felt the wine list could have had a few more options available (only 3 – 4 choices of white wine!), but that’s me maybe being a little picky!
Like the beer list, the menu is superb & varied. I chose a starter order of a half rack of BBQ ribs (£5.95) and chilli fries (£3)…and it was AWESOME! The first awesome thing to happen was I was given a ‘rib bib’ in case I was a messy rib eater! So my new favourite possession is my ‘I Heart Ribs’ bib! The second awesome thing was that I have never, EVER had ribs with so much delicious, tender, tasty meat on them! In fact, there was so much meat I ended up using my fork and knife. It was well cooked, finger-​licking goodness, and I will return again and again for these! The burger our friend had was met with a similar «awesome» response!
As we sat by the window looking out on the world, we sipped our drinks, did some chair dancing to the wonderful tunes being played (‘No Diggity’ & ‘Call me Al’ were my personal favourites!) and pondered the promotional fliers for ‘The Other Place’, which say they want their customers to feel like this is their second home… I think we were all agreed that we looked forward to making use of our second home over the coming months!

This is a new bar in town following the closure of The Stags Head which used to be very much an ‘old mans pub’ there has been a significant renovation which has resulted in a totally different experience. Full length opening windows give the bar a mediterranean feel and the introduction of a kitchen visible to the diners is also a welcome gentrification of the area.
There is a huge supply of bottled ales available as well as about 7 or 8 draught ales including one of my personal favourites, Black Isle Blonde. I also noted some interesting whisky, including a Japanese malt.
The food is fantastic, myself and dining partner both had the Brisket Beer Chilli which is served with Nachos. It’s such a welcome change to have a chilli containing real chunks of meat instead of mince which gave a really nice texture to the meal. There was a fair bit of heat in the dish, not over-​powering, but enough to get the nose running.
A welcome addition to the Canonmills area and definitely a place I will be returning to.