Vessel is a bar and restaurant on Hanover Street in central Edinburgh from the team behind independent Leith brewery Pilot Beer. The cosy, characterful room is designed for food as much as drinks, with tables for casual lunches, dinners and evenings that stretch into music or events.
The menu begins with sharing plates such as sundried tomato hummus with house focaccia melba toast, blistered padron peppers and whipped feta with smoked honey. These smaller dishes suit a round of drinks but also provide a flexible start to a fuller meal shared among friends.
Larger plates take a hearty approach. Steak frites comes with a peppercorn sauce made using Pilot stout, while the chickpea and coriander burger includes house sauce, cheese and dill pickles. A chicken schnitzel Caesar salad combines crisp chicken with baby gem lettuce, Parmesan, anchovies and croutons.
Pilot’s craft beers naturally anchor the drinks list, joined by cocktails, wine and other bar choices. Regular late night DJs, a Sunday pub quiz and occasional food and drink pairing events reinforce Vessel’s sociable identity, while daytime food service keeps it useful beyond the later bar crowd.
Address: 73 Hanover Street, Edinburgh EH2 1EE, Scotland