Caru by Candlelight

★★★★★

“Caru is a cosy, intimate wine and brandy bar tucked under the arches near Waverley Station on East Market Street. I stumbled across it by chance with friends and we decided to pop in and give it a try. We were warmly welcomed by the owner, who explained the background and history of Caru Brandy Liqueur and offered us a sample while bringing water to the table. Caru is their premium house spirit and forms the base of many of the cocktails. I’m partial to a Soberano, a popular Spanish brandy, and while Caru is sweeter, it’s just as easy to drink and has a distinctive character of its own. That led us naturally into trying cocktails from the menu. They have an extensive wine and cocktail list, complemented by a good selection of brandy, spirits and soft drinks. Each wine and brandy comes with suggested cheese pairings from IJ Mellis and charcuterie to match. The only bottled beer available is 330ml Peroni or Peroni 0%, both priced at £5 - higher than the £4.50 shown on the online menu. Whether that represents good value is questionable and personally I wouldn’t pay it. Instead, we stuck to cocktails and wine. I chose the Caru 75 (£14), made with Caru, gin, lemon juice and sparkling wine, which was excellent. All of the prices listed online appear to be obsolete, so bear that in mind if you choose to visit. They also actively discourage cash and cite that they don't have enough room for a till, which I wasn't overly enamoured with. That said, I really like the vibe, ambience, intimate atmosphere and it's a welcome addition to the Edinburgh wine and cocktail bar scene. I would return and recommend it as a perfect date spot.”

★★★★★

“An accidental stop, but absolutely worth it. We had initially intended to go elsewhere that we found out to be closed on the day. Moseying along the street, the twinkling lights and cavern-esque building drew my eye - “are you open?” - “yes we are!”… perfect. Ben was a smashing host, a credit to the owners and their delicious Caru creation - myself, I thoroughly enjoyed a few rounds of the Caru Royal (with half-rim sugar) and my partner enjoyed trying a few lovely Caru renditions of classic cocktails. Lovely vibe, Ben graciously entertained our tipsy chatter for the night and we ended a beautiful day of adventuring in Edinburgh by happily taking off with two bottles of Caru. We will be back 🥰 Chloe & Lewis x”

★★★★★

“A lovely intimate setting for Valentine’s Day. We spotted this venue on the way to our hotel and had to try to go there - it looked lovely. We were very lucky the owner managed to squeeze us in. She was very accommodating and the wine was a perfect compliment to the cheese board. Will definitely call back when we are next in the area!”