Subterranean cocktail bar Understory opens in Edinburgh

The new venue opens today, located beneath Rutland Street in Edinburgh city centre, and features cocktails themed on British nostalgia.

Date published: 15th Sep 2026

A new bar opens its doors in Edinburgh, and it’s located underground. The appropriately named Understory, open seven days a week and located within vaults underneath Rutland Street, is the latest hospitality venture from The Rutland, offering a cocktail menu drawing from British nostalgia. 

Understory's Sam Baxendale and James Grant. Image credit: Understory

Described as a “five star dive bar” by Mike Lewis, director of The Rutland – the hotel whose other ventures include The Huxley bar and steak restaurant Kyloe, both housed within its historic building – Understory is jointly led by the hotel’s head of bars James Grant and Sam Baxendale, a former manager of Edinburgh cocktail spot Bramble, offering over two decades of hospitality experience.

The bar’s inaugural cocktail menu, titled ‘Batch one: Halcyon Days’, draws upon flavours from British childhoods from apple pie and strawberries & cream to Irn-Bru and Vimto. 

Understory is located on Rutland Street in Edinburgh city centre and is open from 4pm to 1am on Sunday to Thursday and until 3am on Fridays and Saturdays.

Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube for the latest music and events content.