Edinburgh. The Cafe Royal's Roots trace back to 1826 when it was a tavern serving coffee, wine, and oysters. The current building designed by Robert Patterson was completed in 1861 and was intended as a showroom for gas and sanitary fittings. In 1863 the building opened its doors as the Cafe Royal, serving as a hotel and establishing its reputation as Edinburgh's oldest oyster bar. Between 1893 and 1895 significant alterations were made by Alexander Wood McNaughton which created the Oyster (featuring eight large stained glass windows of Scottish sportsmen) and Circle bars. In 1898 and 1923 J. McIntyre Henry made further internal alterations including the installation of large Royal Doulton tile plaques featuring inventors such as James Watt, Benjamin Franklin, and James Faraday, William Caxton, and George Stephenson. These were based on painting by John Eyre which were first displayed at the 1886 International Exposition of Industry, Science, and Art. It is another Edinburgh pub favored by Sir Walter Scott, Robert Louis Stephenson, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

The exterior of the building is a magnificent example of Victorian Baroque architecture. The interior surrounds an octagonal shaped central bar and boasts lots of finely carved wood paneling, mirrors, and an elaborate ceiling with gilt embellishments. There are several beers to choose from MoR beers in Dundee, and I went for the Winchman, a tasty Extra Pale Ale. Another gorgeous pub you should check out when you visit Edinburgh.