The Pilgrim is a bar that favours quality over quantity: a small but well-curated selection of draughts (Innis & Gunn, Blue Moon, Orchard Cornish Cider) and bottles (Williams Bros beer, Herrljunga cider) sit alongside only a handful of more populist options. It speaks of a desire to create a particular identity, backed up by the idiosyncratic decor: the bar is made out of discarded suitcases, the banquettes upholstered with old Levis.
On the downside, the plasma screens showing a loop of Red Bull stunt videos are both out of place and highly distracting, and the menu amounts to a handful of fair-enough pub grub essentials. The main fault is that, despite welcoming staff and a decent location at the foot of the Cowgate, the Pilgrim is perennially empty – there are rarely more than 20 punters to fill a 150-capacity space, and as such, it can often be a little lacking in atmosphere. Still, at least you’ll never have to queue for long.