The Last Drop pub in Edinburgh's Grassmarket has a very old history. The pub has been there since at least the 18th century and has seen quite a lot of political activity in its time! The unusual name is nothing to do with a lack of alcohol or indeed anything to do with drinking. The name comes from the fact that the hangman's gallows were situated just outside the pub. Hence it was definitely the last drop for a lot of people!

There are wall to wall pubs in the Grassmarket, its just one pub after another but what makes a pub stand out? At The Last Drop it's easy to see why. The Last Drop is actually quite large for a Grassmarket pub, some of them are tiny. There is plenty of room inside to sit and stand. The tables are situated in nooks and crannies and there is always a quiet table during the day if you want one. The low ceiling and dimmed lighting add to the cosiness of the pub and make it feel warm and welcoming.

I popped in there during the Xmas holidays to have a bite to eat and a well deserved pint. During lunchtime there is table service which saves you having to go to the large bar and wait for your pint. There is a good selection of draught beer and lager - the normal popular stuff such as Tennents, Calders and Guinness. There is also a wide range of bottled drinks from beer to the latest alcopops.

The menu was good and extensive. It must be the first pub menu I have seen in a long time that didn't have chips on it! There were baked potatoes and sandwiches for those not wanting an actual meal as well as plenty of starters and desserts. From the main course menu I chose a tomato tortilla containing minced lamb covered in mozzarella cheese. My friend chose vegetarian haggis with neeps and tatties (swede and potatoes for the non-Scots reading this!).
I was very pleased with my choice. It came in a large bowl and was absolutely covered in cheese! The dish was deep and there was tons of meat -
not the usual and vegetables and no meat. It also came with a side salad, which contained the best coleslaw I have ever tasted! The vegetarian haggis was good (apparently!) and came with a substantial amount of vegetables.
Both dishes cost £4.95 but we could both claim student status so they only cost us £2.95 each - excellent value for money. The drink was a little bit expensive - a pint of Tennents and a pint of Calders cost £2 each. However, as we had saved so much on the food and the beer was so nice we didn't mind at all!

The Last Drop is a good place for lunch during a shopping trip as it is calm, peaceful and very relaxing. It's a little bit out of the way from Princes Street which is a good thing as there are plenty of unusual shops to look in on the way. I haven't been there at night for several years now but when I used to go there, it was always packed so be warned!

PS Apparently the mens toilets have a rather interesting feature which is not present in the ladies (apart from the usual features!). There is a blackboard on which any male visiting the establishment can leave a message. What kinds of messages are written there I do not want to know!