Bennet’s of Morningside

Cracking wee place.
Came here for drinks with a running club and despite getting the feeling that we were slightly underdressed we were given a fairly warm welcome by the staff. Beer and crisps were on the menu and they didn’t disappoint. Solid pale ales were in abundance.
It’s got a great atmosphere going on and I really enjoyed spending a bit of time hanging out here. Looking forward to heading back some time soon and having a longer night out.

Nice little pub which stocks a decent range of ales and guest lagers. Staff were friendly and knowledgeable and the locals were not of the ‘stop and stare’ variety when we walked in. A nice pub to while a few hours away in whilst your other half enjoys a bit of retail therapy in Morningside!

I think I my hopes for Bennet’s were a bit high. It has a big Black Isle Brewery banner outside, which seduced me immediately. It also has a well positioned beer garden which just added to the seduction.
So, on one particularly sunny day, The Man and I decided to check it out on our way home. It does serve Black Isle and does have a nice beer garden, but the inside is really quite dark and I can’t remember it being anything special. And then you get to the clientele…
Not exactly the bar’s fault, but man, not really the clientele you would expect in Morningside. I’m not saying that I expect posh old folk or bust, but the crowd of junkies who were loud and falling all over themselves kind of killed the mood. The drinkers actually mixed from the group of junkies, sullen people who didn’t fancy letting me past to get to the toilets, and lovely people outside with their dogs. It was was such a strange experience…
So, while I’m happy to have Black Isle nearby and happy to make use of the beer garden, I probably wouldn’t visit here on anything other than a sunny day.

This place is the pinnacle of what makes a great pub — instead of using their recent refurbishment to make it young & trendy, they kept the traditional style and just cleaned it up a bit. Friendly landlord and locals, an impressive range of guest ales, and a decent beer garden to soak up the rays on a sunny day (admittedly something as rare as a beer garden itself in Scotland).

Nice since it’s been done up. Worth a try. Good selection of beers and has a little beer garden outside, ideal for when it’s sunny.

There’s nothing better than people watching. Not in a weird, voyeuristic way, I mean just sitting with a pint in the sun and watching the world go by. Thinking time. Bliss.
I visited Bennet’s this afternoon and ended up staying there for the best part of an hour. It’s got of a bit of an unfair label as an ‘old man pub’, but it’s recently undergone a bit of a makeover and they outdoor patio seating area is modern and pleasant. Inside it’s a little dark, but today wasn’t a day for sitting indoors.
It’s so refreshing to find a real pub too. A pub that has no less than six ales on tap and doesn’t serve food. It’s what pubs are for isn’t it? Drinking. At £3.35 for a pint of Timmy Taylor’s Landlord it’s not the cheapest tipple, but the vantage point alone was worth it. And not an Ikea table in sight.

Bennett’s Bar on Morningside is a really cool little pub, and should not be simply filed away into the ‘old man pub’ box and forgotten about. Yes, it’s true, there are sometimes quite a lot of old men here, but its image is changing now that the previous owner’s son has taken over the management of this place.
It also has a nice selection of real ales on tap.