Cult Leith brewery Pilot are launching their first ever bar, Vessel, on Hanover Street, Edinburgh, today (22 May 2025).
Promising a sense of fun and adventure, it explains that it will be more than just a beer bar, championing other local products and the industry friends Pilot have made across 12 years of brewing as well as offering the full Pilot range on draught and food sharing plates.
Patrick Jones, co-founder of Pilot, said, “Vessel has been 12 years in the making. We’ve wanted to open our own place since day one, but we wanted to be in a position to open exactly what we wanted. Covid got in the way for a while, but we’re now absolutely delighted to be opening the doors at Vessel, a small slice of Leith in the heart of Edinburgh.
“We always wanted to do something more than a chipboard bar and 12 taps and Vessel is exactly that. It’s a beautiful space where you can come and work with a coffee during the day, grab lunch with friends, or stay and have a beer or two into the night.
“Fitting out a venue has been a massive learning curve. Thirteen years ago, when we were studying brewing, I don’t think Matt and I imagined that one day we’d be debating the perfect shade of yellow for a coffee machine. However, in the true spirit of Pilot, we wanted to do as much as we could ourselves.
“We think it’s been worth every bit of effort though and can’t wait to invite people into our own island of independence, just off George Street.”
