Ventoux is the newly-opened sister bar of Tourmalet in Leith. As the Tourmalet was a refit of the old Dizzy's, Ventoux has replaced the Illicit Still. Cycling enthusiasts will recognise that both pubs are named after (in)famous mountain climbs in the Tour de France. So we can presume that Alpe d'Huez is the next in line.
Unsurprisingly, the bar has a cycling theme, with lots of old school cycling memorabilia on the walls (and a lovely old bike on the ceiling), and while most of this stuff tends inevitably to be French, the beer focus is German. Which means bottled beer, about ten or so at the moment. They also offer the standard booze options and beers on tap are the usual suspects, with only one real ale (Deuchars IPA).
It's an interesting approach, given that Cloisters (real ale specialist) is a few doors down in one direction, while Brauhaus (specialists in bottled German beers) is about the same distance in the other direction. But I think the draw here is the relaxed, almost café-style atmosphere, and in particular the cycling theme. Given the number of bike shops in Edinburgh, there is obviously a fair number of folk in their 30s and 40s with a bit of spare cash and an interest in this rather expensive hobby. Flash new shops like Ronde in Stockbridge offer coffee and cake and cycling on the tv to entice punters and build a community, and these bars are another attempt to tap into this demographic.
While at a pub I normally prefer to have a pint rather than a bottle (therefore I tend to lean more towards Cloisters than Brauhaus), the relaxed vibe and cycling theme are enough to draw me there for another visit. At least it's a place where I can shoehorn into conversations the fact that I've climbed Ventoux myself. Phew. I was starting to worry that I wouldn't find a way to work that into the review. read more