A new underground cocktail bar is set to open in Edinburgh’s West End next month, promising inventive drinks, nostalgic flavours and a distinctive ‘five-star dive bar’ atmosphere.
Understory will open to the public on Tuesday 15 September at 1a Rutland Street, within the historic vaults of The Rutland building. The venue is led by former Bramble manager Sam Baxendale and The Rutland’s head of bars, James Grant.
The bar takes its name from the layer of life that thrives beneath a forest canopy, reflecting its below-street setting and ambition to offer something unexpected in the heart of the capital.
Guests can expect rich colours, opulent textures, contemporary ambient lighting and neon details, with a maximalist design intended to complement the underground setting. An on-site lab will allow the team to make many of the ingredients for its drinks menu from scratch.
Understory’s cocktail list will rotate through themed chapters, beginning with ‘Batch 01: Halcyon Days’. The debut menu will take inspiration from British childhood memories, reimagining the colours, flavours and aromas of penny sweets and long summer days through approachable modern cocktails.
Baxendale brings more than 21 years of hospitality experience to the role, having worked at leading Edinburgh venues including Monteiths and Bon Vivant, as well as spending five years running Bramble, the World’s 50 Best-recognised cocktail bar.
He said: “We want Understory to become a part of Edinburgh’s hospitality culture – to be on people’s list when they think of what places to recommend.”
Grant, who has worked at The Rutland for four years and was promoted to head of bars in 2026, has also competed in a number of UK drinks competitions. His achievements include second place in the UK Italicus competition and finalist positions in competitions run by Nc’nean, Jameson, Sipsmith and Kilchoman.
Grant said: “I’m excited to see this project come to life and share it with people. It feels like we’re making a bar for the right reason.”
Alongside the drinks offering, Understory will serve a small plates menu designed to reflect its luxurious-but-unpretentious concept. Dishes will include beef tartare and caviar with crisps, barbecue corn ribs, and chicken tenders served with Champagne.
The opening follows a £100,000 investment by Edinburgh-based Signature Group and is expected to create 15 local jobs.
Mike Lewis, director of The Rutland, said the project had been developed over six months.
“We’re incredibly excited to be launching Understory after six months of developing what has been a real passion project for us,” he said.
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“We describe it as a ‘five-star dive bar’ — incredibly modern, innovative drinks without the fuss, underpinned by what we believe is the sometimes-forgotten art of genuine hospitality.
“We’ve brought together an amazing team to create something exciting and different for Edinburgh’s West End, and I genuinely believe Understory will be one of the most exciting new bars in Edinburgh to open in 2026.”
Understory is located a short walk from the West End tram stop, Princes Street and George Street. It will open seven days a week, from 4pm to 1am Sunday to Thursday, and from 4pm to 3am on Fridays and Saturdays.
