Our First Cocktail Pop Up in Edinburgh: Taking Nectar Outside Broughton Street for the First Time

A few weeks ago, a customer got in touch and asked something we had not been asked before: could Nectar would be willing to organise a Cocktail Pop Up in Edinburgh, for a private party, somewhere other than Broughton Street.

We said yes. It was our first pop up, and I want to write about how it actually came together, because it closes a loop that has been sitting open since before we even opened the bar.

Why having a cocktail pop up in Edinburgh has been on our mind since before Nectar existed

Before we opened, we looked seriously at doing exactly this. Most financing routes ask for proof of concept before they will take you seriously, some way of showing that people genuinely respond to your food and drinks before you have a venue to prove it in. A pop up is the obvious way to generate that proof.

The problem is that a pop up, done properly, is a genuine logistical undertaking in its own right. Sourcing a venue, sorting licensing, arranging equipment, working out transport for spirits and glassware, all of it starts to consume the exact time and attention that should be going into actually building the company. At the time, with a limited runway before opening, building Nectar itself had to be the priority, and the pop up idea got shelved.

Why the door has opened again

Enough time has passed now, and enough of a reputation has built up around Nectar, that this kind of enquiry is starting to come to us rather than the other way around. After a short conversation with the team, we decided we are genuinely open to hosting pop ups and catering private parties going forward.

There are a few things worth being clear about before anyone considers booking one.

Who is responsible for what

The organiser is responsible for all licensing and ID checks for the event. That responsibility sits with them legally, not with us, though we of course do our own checks on the night as a matter of standard practice regardless.

The organiser is also responsible for the space itself, and for briefing us properly on what we will be working with when we arrive. From our side, the two things we always ask for are a sink and, ideally, a freezer for ice storage. Beyond that, we bring everything: the spirits, the mixers, the glassware, and anything else needed to meet the specific requirements of the day.

How this particular one came together

The process for our first pop up started with the customer coming into Nectar to actually try some cocktails in person, rather than choosing anything off a description alone. She tasted a range and picked the ones she wanted us to make on the day, which we then built out properly ahead of the event itself.

Because we were working with one of our favourite brands for this particular party, we printed a dedicated menu specifically for the day, so guests could see the full range of options available to them and choose whatever suited their evening. It is a small touch, but it makes the event feel considered rather than improvised, which matters as much off-site as it does behind our own bar.

What the day itself looks like

We arrive slightly early to build the station properly and check that everything is working before a single guest arrives. Once people start coming in, drinks are made to order, with glassware and the smaller details already prepared and within reach so nothing slows the pace of service. Throughout the evening we clean as we go, making sure fresh glasses are always available rather than letting anything pile up.

It is, in a lot of ways, the same discipline we bring to a busy Friday night at Nectar itself. The room is different, the guests are different, but the standard does not change.

What comes next

We are genuinely excited about hosting more of these going forward. Taking Nectar's cocktails and the team behind them somewhere outside Broughton Street, even for one evening, is a version of the proof of concept we were originally chasing before we opened, except now it is happening because people already trust what we built rather than because we needed to convince anyone it was worth trying.

If you are planning a private party and want Nectar cocktails as part of it, get in touch with us directly and we will talk through what your space and your guests actually need.

Book a table at Nectar Bar if you'd rather come to us first and see what we can do.

Tuesday to Thursday: 5pm to 11pm Friday: 5pm to 1am Saturday: 12pm to 1am Sunday: 5pm to 11pm Monday: Closed