9 Scottish bars named in top 50 UK list for 2024 - including new additions in Edinburgh and Glasgow

The best cocktail bars in the UK for 2024 have been revealed at an awards ceremony in London.

The Top 50 UK cocktail bars for 2024 have been revealed, and nine are in Scotland.

While London dominated the list, the number one slot was given to Manchester’s Schofield’s Bar.

In at number five was Edinburgh's Italian aperitivo-style bar, Hey Palu.

Edinburgh bars took five places and include Panda & Sons, a prohibition styled speakeasy – coming in at number nine on the list. A re-entry was made by Nauticus which came in at number 41, with a new entry from The Wildcat at number 46.

Glasgow made its mark on the list taking three places with two new entries including Charlie Brown’s at number 31, a hidden cocktail bar in the city’s Southside, and The Gate, a whisky enthusiast’s dream at number 43.

The Absent Ear, a speakeasy bar in the Merchant City was at number 35, while the American bar at Gleneagles came in at number 50.

Group Director at William Reed, Publisher of Top 50 Cocktail Bars, Chris Lowe said “It’s so exciting to see so many new names on the list which just highlights the breadth of talent there is across the UK.

"London will always have a decent portion of the list, but it is amazing to see so many other cities show up, like Glasgow and Birmingham.

"The list continues to grow to help people discover hidden gems and the UK’s best bartending talent.”

Aidy Smith, host of Amazon Prime’s The Three Drinkers TV Series and presenter of the Top 50 Cocktail Bars Awards said “Last year we witnessed remarkable talent being championed from all corners of the country and I can’t wait to discover who has made the list in 2024.

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"I am filled with joy and pride to present an awards ceremony that celebrates a craft built on centuries of innovation and shaped by of a community of people who are an integral part of our day to day without many of us even realising it.

"It’s no surprise the UK is considered the beating heart of the world’s mixology scene and seeing each venues name on our list only continues to solidify that. Here’s to another year of liquid genius.”

top 50 cocktail bars UK 2024
Picture: Panda and Sons

Full list of Top 50 UK cocktail bars for 2024

1 Schofield's Bar, Manchester

2 Satan's Whiskers, Bethnal Green, London

3 Passing Fancies, Birmingham

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4 Couch, Birmingham

5 Hey Palu, Edinburgh

6 Blinker, Manchester

7 Swift, Soho, London

8 AMARO BAR, Kensington, London

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9 Panda & Sons, Edinburgh

10 Tayér + Elementary, Shoreditch, London

11 Kwãnt , Mayfair, London

12 Speak In Code, Manchester

13 Three Sheets, Dalston, London

14 🔶🟥🔵(A bar with shapes for a name), Hackney, London

15 Murder Inc., Soho, London

16 Tabula Rasa, Leeds

17 Lab 22, Cardiff

18 Filthy XII, Bristol

19 Crossroads, Newington Green, London

20 The Connaught, Mayfair, London

21 Project Halcyon, Manchester

22 SOMA, Soho, London

23 Eve Bar, Covent Garden, London

24 Side Hustle, Covent Garden, London

25 The Hideout, Bath

26 Little Mercies, Crouch End, London

27 Below Stairs, Leeds

28 Silverleaf, Spitalfields, London

29 Bar Termini, Soho, London

30 Seed Library, Shoreditch, London

31 Charlie Brown's, Glasgow

32 Bramble, Edinburgh

33 Scarfes Bar, Holborn, London

34 Happiness Forgets, Shoreditch, London

35 The Absent Ear, Glasgow

36 The Bar With No Name (69 Colebrooke Row), Islington, London

37 Artesian, Fitzrovia, London

38 Callooh Callay, Shoreditch, London

39 Fox and Chance, Birmingham

40 Milk Thistle, Bristol

41 Nauticus, Edinburgh

42 Public, Sheffield

43 The Gate, Glasgow

44 Nightjar, Shoreditch, London

45 Ojo Rojo, Bournemouth

46 The Wildcat, Edinburgh

47 Lyaness, South Bank, London

48 Pennyroyal, Cardiff

49 Bench, Sheffield

50 American bar Gleneagles, Auchterarder, Scotland

How does the Top 50 cocktail bars work?

Top 50 Cocktail Bars is now in its fifth year, with the first list published in June 2018.

The bars on the list are voted for by hundreds of experts, bartenders, bar owners and drinks writers, with a big focus on gaining votes for bars within specific regions to ensure the list represents as much of the UK as possible.  

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Known for cake making, experimental jam recipes, Champagne, whisky and gin drinking (and the inability to cook Gnocchi), Rosalind is the Food and Drink Editor and whisky writer for The Scotsman, as well as hosting Scran, The Scotsman's food and drink podcast.
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