Winners announced for the 2022 Scottish Bar & Pub Awards

The best pubs and bars in Scotland have been announced - has your favourite won an award?

Published 31st Aug 2022
Updated 31 st Oct 2023

Scotland’s best bars and pubs have been revealed at an awards ceremony for the Scottish Bar & Pub Awards 2022 in Glasgow.

Hundreds of Scotland’s licenced trade gathered together to celebrate their achievements, enjoying entertainment from Abba MANIA. 

Crowning the nation’s most loved pubs, the event saw over 27 venues and individuals pick up the awards from up and down the country including Glasgow’s Ga Ga, Troon’s The Fox and Edinburgh’s Black Ivy and Virgin Hotels

Organiser Susan Young said, “It’s been another incredible year for the annual Scottish Bar and Pub Awards as we’ve recognised some of the most creative, hard-working and beloved venues in the country.

"Following a difficult few years for the licensed trade, it’s fantastic to see so many venues dedicate their time to staff training, inventive menus and new initiatives. 

“From Inverness to Dundee, Troon to Uddingston, this year’s winners have gone above and beyond to provide exemplary customer service, create new cocktails or champion their local live music scene.

"I’d like to give a special mention and warmest congratulations to our DRAM Lifetime Achievement Award winner Colin Blair from Buzzworks and Inspirational Woman of the Year, Giovanna Eusebi from Eusebi Deli - they are two worthy winners and a credit to our industry.

"Congratulations everyone and thanks for once again helping us shine a spotlight on Scotland’s best venues."

In their 27th year the Scottish Bar & Pub Awards, dubbed the hospitality Oscars, spotlight Scotland’s licensed trade and independent operators, rewarding the country’s most loved venues.

Finalists are shortlisted from an online vote open to the public, with over 3500 votes cast this year and visited by an esteemed panel of judges to crown the final winners. 

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The awards recognise everything from Kopparberg’s New Pub of the Year, Hi Spirits Best Live Music Venue and Antos Dog Friendly Pub of the Year.

The winners were announced from amongst 75 finalists at last night’s glittering awards ceremony at the Doubletree Hilton Glasgow Central, as Scotland’s finest bar and pub operators came together to celebrate a bumper year.  

Glasgow’s bar and pub scene cleaned up at the awards, with local institutions like The Piper Whisky Bar taking home Benromach’s Whisky Bar of the Year, and the East End’s Palais Bar claiming the coveted prize of the night, the Sunday Mail Pub of the Year.

Glasgow West End mainstays Eusebi Deli won the Stoli Sustainability Award while Scoop Restaurants, operators of world-renowned venues Ka Pao and Ox and Finch, won Independent Operator of the Year. 

Meanwhile, Edinburgh’s winners included Black Ivy for Antos Dog Friendly Pub of the Year, and beloved bar and restaurant The Huxley was recognised for exemplary service with the Aro Procurement Customer Service Award.

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Newcomer The Commons Club at Virgin Hotels claimed the Old Tom Gin Hotel Bar of the Year, holding off competition from Gleneagles Hotel, Fonab Castle and Rusacks Hotel. 

Outwith the central belt, the Scottish Bar and Pub Awards recognised some of the nation’s finest venues including Inverness’ The Malt Room.

Inverness native and bar manager of the venue Matt MacPherson took home two awards, crowned Deanston Whisky Guru 2022 and Buzzworks & Montpeliers Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year.

In Dundee, John Black of The Fort won Licensee of the Year, whilst The Fox in Troon was named Kopparberg’s New Bar of the Year, coming out top ahead of stiff competition from Jimmy Badgers, Giddy Goose and The Albyn. 

The awards are Scotland’s longest running licensed trade awards, and celebrate the industry’s rising stars, community led initiatives and creative forces which drive the nation’s best venues. 

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Full list of the 2022 award winners

DRAM Lifetime Achievement Award

Colin Blair (Buzzworks)

Antos Dog Friendly Pub of the Year

Black Ivy, Edinburgh

Aro Procurement Customer Service Award

The Huxley, Edinburgh

Benromach Whisky Bar of the Year

The Piper Whisky Bar, Glasgow

Deanston Whisky Guru 2022

Matt MacPherson, The Malt Room, Inverness

William Grant Bar Apprentice 2022

Gavin Lidbury, The Finnieston

Contribution to the Industry Award 2022

Jim Hamilton

Hi-Spirits Best Live Music Venue 2022

Box Bar & Club, Glasgow

Hospo TalentManager of the Year 2022

Matt Colligan, Bier Halle

Hungrrr Technology Adopter 2022

Scoop Restaurant Group, Glasgow

Inspirational Woman of the Year 2022

Giovanna Eusebi, Eusebi Deli

Inverarity Morton Restaurant of the Year

Ga Ga, Glasgow

Kopparberg New Bar of the Year

The Fox, Troon

Licensee of the Year

John Black, The Fort, Dundee

Award for Success

Paul Stevenson, Paesano

Molinari Casual Dining Award 2022

Caffe Parma, Glasgow

Molson Coors Scottish Bar of the Year

Kelvingrove Café, Glasgow

Buzzworks & Montpeliers

Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year

Matt MacPherson, The Malt Room

Old Tom Gin Hotel Bar of the Year

Virgin Hotels, The Commons Club, Edinburgh

Pernod Ricard Best Late Night Venue

Why Not Nightclub, Edinburgh

Scottish Bar & Pub Awards Community Pub of the Year

Clippens Inn, Linwood

Stoli Sustainability Award

Eusebi, Glasgow

Independent Operator of the Year

Jonathan MacDonald

Scoop Restaurant Group, Glasgow

The Busker Cocktail Bar of the Year

Lido, Troon

Scottish Hospitality Group Special Recognition Award 2022

David Cochrane, HIT

Scottish Bar & Pub Awards Team of the Year

Lisini, Uddingston

Sunday Mail Pub of the Year

The Palais, Glasgow

For more information and a full list of winners head to www.scottishbarandpubawards.com  

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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