Top 50 UK Cocktail Bars: Four Edinburgh venues named in UK top 50 for 2022

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The top 50 UK cocktail bars for 2022 had five Scottish entries and four were in the Scottish capital.

The inclusions from Scotland were announced at an awards night in London on Tuesday.

Cardiff-based Lab 22, known for inventive cocktails, has been voted number one in this year’s Top 50 Cocktail Bars list and a huge number of London bars dominated the list, but five in Scotland were given a place – four of which are Edinburgh bars.

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New addition The Absent Ear was the only Glasgow bar to make the cut. The Edinburgh venues are Bramble Bar and Lounge at number six, Panda and Sons at number nine, Lucky Liquor Co. at number 22, The Absent Ear at 26 and Hey Palu at number 40.

Panda and Sons has once again been named in the top 50 cocktail bars in the UK.Panda and Sons has once again been named in the top 50 cocktail bars in the UK.
Panda and Sons has once again been named in the top 50 cocktail bars in the UK.

Three of the Edinburgh bars to make the list are all situated on Queen Street.

Top-ranked Bramble Bar and Lounge is an upmarket cocktail bar offering a range of drinks in a low-lit setting, while fellow speakeasy Panda & Sons as well as Lucky Liquor Co are also situated on the same strip.

Hey Palu – located on Bread Street – is an intimate modern Italian bar.

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List-leading Cardiff-based Lab 22, known for inventive cocktails,. is tucked away above a well-known bakery. The experimental Lab 22 has jumped up 32 places in two years with its daring drinks menu from award-winning head bartender Max Hayward.

Also situated in the Welsh capital is Pennyroyal, a new entry at number 36, known for its friendly neighbourhood vibe and bold, eccentric cocktails.

Number two in this year’s Top 50 is Swift Soho, a much-loved regular on the list and in third place is The Connaught Bar, also voted as the 2021 ‘best bar in the world’ in The World’s 50 Best Bars.

This year’s Highest New Entrant is Tayēr + Elementary at number four on the list. Based in East London, it is the crowning work of bartending royalty Alex Kratena and Monica Berg.

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Top 50 Cocktail Bars publisher Christopher Lowe said: “London has always been seen as a global leader for cocktails but as you’ll see from the 2022 list, other major cities across the UK are now catching up.

"Our newly launched website will help cocktail connoisseurs discover the best of the UK bar scene with many of these very much still under the radar.”

This year’s winners were announced during the list reveal on Tuesdayat One Night Records, in London, hosted by Aidy Smith, who said: “I am absolutely honoured to present this year’s Top 50 Cocktail Bars and in doing so, celebrating the beating heart of drinks discovery.

"Without mixology, the world would never be able to discover drinks in such a unique and beautiful way. It’s this passion that sets bars and teams apart with a collective love and thirst for taste exploration.”

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The Top 50 Cocktail Bars list is compiled by the bar industry. This means the list reflects venues those in the know like to go to.

The team behind the list polled hundreds of bartenders, managers and drinks experts from across the UK to curate the top 50, which, they say, has something for every type of drinker.

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