The World's Best Bar For 2025 Is A Quirky Gem In Edinburgh, Scotland

In today's globalized hospitality culture that by its virtue has allowed audiences across the world to uncover the most outstanding experiences, news spreads rapidly about small local gems that make a big splash due to excellence and vision. Bars and speakeasies are currently in an era of global Renaissance, from nostalgic Italian cocktail bars in Hong Kong to a cosy speakeasy tucked underneath a Victorian-style barbershop in poetic Edinburgh. Since 2013, Panda and Sons have been lovingly perfecting its cocktail craft, deservingly earning the title of the world's best bar in 2025 by the global bar community with great merit, according to Top 500 Bars.

Founded by Le Cocktail Connoisseur to centralize ratings and reviews around the web, The Top 500 system of ranking operates on a philosophy focused around "the wisdom of the crowds". With an algorithm gathering data around the world from over 2,000 web sources to distill as much of an unbiased, common, and professional picture of a bar, as well as reaching out to experts in the field, the system has been widely recognized by the hospitality industry. When it comes to craft cocktails, now more than ever bar flies, critics, and gastronomy enthusiasts are looking for authenticity, accessibility, and artisanal innovation.

"We were probably aiming to be the best bar in Scotland ... and just take it from there", said Iain McPherson, the founder of Panda and Sons, in an interview with The Scotsman. Soft-spoken and humble by nature, this mustached master of the craft adds to the laurels of his venue by taking home the number one award as the world's most influential bar professional. Crowned by the famous Drinks International "Bar World 100" list, he is a true pioneer in quirky sub-zero techniques, joining the list of world-leading bartenders shaking and stirring for your pleasure.

How does one address such a bold claim to fame as being recognized as the world's best bar? It seems that everything begins and ends with the bartender. They are the person who sets the tone of the venue, connects with the audience, and is responsible for the creation that will be poured into your glass, orchestrating a medley of ingredients into a sippable harmony. For Iain McPherson and his team, their bar covered all of the bases, ranging from warm Scottish hospitality to innovation that is currently being picked up around the globe.

The techniques developed at Panda and Sons are akin to a form of "spirited" alchemy, churning out new flavors and textures to please your palate. Notably recognized for "sous-pression," where high pressure and deep sub-zero temperatures force ingredients to fuse together, the cocktails that are yielded out of that process are lusciously smooth and balanced. Their greatest innovation however, is a unique technique that was pioneered in-house, and released in 2019, for the good of the bar community. Known as "switching", this technique uses ultra-low freezers to freeze the water content in spirits, allowing them to separate, and literally "switch" out the frozen parts for the flavors of their choice.

Don't let the mad scientist's lab experiments deter you, nor the assumption that his bar, now ranked as top in the world, is too posh for comfort. Bathed in cozy amber lights with mahogany woodwork and a warm staff, Panda and Sons is the type of bar where everyone is welcome. Whether you're coming from one of Europe's best sightseeing walks in Europe through historic Edinburgh, or need a flavor entr'acte from whisky tasting around Scotland, the award winning Panda and Sons will feel like a cheerful bear hug.