Everyone has a favourite bar. Maybe yours plays good music or has a delicious cocktail you can’t get anywhere else, or maybe it’s actually won a national award which confirms its status as not only your first choice, but the official best bar in the country.
That’s where the annual Muddy Stilettos awards come in. Each year, the publication’s team of editors search far and wide across the nation for the best of the best in all things food, drink, entertainment, and shopping, naming everything from England’s best café to its most calming yoga/pilates studio. And, of course, the best bar in the country.
But how do the winners actually get chosen? They all come from an initial pool of regional winners, voted for by Muddy Stilettos readers. Every bar is personally visited and reviewed by the editors, and once the regional shortlist is created, the team chooses national winners.
After all of that, the Shambles Bar in Windsor came out on top. Last year it came fourth in the national awards, and was named best bar in Berkshire in 2024 and 2025. Now, it’s managed to make it all the way to the top.
The cosy Berkshire bar is open seven days a week, opening from 9am for breakfast and brunch with proper quality coffee every morning. Once the evening sets in, there’s an extensive cocktail menu and an impressive wine list which specialises in independent producers. On top of all of that, it’s only moments away from Windsor Castle, which adds a pretty regal feel to each visit.
It’s also super easy to get to from London: you can drive in just over an hour from the centre of the capital, or hop on a direct train from Charing Cross which takes about one hour and 15 minutes.
Runners up in the ‘Best Bars’ category included the Exhibit in Balham, London; Peaches in Leamington Spa; the Gallery in Ipswich; and Stirr-ups in Evesham. Each has its own unique menus and offerings, from small plates to entire events spaces you can hire, but they all have one thing in common: they’re brilliant places to sit with a drink.
You can have a look at the full list of 2025 Muddy Stilettos Awards winners here.
Fancy a drink?
We also know a thing or two about the nation’s best watering holes – in fact, here’s a list of our favourite pubs, our top rated rooftop bars for something a bit special, and some of the best gastropubs in Britain if you get hungry.
This is the British bar with officially the best cocktail menu in the world.
Brewdog is closing 10 pubs across the UK for good: full list of closures.
Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out UK newsletter for the latest UK news and the best stuff happening across the country