Top 500 Bars in the World 2026: one acclaimed British bar is in the top 10

They’ve only gone and done it again. Panda & Sons, Edinburgh’s pioneering cocktail bar, has just been crowned one of the top 10 bars in the world for the fourth year in a row. 

After last year taking top spot in Top 500’s global ranking, P&S landed in seventh place for 2026 and remains the highest-ranked UK bar on the list. 

The speakeasy-style bar on Queen Street is constantly commended for its one-of-a-kind mixology methods and genuinely unique range of cocktails (its drinks menu was named the best in the whole world last year). It distils alcohol on site, and frequently experiments with new flavours and textures in its basement lab known as the ‘Brain Melting Society’.

Its ‘Transcend’ menu is dedicated to four different sub-zero techniques: sous pression, switching, freeze-drying and cryo-concentration. Owner Iain McPherson completed a Science of Ice Cream course at the University of Reading and the Carpigiani Gelato University in Bologna in order to master the art of freezing and create the unique menu. 

In an Instagram post following the announcement, the bar wrote: ‘We’re so happy to be in the top 10 for a fourth year, following an unforgettable year at No.1.

‘That recognition has meant so much to our Edinburgh bar, helping put our amazing city on the map for cocktail lovers around the world. Welcoming people who have travelled to come and see us is something we never take for granted and one of the loveliest parts of what we do!’

Top 500’s ranking was created by looking at thousands of sources on the web, from the opinions of experts, journalists and influencers to rankings and reviews on platforms, social media and search engines. Forty-five British bars made the cut this year. Edinburgh was the most represented UK city after London with four spots on the list: Panda & Sons, Bramble, Hey Palu and Dragonfly. 

Every UK bar among the top 500 bars in the world for 2026

Here are all the British bars in the top 500 for 2026, with the non-London drinkeries in bold (and their overall placement in brackets).

1. Panda & Sons, Edinburgh (7)
2. Connaught Bar, London (11)
3. Lyaness, London (19)
4. Satan’s Whiskers, London (33)
5. Waltz, London (42)
6. Scarfes, London (43)
7. Spy Bar, London (44)
8. Donovan, London (60)
9. Tayēr + Elementary, London (72)
10. Kwant, London (79)
11. Seed Library, London (81)
12. Side Hustle, London (85)
13. Artesian, London (89)
14. Cato, London (90)
15. Swift, London (113)
16. Dukes Bar, London (121)
17. A bar with shapes for a name, London (129)
18. American Bar at the Savoy, London (156)
19. Bramble, Edinburgh (162)
20. Nightjar, London (166)
21. Bar Termini, London (171)
22. Three Sheets Soho, London (183)
23. The American Bar at Gleneagles, Auchterarder (197)
24. Equal Parts, London (204)
25. Nipperkin, London (248)
26. Viajante 87, London (256)
27. Hey Palu, Edinburgh (263)
28. Oriole, London (270)
29. Happiness Forgets, London (277)
30. Amaro, London (289)
31. Sexy Fish, London (293)
32. Dram Bar, London (294)
33. Three Sheets Dalston, London (368)
34. Velvet by Salvatore Calabrese, London (369)
35. Soma, London (371)
36. Schofield’s Bar, Manchester (402)
37. Eve Bar, London (410)
38. The Milk Thistle, Bristol (414)
39. The Absent Ear, Glasgow (418)
40. Speak in Code, Manchester (419)
41. Bar Kinky, London (439)
42. Lab 22, Cardiff (467)
43. Passing Fancies, Birmingham (476)
44. Dragonfly, Edinburgh (484)
45. Bar Glue, Liverpool (486)

ICYMI: 22 British restaurants were added to the Michelin Guide in October 2026. 

Plus: The 5 best indie cinemas in Britain have just been revealed. 

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