Edinburgh has no shortage of great places to drink, but this speakeasy has carved out a reputation that puts it in a league of its own, being named ‘World’s Best Bar’ on the 2025 Top 500 bars list.
From the street, Panda and Sons looks like the kind of place you’d pass without a second glance, disguising itself as a vintage barber shop. Behind the exterior, a hidden staircase leads to one of the city’s most inventive cocktail bars.
Hidden away on Queen Street, Panda & Sons has steadily grown in popularity. Over the years, it gained attention from cocktail lovers around the world due to its original menu ideas, welcoming staff, and the sense you’re discovering something tucked away from the usual tourist paths.
What makes it so popular?
Part of the bar’s charm is that it still feels like a place locals would recommend in hushed tones, as if speaking too loudly might summon a bus tour.
People love it not just for the inventive drinks. They also enjoy the sense of discovering a secret hideout under the city that stays a step ahead of the crowds.
The team experiments with freezing, flavour-swapping, and other wizard-like techniques. These cocktails will leave you both impressed and slightly unsure about how your drink was created.
Global Recognition
Its popularity skyrocketed recently when it was named the number-one bar in the world on the 2025 Top 500 bars list. This is no small achievement in an industry where thousands of bars compete, obsess over tiny details, and scramble to invent new concoctions.
Winning the top spot in the world will undoubtedly bring more attention to the bar. It also sets a high bar (pun intended) for cocktail innovation in the years ahead.
In short, Panda & Sons is a rare mix of clever and welcoming. Plus, it’s hidden enough that you can pretend you “just stumbled across it,” even though everyone knows you heard about it from someone cooler.
It proves that the best places aren’t always the flashiest or busiest. Sometimes they’re just quietly brilliant and slightly better at hiding than the rest.
