UK’s top 50 bars revealed - use our interactive map to find the closest to you

A cocktail bar run by brothers who recommend books to read as you sip away is the best in the country, according to a new list.

Just two years after it opened, Manchester’s Schofield’s Bar has been named the very best the country has to offer in the UK’s Top Cocktail Bars Awards.

The bar on Manchester’s Little Quay Street is run by brothers Joe and Daniel and is sat on the corner of the iconic Sunlight House, an art deco masterpiece. The menu consists of classic cocktails that cost between £9.50 and £12, and include treats such as the Clover Club – made with Bombay Sapphire Gin, Schofield’s Dry Vermouth, raspberry, lemon and egg white.

The brothers have also made available some of their favourite books for guests to read while enjoying a drink, which they’ve paired with cocktails. Some of the book and cocktail combinations include Casino Royale, served with a Vesper Martini; Cocktail, served with a Singapore Sling; and The Old Man and the Sea, served with a Mojito.

uk’s top 50 bars revealed - use our interactive map to find the closest to you

A line up of gin glasses on a cocktail bar

In the top 50 list around half of the bars that made the cut were London-based, but the North made a strong showing, with some of the top hailing from Manchester. Breaking into the top ten was Blinker Bar on Spring Gardens, while Speak in Code in Jackson’s Row came in 12th, and Halcyon Project Distillery landed in 21st.

In second place was Satan’s Whiskers in Bethnal Green, London, which came top of the pile last year. At the London bar the drinks menu changes every day meaning you can always discover something new thanks to their unusual twists on classic cocktails.

The bar has exposed bricks, hip hop music and interesting objects all along the walls, as well as plenty of entertaining regulars to set the atmosphere and keep you company. You can even buy pre-bottled cocktails to take away from the bar and there are snacks on the menu too.

Chris Lowe, group director at William Reed, publisher of Top 50 Cocktail Bars, said: “It’s so exciting to see so many new names on the list which just highlights the breadth of talent there is across the UK.

“London will always have a decent portion of the list, but it is amazing to see so many other cities show up, like Glasgow and Birmingham. The list continues to grow to help people discover hidden gems and the UK’s best bartending talent.”

On the night, London claimed twenty-four of the Top 50 spots with five new entries including highest new entry, Kwānt in Mayfair which has been voted number 11.

Elsewhere in the UK, Birmingham’s Passing Fancies climbed a whopping 29 places after joining the list for the first time last year. Taking home the third spot, the bar in the neighbourhood of Digbeth was joined by fellow Birmingham bar, Couch, in fourth position and Fox and Chase in 39th.

Scotland also secured nine spots on the 2024 list, with Hey Palu in Edinburgh climbing the ranks to number 5. Edinburgh bars took five places and include Panda & Sons in 9th, Nauticus at number 41, and a new entry from The Wildcat at number 46.

You can use our interactive map below to find the one closest to you – and we’ve also got the full list below.

The UK’s top 50 cocktail bars

  1. Schofield’s Bar, Manchester
  2. Satan’s Whiskers, Bethnal Green, London
  3. Passing Fancies, Birmingham
  4. Couch, Birmingham
  5. Hey Palu, Edinburgh
  6. Blinker, Manchester
  7. Swift, Soho, London
  8. AMARO BAR, Kensington, London
  9. Panda & Sons, Edinburgh
  10. Tayér + Elementary, Shoreditch, London
  11. Kwãnt , Mayfair, London
  12. Speak In Code, Manchester
  13. Three Sheets, Dalston, London
  14. A bar with shapes for a name), Hackney, London
  15. Murder Inc., Soho, London
  16. Tabula Rasa, Leeds
  17. Lab 22, Cardiff
  18. Filthy XII, Bristol
  19. Crossroads, Newington Green, London
  20. The Connaught, Mayfair, London
  21. Project Halcyon, Manchester
  22. SOMA, Soho, London
  23. Eve Bar, Covent Garden, London
  24. Side Hustle, Covent Garden, London
  25. The Hideout, Bath
  26. Little Mercies, Crouch End, London
  27. Below Stairs, Leeds
  28. Silverleaf, Spitalfields, London
  29. Bar Termini, Soho, London
  30. Seed Library, Shoreditch, London
  31. Charlie Brown’s, Glasgow
  32. Bramble, Edinburgh
  33. Scarfes Bar, Holborn, London
  34. Happiness Forgets, Shoreditch, London
  35. The Absent Ear, Glasgow
  36. The Bar With No Name (69 Colebrooke Row), Islington, London
  37. Artesian, Fitzrovia, London
  38. Callooh Callay, Shoreditch, London
  39. Fox and Chance, Birmingham
  40. Milk Thistle, Bristol
  41. Nauticus, Edinburgh
  42. Public, Sheffield
  43. The Gate, Glasgow
  44. Nightjar, Shoreditch, London
  45. Ojo Rojo, Bournemouth
  46. The Wildcat, Edinburgh
  47. Lyaness, South Bank, London
  48. Pennyroyal, Cardiff
  49. Bench, Sheffield
  50. American bar Gleneagles, Auchterarder, Scotland
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