Scottish Bar and Pub Awards 2026 finalists announced – see if your local boozer is nominated

The winners will be announced in September.

The finalists for the upcoming Scottish Bar and Pubs Awards 2026 have been revealed with food and drink venues across the country bagging nominations. The country’s best boozers will go head-to-head next month to take home Scotland’s ultimate industry honours.

The organisers of the Scottish Bar and Pubs Awards have named this year’s nominees across more than 20 categories. Now in its thirty-first year, the awards are Scotland’s longest-running celebration of the country’s best pubs, bars, restaurants, and the people who make them great.

Five pubs and bars around Scotland have been nominated for the prestigious Sunday Mail Pub of the Year award. The Bush Bar in Dundee, The Tynecastle Arms in Edinburgh, The Lismore and The Maltman in Glasgow, and The Four Mary’s in Linlithgow are all in the running to take home the top prize.

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The finalists for the Benromach Whisky Bar of the Year title are MacGregor’s at The Whisky Vaults in Oban, The George Hotel in Inveraray, and The Islay Inn and The Piper Whisky Bar in Glasgow. Elsewhere, nominees for New Bar of the Year are Boston Bar Old Town and Nectar, both in Edinburgh, Radio and SiSi Rooftop in Glasgow, and Ruby’s in East Kilbride.

Scotland’s thriving cocktail scene is also well represented. Atlantic Bar and Brasserie in Glasgow, Bittersweet Leith in Edinburgh, Draffens in Dundee, Jimmy Badgers in Inverness, and The Wine Spa in Broughty Ferry are all up for Hendrick’s Gin and Monkey Shoulder Cocktail Bar of the Year.

The Scottish Bar and Pubs Awards also recognise the country’s top restaurant with the Lightspeed Restaurant of the Year category. The five finalists for the award are Edinburgh eateries Barry Fish, The Dome, as well as Glasgow spots Five March, Margo, and The Stravaig in Ayr.

Another top prize at the awards is DRAM Dog Friendly Pub of the Year, which honours the top boozer where pooches are welcome. The nominees are Black Ivy in Edinburgh, Church on the Hill in Glasgow, The Foxton Bar and Grill in Glenrothes, The George Hotel in Inveraray, and Star and Garter in Dundee.

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More than 600 of Scotland’s hospitality stars will gather for the final of the Scottish Bar and Pubs Awards 2026 on September 1 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Glasgow Central. This year’s ceremony will feature a Glam Rock theme, with “plenty of surprises” for guests on the night.

Publisher Susan Young commented: “It is fantastic to see such a strong showing from hospitality businesses and individuals right across Scotland this year. What I love about these nominations is the sheer variety. We have emerging entrepreneurs, family businesses, brilliant bar teams, cocktail destinations, late-night venues, community pubs and dog-friendly pubs.

“It really demonstrates just how diverse and vibrant Scotland’s hospitality scene is. The people working in hospitality are the real stars of these awards, and it is wonderful to see so many from across Scotland getting the recognition they deserve.”

See below for the full list of finalists at the Scottish Bar and Pubs Awards 2026.

Benromach Whisky Bar of the Year

• MacGregor’s at The Whisky Vaults – Oban
• The George Hotel – Inveraray
• The Islay Inn – Glasgow
• The Piper Whisky Bar – Glasgow

Black Ivy and Montpeliers Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year

• Struan Barclay, Ruby’s – East Kilbride
• Thomas Justice, Star & Garter/The Bush Bar – Dundee
• Connie and James Taberner, Fintry Bay – Millport, Isle of Cumbrae

Best Bar Team

• Arrowz Sports Lounge – Broxburn
• The Gunners Bar – Broughty Ferry
• Johnny Foxes – Inverness
• MacSorley’s – Glasgow
• The Parkville – Blantyre

Best Late Night Venue

• Bloc+ – Glasgow
• Charlie’s Loft – Milngavie
• Slouch – Glasgow
• Rewind – Dundee

Community Pub of the Year

• The Bowlers Rest – Leith
• Commercial Inn – Fauldhouse
• Newton Arms – Newton, Cambuslang
• The Pawn Lounge – Alexandria
• Waverley Bar – Dumbarton

Deanston Whisky Guru Rising Star Award

• Chris Anton – MacGregor’s at The Whisky Vaults, Oban
• Cullen Hutchison – The Mother Superior, Edinburgh
• Dagmara Jaszcz – Machair Bar, Glasgow
• Sally Law – The Pot Still, Glasgow
• Chris Sloan – The Black Bull, Edinburgh

DRAM Dog Friendly Pub of the Year

• Black Ivy – Edinburgh
• Church on the Hill – Shawlands, Glasgow
• The Foxton Bar and Grill – Glenrothes
• The George Hotel – Inveraray
• Star & Garter – Dundee

Hendrick’s Gin and Monkey Shoulder Cocktail Bar of the Year

• Atlantic Bar & Brasserie – Glasgow
• Bittersweet Leith – Leith, Edinburgh
• Draffens – Dundee
• Jimmy Badgers – Inverness
• The Wine Spa – Broughty Ferry

Hospitality Health Employer of the Year

• Lisini Pub Company – Uddingston
• The Pot Still – Glasgow
• Turas Hotels – Inverness
• West Coast Hospitality – Ayr

HOSPO Manager of the Year

• Daniel Cutting – Brewhemia, Edinburgh
• Kenny Grant – The Gallery Bar, Glasgow
• Mirin McLintock – Why Not, Edinburgh
• Danny Stewart – Angels Hotel, Uddingston

Inverarity Morton Family Business of the Year

• Cawley Hotel Group – Alexandria
• Ra Ha’s – Glasgow
• The Fort Hotel & The Royal Arch – Broughty Ferry
• The Original Rosslyn Inn – Roslin

Hotel Scotland Independent Multiple Operator of the Year

• Encore Bars
• M&R Bars
• Rocks Leisure Group
• The Stravaig, The Smoking Goat, Gracie O’Malley’s, The Bistro Ayr

Jamesons Best Irish Bar 2026

• Boston Bar New Town – Edinburgh
• Jinty McGuinty’s – Glasgow
• Molly Malones – Aberdeen
• Radio – Glasgow
• Seamus’s Pub – Edinburgh

Jump Ship Brewing Best Lo and No Destination

• Bonnie & Wild – Edinburgh
• SOBR – Aberdeen
• Teuchters Landing – Leith, Edinburgh
• Vega – Glasgow

Kopparberg Best Outdoor Area

• The Birds and Bees – Stirling
• Black Ivy – Edinburgh
• The Pear Tree – Edinburgh
• The Tavern Bar – Millport, Isle of Cumbrae

Lightspeed Restaurant of the Year

• Barry Fish – Leith, Edinburgh
• Five March – Glasgow
• Margo – Glasgow
• The Dome – Edinburgh
• The Stravaig – Ayr

New Bar of the Year

• Boston Bar Old Town – Edinburgh
• Nectar – Edinburgh
• Radio – Glasgow
• Ruby’s – East Kilbride
• SiSi Rooftop – Glasgow

Schweppes Mixologist of the Year

• Johnny Morrison – Vega, Glasgow
• Elliot Monteith – Trumans, Glasgow
• Cairo McKeown – Badger & Co, Edinburgh
• Michael Maclean – The Dome, Edinburgh
• Scott Stevenson – The Finnieston, Glasgow

Sims Automatics Sports Bar of the Year

• Arrowz Sports Lounge – Broxburn
• The Ball Room Sports Bar Dunfermline – Dunfermline
• Houston’s Sports Bar – Johnstone
• The Tap Yard – Glasgow

The Drum Social Media Champion

• Buck’s Bar – Glasgow
• Dockyard Social – Glasgow
• Malocchio – Glasgow
• Six by Nico – Glasgow
• Tempura – Ayr

Sunday Mail Pub of the Year

• The Bush Bar – Dundee
• The Four Mary’s – Linlithgow
• The Lismore – Partick, Glasgow
• The Maltman – Glasgow
• The Tynecastle Arms – Edinburgh