Recognition for Transcend programme follows June win at Europe’s 50 Best Bars
Edinburgh cocktail bar Panda & Sons received the Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu Award at The 50 Best Bars 2026 ceremony in Milan on Wednesday 7 October. The award acknowledges the bar’s Transcend cocktail programme, which is the result of years of research, experimentation, and innovation. This marks the second time this year that Panda & Sons has secured a menu award, having also won at the Europe’s 50 Best Bars ceremony in Amsterdam in June, where the bar ranked No.20.
Founded in 2013 and located behind a barbershop façade on Edinburgh’s Queen Street, Panda & Sons has developed into an internationally recognised name within the drinks industry. The team represents Scotland’s cocktail scene, promoting Edinburgh as a destination for hospitality.
Central to its recent success is Transcend, a cocktail programme focused on the science of freezing and its ability to influence flavour, aroma, and texture. Developed over several years by founder Iain McPherson and his Edinburgh-based team, the menu incorporates techniques including Switching and Sous Pression, alongside freeze concentration and freeze-drying. These methods enable the team to alter the water content of ingredients, concentrate flavours, and craft new drinking experiences.
Iain McPherson’s interest in freezing began with a question about using cold, rather than heat, to manipulate ingredient flavour. His work has extended beyond traditional bartending, drawing inspiration from food science and ice cream production to develop techniques. The initial Transcend menu established the foundation for this exploration, with the subsequent Transcend 2.0 further refining the team’s research and techniques.
Iain McPherson, founder of Panda & Sons, commented on the achievement: “To receive this award on the world stage is incredibly special, especially after all the time and experimentation that has gone into Transcend. We’ve spent years exploring what freezing can do to flavour, and there have been plenty of experiments along the way that haven’t worked! But that’s all part of the process.”
McPherson also highlighted the bar’s Scottish identity. He added: “We’re incredibly proud to be a Scottish bar. We’ve always wanted to show that you don’t need to be in London, New York or any of the world’s traditional cocktail capitals to create something exciting and innovative. There’s so much talent and creativity in Scotland, and we love showcasing that to the rest of the world.”
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Concluding his remarks, McPherson stated: “This award belongs to our entire team, past and present. Transcend has been a real labour of love, and we couldn’t have achieved any of this without the people who helped bring it to life.”
This latest accolade adds to a period of international recognition for Panda & Sons. In 2025, the bar was named No.1 in the global Top 500 Bars ranking and secured three awards at the Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards, including World’s Best Cocktail Menu, Best International Bar Team, and Best International Bar Mentor. McPherson also received the Altos Bartenders’ Bartender Award at The World’s 50 Best Bars 2024, an honour voted for by fellow bartenders.
Panda & Sons maintains its connections to Edinburgh, with Scottish hospitality, collaboration, and a dedication to sharing knowledge remaining key aspects of the bar’s identity. This success serves as a moment for Scotland’s hospitality industry and highlights creativity from the country’s independent bars.
