After a sold-out debut last year, The Edinburgh Bar Awards are coming back for year two – and nominations are now open for the best and brightest of the city’s bar scene.
Staged as part of the Capital’s big hospitality staff night out, the Bartenders’ Ball, the Edinburgh Bar Awards will take over The Biscuit Factory on Monday, 22nd September 2025.
“Think of it as a love letter to the bartenders, bar teams, cocktail shakers and unsung heroes that keep Edinburgh’s hospitality world shaking, especially after a frantic Fringe season,” said the event’s organisers, Backs! Hospitality.
This year, the awards are promising ‘a more transparent and robust judging format’ that will give both the public and the Edinburgh trade a say in who takes home the titles.
Round one of voting is now live, with the public invited to nominate their favourites across twelve categories, including Best Bar, Best Pub, Best Restaurant Bar, Rising Star, Best Shake, Best Cocktail, Social Star, and the always emotional Unsung Hero.
New for 2025 is the Best Late-Night Venue award, recognising the places that keep Edinburgh going after hours.
Eligible nominees must be based in Edinburgh or the surrounding areas within an EH postcode for all categories.
This year a multi-stage judging process will decide the winners. In the first round, public nominations are open from now until midnight on Sunday, July 20th to determine the Top 15 longlist in each category.
In Round 2, a panel of experts from Edinburgh’s trade and public will decide a final shortlist of five venues, and then from those lists the final winners will be selected to be announced at the Bartender’s Ball.
Organisers said the new format was all about ‘credibility, fairness and lifting up the talent that deserves it most’.
Last year’s inaugural awards saw Raging Bull take home Best Bar, while Nauticus earned Best Pub. A surprise Legend Award, presented by Backs! Hospitality, went to Johanna Cole for her outstanding contribution to Edinburgh’s hospitality scene.
The Bartenders’ Ball is open to anyone working in the licensed trade, including bartenders, chefs, brand representatives, and baristas. This year’s party will take place at The Biscuit Factory, one of Edinburgh’s most atmospheric warehouse venues, and promises a night of food, drinks, DJs, performances and some trademark surprises.
Voting is now open at https://backshospitality.com/awards/
