Panda & Sons is a serious cocktail destination that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Hidden behind a barber’s facade, the bar is welcoming and warm, with lots of wooden features, tweed and an overall timeless vintage feel. This Scottish-centric, cosy atmosphere is yet another type of facade for Panda & Sons, pioneers in developing innovative flavour techniques using sub-zero temperatures.

Designed to not look new or on-trend, Panda & Sons feels like it could have been around for 100 years. The bar top is a Louis cube design, using a blend of rosewood and cedar, all hand laid, while the shelving behind is mahogany with classic-style cabinets to house the bar’s spirits. Although open plan, the venue is divided into four clear spaces, each slightly different in design and colour scheme, but all complementing each other. One space stands out, however – the room dubbed ‘Regina’ after one of the owner’s mothers. After helping with all the tweed seating, leather banquette seating and any other fabric requirements from the venue, she was gifted this space to decorate however she liked. It remains cohesive to those not in the know, but undeniably personable.

Other fun details for guests to spot include a Lego panda that used to tour with the Rolling Stones in the 80s and the vintage barber equipment stored in cabinets around the bar.

While offering a wide range of cocktail styles, Panda & Sons stands out globally for its freezing techniques, used to transform drinks and flavours. The team focuses on four main methods, including “switching,” which freezes the water out of the base ingredient to leave a more pure and concentrated form. Their other technique, dubbed “sous pression,” is a sub-zero alternative to sous vide, harnessing the energy generated during the freezing process to result in smoother, softer liquids. The team are generous and transparent with this technique, and it has since been adopted by bars around the world. Staff are always happy to discuss the methodology in detail, and a QR code in the menu links to short video clips of the techniques.

For those seeking a less educational visit, the drinks are also laid out much more simply – always extremely well-crafted, with a snug and lively atmosphere and no prior teachings required to enjoy. On weekends, DJs play, and on weeknights a curated playlist of disco and funk keeps Panda & Sons vibrant and playful.

Outside of service, the long-standing team spend much of their free time together too, and staff turnover is incredibly low. To nurture this, every month they sit down to eat “family style,” with each person invited to bring a dish to share, while having an open, casual discussion about all things work-related over some delicious home-cooked food.