The story
Behind a bookcase on Queen Street, Panda & Sons operates as a vintage-style speakeasy that, as Where The Foodies Go notes, ranks number 39 in the world. The bar employs advanced techniques like cryo-concentration and freeze drying, which the creators say “amplify flavours incredibly.” Standout drinks include the Red Panda 2.0, a Freeze-Dried Banana Rum Cocktail, and a Cryo-Concentrated Raspberry and Pomegranate Cocktail.
This intimate, trendy cocktail bar earns its 4.6-star rating by blending classic speakeasy ambiance with relentless experimentation. Whether you’re a connoisseur or a curious newcomer, the precision and creativity behind each pour make for an unforgettable Edinburgh evening.
Synthesised by AI from every creator’s review. First reviewed 2024.
Most-loved dishes
AI summary of what 3 dish mentions say about the food
The Red Panda 2.0 is the star, a dish that consistently earns raves for its clever, comforting flavors. Overall, the food delivers a warm, inventive vibe that feels both playful and polished.
“My cocktail is a twist on the Bloody Mary, called Red Panda 2.0. It has gin, tank, cucumber, tomato, lemon, a mix of spices, a Guinness beer foam, and a bit of Worcestershire sauce. The hit of spice, of heat, arrives straight to the brain — it's truly spectacular. The Guinness foam is almost gelled, like a good Bloody Mary should be. This one is spiced with 'Motor Rosso', but with the technique I was telling you about — each of these flavours is so exaggerated, so concentrated in the mouth. It's the best Bloody Mary I've ever had in my life.”
What creators say
1 creator has covered Panda & Sons. Most active: Where The Foodies Go
A vintage-style bar ranked number 39 in the world, with innovative cocktail techniques like cryo-concentration and freeze drying that amplify flavours incredibly.
Dishes mentioned
Red Panda 2.0
My cocktail is a twist on the Bloody Mary, called Red Panda 2.0. It has gin, tank, cucumber, tomato, lemon, a mix of spices, a Guinness beer foam, and a bit of Worcestershire sauce. The hit of spice, of heat, arrives straight to the brain — it's truly spectacular. The Guinness foam is almost gelled, like a good Bloody Mary should be. This one is spiced with 'Motor Rosso', but with the technique I was telling you about — each of these flavours is so exaggerated, so concentrated in the mouth. It's the best Bloody Mary I've ever had in my life.
Freeze-Dried Banana Rum Cocktail
I chose a cocktail that uses a process called freeze drying. The ingredients are first frozen, then the water is removed under vacuum — basically lyophilization. In my cocktail, for example, a rum flavored with banana peels that underwent this process was used. There's also bisco, a kind of biscuit, soy yogurt — but how do you make soy yogurt? I assume starting from soy milk — maple syrup, lime, and of course a freeze-dried banana slice. It's delicious — you can really taste every single ingredient, even the yogurt, I swear. It's incredible, a layer of flavour, crazy.
Cryo-Concentrated Raspberry and Pomegranate Cocktail
The raspberry was worked with the cryo-concentration technique — pomegranate, lemon balm, cocoa, and cream soda. This thing of freeze-dried candies is flying on YouTube — there are entire channels that film people freezing candies with liquid nitrogen and dry ice, and people like to see the process. Every flavour is amplified a thousand times. It's a spectacle of red fruits and pomegranate. It looks like a normal cocktail you'd find in any club, but inside there's all the difference between those club bars and the number 39 bar in the world.
