Scran Awards 2025: Nominate your favourite cocktail bar and hotel restaurant

Two of our new categories for The Scotsman Scran Awards 2025 are open now for nominations.

There are 16 categories in the 2025 Scran Awards to recognise Scotland’s flourishing dining, drinking and hospitality sector and The Scotsman wants to hear about the individuals, establishments and products that make the Scottish food and drink sector what it is.

Anyone can nominate their favourite local restaurant, chef, whisky, newcomer and hotel and cocktail bar now. The awards celebrate and recognise the hard-working individuals and organisations involved in the hospitality industry and how they shape Scotland’s food and drink scene.

Categories include Scottish Restaurant of the Year, Best Pub, Scottish Chef of the Year and Best Street Food. All finalists will be invited to attend a special awards ceremony on Monday June 23 at Oran Mor in Glasgow’s west end. Guests will enjoy a welcome drink on arrival, meal and of course the awards themselves. It will be a must-attend event for those working within the Scottish food and drink sector.

Scran Awards 2024 winners | john devlin

Two of our new categories are Best Hotel Restaurant and Cocktail Bar of the Year, which is a partnership with the Edinburgh Evening News. For the Best Hotel Restaurant, as the name suggests this award honours hotel-based restaurants. These establishments not only draw in local customers but also entice visitors from both nearby and distant locations with their delectable menu, diverse drink selection, and excellent customer service. We want to hear about the restaurant's highlights and achievements; what you love about the menu and the impact the restaurant has had on the sector, employees, and the wider community.

When it comes to cocktail bars, Edinburgh has its fair share of award-winning venues which is why we’re teaming up with our sister site and paper, the Edinburgh Evening News, to help us find the Cocktail Bar of the year for 2025. This award celebrates a cocktail bar that exemplifies excellence in the art of mixology, atmosphere, and guest experience. The winner will demonstrate a commitment to innovation, creativity, and mastery in crafting exceptional cocktails, using high-quality ingredients and showcasing a well-curated selection of spirits. Judges will also evaluate the bar’s ambiance, service, and ability to create a welcoming environment that enhances the overall customer experience. We want to hear about the creativity and innovative techniques that set the business apart from competitors; any details of collaborations with local distilleries, breweries, or artisans which support the community, and we’d also love to hear about examples of unique storytelling behind the cocktails or the menu.

Our awards sponsors this year are Scotland Food & Drink, ChefWorks, Selective Personnel and The Glenturret Distillery, and for more information, to nominate and buy tickets please visit www.scranawards.co.uk

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