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 earns consistent praise as the standout dish, with reviewers celebrating its clever, playful execution. The overall vibe is one of delighted surprise, with the food described as both inventive and comforting.
“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.
