Yorkshire


<p>There seems to be a day for everything now, but some we definitely appreciate more than others. Yorkshire Pudding Day anyone? And here at Muddy Yorkshire HQ, we are definitely turning out for Margarita Day on <strong>22 Feb</strong> – but then who needs an excuse to visit the fabulous local bars that have just been voted among the nation’s best?</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="844" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x-844-ES-Margarita-Month-Press-Photo.jpg" alt="Electric Shuffle Margarita Month Cocktail Bar" class="wp-image-2168" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x-844-ES-Margarita-Month-Press-Photo.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x-844-ES-Margarita-Month-Press-Photo-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x-844-ES-Margarita-Month-Press-Photo-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x-844-ES-Margarita-Month-Press-Photo-768x432.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>Sponsored by Franklin &amp; Sons, industry experts have judged the UK&#8217;s <a href="https://www.top50cocktailbars.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Top 50 Cocktail Bars</a>, renowned for their expert mixologists, design and ambience. The top three for tipplers in reverse order are <a href="https://www.schofieldsbar.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Schofield’s Bar </a>in Manchester (No 3); <a href="http://pandaandsons.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Panda &amp; Sons</a>, Edinburgh (No 2) and (drum roll, please) <a href="https://www.facebook.com/satanswhiskers/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Satan’s Whiskers</a> on London’s Bethnal Green. In what looks like a bit of a Londoncentric list (far be it for us to suggest the judges need to get out more!), these fabulous Yorkshire bars made it into the top 50.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-below-stairs-south-parade-leeds"><a href="https://www.belowstairsbar.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Below Stairs</a>, South Parade, Leeds</h2>



<p>Known for small vineyard-produced wines and craft beers as well as cocktails, the menu at this Leeds bar, placed 15th on the list, explores the story of four ingredients that are fundamental to our enjoyment of food and drink – sugar, salt, acid and fat. In each section, you find five cocktails: one ‘classic’, three original cocktails exploring said ingredients and one alcohol-free choice. My eye was instantly drawn to the Adonis (I wonder why?) with sherry, orange bitters and vermouth (£10.45), while there is, of course, a Margarita at £9.95. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tabula-rasa-bar-8-eastgate-leeds"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/tabularasabarlds/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tabula Rasa Bar,</a> 8 Eastgate, Leeds</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="977" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x-977-Tabula-Rasa-Facebook.jpg" alt="Tabula Rasa Leeds Cocktail Bar" class="wp-image-2169" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x-977-Tabula-Rasa-Facebook.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x-977-Tabula-Rasa-Facebook-300x195.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x-977-Tabula-Rasa-Facebook-1024x667.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x-977-Tabula-Rasa-Facebook-768x500.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>With bold on-trend dark aquamarine paintwork, arched mirrors, a gold ceiling, suspended lighting and velvet bar seats, Tabula Rasa is the height of sophistication and a Leeds favourite. This all day café/cocktail bar came 27th in the list and is just as welcoming for a quick coffee and pastry or an apéritif and charcuterie. For something startling from the colourful cocktail menu, try the Pablo Picasso, which begins bright blue with pink candyfloss but once stirred, magically transforms to lilac and purple in front of your eyes.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-public-sheffield"><a href="https://www.publicpublic.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Public</a>, Sheffield</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1104" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x-1104-Public-Sheffield.jpg" alt="Public Cocktail Bar, Sheffield" class="wp-image-2170" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x-1104-Public-Sheffield.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x-1104-Public-Sheffield-300x221.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x-1104-Public-Sheffield-1024x754.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x-1104-Public-Sheffield-768x565.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>This bar, 39th on the list, has a quirky history – it used to be a gents’ toilet below the Grade-l listed Victorian town hall in the steel city. Among the passionate staff in this cute, bijoux bar you’ll find a whisky nerd and a wine geek. There is a story behind every cocktail, such as Custardy Battle, a concoction of tequila, Yorkshire rhubarb, Cocchi Rosa and vanilla that tastes just like rhubarb and custard!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-pearl-at-park-hill-sheffield"><a href="https://www.pearlatparkhill.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Pearl at Park Hill</a>, Sheffield</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1001" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x-1001-ThePearlLOWRES-20.jpg" alt="The pearl Cocktail bar" class="wp-image-2175" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x-1001-ThePearlLOWRES-20.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x-1001-ThePearlLOWRES-20-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x-1001-ThePearlLOWRES-20-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x-1001-ThePearlLOWRES-20-768x513.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>After the success of <a href="https://www.benchsheffield.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bench</a>, Jack and Ronnie’s neighbourhood bistro bar in Nether Edge which was the only restaurant formerly to be ranked in the Top 50 cocktail bars, the pair have now hit the dizzy heights of the list again, at number 44, with their second venture. Opened in Sept 2023 in Park Hill, an iconic brutalist estate originally built to provide housing for the workforce of the city’s steelworks, the bar has a community feel to suit the new hipster residents. They sell craft beer, natural wine, bar food and an ever-changing cocktail menu with imaginative concoctions such as Smokeycokeyfloatalicious (£14), plus classics, including, I’m sure you’ll be relieved to hear, a Spicy Margarita (£10).</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x-1000-game-cocktails-ES-Leeds-Feb-2023-DSC01669.jpg" alt="Electric Shuffle Leeds cocktail bar" class="wp-image-2172" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x-1000-game-cocktails-ES-Leeds-Feb-2023-DSC01669.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x-1000-game-cocktails-ES-Leeds-Feb-2023-DSC01669-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x-1000-game-cocktails-ES-Leeds-Feb-2023-DSC01669-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/02/1500-x-1000-game-cocktails-ES-Leeds-Feb-2023-DSC01669-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>Though too new to appear yet on the Top 50 list, <a href="https://electricshuffle.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Electric Shuffle Leeds</a> – a cocktail bar and shuffleboard experience from the creators of sister venue <a href="https://flightclubdarts.com/location-leeds" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Flight Club</a> – is launching a limited-edition Margarita menu to celebrate the classic tequila-based drink. And this is not for one day only – no, the bar has a Margarita Month until <strong>31 March</strong>, which is one way to sit out the end of winter… There are five stunning twists on the classic drink, including an alcohol-free version.</p>



<p>Another event for your cocktail diary is the first <a href="https://yorkcocktailweek.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">York Cocktail Week</a>, launching to celebrate the best cocktails, bars and restaurants that this historic city has to offer. A great a chance to glug discounted signature cocktails from just £5 at some of the coolest venues such as <a href="https://thebotanist.uk.com/locations/york" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Botanist</a>, <a href="https://www.revolution-bars.co.uk/bar/york/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Revolution </a>and <a href="https://www.thegrandyork.co.uk/drinking-dining/the-1906-bar/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">1906</a>, the 10-day long exclusive event (a week is a long time after a few cocktails!) is from <strong>4 – 13 April 2025</strong>. The sooner you order your wristband, the cheaper it is – from just £5.95 for early birds. Chin, chin!</p>


Bottoms up! The Yorkshire bars that made the UK’s top 50 in 2025

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