For the first time, we look beyond the top four bars of our CLASS Bar Awards categories, to reveal the many other venues that were voted for - and vouched for - by our panel of 180 nationwide voters. They are called The CLASS Commended. 

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With just over a year in which to land the title – bars had to opened a year before voting, from late 2025 to early 2026 - it’s one of the harder ones to land and, ergo, one of the more coveted.

THE WINNER

This year it was Waltz in Shoreditch that took to the stage at the Class Bar Awards ceremony. The most famous Japanese-owned cocktail bar in London (and possibly the only) - is straight out of the Tokyo playbook. A place of calm, where a bar-side view of Torigata’s Highball ritual or the making of the bar’s signature Matcha Old Fashioned is entertainment in and of itself.

THE FINALISTS

Also among the four finalists were Carey Hanlon and Caitlin Waugh’s Slowpour, a basement bar in Liverpool with a menu that is split into eight flavours, each with two – light and dark - contrasting expressions. It’s become a darling of the Liverpool scene since it opened in Autumn last year.

It was joined by Same Again in the finalist enclosure, which only launched in January but has already established itself as the Bristol favourite for champagne, whisky and seasonal cocktails.

The Morris – Dan Berger’s bar of two distinct parts, with pub vibes at ground-floor and a retro cocktail bar above it – was the new bar from Manchester that most impressed voters, aka the Class Collective.

THE CLASS COMMENDED

The above finalists may have received the most votes in this category, but they are a narrow cut from a much wider set of bars. For the first time this year, we reveal those venues – The CLASS Commended – that received a significant number of votes by our panel of 180 bar experts.

Over & Above in Harrogate received compelling support and was a whisker away from the top four in the New Bar of the Year category. Owned by Rich and Fran Hamer, the Yorkshire speakeasy blends classical recipes with homemade ingredients and modern techniques.

Hawksmoor St Pancras’ Martini Bar really struck a chord with voters. It received the second largest chunk of votes of any bar in London, behind Waltz. The Victorian-built venue offers smart service and unimpeachable classics at half the price of a hotel – the surroundings are just as luxurious.

Another Manchester bar that took a large slice of the votes – Bar Shrimp. This red-and-white-hued New York style restaurant-bar (or perhaps the other way around) gives parity to food and drinks, with a vibrant 20-strong cocktail list. Go for drinks, go for food – likely both.

Kome in Edinburgh took much of the Scottish vote for New Bar of the Year. Tucked away in Tollcross, it’s is a small corner of Japan in Edinburgh. The modern izakaya has snacks, sake flights, and Japanese twists on classics – the Sakura Gimlet comes much recommended.

Dive bar All My Gods was one of London’s big splashes of last summer, brought to us by Dram operators Simo Simpson, Jack Wallis and Chris Tanner - and tattoo artist Roxy Velvet. It's a dive bar for bikers – and bartenders – and there are £10 cocktails and an £8 Martini. The prices are dive, but the drinks are elevated.

Sköll & Hati was also a favourite from north of the border. From the team behind The Cocktail Geeks, this latest Edinburgh opening explores Norse mythology, serving Scandinavian whiskies, mead and an 18-strong cocktail list.

Across the city in Leith, restaurant-bar Dogstar was another headline launch of the last 12 months. A partnership between Kyle Jamieson and Michael Lynch (co-owners of Leith favourite Nauticus) and chef James Murray, Dogstar offers thoughtful cocktails, refined Scottish scran and a warm, casual atmosphere.

Margot, meanwhile, is the burgeoning bar in Belfast. Originally launched in 2019, it saw a refurb and relaunch last year, and now offers an updated take on modern hospitality, transitioning throughout the day from dining into cocktails.

Over in Wales our voters picked out Low Key as the coming force. Alex Taylor’s table-service cocktail bar based in a quiet Grade 2-listed arcade, Low Key is a retreat from Cardiff’s bustling high streets and volume bars.

Chester’s TBC* also showed up in our voting. The brainchild of Calum Adams and Sammy Sale, TBC* takes its name from the project’s original working title and sees a minimally attired, large space offering classics, spritzes, and zero-booze options.

Finally, Parasol in Dalston, Andy Kerr’s latest east London venue, was also in the voting conversation. A volume bar with impeccable drinks and a high-energy vibe, Parasol is the latest in The Umbrella Project portfolio, which also includes The Sun Tavern and Discount Suit Company.

If your bar was named in this article, contact us for artwork.