A popular city centre bar has been ranked among the top 50 cocktail bars in the UK, and it's the only Liverpool venue to make the cut.
Present Company, based on School Lane in the city centre, was named number 20 in the hotly anticipated list of the UK's Top 50 Cocktail Bars, sponsored by Franklin & Sons. The news was confirmed on February 7 in London, with Present Company beating tough competition from across the country.
The stylish cocktail bar - the only Liverpool venue to make the top 50 - has quickly made a name for itself in the city after first opening its doors in 2019. Based near the thriving Liverpool ONE, the bar offers a cosy escape with expertly crafted cocktails in a cosy yet trendy setting.
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In addition to cocktails, the bar sells an array of beers and wines, as well as a small menu of grazing dishes. Displaying a commitment to style and quirky elements, the menu is printed on a vinyl record - cocktails are displayed on the back cover, with basic ingredients and flavour notes detailed.
After learning Present Company had made the top 50, owner Simon Thompson said: "Making the Top 50 is a huge accolade for us and being the only Liverpool bar on the list is testament to the team.
"They've spent the year travelling to the best bars in the world, developing the menu, creating unique cocktail recipes and building a venue that the people of Liverpool love. Making a list like this puts Liverpool as a city on the map and we couldn't be prouder to be the ones representing the city in this way."
Ahead of the winning bars being confirmed, Top 50 Cocktail Bars community manager Charli Tomney said: "I am so excited to bring a new list to the public after such a successful 2022. It's great to see new names on the list amongst some familiar faces and I can't wait for the event."
In a separate category, Slater Street bar Manolo bagged the coveted Newcomer of the Year accolade. The bar was praised for its interior design, as well as its "complex 17 ingredient Cosmopolitan and bar snacks", with organisers adding: "A huge amount of effort has gone into this bar with extreme attention to detail".
Manolo founder John Ennis said: "The venue has been with company for many years, after covid we were forced to close and rethink how we used the space. Luckily for us, it gave us the opportunity to deliver a passion project we'd had in our mind for years. We wanted to deliver a high quality, laid back cocktail bar where the service and standard of drinks really stand out in the city.
"After spending so long building the concept and creating a drinks menu we're really proud of, it's great to see that our efforts haven't gone unnoticed. Awards like the Top 50 are high accolades in the industry and really help put a bar and a city on the map; it's always been our ambition to make it onto one. Hopefully it will bring more attention to the food and drinks scene in the city and show that Liverpool has a thriving bar scene that's being noticed on the world's stage."
You can view the full list of the top 50 cocktail bars in the UK here. Present Company is based at 37-39 School Lane, Liverpool, L1 3DA.
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