A Scottish pub that is “frozen in time” has been named among the best in Europe.
Earlier this week, The European Bar Guide shared its list of the top 100 bars across the continent for 2025. The roundup includes popular boozers and hidden gems from Lisbon to Warsaw.
A total of two Scottish pubs are included in the top 100 list, with The Laurieston in Glasgow being the highest-placing at number 32. The experts praised the venue’s “wonderful, friendly” service and “wholesome delights”.
Situated on the city’s Bridge Street, The Laurieston dates back to the 1960s. Described as a time capsule, the pub is bursting with character and is beloved amongst locals for its unpretentious atmosphere.
The experts wrote: “A frozen in time 60’s boozer hidden behind an unprepossessing exterior! A wonderful, friendly, communal pub with simple, wholesome delights.”
Virtually unchanged in 60 years, the venue features an elongated timber-boarded bar and photographs of customers from way back when plastered across its walls. It offers a selection of typical Scottish beers, while pies are served from a retro counter-top display.
The Lauriston has featured in a variety of popular films and television shows over the years. It can be seen in the 2003 movie Young Adam starring Ewan McGregor, when his character visits a local boozer after discovering a dead body in the River Clyde.
In 2019, it also served as a backdrop in the second season of the hit HBO series Succession, during an iconic scene in which Roman Roy (Kieran Culkin) accidentally buys Hearts football club instead of his billionaire Dad’s (Brian Cox) beloved Hibernian FC.
Speaking to The Herald, creator of The European Bar Guide Jack Anderton added: “I visited Edinburgh last January and I visited Glasgow relatively recently in December. We went round nine or 10 pubs in Glasgow and a few of those made our Guide to Europe’s Greatest Pubs & Bars and The Laurieston made our Top 100 Bars In Europe 2025 list.
“It was by far the standout for me over the weekend.”
Elsewhere, coming in at number 100 on the list is The Canny Man’s in Edinburgh. The pub has been a fixture of the capital’s Morningside neighbourhood since it was first established in 1871, with The European Bar Guide writing: “A carefully guarded love-or-hate pub that is a a monument to individual character and insistence on standards.”
Topping the overall list is La Fleur En Papier Doré / Het Goudblommeke in Papier in Brussels. The experts described the Belgian boozer as “pubgoing at its finest”.
The full list of the top 100 bars in Europe can be found on The European Bar Guide website.
Scottish pubs on The European Bar Guide
- 32. The Laurieston, Glasgow
- 100. The Canny Man’s, Edinburgh
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