An independent cocktail bar in Stoke-on-Trent has secured international recognition, becoming one of just five UK venues to receive an award from a prestigious global guide celebrating the world's best cocktail bars.

Desire Cocktail Bar, based in Piccadilly, Hanley, has been awarded ‘1 PIN - Excellent’ by The Pinnacle Guide, which has announced 29 newly recognised bars across 11 countries.

The guide assesses venues on their drinks offering, hospitality and overall guest experience. Its judging process includes a written application alongside anonymous visits, allowing reviewers to experience each bar as an ordinary customer.

The recognition comes as Desire approaches its third anniversary, with owner Dereece Gardner also celebrating after being named a finalist in the Best Venue Manager category at the Bar Magazine Awards 2027.

Since opening the bar in December 2023, Dereece has been working to raise the profile of Stoke-on-Trent's hospitality scene and demonstrate what independent venues outside major cities can achieve.

He said: “When you look at the calibre of bars featured within The Pinnacle Guide and the incredible destinations represented, it really puts this achievement into perspective.

“To think that our small independent cocktail bar in Stoke-on-Trent is now recognised within that same international guide is something quite extraordinary.”

The other four UK venues recognised in the latest announcement are based in London and Edinburgh, making Desire's achievement a significant moment for the Staffordshire hospitality scene.

The Pinnacle Guide's anonymous reviewer praised Desire's welcoming atmosphere and its ‘real pride and affection’ for Stoke-on-Trent, adding that ‘nothing seemed too much trouble’ for the team.

For Dereece, the fact that the assessment was carried out anonymously makes the award particularly special.

He said: “We didn't know who the reviewers were or when they were coming. They experienced Desire exactly as any other customer would.

“For us, great hospitality has always been about more than what's in the glass. It's about how people feel from the moment they walk through our doors.

“We don't have enormous budgets or laboratories full of expensive equipment. What we have is an incredible passion for what we do, a talented team and a determination to keep improving.

“We've always believed that exceptional cocktails and hospitality shouldn't be limited to London, Manchester or some of the world's biggest cities. To now have independent international recognition for what we're achieving right here in Staffordshire is something I'm incredibly proud of.”

Photo credit: Dan Allot