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The list of The World’s 50 Best Bars 2026, sponsored by Perrier, will be unveiled as part of a live awards ceremony in Milan, Italy in early October. The most influential annual gathering of the global bars community returns to Europe, as 50 Best continues its mission to spotlight fresh, dynamic and inspirational cocktail destinations from across the world.

The much-anticipated reveal of The World’s 50 Best Bars 2026 and the coveted title of The World’s Best Bar, sponsored by Perrier, will take centre stage at a grand celebration featuring red‑carpet arrivals and a drinks reception. Marking the 18th edition of the renowned awards, the global drinks community will gather in Milan to celebrate the trailblazing bars and bartenders whose passion, dedication and skill continue to push cocktail culture to new heights worldwide.

The list of The World’s 50 Best Bars 2026 will be shaped by the confidential votes of the gender-balanced Academy, comprising more than 800 industry professionals, journalists and cocktail experts, handpicked by the 29 Academy Chairs for their unrivalled insight and expertise. Professional services consultancy Deloitte independently oversees and verifies the results, ensuring a robust and credible process. Additional information on the voting methodology is included at the end of this press release.

Rikki Tidball, Managing Director of Events for The World’s 50 Best Bars, says: “Milan provides a fitting backdrop for The World’s 50 Best Bars 2026, a city renowned for its rich cocktail heritage and thriving bar scene. Home to some of the industry’s most respected and innovative talent, it sets the stage to bring together the international bars community to celebrate creativity, excellence and the achievements of the world’s finest bars and bartenders, while inspiring discovery among cocktail enthusiasts worldwide.” 

In the lead‑up to the ceremony, 50 Best will not only announce the venues that have ranked between No.51 and No.100 but also the recipients of two special awards that recognise the outstanding achievements of one bar and one bartender over the past year:
 

• Michter’s Art of Hospitality. The Academy are each invited to nominate the venue where they experienced the single most outstanding display of hospitality during the voting period
• Altos Bartenders’ Bartender. The bars who rank on the list of The World’s 50 Best Bars 2026 are asked to identify one fellow professional who, over the course of the last 18 months, has done the most to advance the art and practice of bartending

Earlier this year, bars from all over the world, whether they feature in the list of The World’s 50 Best bars or not, were invited to submit themselves for two special awards, the Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu Award and the Best Bar Design Award. The winners will be revealed at the live awards ceremony in Milan. Last week, entries opened for the 50 Best Bars Scholarship, an initiative designed to support the next generation of industry talent. The scholarship offers one trailblazing young bartender the opportunity to broaden their horizons through two unique stages at Line, Athens and Tres Monos, Buenos Aires. The recipient of the 50 Best Bars Scholarship will also be announced during the ceremony in Milan.

Cocktail lovers across the world are invited to join the live countdown of the list of The World’s 50 Best Bars 2026, sponsored by Perrier, through the 50 Best YouTube channel.