The World’s 50 Best Bars will hold its 2026 awards ceremony in Milan, Italy, this October, marking the first time the prestigious event has taken place in the city. The 18th edition of the annual ranking, sponsored by Perrier, will be unveiled at a live celebration featuring red-carpet arrivals and a drinks reception.
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READ THE STORYThe event brings the global bars community back to Europe. More than 800 industry professionals, journalists, and cocktail experts make up the gender-balanced Academy that determines the list through confidential voting. Professional services consultancy Deloitte independently oversees and verifies the results.
Academy members are handpicked by 29 regional Academy Chairs for their expertise in the global bar scene.
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Rikki Tidball, managing director of events for The World’s 50 Best Bars, said: "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."
Tidball added: "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."
The ceremony will also reveal the coveted title of The World’s Best Bar.
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In the lead-up to the main event, organizers will announce venues ranked between No. 51 and No. 100. Two special awards will also be handed out ahead of the ceremony. The Michter’s Art of Hospitality award recognizes the venue where Academy voters experienced the most outstanding display of hospitality during the voting period. The Altos Bartenders’ Bartender award identifies one professional who has done the most to advance the art and practice of bartending over the past 18 months.
Two additional special awards will be revealed at the Milan ceremony. The Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu Award and the Best Bar Design Award were open for submission from bars worldwide, regardless of whether they appear on the ranked list.
Entries have also opened for the 50 Best Bars Scholarship, which offers one young bartender the opportunity to complete stages at Line in Athens and Tres Monos in Buenos Aires. The scholarship recipient will be announced during the Milan event.
Cocktail enthusiasts can follow the live countdown of the full list through the 50 Best YouTube channel.
