50 Best, the organisation behind The World's 50 Best Bars, reveals the 10 award categories and selected Academy Chairs for the first edition of Europe's 50 Best Bars. The list of Europe's 50 Best Bars 2026 as well as the special award winners will be unveiled at a live ceremony later this year - the date and location of which will be announced in the coming months.

The ranking is compiled by the votes from 300 gender-balanced, anonymous European bar industry experts from across the region. The voting panel – the Europe's 50 Best Bars Academy – comprises a balanced mix of bartenders, bar owners, drinks media and well-travelled cocktail connoisseurs, selected by the 11 Academy Chairs already appointed for The World's 50 Best Bars, representing 11 sub-regions of Europe. To ensure the ranking remains dynamic and truly reflective of the breadth and diversity of the continent's bar landscape, 50 Best is actively encouraging the Academy Chairs to source and nominate fresh voters for this dedicated regional Academy. While the Academy Chairs themselves also serve on The World's 50 Best Bars, the Europe-focused voting panel acts entirely separately; voting for each list is conducted independently, at different times, and assesses distinct geographical regions. The Europe's 50 Best Bars Academy is asked to select their best bar experiences in Europe over the voting period.

Emma Sleight, Head of Content for Europe's 50 Best Bars, says:

"We're thrilled to reveal the special awards categories for the Europe's 50 Best Bars ranking by recognising both individuals and establishments who have showcased distinct excellence in the European bar world. These additional awards are designed to complement the 50 Best ranking and act as additional accolades given to best-in-class bars and individuals. We are confident they will give the cocktail loving community insight into the properties and people who are truly leading the drinks industry. We are incredibly grateful to our Europe-based Academy Chairs who, in addition to their work with The World's 50 Best Bars, will now help identify the very best the region has to offer."

Ahead of the awards ceremony, 50 Best will reveal the winners of two special awards designed to celebrate the exceptional achievements of one bar and one bartender over the past year.

They are as follows:

Michter's Art of Hospitality Award

The Michter-sponsored award celebrates the vital role of hospitality in the bar experience, recognising a venue that has delivered excellent warmth, service and guest engagement during the voting period.

Altos Bartenders' Bartender Award

Sponsored by Altos Tequila, this prestigious award recognises a bartender who has earned respect from fellow professionals for their skill, innovation and contribution to the industry.

Special Awards Categories

One To Watch Award

The One To Watch Award recognises a rising-star bar in Europe which the 50 Best organisation believes has the potential to feature in a future edition of the Europe's 50 Best Bars list.

Roku Industry Icon Award

This award celebrates an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the hospitality industry and who has been a positive force in the bar sector over the course of their career, and the award is sponsored by Roku Industry.

Three Cents Best New Opening Award

The award for the best new opening will be given to a top-performing newcomer in Europe's bar scene and is sponsored by Three Cents.

Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award

Sponsored by Ketel One, this award champions a bar in Europe which has demonstrated an outstanding effort towards sustainability. It will focus upon a bar which stands as pioneers in eco-conscious hospitality, and which has been assessed for its business practice across three core areas: environment, society and procurement.

Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu Award

Siete Misterios is the official partner for this award, which will recognise the bar that demonstrates exceptional creativity, storytelling and innovation through its cocktail menus, celebrating those which reflect a bar's identity whilst inspiring guests to explore new flavours and experiences.

Best Bar Design Award

Introduced to shine a spotlight on the importance of design in hospitality, this award will celebrate innovative and thoughtful spaces, celebrating a bar that excels in aesthetics, sustainability and functionality that elevate the overall drinking experience. Bars who enter are reviewed by a panel of judges, who take into consideration the following six criteria – Innovation, Aesthetics, Accessibility, Ergonomics, Ecological Compatibility & Emotional Quotient.

Best in Destination Award

The highest-ranking bar in each region represented in Europe's 50 Best Bars 2026 will be named the Best Bar in each respective location, celebrating the very best of the passion, talent and hard work behind Europe's vibrant bar scene.

The Best Bar in Europe 2026, sponsored by Perrier

Europe's 50 Best Bars will culminate with the announcement of the coveted title of The Best Bar in Europe, sponsored by Perrier.

Academy Chairs

Europe's 50 Best Bars Academy Chairs have been selected for their prominent position within the drinks and hospitality industry background in their region. Each overseeing a European sub-region, they are responsible for selecting an appropriate voting panel that ensures a diverse and balanced representation of bars across Europe comprising bartenders, bar owners, drinks media and well-travelled cocktail enthusiasts, and their expertise is valued in developing the future strategy for the 50 Best brand.

The Academy Chairs for Europe's 50 Best Bars are as follows:

Alia Akkam, Hungary, Southern Europe & Northern Balkans

Akkam is a New York-born drinks journalist and Europhile who has lived in Budapest since 2015. A former editor of Beverage Media and Hospitality Design (publications she continues to contribute to regularly) she writes extensively about cocktails, bars, design, travel, food and culture for outlets like Architectural Digest and Men's Health. In 2020, she published Behind the Bar: 50 Cocktails from the World's Most Iconic Hotels with Hardie Grant.

Ara Carvallo, Benelux

Based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Carvallo has over 20 years' experience in the bar and spirits sector. Today, she focuses her work on supporting drinks sector entrepreneurs creating the brands of the future. Carvallo is also the co-founder of Barra Mexico, the leading spirits tradeshow in Latin America and the first zero-carbon bar show in the world.

Arina Nikolskaya, Eastern Europe, Baltics

Nikolskaya is the founder of Nomad Bar Show, the first traveling bar show launched in Kazakhstan in 2023. Previously head of the Moscow Bar Show, she is a prominent figure in the Eastern European bartending community and brings together influences from her Irish and Russian heritage. She travels globally to source ideas, speakers and techniques, creating unique experiences for thousands of bartenders each year.

Bára Urbanová, Czech Republic, Slovakia & Poland

Czech editor and journalist Urbanová has almost 20 years' experience in food and drinks. From 2010 to 2015, she worked as editor-in-chief on Barlife magazine and in this capacity assisted in organising the Prague Bar Show and Czech Bar Awards. Since 2015, she has been editor-in-chief and co-owner of online journal AtBars.com, which focuses on bars' businesses and related fields.

Eleni Nikoloulia, Greece, Turkey & Southern Balkans

Nikoloulia first studied political science before moving to work in lifestyle and travel magazines in her home country, Greece. From here, she developed a great passion for the bar sector and is now dedicated to great Martinis, creative mixologists and exceptional bars. She is the co-founder of non-profit civil partnership Metron Ariston: Making Responsibility a Trend; co-organiser of Athens Rum and Whisky Festival; co-organiser of Cyprus Cocktail Festival; and co-organiser of Aegean Cocktails and Spirits, a project that promotes Greek spirits through various activations, projects and festivals.

François Monti, Spain & Portugal

Monti is a Belgian, Madrid-based cocktail and spirits writer. He is the author of three books, including El Gran Libro del Vermut and 101 Cocktails to Try Before You Die. His writing has appeared in various publications across the world and he has led seminars at some of the largest global bar events, such as Berlin Bar Convent. He lives for a good seat at the bar.

Hamish Smith, UK & Ireland

Smith is an award-winning drinks journalist, specialising in the bar industry. Based in London, he edits UK bartender magazine CLASS, works across sister title Drinks International as Bars Editor and is a former editor of The World's 50 Best Bars. Over a 10-year career in drinks, Smith has established himself as a key commentator of the global bar industry.

Jakob Sundin, Nordics

Sundin began his journey as a bartender in 2004 and began to grow his passion for hospitality. He is most notable as the host and one of the founders of Bartenders' Choice Awards, an awards programme dedicated to the Nordic bar community. Sundin currently stands as a managing partner of Purfict, which focuses on the development of the bar sector and cocktails through creative concepts, photography and events.

Juliane Reichert, Germany, Austria & Switzerland

Reichert is a Berlin-based bar journalist with a passion for the people behind the bar and heavily peated whisky. Having studied philosophy, she's constantly seeking the big questions around the global bar scene and is an enthusiastic observer of trends. She is at the frontline of bars reporting in Germany and beyond.

Laurence Marot, France

Marot is a journalist who has been specialising in cocktails, spirits and beer for over a decade, writing for trade publications, mainstream media and guides. A regular judge in cocktail and spirits competitions, she travels widely to uncover trends, uses her expertise to spotlight the talents shaping the industry and meets the people behind the liquid crafts. She is also the author of several spirit books - notably on rum and cocktails, Sur la Route des Rhums (2024).

Penelope Vaglini, Italy

A Milan-based food and beverage editor, Vaglini travels the world to experience the best restaurants and cocktail bars to tell their stories in L'Officiel Italia, ICON Magazine, Forbes and Gastronomika. She is the digital content coordinator for Robb Report Italia, as well as the co-founder of Coqtail Milano, the first Italian community focused on mixology, which also has an online magazine. A specialist in trend research, she edits annual reports analysing the food and beverage industry as well as writing features on the latest spirits news.