Frequently Asked Questions

Why has Europe's 50 Best Bars changed name to The 50 Best Bars Europe?

Launched on 9 September 2026, The 50 is the new unified master brand for 50 Best, bringing together its globally recognised rankings, awards, content and Discovery platform under one clear and distinctive identity. The 50 Best Bars Europe's name change reflects this evolution.

Formerly known as Europe's 50 Best Bars, The 50 Best Bars Europe remains focused on recognising excellence and celebrating the very best bars across the region. The new naming convention creates greater consistency across The 50's global portfolio and better reflects the scale and breadth of what we do today. This is an evolution of the brand rather than a change to the ranking itself, and the ranking's credibility, independence and methodology remain unchanged.

Why have you chosen to launch The 50 Best Bars Europe?

Europe has long been home to some of the most influential cocktail cultures in the world, with bars that consistently push boundaries in technique, creativity and hospitality. By launching The 50 Best Bars Europe, The 50 aims to shine a brighter light on the exceptional talent, innovation and diversity found across the continent. The list provides a dedicated platform to celebrate Europe's leading bar experiences and offers greater visibility to both emerging and established venues.

Why have you decided to launch The 50 Best Bars Europe now?

As Europe's bar communities continue to evolve at pace, we see an exciting opportunity to spotlight the region through its own dedicated list and awards programme. Building on the success of our existing bar rankings, the timing feels right to recognise Europe's extraordinary contribution to global cocktail culture and to engage more deeply with bar teams and guests across the region.

When and where did the inaugural awards take place?

The first edition of The 50 Best Bars Europe took place in the vibrant city of Amsterdam on Tuesday, 30 June 2026.

What does the event programme look like?

The celebrations for The 50 Best Bars Europe 2026 spanned three days. Highlights of the programme in Amsterdam included the Bartenders' Feast, hosted the evening before the awards ceremony for those whose bar features in this year's ranking, and a 'Meet the Bartenders' media roundtable event. The hotly anticipated list of The 50 Best Bars Europe was then unveiled at a grand awards ceremony on Tuesday 30 June, with red-carpet arrivals and a drinks reception in advance of the live countdown and reveal of The 50 Best Bars Europe 2026, including the much sought after title of The Best Bar in Europe 2026, sponsored by Perrier. Celebrations ended with the Closing Party on the third and final day on Wednesday 1 July.

How is The 50 Best Bars Europe different to other 'Best Bars' list?

The 50 Best Bars Europe spotlights and celebrates the creativity and excellence found across the continent's most remarkable drinking destinations. With an exclusive focus on Europe's bar landscape, it acts as a guide allowing for a deeper, more nuanced exploration of the region's diverse offerings including emerging destinations across the continent. Curated by a trusted and knowledgeable voting Academy, it provides the most expert-curated guide to exceptional bar experiences across Europe.

Which countries are included in the voting of The 50 Best Bars Europe?

In alphabetical order: Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye, Ukraine and United Kingdom.

Were there individual awards announced in advance of the 1-50 list like you do for the other Bars awards?

Yes. Ahead of the awards ceremony, The 50 revealed the winners of two special awards designed to celebrate the exceptional achievements of one bar and one bartender over the past year: the Michter's Art of Hospitality Award and Altos Bartenders' Bartender Award. Additional individual awards were also presented during the ceremony itself.

Was there be a 51-100 list for this first edition?

The inaugural awards focused exclusively on celebrating The 50 Best Bars Europe, and therefore the inaugural edition did not include an extended 51-100 list.

How does publishing a list help the bars?

The 50 Best Bars Europe aims to support and celebrate the European bar scene, both from established and emerging destinations. The announcement highlights bars providing memorable experiences and shines a spotlight on their creativity and excellence. Beyond recognition, being featured can provide an economic boost by attracting guests, driving footfall and celebrating the hard work and dedication of the teams behind these outstanding venues.

What does it mean to be included in The 50 Best Bars Europe ranking?

It provides recognition of the dedication, passion and skill of the teams behind bars whilst promoting establishments internationally to those travelling to Europe by boosting the bars' profiles and business, ultimately driving footfall.

What steps can a bar take to be featured in The 50 Best Bars list?

The ranking provides an annual snapshot of the opinions and experiences of our expert voters. Therefore, if guests have been experiencing the outstanding characteristics of your bar it will be reflected in future results. What constitutes 'best' is up to each voter to decide – as everyone's tastes are different, so is everyone's idea of what constitutes a great cocktail experience. Bars do not have to fit certain criteria or stock certain product. We therefore urge bars simply to be the best they can be for their customers first and foremost and not to focus on such rankings or awards, but to see them as a welcome by-product of their hard work and talent.

What does 'best' actually mean?

'Best' is defined by each individual voter. Tastes vary, and so do ideas of what makes a memorable cocktail or an exceptional bar experience. We deliberately set no fixed criteria: we do not believe there is, nor should there be, one specific type of bar that fits in The 50 Best Bars lists. The strength of The 50 Best Bars Europe lies in its diversity, the different styles, different atmospheres, and different experiences. Each voter decides which bars represented their most outstanding experiences during the voting period, based on their own expertise and personal judgement. We simply collate their selections to produce the final list.