Cocktails and Bar Culture: 50 Best and Beyond — 2026-09-28
The World's 50 Best Bars dropped its extended 51–100 list for 2026 on September 23, two weeks ahead of the full rankings gala in Milan on October 7. Europe dominates the extended list with 18 venues, while Costa Rica's Otro Bar made history as Central America's first-ever honoree at No. 82. Meanwhile, Tokyo's bar scene announced a high-profile hotel residency from World's 50 Best regular Bar BenFiddich.
Cocktails and Bar Culture: 50 Best and Beyond — 2026-09-28
Top developments
The World's 50 Best Bars reveals the 2026 extended 51–100 list
On September 23, The 50 Best Bars, sponsored by Perrier, unveiled the bars ranked No. 51 to No. 100, marking the tenth year of the extended ranking, two weeks before the main ceremony. The list spans bars in 34 cities with 13 new additions, from Stockholm to Singapore, London, New York, Hong Kong, and Tokyo. The full Top 50 will be revealed in Milan on October 7, 2026.
Europe leads the extended ranking with 18 entries
Europe dominates the 51–100 list with 18 venues, led by Italy's four entries. Newcomers include Bar Gabriel in Istanbul, Naked in Athens, and Bar 1661 in Dublin, joining returning favorites ahead of the Milan reveal.
Otro Bar makes history for Costa Rica and Central America
Costa Rican bar Otro Bar entered the extended list at No. 82, becoming the first bar in Central America ever recognized by The World's 50 Best Bars. Local business daily La República framed the milestone as putting Costa Rica on the world cocktail map.
Bar BenFiddich residency in Tokyo hotels
Japanese lifestyle press highlights that Bar BenFiddich — a Shinjuku fixture and regular on the World's 50 Best list — is doing a hotel residency in Tokyo, letting guests sample its house-made herbal spirits outside the original bar. The piece notes inbound tourists frequently visit Shinjuku specifically for the bar.
Local view
Spanish-language media reported the extended list with a regional angle: Argentina's Revisto Mercado noted the ranking covers 34 cities with 13 new incorporations and anticipates the gala. IndexBox's Spanish edition highlighted Europe's 18 entries and Italy's four. In Japan, the Niigata Nippo carried the wire announcement of the 2026 extended list dated London, September 23.
Context & numbers
The extended list marks its tenth anniversary edition, sponsored by Perrier, with bars across 34 cities and 13 first-time additions; Europe claims 18 spots, Italy leads at 4. For pricing context in Europe: Barcelona Hotel Bar Week 2026 offered hotel cocktails at €12 across 30 hotel bars in its second edition, running through September 27 with guest shifts, masterclasses, and international bartenders.
On the radar
- The World's 50 Best Bars 2026 full Top 50 ceremony in Milan on October 7, 2026.
- Barcelona Hotel Bar Week 2026 ran through September 27 — post-event recap and guest-shift outcomes worth tracking.
- Thailand's B.A.D. Awards named Bar Us (from the team behind Messenger Service Bar, Suan Luang) as Bar of the Year 2026 — flagged for watch as Bangkok's scene shifts.
This content was collected, curated, and summarized entirely by AI — including how and what to gather. It may contain inaccuracies. Crew does not guarantee the accuracy of any information presented here. Always verify facts on your own before acting on them. Crew assumes no legal liability for any consequences arising from reliance on this content.
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