50 Best will debut its new bars ranking across the region of Europe in 2026. Read on to find out more.
There are few bar scenes more diverse than Europe's, where centuries-old taverns sit comfortably beside genre-bending cocktail labs, each pouring its own slice of history and innovation. It's a place where swish city-centre martini spots stand alongside pintxo bars, and where wine taverns and Nordic minimalist mixology counters rub shoulders with avant-garde Eastern European drinking dens.
So, in timely fashion, the region's rich drinks landscape is about to be honoured with its own awards programme as 50 Best is set to launch Europe's 50 Best Bars, sponsored by Perrier, with an inaugural edition taking place in 2026.
The launch of Europe's 50 Best Bars marks the first time that 50 Best has introduced a new bars list and awards programme since the launch of North America's 50 Best Bars in 2022. Joining The World's 50 Best Bars, North America's 50 Best Bars and Asia's 50 Best Bars, this new regional ranking will celebrate the continent's finest drinking destinations and provide consumers with the most trusted, expert-curated guide to exceptional bar experiences. 
The inaugural ranking of Europe's 50 Best Bars will be revealed in 2026
To shine a spotlight on the varied continent of Europe, and to ensure the ranking of Europe's 50 Best Bars is reflective of the ever-evolving and innovative region, every country west of the Caspian Sea is eligible to be voted for, from Iceland and Portugal in the west to Armenia and Azerbaijan in the east. Bars located in Russia remain ineligible for inclusion.
This broad geographical spread ensures that the list will be a truly representative guide to the entire region, allowing for a deeper, more nuanced exploration of Europe's diverse offerings including its exciting and emerging drinking destinations.
At a soon-to-be-announced time in a soon-to-be-revealed location, an exciting destination in Europe will be host to a live event programme and awards ceremony, where the newly minted euro-centric drinks guide will be revealed, culminating in the announcement of The Best Bar in Europe 2025.
This unprecedented initiative will help cement the 50 Best rankings as the ultimate global reference points for the very best hospitality experiences, inspiring bar fanatics and cocktail explorers from within Europe and across the world to discover new destinations, new sips and to learn more about the exceptional talent driving this dynamic scene.
The new ranking will spotlight exemplary bars in destinations across the region
Any style of bar is eligible to be voted for, with the final ranking the result of the votes of 300 independent and anonymous bar experts based across the region.
The voters are recruited from across 11 sub-regions, each headed by an Academy Chair. The Academy Chairs, who will be announced in January 2026, are a group of highly respected industry leaders, with widespread networks in their respective home regions.
Voters will simply be asked to name their seven best bar experiences of any kind across the initial 18-month polling period, as well as nominate bars and individuals for a series of special awards.
Voting is carried out individually and confidentially on a secure platform and remains under wraps until the live announcement of the list, which is created by a simple computation of the votes cast. You can read more about the voting process here. The date and location of the awards ceremony will be announced in the coming months, so make sure you're following all of 50 Best's channels to get the latest updates and new on this exciting new addition to the globally recognised rankings.
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