See a Full List of the Spirited Awards® 2026 Regional Top 10 Honorees

NEW ORLEANS, LA (April 8, 2026)— Tales of the Cocktail Foundation (TOTCF) is proud to announce the Regional Top 10 Honorees for the 20th annual Spirited Awards®. Since its inception in 2007, the Spirited Awards has become one of the world’s highest-regarded honors in the drinks industry, celebrating outstanding individuals, establishments, products, media, and leaders who continue to inspire the global cocktail community.

Tales of the Cocktail Foundation will celebrate the Spirited Awards on July 23rd during the Tales of the Cocktail (TOTC) conference, taking place in New Orleans from July 19-24, 2026. Food & Wine is the Spirited Awards Official Media Partner.

“The Spirited Awards celebrate the remarkable creativity and excellence propelling the cocktail world ahead. Each honoree embodies the passion, ingenuity, and commitment that define our vibrant global bar community. In our 20th year, we’re proud to honor their accomplishments and recognize the meaningful influence they bring to both their local scenes and the international cocktail landscape,” said Charlotte Voisey, Executive Director of Tales of the Cocktail Foundation.

Divided into geographical regions – Asia Pacific (APAC), Canada, Europe, Latin America & Caribbean (LATAM&C), Middle East & Africa (MEA), U.S. Central, U.S. East, and U.S. West – the Regional Top 10 Honorees represent the best in the industry, leaving a lasting impact on their local cocktail communities and beyond. To toast the 2026 Honorees, the Foundation is proud to recognize this inspiring group and announce the Spirited Awards Regional Top 10 Honorees. 

2026 Spirited Awards® Regional Top 10 Honorees (in alphabetical order):

International Establishments:

Best International Bar Team presented by William Grant & Sons

• Best International Bar Team – APAC *

• • • Alice Cheongdam — Seoul, South Korea
    • Bar Bellamy — Melbourne, Australia
    • Bar Cham — Seoul, South Korea
    • Bar Leone — Hong Kong, China
    • Bar Us — Bangkok, Thailand
    • BKK Social Club at Four Seasons Bangkok — Bangkok, Thailand
    • Caretaker’s Cottage — Melbourne, Australia
    • Jigger & Pony at the Amara Hotel — Singapore
    • Old Love’s — Sydney, Australia
    • Origin Bar at the Shangri-La Hotel — Singapore
    • VIRTÙ at the Four Seasons Tokyo Otemachi — Tokyo, Japan
      *11 Honorees due to a tie

• Best International Bar Team – Canada *

• • • Atwater Cocktail Club — Montreal, QC, Canada
    • Bar Pompette — Toronto, ON, Canada
    • Belle Isle — Toronto, ON, Canada
    • Botanist at the Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel — Vancouver, BC, Canada
    • Civil Liberties — Toronto, ON, Canada
    • Civil Works — Toronto, ON, Canada
    • Humboldt Bar at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel & Suites — Victoria, BC, Canada
    • Library Bar at the Fairmont Royal York — Toronto, ON, Canada
    • The Cloakroom Bar — Montreal, QC, Canada
    • The Coldroom — Montreal, QC, Canada
    • The Keefer Bar — Vancouver, BC, Canada
      *11 Honorees due to a tie

• Best International Bar Team – Europe

• • • Amaro Bar — London, UK
    • Baba Au Rum — Athens, Greece
    • Botanical by Alfonse — Namur, Belgium
    • FOCO — Barcelona, Spain
    • Mirror Cocktail Bar at Radisson Blu Carlton Hotel — Bratislava, Slovakia
    • Moebius Milano — Milan, Italy
    • Paradiso — Barcelona, Spain
    • Satan’s Whiskers — London, UK
    • Tayēr + Elementary — London, UK
    • The Cambridge Public House — Paris, France

• Best International Bar Team – Latin America & Caribbean

• • • Bar Mauro — Mexico City, Mexico
    • El Barón Cafe & Cocktail Bar — Cartagena, Colombia
    • Exímia Bar — São Paolo, Brazil
    • Form + Matter — Mexico City, Mexico
    • Kaito del Valle — Mexico City, Mexico
    • La Factoría — San Juan, Puerto Rico
    • Lady Bee — Lima, Peru
    • Mecenas — Mexico City, Mexico
    • Tlecān — Mexico City, Mexico
    • Tres Monos — Buenos Aires, Argentina

• Best International Bar Team – Middle East & Africa *

• • Amazonico — Dubai, UAE
  • COYA Dubai — Dubai, UAE
  • fable — Cape Town, South Africa
  • Fizz — Beirut, Lebanon
  • Front/Back Accra — Accra, Ghana
  • Funky Monkey Cocktail Bar & Restaurant — Diani, Kenya
  • LPM Restaurant & Bar Dubai — Dubai, UAE
  • Mimi Kakushi — Dubai, UAE
  • Salmon Guru Dubai — Dubai, UAE
  • Sexy Fish Dubai — Dubai, UAE
  • Sin + Tax — Johannesburg, South Africa
  • Sol Lounge Bar — Accra, Ghana
    *12 Honorees due to a tie

 

Best International Cocktail Bar presented by Pernod Ricard

• Best International Cocktail Bar – APAC

• • • Above Board — Melbourne, Australia
    • Bar Cham — Seoul, South Korea
    • Bar Us — Bangkok, Thailand
    • BYRDI — Melbourne, Australia
    • Caretaker’s Cottage — Melbourne, Australia
    • COA — Hong Kong, China
    • Dry Wave Cocktail Studio — Bangkok, Thailand
    • Hope & Sesame Guangzhou — Guangzhou, China
    • Modernhaus — Jakarta, Indonesia
    • ZEST — Seoul, South Korea

• Best International Cocktail Bar – Canada

• • • Bar Pompette — Toronto, ON, Canada
    • Citrus & Cane — Victoria, BC, Canada
    • Civil Liberties — Toronto, ON, Canada
    • Civil Works — Toronto, ON, Canada
    • Cry Baby Gallery — Toronto, ON, Canada
    • Dear Friend — Dartmouth, NS, Canada
    • Hoof Cocktail Bar — Toronto, ON, Canada
    • Mother Cocktail Bar — Toronto, ON, Canada
    • The Cloakroom Bar — Montreal, QC, Canada
    • The Keefer Bar — Vancouver, BC, Canada

• Best International Cocktail Bar – Europe *

• • • Bar Nouveau — Paris, France
    • Botanical by Alfonse — Namur, Belgium
    • Devil’s Cut — Madrid, Spain
    • FOCO — Barcelona, Spain
    • Himkok — Oslo, Norway
    • Kwãnt Mayfair — London, UK
    • L’Antiquario — Naples, Italy
    • Line Athens — Athens, Greece
    • Panda & Sons — Edinburgh, Scotland
    • Satan’s Whiskers — London, UK
    • The Cambridge Public House — Paris, France
      *11 Honorees due to a tie

• Best International Cocktail Bar – Latin America & Caribbean

• • • Bar Mauro — Mexico City, Mexico
    • Café de Nadie — Mexico City, Mexico
    • El Gallo Altanero — Guadalajara, Mexico
    • Exímia Bar — São Paolo, Brazil
    • Form + Matter — Mexico City, Mexico
    • Handshake Speakeasy — Mexico City, Mexico
    • Kaito del Valle — Mexico City, Mexico
    • La Factoría — San Juan, Puerto Rico
    • Tlecān — Mexico City, Mexico
    • Tres Monos — Buenos Aires, Argentina

• Best International Cocktail Bar – Middle East & Africa

• • ANTHM — Cape Town, South Africa
  • Cyrano — Beirut, Lebanon
  • fable — Cape Town, South Africa
  • Front/Back Accra — Accra, Ghana
  • House of Butlers — Beirut, Lebanon
  • Jass Lounge — Dubai, UAE
  • Lucy Lu The Speakeasy — Beirut, Lebanon
  • Re\volver — Nairobi, Kenya
  • Salmon Guru Dubai — Dubai, UAE
  • Sin + Tax — Johannesburg, South Africa
  • Sol Lounge Bar — Accra, Ghana
    *11 Honorees due to a tie

 

Best International Hotel Bar

• Best International Hotel Bar – APAC

• • • ARGO at the Four Seasons — Hong Kong, China
    • Bar Sathorn at the W Bangkok — Bangkok, Thailand
    • Bar Trigona at the Four Seasons Hotel — Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
    • Cosmo Pony at the Grand Hyatt Hotel — Jakarta, Indonesia
    • Dean & Nancy on 22 at the A by Adina hotel — Sydney, Australia
    • Firefly at The Sindhorn Kempinski Hotel — Bangkok, Thailand
    • Manhattan Bar at the Conrad Singapore Orchard — Singapore
    • Origin Bar at the Shangri-La Hotel — Singapore
    • Punch Room at the Tokyo Ginza EDITION — Tokyo, Japan
    • VIRTÙ at the Four Seasons Tokyo Otemachi — Tokyo, Japan

• Best International Hotel Bar – Canada

• • • Bar 1608 at the Fairmont Le Château Frontenac — Quebec City, QC, Canada
    • Botanist at the Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel — Vancouver, BC, Canada
    • Clockwork Champagne & Cocktails at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel — Toronto, ON, Canada
    • Evangeline at the Ace Hotel — Toronto, ON, Canada
    • H Tasting Lounge at The Westin Bayshore — Vancouver, BC, Canada
    • Humboldt Bar at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel & Suites — Victoria, BC, Canada
    • Library Bar at the Fairmont Royal York — Toronto, ON, Canada
    • Marcus Lounge and Bar at Four Seasons Hotel Montreal — Montreal, QC, Canada
    • Prophecy Bar at Rosewood Hotel Georgia — Vancouver, BC, Canada
    • the bar at Alder at Ace Hotel Toronto — Toronto, ON, Canada

• Best International Hotel Bar – Europe

• • • Arts Bar at The St. Regis Venice — Venice, Italy
    • Avra Bar at Four Seasons Astir Palace — Athens, Greece
    • Bar Les Ambassadeurs at Hôtel de Crillon — Paris, France
    • Mirror Cocktail Bar at Radisson Blu Carlton Hotel — Bratislava, Slovakia
    • Punch Room at The London EDITION — London, UK
    • Punch Room at The Madrid EDITION — Madrid, Spain
    • Ritz Bar at the Ritz — Paris, France
    • Stravinskij Bar at Hotel de Russie — Rome, Italy
    • The American Bar at Gleneagles — Auchterarder, Scotland
    • The Donovan Bar at the Brown’s Hotel — London, UK

• Best International Hotel Bar – Latin America & Caribbean

• • • 173° at Hotel Iberia — San Juan, Puerto Rico
    • BEKEB at the Hotel Live Aqua — San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
    • Carlotta Reforma at The Ritz-Carlton — Mexico City, Mexico
    • King Cole Bar at the St. Regis — Mexico City, Mexico
    • La Botica at Las Ventanas al Paraíso — San José del Cabo, Mexico
    • Library by the Sea at The Kimpton Seafire Resort — Seven Mile Beach, Cayman Islands
    • Mestizo at The Santa Maria — Panama City, Panama
    • Náufrago at the Click Clack Hotel — Medellín, Colombia
    • The Dilly Club at Atlantis — Nassau, Bahamas
    • Zapote Bar at the Rosewood Mayakoba — Playa del Carmen, Mexico

• Best International Hotel Bar – Middle East & Africa

• • Barfly by Buddha-Bar at the Hilton Dubai Palm Jumeirah — Dubai, UAE
  • Grapeskin Wine Bar at Dubai La Ville Hotel — Dubai, UAE
  • HERO at the Trademark Hotel — Nairobi, Kenya
  • Jiko at Tribe Hotel — Nairobi, Kenya
  • Level 43 Sky Lounge at Four Points by Sheraton — Dubai, UAE
  • Library Bar at The Abu Dhabi EDITION — Abu Dhabi, UAE
  • Look Up Rooftop Pool Bar at La Ville Hotel & Suites — Dubai, UAE
  • Olive Bar at the Saxon Hotel — Sandton, South Africa
  • The Manhattan Lounge at the St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort — Abu Dhabi, UAE
  • Views Rooftop Bar & Lounge at The Neela — Stone Town, Tanzania

 

Best International Restaurant Bar

• Best International Restaurant Bar – APAC

• • • ANTE — Sydney, Australia
    • Caffe Fernet — Singapore
    • FURA — Singapore
    • Gimlet — Melbourne, Australia
    • HiBoRu — Taipei, Taiwan
    • Obsidian — Shenzhen, China
    • Ralph’s Bar — Chengdu, China
    • Saint Peter — Sydney, Australia
    • The Waratah — Sydney, Australia
    • TPH Futura by TPH — Taipei, Taiwan

• Best International Restaurant Bar – Canada

• • • Bar Jjacques — Québec City, QC, Canada
    • Bar Raval — Toronto, ON, Canada
    • Chupito — Vancouver, BC, Canada
    • Highwayman Restaurant & Bar — Halifax, NS, Canada
    • Le Swan — Toronto, ON, Canada
    • Mount Pleasant Vintage & Provisions — Vancouver, BC, Canada
    • Published on Main — Vancouver, BC, Canada
    • Quetzal — Toronto, ON, Canada
    • Simpl Things — Toronto, ON, Canada
    • Wind Cries Mary — Victoria, BC, Canada

• Best International Restaurant Bar – Europe *

• • • A la Renaissance — Paris, France
    • Alma — Prague, Czech Republic
    • Angelita — Madrid, Spain
    • Bacchanalia Mayfair — London, UK
    • La Punta Expendio de Agave — Rome, Italy
    • Le Mary Celeste — Paris, France
    • Little Capo — Edinburgh, Scotland
    • Locale Firenze — Florence, Italy
    • Nipperkin at NIJŪ — London, UK
    • Oriole — London, UK
    • Sins of Sal — Amsterdam, Netherlands
      *11 Honorees due to a tie

• Best International Restaurant Bar – Latin America & Caribbean

• • • ARCA Tulum — Tulum, Mexico
    • Aruba Day Drink Bar — Tijuana, Mexico
    • Baldío — Mexico City, Mexico
    • Bar Carmen — Medellín, Colombia
    • Jardín Tragos y Pasteles — Bogotá, Colombia
    • Lady Bee — Lima, Peru
    • Less is More — Mexico City, Mexico
    • Mamba Negra — Medellín, Colombia
    • Sabina Sabe — Oaxaca, Mexico
    • Vertical — Querétaro, Mexico

• Best International Restaurant Bar – Middle East & Africa

• • • beit é selam — Nairobi, Kenya
    • Cultiva — Nairobi, Kenya
    • Funky Monkey Cocktail Bar & Restaurant — Diani, Kenya
    • Kōzo Restaurant — Accra, Ghana
    • Le Trottoir de Paloma — Beirut, Lebanon
    • LPM Restaurant & Bar Dubai — Dubai, UAE
    • Mimi Kakushi — Dubai, UAE
    • No19 Accra Bar and Restaurant — Accra, Ghana
    • Nobu Dubai — Dubai, UAE
    • Upper Union — Cape Town, South Africa

 

Best New International Cocktail Bar

• Best New International Cocktail Bar – APAC

• • • Bar DEMO — Sydney, Australia
    • Canes & Tales at the Waldorf Astoria — Osaka, Japan
    • Hands Down — Melbourne, Australia
    • Lavantha at the Moxy — Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
    • Mius — Hong Kong, China
    • Montana — Hong Kong, China
    • Pop City x Pony — Singapore
    • Salty Fish — Jakarta, Indonesia
    • Three Horses — Melbourne, Australia
    • Truth or Dare — Auckland, New Zealand

• Best New International Cocktail Bar – Canada

• • • Bar Numero — Montreal, QC, Canada
    • Chez Celine — Vancouver, BC, Canada
    • Ellipsis — Vancouver, BC, Canada
    • June — Vancouver, BC, Canada
    • La Cantina Concha — Montreal, QC, Canada
    • Next of Kin — Edmonton, AB, Canada
    • Nomo Nomo — Vancouver, BC, Canada
    • Restaurant Limousine — Saint-Lambert, QC, Canada
    • The Shameful Tiki Room — Toronto, ON, Canada
    • Uh Bar — Toronto, ON, Canada

• Best New International Cocktail Bar – Europe

• • • Abstract Bistrot Paris — Paris, France
    • Advocatuur at the Rosewood Amsterdam — Amsterdam, Netherlands
    • Bar De Vie — Paris, France
    • Bar Gabriel — Istanbul, Turkey
    • Hawksmoor Martini Bar — London, UK
    • Kyara — Barcelona, Spain
    • Shakerato — Amsterdam, Netherlands
    • Superfine — Paris, France
    • Volume One — Berlin, Germany
    • Waltz — London, UK

• Best New International Cocktail Bar – Latin America & Caribbean

• • • Ahorita Cantina — Mexico City, Mexico
    • Bar Básico — Mexico City, Mexico
    • Bar Fandango — Guadalajara, Mexico
    • Chow Chow House — Mexico City, Mexico
    • Cui Cui — San Juan, Puerto Rico
    • Despacho Margarita — Mexico City, Mexico
    • KATZ Cocktail Bar — Mexico City, Mexico
    • Otro Bar — San Jose, Costa Rica
    • Quema Que Quema — Medellín, Colombia
    • Víctor Audio Bar — Buenos Aires, Argentina

• Best New International Cocktail Bar – Middle East & Africa *

• • • BamBoa — Lagos, Nigeria
    • Diamono Bar at Terrou‑Bi Resort — Dakar, Senegal
    • Groov Bar — Dakar, Senegal
    • Jekyll & Hyde — Nairobi, Kenya
    • Lady Bird — Dubai, UAE
    • Lion in The Sun at Mandarin Oriental Downtown — Dubai, UAE
    • MOJO’s Rum Cocktail Bar — Accra, Ghana
    • Moon Bar by MiMi — Dubai, UAE
    • Netsu Bar at the Mandarin Oriental Jumeira — Dubai, UAE
    • Nkula Cocktail & Wine Boutique — Cape Town, South Africa
    • Saikindō at Four Seasons Abu Dhabi — Abu Dhabi, UAE
      *11 Honorees due to a tie

 

U.S. Establishments:

Best U.S. Bar Team — Presented by William Grant & Sons

• Best U.S. Bar Team – U.S. Central *

• • • Cobra — Columbus, OH
    • daydreamer — Austin, TX
    • Gus’ Sip & Dip — Chicago, IL
    • Johnny’s Gold Brick — Houston, TX
    • Lemon — Chicago, IL
    • Meteor — Minneapolis, MN
    • MONEYGUN — Chicago, IL
    • Nickel City — Austin, TX
    • The Meadowlark — Chicago, IL
    • The Roosevelt Room — Austin, TX
    • Three Dots and a Dash — Chicago, IL
      *11 Honorees due to a tie

• Best U.S. Bar Team – U.S. East

• • • Attaboy — New York, NY
    • Bar Madonna — Brooklyn, NY
    • Bar Snack — New York, NY
    • JoJo’s Beloved — Atlanta, GA
    • Martiny’s — New York, NY
    • Service Bar — Washington, D.C.
    • Sip & Guzzle — New York, NY
    • Superbueno — New York, NY
    • The Long Island Bar — Brooklyn, NY
    • ViceVersa at the Elser Hotel — Miami, FL

• Best U.S. Bar Team – U.S. West *

• • • Highball Cocktail Bar — Phoenix, AZ
    • Lady Jane — Denver, CO
    • Mírate — Los Angeles, CA
    • Pacific Cocktail Haven — San Francisco, CA
    • Real Charmer — Los Angeles, CA
    • Realm of the 52 Remedies — San Diego, CA
    • Tallboy — Oakland, CA
    • Thunderbolt — Los Angeles, CA
    • Tikehau Lounge — Kihei, HI
    • True Laurel — San Francisco, CA
    • Yacht Club — Denver, CO
    • *11 Honorees due to a tie

 

Best U.S. Cocktail Bar – 

• Best U.S. Cocktail Bar – U.S. Central

• • • Adiós Bar — Birmingham, AL
    • Best Intentions — Chicago, IL
    • Bisous — Chicago, IL
    • daydreamer — Austin, TX
    • Drink.Well — Austin, TX
    • Gus’ Sip & Dip — Chicago, IL
    • Lemon — Chicago, IL
    • Reserve 101 — Houston, TX
    • Sportsman’s Club — Chicago, IL
    • The Bamboo Room at Three Dots and a Dash — Chicago, IL

• Best U.S. Cocktail Bar – U.S. East

• • • Bar Kaiju — Miami, FL
    • Bar Snack — New York, NY
    • Clemente Bar — New York, NY
    • Double Chicken Please — New York, NY
    • Martiny’s — New York, NY
    • Overstory — New York, NY
    • Press Club Cocktail Bar — Washington, D.C.
    • Service Bar — Washington, D.C.
    • Sip & Guzzle — New York, NY
    • Superbueno — New York, NY

• Best U.S. Cocktail Bar – U.S. West

• • Baby Gee — Long Beach, CA
  • Capri Club — Los Angeles, CA
  • Highball Cocktail Bar — Phoenix, AZ
  • Lady Jane — Denver, CO
  • Roquette — Seattle, WA
  • Tallboy — Oakland, CA
  • The Snug — Sacramento, CA
  • Thunderbolt — Los Angeles, CA
  • Tikehau Lounge — Kihei, HI
  • True Laurel — San Francisco, CA

 

Best U.S. Hotel Bar

• Best U.S. Hotel Bar – U.S. Central

• • • Bandista at the Four Seasons Hotel — Houston, TX
    • Bar Mara at Four Seasons Hotel Minneapolis — Minneapolis, MN
    • Bar Tre Dita at the St. Regis — Chicago, IL
    • Carousel Bar & Lounge at Hotel Monteleone — New Orleans, LA
    • Catbird at the Thompson Hotel — Dallas, TX
    • Chandelier Bar at the Four Seasons New Orleans — New Orleans, LA
    • Midnight Rambler at The Joule — Dallas, TX
    • PufferFish at Hotel Metro Milwaukee — Milwaukee, WI
    • The Elysian Bar at the Hotel Peter and Paul — New Orleans, LA
    • The Sazerac Bar at The Roosevelt New Orleans — New Orleans, LA

• Best U.S. Hotel Bar – U.S. East

• • • Champagne Bar at the Four Seasons Surf Club — Miami, FL
    • Dear Irving on Hudson at the Aliz Hotel — New York, NY
    • Lobby Bar at The Hotel Chelsea — New York, NY
    • No Goodbyes at The Line DC hotel — Washington, D.C.
    • Nubeluz at The Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad — New York, NY
    • Raines Law Room at the William — New York, NY
    • Swizzle Rum Bar & Drinkery at The Stiles Hotel — Miami Beach, FL
    • The Portrait Bar at The Fifth Avenue Hotel — New York, NY
    • ViceVersa at the Elser Hotel — Miami, FL
    • White Limozeen at The Graduate — Nashville, TN

• Best U.S. Hotel Bar – U.S. West

• • Aft Cocktail Deck at the Wynn Las Vegas — Las Vegas, NV
  • Cavaña at LUMA Hotel — San Francisco, CA
  • Chilte at the Egyptian Motor Hotel — Phoenix, AZ
  • Ponyboy at The Pearl — San Diego, CA
  • Shipwreck Bar at Kona Village Rosewood — Kailua-Kona, HI
  • Ski Lodge at Superfrico at The Cosmopolitan — Las Vegas, NV
  • Starlite at the Beacon Grand Hotel — San Francisco, CA
  • The Cruise Room at the Oxford Hotel — Denver, CO
  • The Manor Bar at the Rosewood Miramar Beach — Montecito, CA
  • The Mountaineering Club at the Graduate Seattle Hotel — Seattle, WA

 

Best U.S. Restaurant Bar

• Best U.S. Restaurant Bar – U.S. Central 

• • • Arnaud’s French 75 Bar — New Orleans, LA
    • Brennan’s Restaurant — New Orleans, LA
    • Cobra — Columbus, OH
    • Daisies — Chicago, IL
    • Grey Ghost — Detroit, MI
    • Holiday — Austin, TX
    • Hungry Eyes — New Orleans, LA
    • Lilac Tiger — Chicago, IL
    • Standby — Detroit, MI
    • The Hope Farm — Fairhope, AL

• Best U.S. Restaurant Bar – U.S. East *

• • • Amazonia — Washington, D.C.
    • Bar Madonna — Brooklyn, NY
    • Crown Shy — New York, NY
    • Gage and Tollner — Brooklyn, NY
    • Kimball House — Decatur, GA
    • Lighthouse BK — Brooklyn, NY
    • LPM Restaurant & Bar Miami — Miami, FL
    • Macchialina — Miami, FL
    • Sunny’s Steakhouse — Miami, FL
    • The Grey — Savannah, GA
    • Your Only Friend — Washington, D.C.
    • 11 Honorees due to a tie

• Best U.S. Restaurant Bar – U.S. West *

• • • Bar Cecil — Palm Springs, CA
    • Donna’s — Los Angeles, CA
    • Huarachis Taqueria — Phoenix, AZ
    • Kato Restaurant — Los Angeles, LA
    • Kru Contemporary Japanese Cuisine — Sacramento, CA
    • L’Oursin — Seattle, WA
    • Mírate — Los Angeles, CA
    • Pretty Penny — Phoenix, AZ
    • The Butterscotch Den — Sacramento, CA
    • Valentine — Phoenix, AZ
    • Viridian — Oakland, CA
      *11 Honorees due to a tie

 

Best New U.S. Cocktail Bar

• Best New U.S. Cocktail Bar – U.S. Central
• • • Bar Fino — Austin, TX
    • Best Kept Secret — St. Clair Shores, MI
    • Bygones Cocktail Bar — Birmingham, AL
    • Charis Listening Bar — Chicago, IL
    • Chenin — Detroit, MI
    • Donna’s — Houston, TX
    • Double Fun — Chicago, IL
    • Father Forgive Me — Detroit, MI
    • Friends of Friends — Chicago, IL
    • Junebug — New Orleans, LA
• Best New U.S. Cocktail Bar – U.S. East
  • • Bar Ana — Atlanta, GA
    • Bar Betsie — Washington, D.C.
    • Bar Kabawa — New York, NY
    • Birds — New York, NY
    • Dolores — Brooklyn, NY
    • Eleven11 — Nashville, TN
    • Floreria Atlantico — Washington, D.C.
    • Hello Hello Bar & Cafe — New York, NY
    • Milly’s — Brooklyn, NY
    • schmuck. — New York, NY

• Best New U.S. Cocktail Bar – U.S. West
  • • Bar Maritime at the Palihotel — San Francisco, CA
    • Daisy Margarita Bar — Los Angeles, CA
    • Damn I Miss Paris — Los Angeles, CA
    • Lucia — Los Angeles, CA
    • Nocturno Cocktail Bar — Las Vegas, NV
    • Not No Bar — Los Angeles, CA
    • Rougarou — Denver, CO
    • Semiprecious — Denver, CO
    • The Peach Crease Club — Denver, CO
    • Vandell — Los Angeles, CA

 

2026 Spirited Awards Committee

The Spirited Awards® Committee comprises revered bartenders, bar owners, educators, and writers who are entrusted with evaluating nominees based on structured criteria. The experienced and diverse committee of judges brings years of expertise and knowledge of industry developments locally, nationally, and internationally. The Spirited Awards® nominations are not based on popular vote, and all nominations are evaluated by their respective judging committees, ensuring each vote carries equal weight in the evaluation process.

Honorees were selected by a panel of over 250 industry experts, led by the following Chair and Co-Chairs representing distinct regions: 

International Chair & U.S. Chair:

• Tiffanie Barriere
• Ryan Chetiyawardana

Asia Pacific Co-Chairs:

• Philip Pischoff
• Alice Newport
• Shelley Tai
• Stephanie Wijono

Canada Co-Chairs:

• Kaitlyn Stewart
• Julia Wolkowski

Europe Co-Chairs:

• Camille Vidal
• Kaitlin Wilkes

Latin America & Caribbean Co-Chairs:

• Roberto Berdecia
• Claudia Cabrera

Middle East & Africa Co-Chairs:

• Richie Barrow
• Mallory Lee
• Lara Rawa

U.S. Central Co-Chairs:

• Amanda Carto
• Erika Flowers

U.S. East Co-Chairs:

• Vance Henderson
• Jaymee Mandeville

U.S. West Co-Chairs:

• Nick Amano Dolan
• Mary Allison Wright

Writing & Media Co-Chairs:

• Alia Akkam
• Erick Castro

Books Chair:

• Anna Sulan Masing

Timeless Co-Chairs:

• François Monti
• Rebecca Sturt

To learn more about the Spirited Awards Committee and awards criteria, please visit the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation’s Spirited Awards® page.

Spirited Awards® 2026 Timeline

Top 10 Nominees will be announced starting on May 19, 2026, Top 4 Finalists along with the Helen David Lifetime Achievement Award, Tales Visionary Award, International Timeless Award, and U.S. Timeless Award will be named on June 8 and 9, 2026, and Spirited Awards Winners will be celebrated on July 23, 2026 at the 20th Annual Spirited Awards Ceremony at the Fillmore New Orleans. 

Spirited Awards® 2026 Partners

Tales of the Cocktail Foundation would like to thank all of its Spirited Awards® sponsors: Food & Wine, William Grant & Sons, Pernod Ricard, and Innovation Beverage Group.

Spirited Awards® Directory 

Tales of the Cocktail is pleased to share the Spirited Awards Directory, which gives discerning imbibers a comprehensive compendium of all Spirited Awards winners and nominees from the past 20 years. This resource is updated annually, making it a go-to guide for planning the perfect drinking and dining itinerary. Access the Spirited Awards Directory to explore award-winning bars. 

24 Years of Inspiration & Tales of the Cocktail

This year, marking the 24-year anniversary, the conference returns with more seminars, events, and, of course, imbibing, all in the name of the conference’s 2026 theme, “Spark.” Chosen to represent the collective of individuals who come together to create, share, and find inspiration each year at Tales, the 2026 conference will highlight the global cocktail community that continues to inspire each other year after year. 

To facilitate celebrations, Tales of the Cocktail’s 2026 official host hotel, The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans, provides a room block and special rate for attendees. The online reservation platform can be accessed via the Marriott website, here. Guests are invited to secure their reservations early as reservations are first come, first served, and the last day to book is June 22, 2026.

Please follow along for additional information on the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation website, Instagram, X, and Facebook. 

###

 

About Tales of the Cocktail Foundation:

Tales of the Cocktail Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering the global hospitality industry through education, advocacy, and community support. As the world’s leading spirits education platform, the Foundation provides year-round programs and initiatives that foster professional growth and drive meaningful change. Each July, the industry gathers in New Orleans, the beating heart of cocktail culture and hospitality, for a one-of-a-kind conference that blends education, networking, and celebration like no other. Guided by its core pillars—Educate, Advance, and Support—the Foundation’s impact extends far beyond the U.S., reaching professionals and communities around the world. Tales of the Cocktail will take place in New Orleans July 19-24, 2026. #totc2026

About Food & Wine:

Food & Wine, the ultimate culinary and beverage authority, celebrates the global epicurean experience through its magazine, website, social platforms, newsletters, podcasts, premium events such as the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, and accolades like its annual Best New Chef and Drinks Visionaries awards. With rigorously tested recipes and the most trusted restaurant, drinks, culinary travel, and home coverage, the brand inspires and empowers people to discover, create, and devour the best in food and drink—every day and everywhere. Food & Wine is part of the People Inc. publishing family.

Media Inquiries: 

BMF Media

TOTCF@wearebmf.com