Damian recaps his trip to Amsterdam for the inaugural Europe’s 50 Best Bars 2026.
What started as an awards ceremony quickly became a full festival of cocktails, with bar takeovers, brand activations, industry events, parties and a green-carpet ceremony bringing together some of the best bars in Europe.
From Rosewood Amsterdam’s stunning Advocatuur bar and the Meet the Bartenders media event, to the main Europe’s 50 Best Bars ceremony at De Kromhouthal and the rooftop closing party at LuminAir, Damian gives a behind-the-scenes look at what happens when 50 Best rolls into town.
He also reflects on the key themes shaping the European cocktail scene in 2026, including Athens’ dominance, the continued strength of London cocktail bars and Barcelona cocktail bars, the rise of Central and Eastern Europe, and the importance of genuine hospitality alongside technical innovation.
Key Takeaways
Europe’s 50 Best Bars 2026 felt much bigger than a single awards night. Amsterdam became the centre of the European cocktail world, with pop-ups, parties, brand activations and some of the best bartenders in Europe gathering across the city.
Athens had a huge showing, with Line taking the No.1 spot and The Bar in Front of The Bar coming in at No.2, underlining just how strong the Greek cocktail scene has become.
London remains a major force in the best bars in Europe conversation, with bars including The Connaught Bar, Satan’s Whiskers, Tayēr + Elementary, Panda & Sons, Waltz, Kwãnt Mayfair, Three Sheets Soho and Scarfes Bar all appearing on the list.
Panda & Sons deserve a special mention, coming in at No.20 and also picking up the Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu Award.
Barcelona continues to be one of Europe’s most important cocktail cities, with Sips, Paradiso, Aldea, Boadas, Foco and others showing the depth of the city’s bar scene.
Central and Eastern Europe are becoming increasingly important on the cocktail map, with strong placements from bars in Bratislava, Tirana, Prague and Krakow.
Sustainability, fermentation, low-waste practices, hyper-local ingredients and strong storytelling are clearly shaping modern cocktail culture.
At the same time, the best cocktail bars are still the ones that combine technical skill with warmth, simplicity, personality, atmosphere and genuine hospitality.
Highlights
Landing in a sun-soaked Amsterdam and heading straight into a packed few days of cocktail events.
Visiting Advocatuur at Rosewood Amsterdam, a beautiful cocktail bar inside the former Palace of Justice, with thoughtful drinks, warm hospitality and a strong sense of place.
Stopping by The Flying Dutchman at Sofitel Legend The Grand for a Gin Mare event with the team from Boadas Barcelona.
Bumping into Simone Caporale from Sips Barcelona and lining up what will hopefully become a future episode of The Cocktail Academy Podcast.
Attending The Cambridge Public House activation, complete with great drinks, a packed room, big energy and a sleeping Jack Russell in the middle of the madness.
Finishing the first night at Belly of the Beast, with rum, gongs, colour and full tiki-style energy.
Taking part in the Meet the Bartenders event, speaking with teams from Super Lyan, Tjoget, TAG, Aldea and Panda & Sons.
Experiencing the main Europe’s 50 Best Bars 2026 ceremony at De Kromhouthal, with the green carpet, packed room, brand activations, cocktails and the live countdown.
Seeing Line in Athens crowned The Best Bar in Europe 2026.
Celebrating Panda & Sons coming in at No.20 and winning the Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu Award.
Ending the trip at the rooftop closing party at LuminAir, with sunshine, DJs, barbecue, sushi, cocktails and views over Amsterdam.
Links
The World’s 50 Best Bars:
https://www.theworlds50best.com/bars/
The Cocktail Academy on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/welovecocktails/
The Cocktail Academy on Tiktok Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/welovecocktailsx/
https://www.tiktok.com/@welovecocktailsx
The Cocktail Academy:
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