The Best Bars and Bartenders in the World in 2025, According to Tales of the Cocktail
Sip & Guzzle from New York accepts the award for Best U.S Cocktail Bar at the 19th Annual Spirited Awards on July 24, 2025 in New Orleans Erika Goldring/Tales of the Cocktail
After nearly a week of parties, seminars, tastings, and panels, world-renowned spirits conference Tales of the Cocktail ended its 2025 gathering last night by crowning the best bars and bartenders in the world at the Filmore Theater in New Orleans.
'It's a real delight to celebrate the winners of the 2025 Spirited Awards,' said Charlotte Voisey, Executive Director of Tales of the Cocktail Foundation.'Each winner represents the spirit of evolution, pushing boundaries, embracing change, and moving this industry forward. Congratulations to everyone recognized — your work inspires all of us! Thank you also to the Spirited Awards Committee and the global community for making this such a remarkable year.'
Below is this year's list of the best bars and bartenders in the U.S. and internationally, as voted on by a mix of veteran bartenders, bar owners, historians, and writers. For a full list of international Spirited Award winners, media winners, and a list of judges, see Tales of the Cocktail's website.
U.S. Categories
U.S. Bartender of the Year presented by Pernod Ricard: Christine Kim — Service Bar, Washington, D.C.
Best U.S. Bar Mentor presented by Pernod Ricard: Colin Asare-Appiah
Best U.S. Brand Ambassador: Natasha Sofia — Mijenta Tequila
Best U.S. Bar Team presented by William Grant & Sons: Allegory at the Eaton Hotel — Washington, D.C.
Best U.S. Cocktail Bar presented by Pernod Ricard: Trick Dog — San Francisco, CA
Best U.S. Hotel Bar: Little Rituals at the Residence Inn/Courtyard by Marriott — Phoenix, AZ
Best U.S. Restaurant Bar: Kumiko — Chicago, IL
Best New U.S. Cocktail Bar: Sip & Guzzle — New York, NY
International Categories
International Bartender of the Year: Lorenzo Antinori — Bar Leone, Hong Kong, China
Best International Bar Mentor: Iain McPherson
Best International Brand Ambassador: Dré Masso — Altos Tequila and Nusa Caña Rum
Best International Bar Team: Panda & Sons — Edinburgh, Scotland
Best International Cocktail Bar: Bar Leone — Hong Kong, China
Best International Hotel Bar: Side Hustle at The NoMad Hotel London — London, UK
Best International Restaurant Bar: Moebius Milano — Milan, Italy
Best New International Cocktail Bar: Devil's Cut — Madrid, Spain
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The Best Bars and Bartenders in the World in 2025, According to Tales of the Cocktail
is an editor of Eater's South region, covering Atlanta, Nashville, Miami, New Orleans, and the Carolinas. She has been writing about the food scene in the Carolinas and Savannah for 12 years. Erin has resided in Charleston, South Carolina, for the past 20 years. Sip & Guzzle from New York accepts the award for Best U.S Cocktail Bar at the 19th Annual Spirited Awards on July 24, 2025 in New Orleans Erika Goldring/Tales of the Cocktail After nearly a week of parties, seminars, tastings, and panels, world-renowned spirits conference Tales of the Cocktail ended its 2025 gathering last night by crowning the best bars and bartenders in the world at the Filmore Theater in New Orleans. 'It's a real delight to celebrate the winners of the 2025 Spirited Awards,' said Charlotte Voisey, Executive Director of Tales of the Cocktail Foundation.'Each winner represents the spirit of evolution, pushing boundaries, embracing change, and moving this industry forward. Congratulations to everyone recognized — your work inspires all of us! Thank you also to the Spirited Awards Committee and the global community for making this such a remarkable year.' Below is this year's list of the best bars and bartenders in the U.S. and internationally, as voted on by a mix of veteran bartenders, bar owners, historians, and writers. For a full list of international Spirited Award winners, media winners, and a list of judges, see Tales of the Cocktail's website. U.S. Categories U.S. Bartender of the Year presented by Pernod Ricard: Christine Kim — Service Bar, Washington, D.C. Best U.S. Bar Mentor presented by Pernod Ricard: Colin Asare-Appiah Best U.S. Brand Ambassador: Natasha Sofia — Mijenta Tequila Best U.S. Bar Team presented by William Grant & Sons: Allegory at the Eaton Hotel — Washington, D.C. Best U.S. Cocktail Bar presented by Pernod Ricard: Trick Dog — San Francisco, CA Best U.S. Hotel Bar: Little Rituals at the Residence Inn/Courtyard by Marriott — Phoenix, AZ Best U.S. Restaurant Bar: Kumiko — Chicago, IL Best New U.S. Cocktail Bar: Sip & Guzzle — New York, NY International Categories International Bartender of the Year: Lorenzo Antinori — Bar Leone, Hong Kong, China Best International Bar Mentor: Iain McPherson Best International Brand Ambassador: Dré Masso — Altos Tequila and Nusa Caña Rum Best International Bar Team: Panda & Sons — Edinburgh, Scotland Best International Cocktail Bar: Bar Leone — Hong Kong, China Best International Hotel Bar: Side Hustle at The NoMad Hotel London — London, UK Best International Restaurant Bar: Moebius Milano — Milan, Italy Best New International Cocktail Bar: Devil's Cut — Madrid, Spain
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3 days ago
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Chicago's Kumiko Named World's Best Bar At 2025 Spirited Awards
K umiko, the innovative dining bar serving up a taste of Japan in Chicago's West Loop, was named World's Best Bar at the 19th annual Spirited Awards in New Orleans. Cofounded in 2018 by acclaimed bartender Julia Momosé and local restaurateurs Cara and Noah Sandoval, Kumiko began garnering accolades for its minimalist food and drinks almost immediately, including a 2019 Michelin star for its original chef, Mariya Russell, the first Black woman to be awarded a Michelin star. The 36-year-old Momosé, who was born and raised in Japan, was fascinated by Japanese rituals surrounding eating and drinking from an early age, and was inspired by watching her mother entertain at home. While attending Cornell University, she took jobs in restaurants and bars, eventually settling in Baltimore where she continued her hospitality education, most notably at Rye. From there, she moved to Chicago, where she became 'bar chef' at The Aviary, the groundbreaking cocktail lounge founded by Grant Achatz. After developing the bar menu at GreenRiver, the Chicago restaurant and bar that was a partnership between Danny's Meyer's Union Square Hospitality Group and The Dead Rabbit's Jack McGarry, it was time for Momosé to create something of her own. A chance meeting with the Sandovals led the trio to open Kumiko in December 2018. Inspired by Japanese minimalism— kumiko is a delicate style of woodworking that requires no nails or glue—Momosé developed the restaurant's cocktail menu, including a selection of 'spiritless' drinks. (She dislikes the word 'mocktail.') In 2022, Kumiko received the Exceptional Cocktails Award from Michelin. Accepting the evening's final award before a standing ovation at New Orleans' Fillmore theater, Momosé spoke movingly of visting New York City in her twenties. 'I remember trying to find home when I was there—and I found Angel's Share,' she said, recalling the beloved Japanese-inspired East Village speakeasy, which helped her appreciate a sense of community and 'people who were sharing a little bit of themselves through food and drink.' Momosé left the raucous crowd—which earlier saw appearances by Run the Jewels and Cheech and Chong, who handed our awards—with one last piece of advice: 'Try to find the beauty in those quiet moments.' Keeping up with the Japanese influence, the Best New U.S. Cocktail Bar went to Sip & Guzzle, the popular New York outpost of the renowned Tokyo bar created by Shingo Gokan, who was named International Bartender of Year at the Spirited Awards in 2017. Located in the West Village, Sip & Guzzle is renowned for its selection of Japanese beer, highballs and 'crushable' cocktails. New York's Sip & Guzzle won for Best New U.S. Cocktail Bar. Sip & Guzzle San Francisco's Trick Dog was honored as the Best U.S. Cocktail Bar, fulfilling its promise at the 2017 Spirited Awards, where it won for Best U.S. Cocktail menu. Also on the domestic front, Washington D.C.'s Allegory continued its winning ways. Last year's Spirited Award winner for Best U.S. Hotel Bar and Bartender of the Year (for Kapri Johnson), Allegory, located at the Eaton Hotel, won for Best U.S. Bar Team. The U.S. Bartender of the Year remained in the nation's capital with Christine Kim of Service Bar taking home the honor. After a moving speech in which she assured the crowd that 'you will find your way, your voice, your space, your people,' Kim distilled some universal wisdom: 'Don't be a dick.' Allegory in Washington, D.C., was named Best U.S. Bar Team. Allegory Among international honorees, Hong Kong's Bar Leone, last year's Best New International Cocktail Bar, avoided the sophomore jinx and was named Best International Bar. The Bar Leone team could likely offer some advice to Devil's Cut in Madrid, which was honored as the Best New International Cocktail Bar. London's Side Hustle was named Best International Hotel Bar this year and Milan's Moebius Milano won Best International Restaurant Bar. Side Hustle at the NoMad London was named Best International Hotel Bar. Side Hustle Mentorship has long been a vital part of the hospitality industry and the Spirited Awards honors two mentors each year. Iain McPherson, who founded Panda & Sons in Edinburgh, Scotland 12 years ago was named Best International Bar Mentor. Proof of McPherson's mentorship was recognized earlier in the evening when Panda & Sons won for Best International Bar Team. The bar also took home an award for World's Best Cocktail Menu. The Best U.S. Bar Mentor was awarded to Colin Asare-Appiah, last year's Tales Visionary Award winner and a 2016 Spirited Award winner for Best American Brand Ambassador. The author of Black Mixcellence: A Comprehensive Guide to Black Mixology, Asare-Appiah has spent more than three decades in the industry and has helped train the next generation of bartenders in the United States and throughout Africa as part of the AJABU Cocktail and Spirits Festival. Hong Kong's Bar Leone won for Best International Bar. Bar Leone This year's Helen Davidson Lifetime Achievement Award went to Ian Burrell, who began his career as a London bartender in the 1990s and reinvented himself as a 'global rum ambassador' some 20 years ago. The highly charismatic Burrell has represented many different rum brands over the years—including Equiano, which he cofounded in 2020—and is renowned in the industry for his self-described 'edutainment' presentation style. In accepting his award, the 50-year-old Burrell, reminded the audience that he still has a lot of years left: 'I hope to be the first person to win two lifetime achievement awards.' The most inspiring moment of the ceremony came from Tales Visionary Award-winner Lynnette Marrero, a veteran New York bartender who was named Best Bar Mentor at the 2019 Spirited Awards. In addition to cofounding Speed Rack, an international bartending competition for women, Marrero is the mixologist behind Delola, Jennifer Lopez' line of bottled cocktails. 'The thing that gives me the most joy n my life is the opportunity to serve people,' she said. 'It's time for all of us to be teachers and leaders, to remember that if you're some place, there's always someone who needs to come with you—so grab their hand and walk them along.' Finally, the Spirited Awards always raise a glass to some legendary watering holes. Madrid's Bar Cock was presented with the Timeless International Award. Founded in 1921, Bar Cock may resemble an English club—founder Emilio Saracho and head bartender Perico Chicote traveled from Spain to London to locate authentic furniture—but it has become Madrid institution, catering to local artists, writers, politicians, and of course the city's revelers. And The Bar at Keens Steakhouse in midtown Manhattan was honored with the Timeless U.S. Award. Keens, which dates back to 1885, began its long life as a theater hangout, given its location in New York's Herald Square. In addition to serving traditional English mutton chops, Keens is renowned for its extraordinary clay pipe collection. The 90,000 pipes once belonged to Keens regulars—from Babe Ruth and Teddy Roosevelt to J.P. Morgan and Albert Einstein. Like all great restaurant bars, Keens is worth arriving early for dinner to have a drink under the watchful eye of 'Miss Keens,' the nude portrait hanging over the bar for many decades. In 2019, billionaire Tilman Fertita added Keens to his Landry's hospitality empire, after purchasing the iconic steakhouse for $30 million. See the full list of winners from the 2025 Spirited Awards. Tales Of The Cocktail Spirited Awards 2025 INTERNATIONAL Devil's Cut in Madrid was named Best New International Cocktail Bar. Devil's Cut International Bartender of the Year: Lorenzo Antinori (Bar Leone, Hong Kong) Best International Bar Mentor: Iain McPherson Best International Brand Ambassador: Dré Masso (Altos Tequila and Nusa Caña Rum) Best International Bar Team: Panda & Sons (Edinburgh, Scotland) Best New International Cocktail Bar: Devil's Cut (Madrid, Spain) Best International Hotel Bar: Side Hustle (The NoMad Hotel London, London, UK) Best International Restaurant Bar: Moebius Milano (Milan, Italy) Best International Cocktail Bar: Bar Leone (Hong Kong, China) UNITED STATES Christine Kim of Service Bar in Washington, D.C. was named U.S. Bartender of the Year. REY LOPEZ U.S. Bartender of the Year: Christine Kim (Service Bar, Washington, D.C.) Best U.S. Bar Mentor: Colin Asare-Appiah Best U.S. Brand Ambassador: Natasha Sofia (Mijenta Tequila) Best U.S. Bar Team: Allegory at the Eaton Hotel (Washington, D.C.) Best New U.S. Cocktail Bar: Sip & Guzzle (New York, NY) Best U.S. Hotel Bar: Little Rituals (The Residence Inn/Courtyard by Marriott, Phoenix, AZ) Best U.S. Restaurant Bar: Kumiko (Chicago, IL) Best U.S. Cocktail Bar: Trick Dog (San Francisco, CA) WRITING & MEDIA Ten Speed Press . Best Cocktail & Spirits Publication: Full Pour Best Broadcast, Podcast, or Online Video Series: Radio Imbibe Best Cocktail & Spirits Writing: "In War-Torn Ukraine, Nightlife Offers a Fleeting Escape" by Adam Robb, for Wine Enthusiast Best New Cocktail or Bartending Book: The Bartender's Pantry: A Beverage Handbook for the Universal Bar by Jim Meehan and Bart Sasso with Emma Janzen Best New Book on Drinks Culture, History, or Spirits: The Cocktail Parlor: How Women Brought the Cocktail Home by Nicola Nice GLOBAL The Bar at Keens Steakhouse in New York was honored with the Timeless U.S. Award. Keens Helen David Lifetime Achievement Award: Ian Burrell Timeless International Award: Bar Cock (Madrid, Spain) Timeless U.S. Award: Keens Steakhouse (New York, NY) Tales Visionary Award: Lynette Marrero Best New Spirit or Cocktail Ingredient: Planteray Cut & Dry Coconut Rum World's Best Cocktail Menu: Panda & Sons (Edinburgh, Scotland) World's Best Spirits Selection: Eleven Madison Park (New York, NY) World's Best Bar: Kumiko (Chicago, IL) More from Forbes Forbes World's Best Bars: The Nominees For The 2025 Spirited Awards By Michael Solomon Forbes Colombia's Alquímico Named World's Best Bar At The 2024 Spirited Awards By Michael Solomon
Forbes
4 days ago
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America's Best Bourbon-According To The New Orleans Spirits Competition
Orleans and Bourbon intersection Streets Sign. Held in conjunction with Tails of the Cocktail, the New Orleans Spirit Competition is one of America's top whiskey judgings, getty The New Orleans Spirits Competition (NOSC) is an annual, internationally recognized spirits judging event held in conjunction with Tales of the Cocktail, one of the world's premier cocktail festivals. Established in 2022, the competition quickly gained credibility for its expert panels, rigorous standards, and focus on both craft and large-scale producers. Below are the top bourbons from the 2025 NOSC spirits judging. Heaven Hill's Bottled-in-Bond expression pays homage to one of America's most enduring whiskey traditions, reflecting the standards of the 1897 Bottled-in-Bond Act. It's aged a minimum of four years, bottled at 100 proof, and distilled by a single distillery within a single distilling season. This straight bourbon, typically aged for around seven years, showcases the craftsmanship and legacy of Heaven Hill. The whiskey features aromas of caramel, vanilla, cornbread, accented by toasted oak and a hint of black pepper. It's rich and full-bodied on the palate, showcasing flavors of toffee, charred oak, nutmeg, and baking spices, balanced by dark honey and a touch of dried orange zest. The finish is long, sweet, and flavorful, with lingering notes of wood spices, seasoned oak tannins, and vanilla. This approachable small-batch bourbon honors the founding year of Evan Williams' original distillery. Aged longer than the standard Black Label, it delivers remarkable smoothness and depth for its price point. The whiskey features aromas of vanilla and caramel with hints of seasoned oak, roasted nuts, and a trace of fresh buttered corn. It's smooth, with a candied sweetness on the palate, showcasing notes of brown sugar, marshmallow, and subtle cinnamon spice. The finish is long and sweet, with lingering notes of seasoned oak and vanilla. Starlight Distillery Carl T. Indiana Straight Bourbon Whiskey, 46% ABV, 750 ml. $45 Starlight Distillery, part of the Huber family's farm operations in Indiana, blends heritage agriculture with modern distillation techniques. Carl T. is their flagship bourbon, named after patriarch Carl T. Huber. Aged four to five years in new charred oak, it captures the terroir of the Midwest grain belt. The bourbon is a blend of two mash bills: a three-grain mash bill of 60% corn, 20% rye, and 20% malted barley, and a four-grain mash bill of 51% corn, 20% rye, 20% malted barley, and 9% wheat. The whiskey features aromas of roasted corn, ripe apple, cinnamon, and baking spices. It's smooth and flavorful on the palate, showcasing caramelized sugar, dark fruit, graham cracker, and a gentle rye spice backbone. The finish is medium-long and sweet with lingering notes of wood spices, chocolate, and fruitcake flavors. A sample of bourbon whiskey in a glass being evaluated. getty Heaven Hill Grain to Glass Traditional Barrel Series, Wheated Bourbon, 60.5% ABV, 700 ml. $152 Part of Heaven Hill's limited Grain to Glass initiative, this wheated bourbon spotlights local grains and traditional fermentation and distillation techniques. It showcases the softer, sweeter character of wheat as the secondary grain in the mash bill. Aged for 5-10 years, it's six years old on average. The whiskey is matured on floors three, four, and five in rickhouse W3. The bourbon features aromas of buttery pastry, dried cherry, cinnamon toast, and honeysuckle. It's smooth and velvety on the palate, with flavors of baked apple, butterscotch, almond nougat, and spiced honey. The finish is long and silky, with lingering notes of wood spices, cooked grain sweetness, and a subtle hint of aged tobacco leaf. Old Grand-Dad 16 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, 50% ABV, 750 ml. $206 This ultra-aged expression from the storied Old Grand-Dad label is a rare gem. Distilled from a high-rye mash bill and matured for 16 years, it offers a powerful and complex profile. It's bottled at a robust proof, featuring intense flavors and appealing to seasoned bourbon drinkers. The bourbon features intense aromas of leather, burnt sugar, aged tobacco, and stewed black cherries. It's robust and spicy on the palate, showcasing bold rye spices, black pepper, dark chocolate, black walnut, molasses, and charred oak. The finish is exceptionally long with lingering notes of black pepper, rye spices, and a dry, earthy leather note. Green River 1885, Kentucky Straight Bourbon, 42.5% ABV, 750 ml. $30 Revived in Owensboro, Kentucky, Green River is one of the oldest bourbon brands in the state. This young but lively bourbon is part of the brand's comeback, emphasizing high-quality production even at a youthful age. The mash bill consists of 76% corn, 15% rye, and 9% malted barley. The bourbon features aromas of vanilla pudding, cooked grain, and cinnamon candy. It's light-bodied on the palate and slightly sweet, showcasing flavors of cornbread, green apple, caramel drizzle, and allspice. The finish is relatively short, crisp and spicy, with lingering notes of toasted oak, caramel and black pepper. Blackland Prairie Gold Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey, 50% ABV, 750 ml. $87 Crafted in Fort Worth, Texas, this bold Texas bourbon is made from a proprietary grain bill that includes flint corn and triticale. The intense Texas heat accelerates the maturation process, creating a robust and flavorful spirit even at a young age. The whiskey features aromas of mesquite, molasses, roasted corn, and saddle leather. It's robust and full-flavored on the palate, showcasing flavors of charred wood, dark fruit compote, chili pepper, and wood spices. The finish is long and intense, with lingering notes of charred oak, dried herbs, and a savory, slightly saline note. Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel, Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, 63.5% ABV, 750 ml. $62 This innovative expression takes traditional Elijah Craig Small Batch and finishes it in custom-toasted new oak barrels. The toasting process enhances sweetness and wood influence without overwhelming char, making this a cult favorite. The bourbon features aromas of toasted marshmallow, graham cracker, dark caramel, and a hint of cocoa. It's rich and sweet on the palate with dessert-like flavors of vanilla custard, cinnamon toast, maple, and roasted nuts. The finish is long, sweet, and velvety, with lingering notes of wood spices, chocolate, seasoned oak, and caramel. Low Gap Old Fussbudget 8 Year, Cask Strength Straight Bourbon, 46% ABV, 750 ml. $130 Produced in small batches in Mendocino County, California, Low Gap is known for its grain-to-glass approach. The Old Fussbudget is a high-proof, barrel-finished bourbon aged for eight years and often showcases a range of finishing casks such as port or sherry. The mash bill consists of 65% corn, 20% malted barley, and 15% malted rye. The bourbon features aromas of fig, pipe tobacco, espresso, and plum jam. It's intense and full-bodied on the palate, with dark chocolate, wood spices, prune, dried herbs, and candied citrus zest. The finish is long, dry, and warming with lingering notes of oak, bittersweet cocoa, and wood spices. The bourbons honored at the 2025 New Orleans Spirits Competition reflect the incredible diversity and creativity shaping America's whiskey landscape today. Whether drawn from deep Kentucky roots or crafted by rising stars in Indiana, Texas, or California, each expression embodies a unique perspective on America's native spirit. From the accessible charm of Evan Williams 1783 to the bold maturity of Old Granddad 16-Year-Old, these award-winning bourbons deliver a rich spectrum of aromas, textures, and finishes that speak to both heritage and innovation. For collectors, connoisseurs, and curious sippers alike, these top NOSC medalists offer a masterclass in what makes American bourbon so globally revered. More From Forbes
