Events

The World’s Best Bartenders Are Coming to Vancouver—Here’s Where to Find Them

North America’s 50 Best Bars Awards is bringing bartenders from all over the world to the city. Find stars from Montreal to Mexico City behind the counter at these special Vancouver events next week.

By Anjini Snape /

Get ready to raise a glass to the best bartenders in the world: they’re all going to be in town next week, after all, as Vancouver hosts the fourth annual ceremony for North America’s 50 Best Bars Awards on April 29th. These stars from the buzziest bars in the world will have some time on their hands as they wait for the big reveal of the NA50BB top 50, so in the days leading up to the ceremony, you’ll find them shaking and stirring up a storm at some of our fave local watering holes… and then there’s plenty happening the day after the main event, too. Here’s where to sample the world’s finest mixology, right in your own backyard.

Friday, April 25

Commercial Drive Collaborations

Ever want to bar hop on Commercial Drive, but can’t be bothered to move to the next location? From April 25 to May 2, eight bars on Commercial Drive will be pairing up to produce a limited-edition cocktail menu, so you can enjoy twice as many bars with half the effort. The parings are Sopra Sotto x Nonna’s Cucina, Loula’s x Bar Corso, The Flamingo Room x La Mezcalaria and Havana x Mum’s the Word. Each bar-duo will feature cocktails that reflect the energy of both bars and the artistic spirit of the Drive.

 

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Sunday, April 27

Mexico City’s Tlecān at The Flamingo Room

If the sunshine has you beach-ready, you can check out The Flamingo Room where Eli Martinez from Mexico City’s Tlecān, a bar ranked No. 10 on the 2024 North America’s Best Bars and No. 20 for the World’s Best Bars lists, will collab with Solmano Mezcal and Don Fulano Tequila to host an agave seminar and tasting from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.. The event will feature Tlecān’s custom spirits, a welcome cocktail, and small bites prepared by The Flamingo Room. Guests attending the afternoon session will also be invited to Martinez’s bar takeover from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., with a complimentary cocktail of their choice.

 

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Nightcap by The Cana-dylans at Ama

For a late-night stop, from 11:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m., Ama Raw Bar in Vancouver will host a trifecta of Dylans, with Dylan Brentwood of Halifax’s Bar Tailfeather, Dylan Malonez of Toronto’s Bar Mordecai, and Dylan Riches of Vancouver’s Ama each serving up four to six drinks, in partnership with Suntory and Fernet-Branca. You can skip the McDonald’s on the way home as Ama’s Executive Chef Sean Yeun will be serving a late-night, small-bites food menu.

Best Signature Session at Prophecy Bar

Prophecy Bar will be hosting a coast-to-coast celebration of the country’s finest cocktail makers with the 50 Best Signature Session: O Canada! The event runs from 6:00pm to midnight and will feature cocktails made by nine of Canada’s top bars, with options ranging from a no-frills, good vibes cocktail from Calgary’s Missy’s or a lavish, all the frills cocktail from Toronto’s Mother.

Chicago’s Meadowlark and Paris’ Candelaria at The Chickadee Room

The Chickadee Room in Chinatown is hosting a double feature with Chicago’s Meadowlark for Brunch from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Paris’ Candelaria from 8:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Meadowlark brings the energy of a cool neighbourhood bar to Chickadee, and Candelaria brings taqueria-style, agave-based cocktails.

 

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Monday, April 28

60 years of Tommy at Botanist Bar

Botanist Bar is kicking off its celebrations with a tribute to an iconic cocktail. Julio Bermejo, the Head Bartender at the award-winning Tommy’s Mexican Restaurant in San Francisco and the creator of the famous Tommy’s Margarita, a twist on the classic that uses agave nectar instead of triple sec, will be leading a seminar on the story behind the classic margarita at Botanist Bar from 3:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.. He will be joined by Dré Masso (co-creator of Altos tequila) and Iain McPherson of Edinburgh’s Panda and Sons, a speakeasy hidden behind a vintage barbershop.

Grand Tasting Affair Miami at The Lobby Lounge

The Best 50 Awards are bringing Miami heat to The Lobby Lounge with live Cuban music and pop-ups from four of Miami’s best bars, Cafe La Trova, Champagne Bar, Bar Kaiju and ViceVersa. You can enjoy a tropical getaway without the travel from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

New York’s Shinji’s at Botanist Bar

Shinji’s, a cocktail bar  in New York City, will be collaborating with Botanist Bar in Vancouver from 8:00 p.m.  to 11:00 p.m., with two signature creations and bites from each bar. Shinji’s, known for their extensive list of signature cocktails, tableside handrolls and rare Japanese whisky will bring bold flavours and cocktail artistry, while Botanist’s nature-inspired cocktails will bring earthy and fresh flavours to the event.

Toronto’s Bar Pompette and Bar Raval at The Chickadee Room

If you missed the first night at the Chickadee Room, don’t fret, you can swing by on Monday for a back-to-back East Coast takeover, featuring two bars from Toronto, the French-inspired Bar Pompette and Barcelona-inspired pinxto style Bar Raval from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

50 Best Sustainability Showcase at Prophecy Bar

Prophecy Bar is hosting icons of the sustainable bar space and previous winners of the Ketel One Sustainable Bar award from 8:00 p.m. until midnight. The line-up includes San Francisco’s True Laurel, Denver’s Yacht Club, Halifax’s Bar Kismet and Stockholm’s Röda Huset. Each bar will be given ethically and sustainably sourced products from local producers and foragers to use for their cocktails, with a portion of all profits going to Vancouver Neighbourhood Food Networks.

Chicago’s Kumiko at Meo

Julia Momosé of Chicago’s Kumi blends Japanese ingredients and techniques with American cocktail influences to create her cocktails. You can catch Momosé behind the bar at Chinatown’s Meo from 9:00 p.m., with snacks and dishes available from Meo’s dinner menu.

Après with Whistler’s The Raven Room at Mount Pleasant Vintage and Provisions

The Raven Room is trading Whistler’s Blackcomb for Vancouver’s slightly lower altitude Mount Pleasant for their Après at Mount Pleasant Vintage and Provisions, from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The event is sponsored by Elevacion 1250 Tequila, Xila Mexican Aperitif and Solmano Mezcal and features Raven’s Dani Crowley and Josh Lelay shaking up cocktails and, of course, shotskis.

Guadalajara’s El Gallo Altanero and More at Laowai

Chinatown’s speakeasy Laowai, ranked No. 67 on the 2025 list of North America’s 51 to 100 Best Bars, welcomes an international array of great cocktail makers. They will host Freddy Andreasson and Alejandra De Aguinag of Guadalajara’s El Gallo Altanero (No. 40 on the 2024 Best Bars list), Max Reis of Los Angeles’ Mirate (No. 46 on the 2024 list), Eli Martinez of Mexico City’s Tlecān (No. 10 on the 2024 list), Kate Gerwin of Albuquerque’s Happy Accidents (No. 88 on the 2025 list), Joshua Monaghan of Cancun’s Kyomu and award-winning bartender Christine Wisman.

Tuesday, April 29

Pre-Ceremony Margarita Party at The Lobby Lounge

The Lobby Lounge is making sure you start the night off right by hosting a Pre-Awards Ceremony Margarita Party from 3:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., featuring pop-ups from Vertical Evolution, Umbra, Cure and Library by the Sea and serving signature margaritas and palomas.

Wednesday, April 30

Mexico City’s Rayo at Elem

Mexico City’s Rayo, No. 5 on 2024’s North America’s Best Bar list, will be presenting a showcase of its signature creations from their beverage consultant Audrey Hands and Elem’s beverage director Winnie Sun at Elem. Each of Rayo’s cocktails celebrate Mexican tradition and culture with curated spirits, liqueurs and ingredients. You can try them out from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., alongside dishes from Elem’s Chef Vish Mayekar’s Mexican-inspired menu.

New York’s Clover Club and Milady’s Pop-Up at Botanist Bar

Industry icon Julie Reiner, known for establishing Manhattan’s Flatiron Lounge, Fort Myers’ Lani Kai, Brooklyn’s Clover Club and SoHo’s Milady’s, will host a pop-up at Botanist Bar from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The event will feature her signature creations, including her famous Clover Club and Milady’s Martini.

We’ll update this list as we hear of more events! Stay tuned.