North America’s 50 Best Bars will celebrate its fourth edition in Vancouver, Canada, with a three-day event program culminating in the highly anticipated awards ceremony on April 29, 2025. This is the first time the prestigious event will be held in Canada, offering a platform to showcase Vancouver’s innovative cocktail culture and the exceptional talent of bars and bartenders across the USA, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean.
This year’s event introduces an expanded ranking, unveiling bars placed 51-100 in the weeks leading up to the ceremony. This addition recognizes the region’s growing prominence in the global cocktail scene and highlights up-and-coming bars alongside established icons.
The multi-day celebration will include the Bartenders’ Feast, an exclusive gathering held the night before the awards, followed by the live countdown of the top 50 bars and the announcement of special awards such as Michter’s Art of Hospitality and Altos Bartenders’ Bartender. The event will culminate with the reveal of The Best Bar in North America 2025, an honour determined by votes from an expert panel of over 300 bar industry professionals, cocktail writers, and well-traveled enthusiasts.
The awards program is hosted in partnership with Destination Vancouver, which sees this as an opportunity to highlight the city’s expanding mixology scene, set against its stunning natural backdrop. Royce Chwin, President & CEO of Destination Vancouver, emphasized the significance of this moment for the city, calling it an opportunity to shine a spotlight on its diverse communities and creative spirit.
Vancouver will welcome attendees from across the continent, showcasing its vibrant hospitality industry through a series of events designed to inspire, celebrate, and connect the bar community. The ceremony itself will be broadcast live, allowing a global audience to join the celebration.
Special awards, including the new Rémy Martin Legend of the List award, will also take centre stage. This honour will recognize a bar with consistently exceptional performance throughout the history of the rankings. The event’s expansion into a 51-100 ranking reinforces its commitment to celebrating the diversity and depth of talent shaping North America’s bar scene.
For attendees and global viewers, this year’s event promises to spotlight the innovation, creativity, and passion that define the region’s best bars. From intimate speakeasies to dynamic cocktail destinations, the program will honour the establishments and teams setting new standards in hospitality and mixology.