Milan becomes world cocktail capital: all The 50 Best Bars 2026 events

For one week Milan becomes the world's reference point for mixology. On Wednesday, October 7, as reported by Corriere della Sera, the former Palazzo del Ghiaccio on via Piranesi hosts the awards ceremony for The 50 Best Bars 2026, the ranking now in its 18th edition that crowns the best bars on the planet.

Awaiting the verdict, from October 4 to 7, numerous cocktail bars and luxury hotels in Milan open their doors to international colleagues with events often accessible to the public as well.

Where to go

The Rita on via Fumagalli offers a packed calendar: starting Sunday 4 with a brunch together with Paris's Le Mary Celeste, followed in the evening by London's Velvet by Salvatore Calabrese; at Rita's Tiki Room comes Shanghai's Ring Zhao. Monday 5 is for Barcelona's Boadas with live Cuban music, while Wednesday 7 features Mexico's Limantour.

The venues of the Mag group - Mag La Pusterla, Mag Navigli and Iter - welcome bartenders from Europe, the United States, Asia and Australia from October 4 to 6: worth noting is Monday 5 with an all-female evening at Mag La Pusterla and Tuesday 6 the arrival from Guangzhou of Hope & Sesame, top-ranked in Asia's 50 Best Bars 2026.

Among the hotels, the Mandarin Garden at Mandarin Oriental engages with Japanese style on Sunday 4 and with the group's Asian teams on Tuesday 6, pairing drinks with proposals from chef Antonio Guida. At Portrait Milano arrive Manchester's Schofield's Bar (Monday 5) and then Paris's De Vie and London's The Connaught Bar (Tuesday 6). At Casa Brera land New York's Monkey Thief and Belgrade's Riddle Bar, while Piba celebrates with bartenders from Buenos Aires's Tres Monos the Fernandito, the Fernet Branca-based drink that has become a phenomenon in Argentina.

The Dry and other appointments

At the Dry on via Solferino, Monday 5 and Tuesday 6 October, some of the most renowned names from the world ranking alternate at the bar, from Alquímico to Zuma, with space also for street food. On Tuesday 6 the Distillerie Branca open exceptionally by invitation for the bar community, while at Speronari Suites bartender Patrick Pistolesi presents a celebratory cocktail inspired by the dialogue between Milan and Japan.