In the near decade since we launched Best New Bartenders (formerly known as our Bartenders in Residence program), it’s no secret that the world of bartending has changed. This is true for the cocktails—at some bars, a mastery of high-tech equipment is as much a part of the game as knowing your classics, while rising costs have inspired teams to get clever when sourcing and creating ingredients—and for the profession itself. Social media, the competition circuit, the impacts of immigration enforcement on the industry and the changing (and increasingly demanding) requests of customers have all made their mark on what is required of, and what it means to be, a bartender today.
This year, through our partnership with Astral Tequila, you could say we’re going back to basics. For the Best New Bartenders class of 2026, we paid special attention to those who prioritize hospitality, plain and simple, whatever that means to them. We were inspired not only by their commitment to great service (not to mention great cocktails), but also the ways they extend that generosity and solidarity to their peers, their staff, their community, the environment and the profession as a whole.
These are the Best New Bartenders of 2026.
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