Bartenders’ Choice Awards is coming to our region for the very first time
Some moments feel bigger than a single event.
This is one of them.
In 2026, Bartenders’ Choice Awards will officially enter Central & Eastern Europe, bringing one of the bar industry’s most respected award platforms to our part of the world for the very first time. Founded in the Nordics in 2010, BCA has built a strong reputation by celebrating the people, places, and brands shaping cocktail culture at the highest level.
Now that story is expanding.
With countries including Poland, Czechia, Slovakia, Croatia, Serbia, and Hungary becoming part of this new chapter, the platform opens the door to a wider conversation about what is happening in our region — and why more and more people are paying attention.
The key date to mark is May 6, 2026, when the winners will be revealed during the Bartenders’ Choice Awards Gala at the Radisson Blu Carlton Hotel in Bratislava, held as part of Mirror Hospitality Expo. The evening will bring together a live awards ceremony, brand activations, signature cocktails, networking, and an official after party.
What makes BCA so relevant is that it has never been just about handing out trophies.
The awards are decided by an independent jury of respected industry professionals, and the wider mission is built around recognising talent, celebrating hospitality, and strengthening the community around bars, drinks, and service culture.
That is also why this feels like such a strong match for Mirror Hospitality Expo.
Bringing the first BCA Central & Eastern Europe Gala to Bratislava is not only exciting because of the awards themselves. It also says something about where the region stands today. There is growing energy here, stronger bar identities, and a hospitality scene that deserves a bigger international spotlight. The BCA team explicitly frame this expansion as a way to connect the region’s leading bartenders, bar owners, and drinks brands more closely with the wider international industry.
For anyone working in hospitality, this is the kind of milestone worth watching.
Not just because of who wins, but because of what it represents: recognition from within the industry, stronger regional visibility, and another step forward for Central & Eastern Europe as a serious force in modern bar culture.
On May 6, 2026, the spotlight will not just be on individual names.
It will be on a whole region stepping into a new level of visibility — with Bartenders’ Choice Awards arriving in Bratislava for the first time.
We already know the Slovak nominees, and the list shows just how strong the local scene is heading into the first edition of BCA Central & Eastern Europe. In the categories Best Cocktail Menu Slovakia, People’s Choice Slovakia, and Best Cocktail Bar Slovakia, the nominees are Antique American Bar, Mirror Bar, Old Fashioned Bar, Sky Bar, and The Grapes. The Best Atmosphere Slovakia category adds Michalska Cocktail Room to that group. In the individual categories, Improver of the Bar Industry Slovakia includes Dominik Tapušík, Ľuboš Rácz, Miroslav Telehanič, Peter Marcina, and Stanislav Harciník, while Best Bartender Slovakia features Evica Domonji, Marián Potuček, Michal Dojčák, Noro Rund, and Stanislav Harciník. Taken together, the nominations confirm that the Slovak bar scene is bringing both strong venues and standout personalities into the regional spotlight.
