The Library Bar (#19) and Civil Works (#29) are the latest Toronto bar stars to join the prestigious list of North America’s 50 Best Bars 2026, which were announced at a celebration in Vancouver (the host city for the second year in a row) on April 22. They join existing entries Mother (#22) and Bar Pompette (#8) in the top 50.
Lucas Van Es named World Class Canada 2026 Bartender of the Year
The Diageo World Class award-winning bartending team celebrate the latest Canadian addition. Photo courtesy of World Class Canada
While most Canadians were out enjoying their tacos and Margaritas this Cinco de Mayo, Lucas Van Es spent the day at the Four Seasons Whistler doing the bartender equivalent of running a marathon—and coming in first.
On May 5, Van Es, who works at Vancouver’s Keefer Bar, was named Diageo World Class Canada 2026 Bartender of the Year, edging out nine other highly skilled bartenders from across Canada. After an arduous day of muddling, shaking and stirring, he was given the coveted gilded shaker statue and will now move on to represent Canada at the 2026 Diageo World Class Global Final in Scotland this fall.
So, how good did that feel?
“Obviously it feels amazing,” says Van Es. “It hasn’t fully sunk in, but it’s an incredible honour and it feels great after all the hard work and stress and determination that it takes to prepare for this competition. I’m really proud of myself for pulling it off.”
This was his third attempt at the comp, which is not at all unusual for a World Class contender that sees bartenders work for years to achieve their goals.
“It’s like having a second full-time job,” says Kate Chernoff, who won World Class Canada last year.
“I think what the World Class program does is push you to think about drinks from the inside out, so, I think it increases your intentionality,” she adds. “And that stays with you in every move you make, in every job you have, no matter where you’re working.”
Bartenders who succeed at World Class aren’t only on top of their technical skills, they’re also master storytellers focused on expressing their point of view through cocktails.
Lucas celebrates a well-deserved win after the Canadian final competition in Whistler, B.C. Photo courtesy of World Class Canada
“My first serious bartending job was at the Acorn, a fine dining restaurant in Vancouver that sourced locally and used a lot of foraged ingredients,” recalls Van Es, who found creative ways to use them in cocktails. “So, it was at an early point in my career that I became inspired to make drinks that had a sense of place.”
From submission to finals, Van Es made over a dozen unique cocktails featuring as many local, seasonal and sustainable ingredients as possible. His favourite, though, was the Rock Garden, a cocktail he created for the Tanqueray 10 challenge, which involved making a modern classic inspired by an industry icon.
“I chose Hiroyasu Kayama, from Bar Benfiddich in Tokyo,” says Van Es, noting that the legendary Japanese bar owner farms and forages all his ingredients. “I don’t have my own family farm, but I used what I have in my front yard, which is a plum tree, so I made a homemade Umeshu (plum liqueur).
He combined this with a syrup made from fresh chamomile and freeze-distilled citrus juice. There’s no single winning drink in World Class, but the Rock Garden scored well, so it was a factor.
So, what’s next? Van Es is going to try to take a short breather and savour the win after “weeks and weeks” of hard work. But, when you have a second full-time job, there’s never really a break in the action.
“I’m also going to be doing some real hard thinking about what the expectations at World Class Global Finals are,” he says. “I’ll be trying to think up some preliminary ideas and dialing in my techniques bartending skills, so I’ll be prepared.”
The pressure is real. Canada has an incredibly strong record at World Class, with four global champions in the past decade—Kaitlyn Stewart (2017), James Grant (2021), Jacob Martin (2023) and Keegan McGregor (2024). All those folks are in his corner and rooting for Van Es.
“Every single one said to me ‘You’ve got my number, let’s make sure you’re ready. Let’s make sure we get this done’,” says Van Es. “We all want to see Canada continue the streak and hopefully bring back another global win.”
The Prophecy Bar team. Photos courtesy of Prophecy
June on Cambie (#17) and Prophecy (#32) are the latest B.C. bar stars to join the prestigious list of North America’s 50 Best Bars 2026, which were announced at a celebration in Vancouver (the host city for the second year in a row) on April 22.
They join Botanist Bar (#38) and The Keefer Bar (#7 and ranking as Canada’s Best Bar on the list) in the top 50—in both cases, growing the Vancouver family bar tree sprouting from those institutions. Jeff Savage, beverage director of Prophecy, was previously lead bartender at Botanist, when it won the Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award 2024 from North America’s 50 Best Bars. June on Cambie is the brainchild of The Keefer Bar team and its key players, including beverage director Amber Bruce and operating partner Keenan Hood.
Cocktails at Prophecy.
Also notable were the number of B.C. bars on the extended 51–100 list for 2026. Those included Humboldt Bar (which went from #69 last year to #53) and Citrus & Cane (a new entry at #87) in Victoria, plus new entries Mount Pleasant Vintage & Provisions (#91) and Bagheera (#59) in Vancouver, plus Meo (#64) and Laowai (#72) in Vancouver, which were also on last year’s list.
GM Sylvio Daniele prepares an Ugly Banana cocktail at Cosmo Pony. Viranlly Liemena photo
Tucked inside the iconic Grand Hyatt Jakarta, Cosmo Pony is more than a bar—it’s a destination, where the city’s vibrant energy and warm hospitality are distilled into an elevated cocktail experience. Brought to you by hospitality powerhouses Union Group of Jakarta and the team behind Asia’s No. 3 bar, Singapore’s Jigger & Pony, it has quickly established itself as one of the region’s most compelling addresses, landing at No. 38 on Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2025 within its first year.
Mezcal has always had a way of sparking conversation at the bar. From its smoky, earthy backbone to the wild diversity of agave varietals, this spirit has become a favourite canvas for bartenders eager to showcase both tradition and innovation.
For this edition of Tasting Panel, we asked six bartenders across Canada to share the bottles that excite them most and the cocktails that best show off their chosen mezcal.
This issue’s panel features Chris Enns, Andrew Kong, Taylor Kare and Chey Haima from British Columbia as well as Matt Sinagoga and Emma Osmond from Ontario.
Sanctuary Single Malt Whisky distills the natural rhythms of the coast into a liquid refuge
Sanctuary Single Malt Whisky – Classic Edition captures Vancouver Island’s wild coastal beauty. Photo provided by Phillips Brewing.
On Vancouver Island, the land, sea and climate shape everything that grows.
Sanctuary Single Malt Whisky captures that character in a bottle. Made entirely local, the flavour of B.C. barley, the richness of the soil, the coastal wind and the rhythm of the Pacific tides all come together to create a truly distinctive tasting experience.
From limited-edition anniversary pours to world-class guest shifts: six trending experiences of the 2026 festival.
Living Room Creative photo
Every Vancouver Cocktail Week has its standouts—the events that industry folks, media, and returning guests keep mentioning in the same breath. This year, the buzz is building around experiences that feel precise, intentional, and culturally distinct. If you’re scanning the schedule for the week’s most coveted tickets, start here.
Presenting the High-Value Edit: World-class VCW events for under $100
We’ve created the High-Value Edit: a shortlist of world-class Vancouver Cocktail Week events under $50 and under $100. Living Room Creative photo
Want to “do” Vancouver Cocktail Week properly? The secret isn’t a bigger budget—it’s a better map.
The full 2026 calendar is officially live, and while the galas and cocktail-paired dinners are spectacular, there is magic to be found in the masterclasses, parties and neighbourhood crawls that don’t break the bank. We’ve curated the High-Value Edit: a shortlist of world-class VCW events that prove you can stretch your festival dollar without lowering your standards.
