For the first time, some of Canada’s greatest watering holes have been recognized by The Pinnacle Guide, a new recognition system for cocktail bars. Think of it as Michelin, but for the stirred-and-shaken set, offering one, two or three “pins” rather than stars; one pin means “excellent,” two “outstanding” and three “exceptional.”

Vancouver’s Prophecy Bar is the country’s first to earn two pins, while six others earned one: Bagheera and Mount Pleasant Vintage & Provisions in Vancouver; Bar Pompette, Library Bar and Suite 115 in Toronto; and in Montreal, Cloakroom Bar.

Congratulations to a worthy lineup of establishments and the talented barkeeps behind their drinks programs!

The Pinnacle Guide was created by London Cocktail Week co-founders Hannah Sharman-Cox and Siobhan Payne, along with Dan Dove, founder/director of the Global Bartending agency, and announced its first pins in May 2024. It recognizes excellence in drinks, ambience and hospitality, as well as operators who make a positive social impact. And, unlike some awards programs, it promises a fair and transparent evaluation process that begins with an application and includes rigorous assessment modules, spot-check interviews and anonymous in-bar reviews.

The deadline for the next round of applications is November 2025.