How Super Lyan Put Amsterdam Back on Europe’s Bar Map John Papastylianos, Super Lyan’s bar manager, on the seven years behind a spot on Europe’s 50 Best Bars
When the email landed confirming Super Lyan’s place on the inaugural Europe’s 50 Best Bars list, at No.42, Ryan Chetiyawardana read it first. John Papastylianos, Super Lyan’s bar manager and part of the leadership team, was told next. “As with all World’s 50 Best announcements, the information was highly confidential,” he says. “We took that […]
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Line, Athens: The No.1 Bar in Europe Didn’t Change a Thing, and That’s the Point
Line sits inside a former art gallery in Kato Petralona, all soaring ceilings and industrial bones, and until 30 June it was best known internationally as the bar that landed at No.8 on The World’s 50 Best Bars 2025. Then Europe got its own list. Line took No.1. For a bar that was already on […]
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Europe’s 50 Best Bars 2026: How the List Was Built, and Where the Bars Actually Are
On 30 June 2026, the bar industry gathered at De Kromhouthal in Amsterdam for something that had never happened before: the unveiling of Europe’s 50 Best Bars, the first dedicated European ranking from the organisation behind The World’s 50 Best Bars. Asia and North America had already received their own regional lists in previous years. […]
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The Invisible Conversation Between Wood and Rum Inside Ron Matusalem with Master Blender Cynthia Vargas
Words: Albert van Beeck Calkoen Pictures: By Rox Photography Founded in Santiago de Cuba in 1872, Ron Matusalem built its reputation on elegance rather than intensity, becoming one of the pioneers of the Solera aging system in rum production. After the Cuban Revolution, the Alvarez family rebuilt the brand in the Dominican Republic, where production […]
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From Greenhouse to your glass: Inside Suntory Roku Gin’s Botanical Journey to Kopper Cress
Flavor doesn’t start behind the bar, it starts at the source. That idea formed the foundation of a recent inspiration trip that brought together bartenders and growers to explore how ingredients shape the way we build drinks. At the heart of Suntory Roku Gin lies the principle of shun, the belief that botanicals should be […]
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Rituals in Motion: Inside Diageo World Class Netherlands – The Ketel One Coffee Challenge
Words & photos: Albert van Beeck Calkoen On April 21, inside Hotel Arena, the Dutch chapter of one of the world’s most influential bartending competitions unfolded once again. Diageo World Class isn’t just a contest. It’s a global stage, with national rounds across participating countries, all leading toward an international final where the very best […]
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CUE Amsterdam: where food, drinks & music move as one
There is a certain kind of place that does not try to fit into a category. Not because it cannot, but because it was never built that way to begin with. CUE is exactly that kind of place. Spread across two floors on the Utrechtsestraat, it brings together a Michelin-starred restaurant upstairs and a vinyl-driven […]
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Sip the Moment: From Sunrise to Moonlight with Giffard
Photos and words: Albert van Beeck Calkoen Understanding both the spirit of the brand and the theme of the competition was essential for this year’s jury, and for the bartenders stepping behind the bar. Founded in 1885 by Émile Giffard, Giffard remains a family-owned company five generations later. What began with the iconic Menthe-Pastille has […]
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Amsterdam Cocktail Week Returns with the best bars of the city Amsterdam Cocktail Week Is Bigger Than Ever
From March 27 to April 5, Amsterdam turns into one big cocktail festival. Amsterdam Cocktail Week, the event I set up 10 years ago, is back. For ten days, the city celebrates its cocktail scene and the people who make it what it is. Expect exclusive signature cocktails at 23 of the city’s best bars, […]
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