Amsterdam’s Flying Dutchmen Cocktails has reached a new milestone — and marked it in the best possible way: with a full bar. On March 4, the three co-owners welcomed family, former staff, friends and long-time supporters back into the Singel bar to celebrate its reopening and a new chapter for the venue. The timing could hardly have been better. The Amsterdam cocktail bar has once again been ranked the highest-scoring bar in the Netherlands, landing at No. 76 in the global Top 500 Bars, and now holds another distinction: it is the highest-ranked fully female-owned cocktail bar in Europe.

The new ownership structure sees Rosa Moolenaar (31) and Alina Lucia (24) joining Tess Posthumus as co-owners. Both started their careers behind the bar at Flying Dutchmen Cocktails and have grown into key figures within Amsterdam’s cocktail scene over the past years. “The fact that Rosa and Alina are stepping in as partners reflects what Flying Dutchmen Cocktails has always been about,” says Posthumus. “Growing within the industry based on talent, dedication and a real commitment to the craft.” Under the new structure, Posthumus will focus primarily on bar strategy, creative direction and education, while Lucia and Moolenaar will oversee daily operations at the bar.

A rare position in the global bar industry

Flying Dutchmen Cocktails’ new distinction also highlights a wider reality within the international cocktail scene: fully female-owned bars remain rare at the highest level. Of the 500 venues listed in the Top 500 Bars, only ten are owned exclusively by women — just 2% of the total ranking. “For women to become owners in the high-end cocktail segment, you really have to earn your stripes behind the bar,” says Moolenaar. Posthumus adds that the imbalance often begins earlier in the pipeline. “When I judge cocktail competitions internationally, I still mostly see male bartenders. Even in the Netherlands, you often see men behind the bar or in the kitchen, and women more in service roles. That’s where the imbalance starts.”

Talent first — regardless of gender

Despite their unique position, the three owners emphasize that the goal at Flying Dutchmen Cocktails is not to create a gender-specific environment, but rather a team built on talent and equal opportunity. “At Flying Dutchmen Cocktails, it’s about giving everyone the same chance to grow,” says Lucia. “Inclusivity means creating space and development opportunities for anyone with talent, regardless of gender. What matters most is quality, hospitality and knowledge.”

A bar built on education

With Lucia and Moolenaar now overseeing daily operations, Posthumus will dedicate more of her time to strategy, creativity and education, areas that have long been part of the bar’s DNA. Since 2021, Posthumus has served on the Board of Directors of the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation in New Orleans — an organization focused on developing the next generation of leaders within the drinks industry through seminars, mentorship and educational initiatives. Education has also been central to Flying Dutchmen Cocktails since day one. “At Flying Dutchmen Cocktails we want to teach Dutch bartenders and our guests to walk, run and eventually fly through the world of cocktails,” says Posthumus. “We start with the fundamentals: the classics.” The new ownership structure gives her the opportunity to further develop that mission. “Younger generations learn differently than those before them. As a bar industry we need to find new ways to share knowledge. For me, that’s an exciting project to keep building.”

The highest-ranked Dutch bar worldwide

Flying Dutchmen Cocktails currently sits at No. 76 in the global Top 500 Bars, earning international recognition for its focus on classic cocktails, hospitality and education.

The ten fully female-owned bars listed in the Top 500 Bars are:
Cochinchina (Buenos Aires No. 23), Flying Dutchmen Cocktails (Amsterdam No. 76), La Sala de Laura (Bogotá No. 125), Milady’s (New York No. 140), Clover Club (New York No. 149), Fura (Singapore No. 198), Kaito del Valle (Mexico City No. 231), Combat (Paris No. 252), Toca da Raposa (Lisbon No. 254), Elena Horto (Rio de Janeiro No. 426).

Flying Dutchmen Cocktails, located at Singel 460 in Amsterdam, is open daily from 17:00 until 04:00.