Walk into a great bar right now and you’ll likely feel that the energy is shifting. The “look what we can do” era filled with maximal technique, maximal garnish, maximal everything is starting to make room for something more human. In 2026, bars aren’t just trying to impress you. They’re trying to keep you.
And that means drinks that feel better in your body, menus that feel easier to navigate and spaces that feel like you belong there whether you’re having one cocktail or three.
Mindful drinking isn’t new, but 2026 sounds like the year it becomes truly first-class hospitality.
