Five days, more than 20 events, a new Bartender of the Year, a new most influential person in the industry and 30 Bar Awards. Here is how the week played out.
Sydney Bar Week ran from Saturday 12 to Wednesday 16 September, and by the time the last award was handed out at Doltone House, a handful of names had turned up again and again. Callum Marra. Dre Walters. Old Love’s. The Gresham. Suntory. More on that below.
The week
The program opened on Saturday with the Cibaria Beach Club at 55 North in Manly and ran through Sunday’s Suntory Club House at The International, Monday’s Espolòn Cocktail Fights national finals at Oxford Art Factory, and Wednesday’s Massenez Masters Golden Eight national final at Dean & Nancy on 22.
In between were the events that make the week what it is: bartenders hosting bartenders. Good Measure and Bar DEMO’s Bartender’s Lunch in Newtown, the Savile Row and Old Love’s Barlympics takeover, Linla’s night market with A trap., hospo trivia at the Bat & Ball, and a mini golf competition at Holey Moley courtesy of Licor 43.
Bartender of the Year
Tuesday belonged to Bartender of the Year. Competitors sat the written exam, a sensory round and a series of practical challenges at Razz Room, and the field was cut to eight: Keeley McAlinden, Callum Marra, Harry Saggers, Jonothan Carr, Matthew Cappetta, Damien Lefebure, Gavin Shi and Shevaughn Bambrough.
Three went through to the final: Marra from Old Love’s, Shi from Razz Room and Cappetta from The Baxter Inn. The final played out that night in front of the Top 100 at the Most Influential party, with the result held until the Bar Awards the following evening.
Callum Marra of Old Love’s is the 2026 Bartender of the Year. It was a good week for the venue, which also took Rum Bar of the Year.
For those who sat the paper: yes, the bourbon section was gone this year, replaced by Cointreau and orange liqueurs, and the whisky section got bigger. There was also more multiple choice. You are welcome.
Thanks to Spirits Academy for backing the competition.
The Most Influential
The Top 100 was published in alphabetical order ahead of the week. On Tuesday night at Razz Room, with 200 people in the room, we counted down the ranked Top 20.
Dre Walters of Old Mate’s Group is the most influential person in the Australian bar industry for 2026. His response on stage: “I think you’re all wrong, but thank you. I’ll take it.”
Daisy Tulley of Mucho Hospitality Group was second, followed by Stefano Catino of Maybe Group, Luke Whearty of Byrdi, and Natalie Ng of Suntory Global Spirits Oceania, with her colleague John Galiatsatos at six.
The Top 20 is weighted to operators and group owners, which reflects how influence in this industry works now. The people shaping careers, training teams and setting the standard are increasingly running multiple venues, not one bar.
The list is biennial. The next one is in 2028.
The Australian Bar Awards
Wednesday closed the week with the 25th Australian Bar Awards at Doltone House, Jones Bay Wharf. For the first time, tickets were open to the wider hospitality industry, not just finalists and partners.
Thirty awards were presented. The full list of winners is here, but the headlines were:
Bar of the Year: Frog’s Hollow Saloon, Queensland
Cocktail Bar of the Year: Byrdi, Victoria
New Bar of the Year: Three Horses, Victoria
Best Bartenders’ Bar: Old Mate’s Place, New South Wales
Bar Manager of the Year: Corby Small, The Gresham, Queensland
Rookie Bartender of the Year: Carter Stacey, Frog’s Hollow Saloon, Queensland
Hall of Fame: Anneliese Grazioli, Hanky Panky Lounge, Northern Territory
New South Wales took 13 awards, but Queensland had the stronger night relative to its size, with seven, including Bar of the Year and a double for The Gresham, which also won Bar Team of the Year. Victoria took four, and South Australia, Tasmania, the ACT and the Northern Territory one each.
The names that kept coming up
Put the three lists side by side and the overlap is hard to miss.
Dre Walters topped the Most Influential, and Old Mate’s Place was voted Best Bartenders’ Bar. Luke Whearty was fourth, and Byrdi won Cocktail Bar of the Year. Stefano Catino was third, and Maybe Sammy took Cocktail List of the Year. Matthew Stirling was 13th, and Fancy Free Group was named Bar Operator of the Year.
Claudia Morgan of Bar DEMO was seventh on the list and Host of the Year. Anneliese Grazioli was 12th and went into the Hall of Fame. Leah Dunnigan of Savile Row was 19th, and her venue produced the Rookie of the Year.
Suntory had two people in the top six, won Training Program of the Year for Club Suntory, and Alice Newport took Brand Ambassador of the Year.
Influence, it turns out, is not an abstract idea. It shows up in the bars.
Thank you to our partners, to everyone who competed, voted and hosted, and to everyone who turned up. See you next year.
