For the first time ever, Slovakia is among the absolute elite of the world's bars. Bratislava's Mirror Bar, located in the iconic Carlton Hotel, has been ranked on the prestigious international list of The World's 50 Best Bars for 2025, which annually recognizes the best bars on the planet. The results were announced during a gala event in Hong Kong. This extraordinary success of the Slovak bar confirms that when talent, courage, vision, and team passion come together, even a small country can confidently compete with the world's biggest metropolises and offer world-class service.
The World's 50 Best Bars is compiled annually by more than 800 beverage experts from around the world. Voting is anonymous and reflects the experts' personal experiences of bar culture across continents. The aim is to recognize not only exceptional drinks but also the atmosphere, service, creativity, and overall experience a bar offers. To give you a better idea, earning a place in this ranking is comparable to being awarded three Michelin stars in gastronomy. It is, therefore, the pinnacle of global prestige.
Slovakia among the world's top
The success of Mirror Bar is of great importance for Slovakia - and especially for the domestic bar and gastronomy scene. It is the first Slovak bar to be among the top 50 bars in the world and the only bar from Central Europe to appear in this year's ranking. Slovakia ranked 25th out of 50 and also won the Disaronno Highest New Entry Award for the highest newcomer of the year. Overall, it succeeded in the competition against more than 10,000 bars from all over the world.
"This is a historic moment for Slovak bar culture. This success is not just about one team, but about a whole generation of bartenders who prove that even in a small country you can create world-class quality," says Róbert Tóth, director of the Radisson Blu Carlton Hotel, where the unique Mirror Bar is located.
The team that put Slovakia on the world bar map
Behind the success of Mirror Bar is a team led by bar manager Petr Marcinová and global ambassador Stanislav Harciník, who together have been shaping the bar's philosophy for more than six years. Their approach combines precision technique, working with local ingredients, and experiential service - all in an iconic hotel space that has been at the heart of Bratislava's social scene for more than a century.
"Our goal has never been just to make cocktails, but to create emotion. Every drink at Mirror Bar has a story - sometimes about Slovakia, sometimes about the travels that inspire us. The fact that this approach has been appreciated by professionals from all over the world is a great satisfaction for us," adds Peter Marcina.
At the award ceremony in Hong Kong, Slovakia was represented by a delegation of the Mirror Bar team, who together received an exceptional award. "The atmosphere was incredible - standing on the same stage with bars we have admired for many years is an experience that cannot be described," says Stanislav Harciník.
The impact on Slovak tourism and the gastro scene is huge
According to Marek Harbuľák, President of the Association of Hotels and Restaurants of Slovakia (AHRS), this award has a wider significance for the entire tourism sector. Thanks to the top quality of its services, the bar is an attraction for many foreign visitors and often one of the reasons why tourists head to Bratislava. In addition, Mirror Bar has also become recognizable abroad and thus serves as a calling card for Slovakia.
"Successes like the Mirror Bar are rarely seen in countries like Slovakia. It is proof that even in a small country with great talent, it is possible to create a product that can compete globally. Such recognition has a great benefit not only for the bar itself but also for attracting foreign visitors and building a positive image of Slovak gastronomy," adds Harbuľák.
The World's 50 Best Bars - an indicator of quality in the bar world
The World's 50 Best Bars ranking was established in 2009 and in more than a decade has become a global benchmark of quality and innovation in the bar world. It is compiled each year by an independent academy of experts from over 25 regions who vote based on their personal experiences of visiting each venue over the past 18 months.
The aim of the project is not only to celebrate excellence but also to promote the development of bar culture, education, and sharing of inspiration between countries. "We hope that this success will inspire other Slovak bartenders and entrepreneurs to have the courage to create great things with a local character," concludes Juraj Kostický, CEO of Carlton Savoy.
Source: Mirror Bar
