Global Bar Report 2025: South America
With a host of innovative bars, the hospitality scene in South America is on an upward trajectory – with music-inspired venues in particular taking off.
*This feature was originally published in the November 2025 issue of The Spirits Business magazine.
Judging by the number of new entries in the World’s 50 Best Bars 2025, South America’s mixology scene is at the top of its game right now. With four new entries in the extended 100 list, as well as one zooming in to debut in the top 50, the reputations of cities such as Lima, São Paulo, and Buenos Aires have been elevated, while there are also new kids on the block offering alternative visions of the continent.
Colombia has long been on the radar, thanks to the efforts of Alquímico in Cartagena and La Sala de Laura in Bogotá, and now Medellín has joined these cities to become a destination for serious cocktail lovers, with Mamba Negra and Bar Carmen proving the city offers up more than just a party scene for easily excited gringos.
Boosted by the first Medellín Cocktail Week last June, which invited more than 60 bartenders from South America and beyond for guest shifts, this venture from Juan David Zapata, co-founder of Mamba Negra and Juniper Drinks, was fruitful and educational.
He says: “From rooftop establishments like ours located on the 22nd floor to hotel bars and a trend for listening bars, there are at least 20 solid places to go drinking in our city – and when the Wake Living [hospitality] complex opens in 2026, there will be even more spaces.” Notable 2025 openings include Japanese convenience store-themed Konbini, and Zapata’s own salsa-forward Quema Que Quema.
Appearances at Medellín Cocktail Week from bartenders such as Lynette Marrero from the US and Alex Kratena from the UK ensured every guest event sold out; not only that, the three days of seminars were extremely well attended, with Kratena, for example, attracting a 140-strong audience.
By honing in on a local bartending community thirsty for knowledge and events, as well as setting up a groundbreaking training scheme for young people from vulnerable social backgrounds in liaison with Medellín Town Hall, Zapata’s festival debut was so successful that the second event has already been scheduled for 1-5 June 2026.
Medellín isn’t the only city to host bartender-led festivals that capture the industry’s as well as punters’ minds. In April in Buenos Aires, CoChinChina and La Uat joined forces using their respective fourth anniversaries to launch the second edition of Mezclar. The festival was boosted by Tres Monos and 2025 opening Victor Audio Bar, the third in the Monos’ portfolio.
Big regional names, including Eli Martínez of Mexico City’s Tlecān, as well as talent from further afield, like Hunter Gregory from Sydney’s Maybe Sammy, picked up shakers at the four host bars. Once again, there was an educational element: each guest also delivered a masterclass to the local bartending community.
In Lima, bars are finally receiving the recognition that has long been proffered to restaurants in the city’s compelling gastronomy scene. The Peruvian capital now houses two 50 Best Bars: Lady Bee at 13 and new entry Sastrería Martínez debuting at 33. The former also picked up the Michter’s Art of Hospitality award this year, further proof Peruvians are getting it right across the board – and the devil’s in the detail, says bar manager Alejandra León. “First, our philosophy is to work closely with regional producers, traceable ingredients, and create cocktails defined by seasonality and origin,” she says. “And when it comes to our guests, it’s important for us to connect with the people we serve, so we pay attention to every detail from the moment they make a reservation.”
Inspired by textiles
While Lady Bee is known for mixing up Peruvian identity, new entry Sastrería Martínez is inspired by Peru’s material world, in sync with the speakeasy atelier from which it operates. The fourth drinks list created by bartender and founder Diego Macedo pays tribute to Peru’s beautifully diverse textiles through three biodiverse Peruvian regions: Costa (Coast), Sierra (Mountains), and Selva (Jungle).
“Sierra pays tribute to the tiny agricultural and textile-producing community Misminay in the Cusco region,” says Macedo. “One cocktail is inspired by the Basil Smash, whose notable Peruvian ingredients include sanky cactus fruit and Andean muña mint.”
While national and regional identities are being fine-tuned across South America, and concepts are increasingly well-sculpted, there is also a determined effort to educate both the bartending and consumer communities – and it’s paying off.
Read the Global Bar Report overview and region reports on Europe and North America here.
Bars to watch in 2026
Matiz, São Paulo
A self-proclaimed ‘acolhimento’ (acoustic refuge), music is the centrepiece at 11th-floor Matiz thanks to the impressive custom-built sound system that surrounds the booth. In less than two years, the listening bar has become a go-to spot for vinyl lovers; live sessions and genres span samba, soul, jazz, deep house, drum ’n’ bass, and electronica, spun by Brazilian and international DJs. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are chilled days for serious listening, lounging on a sofa. The drinks list is strong: classics include Paper Plane, while a must-try from the signature cocktail list (launched in September) is the playful Cherry Bomb, made with whisky, cherry, a Coca-Cola reduction, and cardamom.
Victor Audio Bar, Buenos Aires
It’s hard to believe what Victor Audio Bar has achieved since opening in March 2025. Created by the teams behind Tres Monos and the Niño Gordo restaurant, this singular analogue bar and restaurant has helped to consolidate Buenos Aires’ reputation as a global cocktail capital. “We know a lot of bars like to follow trends,” says co-founder Seba Atienza, “but at Victor we wanted to recoup the classics.” Martinis and oysters are on the menu, as are American-style fried chicken, 50/50s and Porn Stars, enjoyed alongside DJs spinning vinyl up to 90 decibels or to your own selection of jukebox tracks (headphones are on hand).
Mala Audio Bar, Medellín
While reggaetón artists such as Karol G and Maluma have put Medellín on the map, Mala Audio Bar gives both cocktail aficionados and music lovers a stylish new home to enjoy other genres. Helmed by local bartending guru Joshua Guerrero of the Sinmente entertainment group, the DJ booth takes centre stage with bar workspaces located on each side, ensuring all eyes are on that night’s musical maestro. That’s not to say cocktails take a backseat; drinks are inspired by successful female artists such as Celia Cruz and Missy Elliott. Order Blondie’s Atomic, a Dirty Martini Highball with saline and coconut notes.
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