Global Bar Report 2025: Africa and the Middle East
Bars in the Middle East and Africa are taking inspiration from their local cultures and forging a strong identity on the world bartending stage.
*This feature was originally published in the November 2025 issue of The Spirits Business magazine.
Africa is a continent of paradox: resilient yet fragile, scarred yet unbowed. Even now, the brutal pandemic years cast a long shadow – alcohol bans and collapsing tourism hammered the hospitality sector, resulting in a leaner industry. The African Development Bank’s 2025 outlook, however, points to growth in much of the continent, particularly in East and West African economies such as Ethiopia and Senegal. This macroeconomic surge is helping to build a fresh, more ambitious hospitality sector – one that is attracting domestic and global investment. This is fostering a dynamic nighttime economy defined by localism, sustainability, and a celebration of Africa’s diverse food and drink culture.
For evidence of this reawakening, look no further than Cape Town. This proudly multicultural and beguiling city remains a bellwether of African bar trends: a renewed emphasis on local botanicals and unique South African service styles charms tourists and gratifies residents.
“Over the past five years, Cape Town’s bar scene has both matured and diversified. As restrictions lifted, a wave of new openings brought renewed energy, and nightlife has increasingly aligned itself with broader cultural and urban-renewal efforts,” reveals Leah van Deventer, founder of Cape Town Cocktail Week, which will host its inaugural event this December.
Busy preparing for the event’s first edition, van Deventer adds: “Localism now defines much of the city’s cocktail culture: pride in homegrown ingredients and distinctive aesthetics.” According to van Deventer, bars are innovating not only through drink selections but also “in concept, ambience and food pairings, making the experience more layered and compelling”.
But drinking local is not simply a cultural phenomenon: it is a commercial strategy rooted in indigenous botanicals, the fermenting of native fruits, and partnerships with small-batch distillers. This pragmatic and sustainable approach – sourcing locally reduces import costs, cuts emissions, and strengthens regional supply chains – is helping to futureproof businesses against geopolitical shocks.
Meanwhile, Kenya will also soon get its own Bartender Week, the first foray into Africa from Hanna Lee Communications, which is behind similar events in New York and India. The Ajabu Cocktails & Spirits Festival, launched in 2024 to showcase African ingredients and build a cross-national bartending community, is emblematic of the infectious confidence that defines the continent today. The tired epithet ‘third world’ is both hopelessly out of date and, quite frankly, offensive.
In the Gulf, a booming no-and-low category has led to surge of interest in premium non-alcohol serves and zero-ABV cocktail innovation, as Gen Z Muslims, passionate about social media, join tourists and expats in the ultra-luxe bars that are ubiquitous across the United Arab Emirates.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s ongoing liberalisation is the talk of the global bar industry – the government may license alcohol at select tourist sites to attract international visitors. If enacted, such a move could unlock a new growth market in a society that has been teetotal for centuries.
By contrast, Istanbul has long nurtured a cosmopolitan nighttime economy, benefitting from domestic demand and rebounding tourism. Yet the Middle East is caught between unprecedented growth and political fragility – Tel Aviv and Beirut, once leading lights, have been deeply scarred by conflict and its aftermath.
Nevertheless, operators and investors remain captivated by the potential of this complex, diverse, and sometimes turbulent region. In the 21st century, bar culture in Africa and the Middle East is no longer a footnote. It is a laboratory fermenting bold ideas – festival-led tourism, zero-waste menus, and indigenous mixology – that have inspired bartenders worldwide.
Read the Global Bar Report overview and region reports on Europe, North America and South America here.
Bars to watch in 2026
Tonic, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Emblematic of Saudi Arabia’s path towards modernisation, Tonic at the Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh represents a new era. Led by an all-female team, this sophisticated address does not serve a drop of alcohol – at least thus far. However, its generous selection of non-alcoholic tonics and mocktails, such as the Truffle Luxe (hibiscus lime cordial with cherry and pink grapefruit soda), provide the perfect antidote to the searing heat of the Riyadh sun. Grounded in a philosophy that abstinence need not compromise artistry, Tonic’s striking interiors feature a half-moon bar beneath a gold-trimmed canopy – because a bit of bling never hurt anyone.
Marble, Cape Town, South Africa
A new entry into Cape Town’s flourishing bar scene, Marble features floor-to-ceiling glass facades that reveal the bustling hub of the city’s V&A Waterfront. Founded by chef David Higgs and entrepreneur Gary Kyriacou, this restaurant-cum-cocktail bar elevates South African gastronomy and mixology to new heights, with bespoke creations heavily reliant on local produce and native botanicals. Delivering an on-trend combination of elevated drinks, personable service and immersive design, Marble is a poster-child for African hospitality in 2025.
Chingadas, Cape Town, South Africa
Once ignored in favour of the wealthy suburbs, downtown Cape Town is on a roll. Chingadas is part of that evolving story: opened in April 2025, it has added some welcome pizzazz and playful energy to the city’s nightlife culture, with a menu that is at once innovative and approachable. Bold Mexican flavours and South American accents are its USPs, with a colourful interior that offers a vibrant backdrop to superlative cocktails served with a big smile. Providing a high-energy counterpoint to the more formal, tourist-centric bars of the Western Cape, its unpretentious, inclusive ethos makes Chingadas a destination to remember.
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