Roma Bar Show 2026

Roma Bar Show, one of Italy’s largest events dedicated to the beverage and mixology industry, returns to Rome this year.

The 2026 edition will take place on September 14 and 15. Traditionally held in May, the event moves to September this year, with another major change a new venue. Roma Bar Show is relocating from Palazzo dei Congressi in Rome’s EUR district to La Nuvola.

More than 200 exhibitors are expected to take part, bringing bartenders, brands, producers, buyers, media and other industry professionals from Italy and around the world to Rome.

Alongside the move to La Nuvola, this year will introduce several new areas, including Future Drinking, dedicated to No & Low Alcohol, and the Business Room, focused on the business of running a bar. The popular Mexican Village, educational sessions and Sideshow events across the city will also return.

There is far too much to see in two days. Here are some of the highlights worth checking out before Roma Bar Show 2026 begins.

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A New Home for 2026: La Nuvola

This year’s new venue, La Nuvola, is a large convention centre designed by architect Massimiliano Fuksas. Inside its enormous glass-and-steel structure sits a striking white form that appears to float like a cloud.

For Roma Bar Show 2026, the venue will be divided into several areas, including the 250-seat Auditorium, the 120-seat RBS Academy by Perrier, the Tasting Room, One to Watch and the new Business Room.

Beyond stands from spirits brands and distributors, the programme includes seminars with internationally renowned bartenders, tastings, cocktail events and other sessions taking place throughout the two days.

And it is not only bartenders who come to RBS. Bar owners, brands, producers, importers and distributors, buyers and journalists all gather here, making it one of the key meeting points for the beverage industry in Italy.

Simply making your way around the brand stands can take hours. Add seminars, tastings and those inevitable conversations with people you bump into along the way, and the day disappears surprisingly quickly.

With a completely new venue to navigate this year, it is worth checking the different areas and programme in advance.

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Agave in the Spotlight Again: Mexican Village

Mexican Village has become one of the most visible areas at Roma Bar Show each year.

Dedicated primarily to agave spirits such as tequila and mezcal, it returns as one of the main features of the 2026 edition.

Premium tequila and craft mezcal have become increasingly prominent across the global bar scene in recent years. Interest is also growing in Italy, with more agave-focused bars and products appearing and bartenders paying closer attention to the category.

One of the interesting things about Mexican Village is that it is not only a place to taste products. It is also an opportunity to speak directly with brand representatives, producers and bartenders.

We will be keeping an eye on which brands join the village as the event approaches.

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A Dedicated No & Low Alcohol Area: Future Drinking

One of the new additions this year is Future Drinking, a dedicated area focused on No & Low Alcohol.

The space will bring together products across the category, including non-alcoholic spirits, aperitifs, wines and beers.

No- and low-alcohol products, as well as soft drinks, were already becoming increasingly visible across the stands at last year’s Roma Bar Show. In 2026, they will have an area of their own.

Italy has a deeply rooted culture of enjoying wine and aperitivo as part of everyday life, which makes it particularly interesting to see where No & Low will find its place.

The products themselves will be worth exploring, but we are also curious to see who stops by, what they taste and how bartenders approach the category.

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Learn from Bartenders and Experts from Around the World

One of the highlights of Roma Bar Show is its educational programme, which brings bartenders and industry experts from around the world to Rome.

This year, Faye Chen of Double Chicken Please in New York will lead a technical session exploring cocktails inspired by food.

Jonathan Gabbay of Argo at Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong will discuss how a bar can build and maintain its identity in a highly competitive market.

Marco Corallo of Saikindō at Four Seasons Abu Dhabi will offer a closer look at the UAE bar scene.

For anyone interested in cocktail history, David Wondrich’s session, “I figli del Padrino: a History of the Italian-American Cocktail,” is another one to watch, tracing the cocktail culture that developed between Italy and the United States.

Alex Frezza of L’Antiquario in Naples, rum ambassador Ian Burrell and Danil Nevsky are among the other names on this year’s programme.

Rather than spending the entire day moving from stand to stand, choosing one or two sessions in advance can add a completely different dimension to the RBS experience.

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New for 2026: The Business Room

One of the new additions I am particularly curious about this year is the Business Room.

The programme will focus on subjects involved in actually running a bar, including leadership, financial management and data analysis.

A bartender’s job does not stop at making cocktails. There are staff to hire, ingredients to purchase, prices to set and numbers to manage. At the same time, teams need to be developed and guests need a reason to keep coming back.

The role can extend from team management and concept development to brand building, while the challenges of keeping a bar financially sustainable,  ingredient costs, salaries and rent among them,  are very real.

Having a dedicated space to discuss how bars are managed and how they can continue to operate successfully makes the Business Room one of the additions worth watching at this year’s RBS.

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An International Buyer Programme

Fiere di Parma joins Roma Bar Show in 2026, alongside an international buyer programme developed in collaboration with the Italian Trade Agency (ICE).

More than 100 buyers from over 30 countries are expected to participate, while a digital matchmaking system will allow exhibitors and buyers to arrange business meetings in advance.

Andrea Fofi, founder and CEO of Roma Bar Show, describes the idea behind the event:

“Roma Bar Show was born to connect people, ideas and markets. We have always believed that for the bar industry to grow, it needs to build networks, share knowledge and open itself to new international opportunities.”

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RBS Awards: Celebrating the Best of Italy’s Bar Scene

One of the most closely watched moments of Roma Bar Show each year is the RBS Awards.

Now in its fourth edition, the awards celebrate bars and bartenders contributing to the growth of the Italian bar industry. The winners are selected by an international jury of industry experts, bar owners and journalists from around the world.

For 2026, three finalists have been selected across each of eight categories. Azotea, Cucù and L’Antiquario are nominated for Best Italian Cocktail Bar, while Dario Tortorella, Edoardo Sandri and Elisa Favaron are in the running for Best Italian Bartender.

The categories go well beyond cocktails themselves, covering hotel bars, new cocktail bars, food programmes, historic cafés and bars, and social media presence. Together, they offer an interesting look at the Italian bar scene from several different angles.

Here are all 24 finalists for 2026.

The winners will be announced on Monday, September 14 at 5:30 PM in the Auditorium, with Alessandro Procoli and Riccardo Marinelli.

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RBS Awards 2026 — Finalists Top 3

Best Italian Cocktail Bar

Azotea

Cucù

L’Antiquario

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Best Italian Bartender

Dario Tortorella

Edoardo Sandri

Elisa Favaron

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Best Italian New Cocktail Bar

BYIT

Little Tobago

Lunea Bar

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Best Italian Hotel Bar

Atrium Bar, Four Seasons

Bar Gabbiano, Belmond Hotel Cipriani

Dry Martini, Majestic Palace

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Best Italian Food Program

Alto

Cinquanta Spirito Italiano

Rita’s Tiki Room

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Best Caffè & Bar Storici

Bar Bareta

Caffè Concerto Paszkowski

Danieli

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Best Italian Social Media Presence

Botanicals & Co²

L’Antiquario

Sentaku Izakaya

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Best Italian Heritage Bar

Il Sal8 Bar Agricolo

Manifattura

Racine

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RBS Doesn’t End at the Venue: Sideshow Takes Over Rome at Night

Another part of Roma Bar Show that is just as difficult to miss happens away from the main venue: Sideshow.

Throughout the RBS period, bars across Rome host guest shifts and brand events featuring bartenders from Italy and abroad. As evening arrives, many of the people who spent the day at RBS head straight from the show into the city’s bars.

Last year, Drink Kong was among the many venues hosting events across Rome, and plenty more are expected this year.

The full Sideshow programme has not yet been announced. More events will continue to appear through individual bars and brands as Roma Bar Show approaches.

Here are some of the events already confirmed.

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September 13

1:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Nucleo
Via Ostiense 178 D, Rome

Guests: Enrico Mazzanti & Phillip Marques — Himkok, Oslo
Organized by: Altamura Distilleries

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7:00 PM – 11:00 PM | Opening Party

Bar della Musa — Palazzo Talìa
Largo del Nazareno 25, 00187 Rome

Guest Night
Sponsored by: Etsu Gin & D&C

7:00 PM – 9:00 PM: Invitation only for RBS and D&C guests
9:00 PM – 11:00 PM: Open to the public

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12:00 AM – 3:00 AM

REM
Vicolo Santa Margherita 1/A, Rome

Guest Bar: Ciotti Salò
Bartender: Federico Balzarini
Chef: Marco Avesani

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September 14

7:00 PM – 9:00 PM

La Minerva Bar — Orient Express La Minerva
Piazza della Minerva 69, Rome

Guests:
Carlotta Lossier — Ruby
Emil Norman — TATA Cocktail Bar

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7:30 PM – 10:30 PM

The She Side Community and Friends

BVLGARI BAR
Via di Ripetta 73, 00186 Rome

Guests: Andrea Grujic, Tess Posthumus, Marella Batkovic & Dèsiré Verdecchia
Powered by: Hennessy & Nonino

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7:30 PM – 10:30 PM

Three Milan Bars, One Roman Terrace

Santa Cocktail Club
Corso Vittorio Emanuele II 110, 00186 Rome

Guests: Cesar Araujo, Matteo Paulillo, Edris Al Malat, Beniamino Cirillo & Vincenzo Crisconio
Sponsored by: Presobene Gin

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10:00 PM – 12:00 AM

Wild Turkey Family at Banana Republic

Banana Republic
Via Giovanni Bettolo 3A, 00195 Rome

Guests: Enri Llaveshi, Luca Varricchione, Salvo Longo & Samuele Campanini
Sponsored by: Wild Turkey & Campari Academy

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From 10:30 PM

Freni e Frizioni
Via del Politeama 4, 00153 Rome

Guests:
Danil Nevsky — Founder of Indie Bartender
Chris Leavitt — Bartender and cocktail creator
Gina Barbachano — Bartender of the Year nominee and General Manager of Hanky Panky, Mexico City
Riccardo Rossi — Bar Manager and Partner at Freni e Frizioni

Sponsored by: Compagnia dei Caraibi & Licor 43

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12:00 AM – 3:00 AM

REM
Vicolo di Santa Margherita 1, 00153 Rome

Guest: Tommaso Cecca — Camparino
Sponsored by: Campari

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The difficult part every year is deciding where to go. Several guest shifts you want to catch can easily end up happening at exactly the same time.

If there are bars or bartenders you particularly want to see, now is a good time to follow them on Instagram and keep an eye on their latest announcements.

We will also be reposting Sideshow events and guest shifts that catch our attention on the Martini Time Instagram. Follow us there so you don’t miss the events you want to catch while you are in Rome.

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Get your RBS 2026 tickets here:
https://romabarshow.madeticket.it/en/shop/biglietti

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Roma Bar Show 2026| Event Information

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Dates & Opening Hours
Monday, September 14, 2026 | 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Tuesday, September 15, 2026 | 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM

Venue
La Nuvola
Viale Asia 40/44, Rome

Exhibitors
200+

Main Areas
Auditorium
Tasting Room
Business Room
RBS Academy by Perrier
Mexican Village
Future Drinking

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