Dubai's Bar Power List: The Names Defining 2026
Dubai's bar scene has quietly become one of the most competitive in the world, and the people behind the counter are a big part of why. Each year the industry recognises its best, most visibly through Caterer Middle East's Bartenders Power List, the region's benchmark for who is shaping how the city drinks. Here are a few of the names defining the 2026 scene.
The competition circuit is fierce
The clearest measure of talent is the competition stage, and 2026 has already crowned a standout. Sharfin Auni of Nobu Dubai, at Atlantis The Palm, was named World Class UAE Bartender of the Year, coming through a field of more than two hundred entrants to earn the right to represent the country on the global stage. It caps a steady rise that has made her one of the most watched bartenders in the Emirates.
The venues raising the bar
Some of the city's strongest talent sits inside its most theatrical rooms. At SUSHISAMBA Dubai, Gianmarco De Luca earned a place on the 2025 Power List for the way he reshaped the venue's drinks and trained its team, while colleague Pinsuda Rhind reached the World Class UAE top ten. It is no accident that destination venues attract and develop this level of craft.
From competition to menu
Plenty of the scene's best cut their teeth on brand competitions. Il Borro's Emirhan Avanoglu, a Monin Cup UAE finalist, has built a reputation for low-waste, sustainable cocktails, the kind of thinking that increasingly defines a serious bar programme. These competitions are where ideas get tested before they reach the menu in front of you.
What it means for the rest of us
A scene this strong sets the standard for everyone, from five-star hotels to the neighbourhood café experimenting with its first signature serve. The gap between the two is often just the quality of what goes in the glass.
That is the part we play. Addtocart.ae supplies the syrups, purées and premium brands behind bars across the city, with the full Monin range in stock. Home enthusiasts can shop direct, and venues can set up trade pricing through fnb.addtocart.ae. The best bartenders make it look effortless, but it always starts with the right ingredients.