6 Bar Industry Trends Tipped For 2025
Discover some of the cocktail trends and bar industry shifts that are set to lead the way in 2025, with tips, insights, and predictions from industry experts.
Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
A growing demand for locality, the moderation movement, and the next wave of premiumization are some of the highlights for 2025.
Which cocktails and drinking experiences will your guests be expecting to see this year?
Here are some of the key trends for 2025, using consumer behavior insight, industry statistics, and expert predictions.
HYPER-LOCAL IS HAPPENING
A big part of the 2025 sustainability surge will focus on hyper-localisation. But why now? The hyper-local trend is predicted to dominate the cocktail scene in 2025 in response to the notable shifts in consumer preferences, growing sustainability concerns, and the broader cultural move towards authentic and meaningful drinking experiences that have a distinct personality.
We're now seeing global trends getting overlooked by bars, favoring a focus on flavors that are relevant to cities, cultures, or regions. There’s a growing emphasis on using locally sourced ingredients, reducing the carbon footprint associated with importing products.
For me, that is the purest trend because it’s more sustainable and speaks to the type of cuisine and flavours available in a certain city.
Tim Philips-Johansson, Johnnie Walker Global Brand Ambassador
Expect menus to become hyper-seasonable too, as bars adjust their selection frequently, even monthly, to reflect the flavors and ingredients that are in peak season in that region. Bars are also increasingly looking to echo a venue’s culinary offering to keep everything tied together and as local as possible.
A bar leading the ‘local’ way is Native in Singapore, where the menu reflects a commitment to sustainability and hyper-local sourcing. Another is Little Red Door in Paris, a bar that puts the producer front and center, bringing a “farm to glass” approach to their menu. This focus on local connects guests directly to the origins of their drinks for a much more meaningful experience.
EMBRACING MODERATION
Moderation is a trend that has been building momentum over the last few years and shows no sign of slowing down in 2025. So much so that you could argue that it’s moved beyond a trend and is now a permanent part of modern drinking culture. When we also take into consideration that over 40% of Gen Z have never tried alcohol [Nielsen 2024], it’s safe to say the drinking landscape is changing significantly.
Claire Warner, Diageo of Luxury Advocacy and long-term advocate in the low abv and alcohol-free drinking space says, “Over the past decade, the global drinks industry has witnessed a significant surge in the popularity of alcohol-free cocktails, driven by evolving consumer preferences and a growing emphasis on health and wellbeing. This shift towards moderation has led to the emergence of sophisticated, alcohol-free options that rival their traditional counterparts in complexity, flavor, and innovation.”
Into 2025, bartenders will need to pay much more attention to zero alcohol serves, using premium non-alcoholic spirits, botanical infusions, and craft techniques like foaming and clarification to elevate their offerings and satisfy guests. No doubt taking inspiration from bars like New York’s Overstory, with its passion and commitment to elevated serves that include a stunning low ABV and alcohol-free range—from their Jasmine Sour to Sparkling Himalayan Tea Soda. Or Tayēr + Elementary in London, where ready-to-drink classic cocktails (including non-alcoholic selections) are served on tap, attracting a diverse clientele to their bar.
As the alcohol-free cocktail scene becomes more mainstream, it should be an important consideration for every bar. Ready to start implementing it? Check out our masterclass on low and alcohol-free cocktails to offer in your venue this year.
COFFEE AND CHOCOLATE CONCOCTIONS
Espresso Martini consumption increased from 2% to 15% in 2024, so it’s no surprise that the popularity of ‘hard coffee’ is spilling over into 2025.
As the trend continues to evolve, the coffee liqueur market follows suit, with brands like Mr Black offering 10 times the coffee concentration with half the sugar—a popular choice for the wellbeing-conscious, coffee-loving crowd.
Diageo World Class finalist and coffee cocktail expert Christos Klouvatos talked to us about the growing coffee cocktail mixology movement and the role bartenders can play in educating guests.
“In countries and cities where coffee shops or bars are using specialty coffee and are focused on the different varieties and flavors of each coffee, customers are also exposed to this new trend. It’s our job as bartenders or baristas to educate through our cocktails and our passion guiding the customer on what, when, and how to drink.”
A love of coffee-inspired cocktails has also drawn guests towards chocolate flavors, with requests on the rise. It looks like ‘Choc-tails’ are officially in!
Expect more lavish creations to feature on menus with indulgent favorites like this Bailey’s Flat White Martini. Beyond this, bartenders will be experimenting more with new, sophisticated twists. Think chocolate-infused Old Fashioneds using tequila and cocoa bitters, or chocolate-orange Negronis, for that tempting drink/dessert crossover.
Need some more recipe inspo? Try these twists on a couple of timeless classics:
2025’S PREMIUM MIXOLOGY MOVEMENT
The premium cocktail trend we’ve seen gather momentum recently and will evolve further in 2025 to focus on enhanced experiences, elevated craftsmanship, and innovative consumer connections. This marks a shift in how bars and bartenders are engaging with guests.
With an increase in guests seeking out knowledge-driven and expert-led interactions, expect bartenders to play a pivotal role as educators, crafting drinks that tell stories and offer unique learning opportunities. Bars and spaces that focus on these more intimate connections will be central to the premiumization trend.
Eve Green, owner of the award-winning Passing Fancies, shares her bar’s experience of this rising trend, including practical steps for introducing quality premium cocktails in your bar.
Read more here:
We also spoke to Johnnie Walker Global Brand Ambassador, Tim Philips-Johansson, to get his thoughts on the predicted premium trend: ‘People are chasing experiences in drinks. Whether that’s enjoying a Johnnie Walker Blue Label cocktail in one of the best hotel bars or exploring the deeper flavors of Johnnie Walker Black Label. The idea of premiumization and leveling up is something I’m seeing more and more of in cocktail menus.’
When it comes to premium cocktail ingredients, guests are showing a growing interest in herbaceous and umami flavors, with bars creating a sophisticated and exciting crossover between food and premium drinks.
THE AGAVE ASCENDANCY
Tequila’s relentless popularity is creating a halo effect that is seeing drinkers looking to branch out and experiment with more agave-based cocktails.
In 2025, we can expect bartenders to lean into this with some creative agave cocktails using mezcal, stool, or raicilla. This reflects the increase in consumption of agave spirits on a global scale, with the category looking to pip vodka to the post in terms of popularity in 2025.
The margarita is still the undisputed king of cocktails and is forecast to be the top-selling cocktail in 2025. We can expect a lot of this year’s margs to be creative riffs, such as the Margarita Al Pastor, a serve that has grown in appeal due to premium bars like Mexico City’s Licorería Limantour, a venue listed in the World’s 50 Best Bars.
Another venue at the helm of this cocktail trend is CATA Costa Rica. CATA is an agave bar with a tequila, mezcal, and agave spirits tasting room that educates its inquisitive guests about the subtle differences between mezcal and tequila.
Learn more from our article on the Agave surge, and be inspired to try some tequila twists—from a Don Julio 70 White Negroni to a Casamigos Añejo Old Fashioned.
THE RISE OF SMARTER SPACES
As guest demand for shareable, immersive experiences and social interactions increases, 2025 will see more bars evolving into destinations for both entertainment and connection.
Cocktail bars are shifting beyond traditional drinking venues into immersive spaces that engage customers through activities, gamification, activities, and rich, sensory experiences. The global bar scene is being reshaped and driven by this consumer trend, with venues of all shapes and sizes looking to offer drinks and create lasting memories at the same time.
Interactive elements like augmented reality, virtual menus, and even app-based drink customization are set to become more widespread. These in-bar innovations let guests tailor their experience and engage more with the venue when doing so.
Another key 2025 growth area for bars will be gamification, incorporating trivia nights, cocktail-making competitions, or even arcade-style setups adding a fun, communal element that encourages groups to stay longer.
Head Bartender at Canada’s Dear Friend Bar, Patrick Fulgencio has noticed this emerging trend.
“Every bar on our street offers some sort of activity, whether it's board games, karaoke, or axe throwing. Having interactive elements in your bar means giving people another reason to want to be there. And there can never be too many things to offer.
Personally, one of my favorite bars I've ever been to had a rage room, a virtual reality arcade, six high-end racing simulators, and an axe-throwing area.”
