Bargiornale Barawards 2024 in Milano, Italy

The always anticipated annual awards ceremony by Bargiornale showcasing the best-of-the-best bars, restaurants, hotels, hospitality, and the food & beverage industry in Italy.

The annual Bargiornale Barawards 2024 was held on January 13, 2025 for the second year at Alcatraz, Milano. An event that is looked forward to by all each and every year, this particular year marked its 10th edition. Which meant greater emotions and much more fun…

The Bargiornale name itself has been around for over 40 years, and has been sort of the “gold standard” in Italy for professionals in the Bar World. The esteemed publication and point of reference for professionals, Italian bars (and the people who love them) since 1979, has evolved through the years to be much ore than a giornale (which means newspaper in Italian).

Bargiornale has been the compass and an invaluable resource spanning four decades with its integrated multi-platform system which includes: a monthly magazine, website, dedicated newsletters and special branded events the most famous being Baritalia and of course the Barawards.

Offering exclusive content and the latest news, products and trends in mixology and cocktails from spirits and brands to new bar openings, Bargiornale continuously informs and educates those professionals working with the industry as well as those passionate ones who appreciate it from the outside looking in. But back to the Bargiornale Barawards 2024 Ceremony…

21 Awards and 3 Special Mentions in the World of Food & Beverage

From the first event, they’ve since expanded to include other sectors outside of bars and drinks –covering hospitality in all its forms and also showcasing the talents within the culinary industry from restaurants and cafes to pastry and gourmet sandwich shops.

Marco Maccarini, DJ and television host, resumed the the role of master of ceremonies again. And alongside him was Andrea Mongilardi and Stefano Nincevich, both deputy directors of Bargiornale, Dolcegiornale, Redazione Ristoranti, true authorities and personalities in their own right in the world of bars. Nincevich is also the author of Cocktail Safari, a book on the history of cocktails.

The extravagant, exciting evening saw the best names and familiar faces - from bartenders, to chefs, pastry chefs, coffee and beer professionals, brands, brand ambassadors and venues. All celebrating the best of Italian hospitality and the excellence of Italy when it comes to basically everything food and drink.

“Covering all of its national territory from North to South from the Alps to the islands, winners were chosen from a shortlist of 600 venues and 530 professionals with the new category dedicated to breweries and the novelty of the three special mentions from the Bar Menu of the Year in collaboration with Disaronno, the Best Social Communication and the Best Promo Video of the Year, underlining the every-increasing importance of communication.”

The glittering gala covered THE best bars, cocktail bars, pastry shops and breweries in Italia - some who were granted awards - as well as the best Italian restaurants and hotels. But just to name a few…

Starting with the Altos Bartender of the Year Award, won by Luca Bruni of Depero Club in Rieti, Lazio. Among of the other best bar professionals of 2024, his colleague Edris Al Malat from Dry Milano took home the Nardini Bar Manager of the Year Award, and Gabriele Armani of Paradiso Barcelona made his mark with their sustainability-focused project, earning him the Keglevich Italian Bartender Abroad of the Year Award. And representing the emerging young generations of bartenders…Alessio Megna from Freni e Frizioni in Rome was the winner of the Campari Academy Bartender of the Year Under 25 Award. Worth noting is this year that age had been lowered from 30, demonstrating just how eager the new generation of Italian bartenders really are.

As for some of the venues that have continued to stand out in the past year…Alex Frezza’s L'Antiquario in Napoli was awarded the Sanpellegrino Cocktail Bar of the Year Drinks Award. Proving that despite this cocktail bar being almost 10 years old, it is always “on the crest of the wave” and never ceasing to amaze.

The newer to the scene Sentaku Izakaya in Bologna on the other hand, took home the Barceló Bar Revelation of the Year Awards and Moebius of Milano won the Easycassa Revelation Restaurant of the Year Award for their perfect balance between kitchen and bar / food and drink. Another Milanese venue that brought it home big was Rita & Cocktails with the Amaro Montenegro Bar Team of the Year Award.

For the hotels: W Rome won the Revelation Hotel of the Year Award with their artistic, eclectic sold and a 360° approach to hospitality, Mandarin Garden of Mandarin Oriental Milano won the Venturo Hotel Bar of the Year Award, the Alain Ducasse Restaurant Naples of Hotel Romeo Napoli won the Zini Hotel Restaurant of the Year Award, and last but not least – Convivium Bar at Relais Monaci delle Terre Nere in Zafferana Etnea, Catania, Sicily won the Slow Wine Local Green Award of the Year, due to the innovative project led by Paolo Sanna, who brought his past experiences to create this utterly unique (and sustainable) “territory in a glass” bar and drinking concept.

And the 3 Special Mentions went to: La Terrazza Rooftop Bar & Bistrot at the Grand Hotel Principe di Piemonte in Viareggio, Lucca (Special Mention for DiSaronno Bar Menu of the Year), B.O.A T. S. aka Based On A True Story in Ortigia, Syracuse, Sicily (Special Mention Social Communication of the Year), and Barmacia - Soluzioni Spiritose in Potenza, Basilicata (Special Mention Promo Video of the Year)

For the FULL list of Bargiornale 2024 Winners…

• Luca Bruni (Depero Club, Rieti)  –  Altos Bartender of the Year Award

• Edris Al Malat (Dry Milano, Milan)  –  Nardini Bar Manager of the Year Award

• Gabriele Armani (Paradiso, Barcelona) – Keglevich Award Italian Bartender Abroad of the Year

• Alessio Megna (Freni e Frizioni, Rome) – Campari Academy Bartender of the Year Under 25

• Sentaku Izakaya, Bologna  –  Barceló Bar Revelation of the Year Award

• L’Antiquario, Naples –  Sanpellegrino Drinks Award Cocktail bar of the year

• Mandarin Garden - Mandarin Oriental Milan, Milan – Venturo Hotel Bar of the Year Award

• Rita&Cocktails, Milan –  Amaro Montenegro Bar Team of the Year Award

• Convivium Bar, Relais Monaci delle Terre Nere, Zafferana Etnea (Ct) – Slow Wine Local Green Award of the Year

• 'Ino, Florence  – Agritech by Vandemoortele Sandwich Shop of the Year Award

• Cafezal Coffee Hub, Milan –  Bloom Specialty Coffee/La San Marco Bar Café of the Year

• Moebius, Milan  –  Easycassa Revelation Restaurant of the Year Award

• The Alain Ducasse Restaurant Naples (Hotel Romeo, Naples) –  Zini Hotel Restaurant of the Year Award

• Chiara Beretta, Fine Spirits –  Spirits&co brand ambassador of the year award

• Gianni Cocco, Fabbri 1905 –   Coffee&more Brand Ambassador of the Year Award

• Carmela Maresca (Luminist, Naples) –  Barista of the Year Award

• Chiara Pavan (Venissa - Venice)  –  Chef of the Year Award

• W Rome, Rome Revelation – Hotel of the Year Award

• Giuseppe Solfrizzi (Le Levain - Rome) – Pastry Chef/Ice Cream Maker of the Year Award

• Lambrate Brewery, Milan –  Bar Brewery of the Year

• Caffè San Carlo, Turin – Bar Pastry Ice Cream Shop of the Year Award

Special mentions:

• La Terrazza Rooftop Bar & Bistrot (Grand Hotel Principe di Piemonte, Viareggio (Lu) –  Special mention DiSaronno Bar Menu of the year

• B.O.A T. S. (Based On A True Story, Syracuse) – Special mention Social communication of the year

• Barmacia (Soluzioni Spiritose, Potenza) – Special mention Prom