Metro Manila will host the inaugural Philippine Cocktail Fiesta, a city-wide celebration of mixology featuring top bars and bartenders from across the country from November 17 to 23. Nearly 100 bars across Metro Manila, including Makati, BGC, Quezon City, San Juan, Marikina, and Alabang, will participate, with most industry activations centered atSolaire Resort Entertainment City, official host partner.
This is spearheaded by DrinkCollectiv.com, the Philippines’ first drink-centric publication (formerly DrinkManila) that has now expanded its reach in Asia, and DBWY (Drinks Be With You), a community within the Philippine bar scene that brings together bartenders and enthusiasts through events and cocktail competitions.
“We’ve been inspired by neighboring countries’ cocktail festivals and witnessed how these festivals unite their cocktail communities and energize their scenes, especially during events like the recent It made us think, why not bring that energy to Manila?” says Tatum Ancheta, founder and editorial director of DrinkCollectiv.com and festival director of the Philippine Cocktail Fiesta.
“We’ve carefully handpicked venues to host bar takeovers such as bar shifts and cocktail pairing dinners with our local and international guests,” explains Aaron Limpe Aw, co-founder of DBWY, and sponsorship & partnerships manager of the Philippine Cocktail Fiesta. “These venues embody the diversity and creativity of Filipino mixology, ranging from Metro Manila pioneers to those showcasing local flavors.”
The Fiesta is also flying in standout bars across the Philippines, from Cebu, Dumaguete, Iloilo, Palawan, La Union, Cagayan de Oro, and Davao, showcasing the rich diversity of our regions. “Together, they represent the evolving richness of our cocktail landscape, showcasing emerging talents delivering our unique brand of Filipino service, regional flavors and local produce. This is something we made a conscious effort of highlighting during the week,” adds Limpe-Aw.
The Philippine Cocktail Fiesta is proud to have the support of the wider Asian bar community. with a star-studded lineup of local and international bartenders from leading bars across Taiwan, India, Macau, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, and Beijing. “While we want to spotlight local bars, we also aim for the local bar community to learn from international successes, foster knowledge exchange, raise our standards, and help elevate the Philippines’ position on the global cocktail map,” Ancheta says.
Expect over 24 star-studded lineup of guest bartender shifts from award-winning bars worldwide, including Lorenzo Antinori(named International ‘Bartender of the Year’ at the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation’s Spirited Awards 2025), the legendary co-founder of Bar Leone from Hong Kong, recently crowned Best Bar at The World’s 50 Best Bars 2025. He will deliver a back-to-back cocktail experience at The Fiesta’s Official Host Partner, Solaire Resort Entertainment City, featuring host venues Finestra and BRB.
Other industry stalwarts who will be behind the bar include Yangdup Lama, co-owner of Sidecar bar in India and recipient of Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2024 Industry Icon Award, and award-winning Antonio Lai from Hong Kong’s Quinary and The Opposites, a pioneer of the “Multisensory Mixology” concept in Hong Kong.
The Fiestawill also showcase cocktail-driven dining experiences that highlight local flavors, paired with drinks from award-winning bars across Asia. “These experiences highlight regional ingredients and culinary traditions, sparking creativity and showing that cocktails and food pairings are simply a match made in flavor heaven,” explains Icy Mariñas, program manager of the Philippine Cocktail Fiesta.
Along with a five-course dinner paired with cocktails by Bar Leone at Solaire Entertainment City’s Italian restaurant Finestra, other reservation-worthy pairings include Malaysia’s Three X Co (no. 15 on Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2025) cocktail-pairing dinner, featuring drinks by head bartender Amanda Wan, in collaboration with Brazilian-Japanese restaurant Uma Nota. There’s also a dinner with chef Sau del Rosario at his Café Fleur in Alabang, paired with Macau’s Wing Lei Bar, where Scottish head mixologist Mark Lloyd will craft signature drinks. Additionally, Nono Yu, owner and bartender of Taiwan’s bar and bistro The Han-Jia (no. 59 on Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2025), will create a pairing dinner with a touch of magical flair, combining his cocktails with dishes from San Juan’s new resto bar, Three Dots. Finally, India’s celebrated bar influencer Nitin Tewari, aka Mr. BarTrender, will showcase India’s culinary flavors with bite-sized creations by Tribal Gourmet’s chef Tanisha Phanbuh at Finestra in Solaire Resort North.
Exclusive experiences for the bar community include masterclasses, industry parties, and panel talks. Hospitality students, bartenders, and industry insiders can attend brand talks such as “Introduction to Local Rum, Bonifacio: Philippine Pure Potstill Rum,” led by Aaron Aw, executive vice president of Destileria Limtuaco. Clayton Munar, Beverage Innovator for Monin Asia, will present Paragon, a collection of single-botanic cordials showcasing rare botanicals transformed into concentrated flavor solutions designed to expand the creative possibilities of modern mixology. Additionally, Shallum Recto, Código 1530 Brand Ambassador, will explore the rich history, heritage, and craftsmanship behind the exceptional tequila, Código
Attendees can also learn from leading voices in the local and international bar scene, such as The Foundry Asia, Quinary and The Opposites’ Antonio Lai, Marco Lobregat, and DrinkCollectiv’s co-founder Icy Mariñas.
“The Power of Community: Elevating City Bar Culture” will feature a panel discussion on how festivals and community build lasting city bar scenes, feature international panel speakers.
Click here to see the full schedule of masterclasses and talks.
The Fiesta Passport serves as your physical guidebook to The Philippine Cocktail Fiesta (TCF). Priced at ₱1,800, the kit grants one-week access to the exclusive promos and deals at all participating venues in the Metro, along with a Fiesta Canvas Bag, stickers, and surprise freebies from our sponsors. The Fiesta Passport is available via Klook. Visit thecocktailfiesta.com to learn more about the Passport.
For the latest updates, visit thecocktailfiesta.com or Follow The Philippine Cocktail Fiesta @thecocktailfiesta on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Tiktok.
