A cocktail bar in a major metropolis and a small venue in a tourist destination can deliver equally outstanding experiences, despite catering to different audiences and expectations. This is the idea behind Sublime 100, a new international ranking designed to recognise excellence in hospitality by comparing venues within similar categories.
Unveiled on November 4, 2026, during the Athens Bar Show, the initiative, promoted by Asa Luxury, will officially debut in Barcelona in July 2027. Its first two rankings, Sublime 100 Bars and Sublime 100 Cafés, will be announced on July 6 and 7, respectively, at the Museu Marítim. The project was founded by Roger Betriu and Mark Sansom, both former members of The World’s 50 Best team, alongside founding partner Cristina Jolonch, Gastronomy Editor at La Vanguardia.
How the Sublime 100 Bars Ranking Works
The defining feature of Sublime 100 is its category-based approach, designed to compare venues offering similar experiences. The bar ranking will be divided into four categories: Major City, for cities with populations exceeding one million; Small City, covering cities with fewer than one million residents, including tourist and seaside destinations; Hotel Bars; and Lifestyle Bars.
The top 25 venues in each category will make up the final list of the world’s 100 best bars. This structure aims to recognise establishments with different characteristics while taking into account the environments in which they operate.
Sublime 100 Cafés will follow a similar four-category structure, distinguishing venues in major cities from those in smaller destinations, while also including hotel breakfast and brunch experiences.
An International Voting Academy of 1,000 Industry Professionals and Consumers
Another key element of Sublime 100 is its international voting academy, comprising 1,000 members. Hospitality industry professionals will account for 70% of voters, while the remaining 30% will consist of selected and verified consumers.
Voters will be recruited through a network of Regional Embassy Directors, who will be excluded from voting and will remain unaware of the nominees until the awards ceremonies. Every vote must be supported by proof of an actual visit.
The process will also include checks for conflicts of interest and potential irregularities, with voters prohibited from evaluating establishments with which they have direct professional or personal ties.
The aim is to give regular customers a voice alongside industry experts, recognising their ability to assess the quality of hospitality and consistency of service over time. The complete voting regulations, known as the Voting Manifesto, will be published in the coming months.
Sublime 100 Introduces a 100-Point Rating System
Alongside its rankings, the project will introduce an independent rating system assessing five dimensions of hospitality, assigning each venue an overall score out of 100.
The evaluation will consider the experience as a whole, including the quality of the offering, service, atmosphere, value for money, and connection to the local community and destination.
While the rankings will determine which venues receive recognition, the rating system will provide a more detailed assessment of individual experiences and allow their standards to be monitored over time.
“Sublime 100 looks at the entire experience and compares like with like, giving extraordinary venues the opportunity to be recognised on their own merits, wherever they are in the world,” explains Mark Sansom, co-founder of the project.
The Sublime 100 Plaque Inspired by Barcelona
Each award-winning venue will receive a brass plaque crafted by Spanish artisans and forged in Barcelona.
Its design draws inspiration from the red pavement tiles of the Ruta del Modernisme, which mark buildings and landmarks associated with Catalan Modernism throughout the city.
The idea emerged during a walk through Barcelona, when founders Roger Betriu and Mark Sansom noticed these distinctive markers embedded in the city’s pavements.
The plaque will become a shared symbol of recognition for selected venues around the world.
What’s Next for Sublime 100
Following the inaugural bar and café rankings, the platform plans to expand into restaurants, hotels and nightclubs, progressively broadening the range of hospitality experiences it evaluates.
Industry professionals and guests interested in joining the voting academy can already register through the official website, where further announcements and the forthcoming Voting Manifesto will be published.
Selected applicants will also have the opportunity to enter a prize draw for a chance to attend the awards ceremonies in Barcelona in July 2027.
Images courtesy of Sublime 100
