The Best Regional Barista and Bartender Will be Selected at the Raise the Bar Conference

From March 25 to 27, Zagreb will once again become the centre of the regional bar and coffee scene, during the Raise the Bar Conference, which will once again reveal the names of future stars of the regional hospitality scene at the bartender and barista competitions.

Barista Competition: precision, creativity, and a steady hand

For a chance to win a EUR 5,000 prize and a spot at the Caffè Vergnano World Cup, all baristas with at least two years of experience can apply for the Raise the Bar Competition for baristas by filling out the application form and submitting a short video showcasing their latte art skills.

On 25 March at Lauba, the top ten finalists will face a series of technical and creative challenges, judged by coffee expert Tomislav Košutić, barista and owner of Four Wheel Coffee Roasters Karlo Purić, certified Black Coffee Examiner and international Latte Art Grading System judge Fabio Dotti, and Radoš Raičević, a World Barista Championship certified trainer.

“I would recommend that my colleagues and fellow baristas step out of their comfort zones, take the stage, and showcase their talent, because a competition like this literally changes lives,” said Petar Spudić, the winner of last year's barista competition, who took second place at the 2025 Caffè Vergnano World Cup.

Bartender Competition: testing talent under pressure

Bartenders with at least one year of experience can apply for the Raise the Bar Competition for bartenders, where the title of best bartender comes with a EUR 10,000 prize and a trip to the 2026 Roma Bar Show. The application includes filling out the application form and submitting an original cocktail idea with a detailed recipe. The jury will recreate the cocktails and select 20 contestants who will have to demonstrate the knowledge and skills crucial for top bartenders on 26 March. They will be evaluated by regional experts Dominik Bečvardi, Kevin Kos, Denis Memić, Mišel Posavec and Anteo Ivanišević, who will be joined by Rémy Savage and Danil Nevsky, bartenders ranked among the most influential names on the global bar scene.

The top two will secure a place in the finals, held on 27 March as part of the Raise the Bar Conference – an event where Coca-Cola HBC Adria gathers professionals from the hospitality and tourism sectors to exchange knowledge, follow global trends, and forge new collaborations.

"I would go so far as to say that the Raise the Bar Competition is the most rigorous competition in this part of Europe because it goes beyond the classic format where a cocktail is simply made and presented. The competition evaluates everything a bartender needs to do their job correctly and provide the best service to every guest – from knowledge and creativity to communication and behind-the-bar thinking," said Antonio Miloš, last year's winner of the Raise the Bar Competition for bartenders.

Applications for both competitions are open until Monday, 2 March, and professionals from Croatia, Slovenia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina can secure their spot in the competition. Full details about the competitions and the conference are available at www.raisethebaradria.com.