Cape Town-based Hacienda has been awarded the title of Best New Cocktail Bar in the inaugural 2023 Angostura Bar and Beverage Awards. The winners were announced at a gala ceremony held at The Westin Hotel in Cape Town.
Also read: First South African Bar and Beverage Awards to recognise the best in local
‘South Africa is one of the world’s top destinations for gastronomy, leisure and hospitality,’ says Paul Reynell, Angostura Bar & Beverage Awards director. ‘And a huge contributor to our global reputation as a destination is our cocktail bars and teams. This annual campaign now recognises all industry stakeholders and the role they play in South Africa’s economy.’
Among the winners is Hacienda. ‘We feel so lucky – the support we’ve received from everyone else in the industry is just incredible. We’re like a family.’ says head bartender Dalu Dube.
Another Mothercity-based winner Charne van Heerden from The House of Machines, took the top spot in the Best Bartender category alongside Julian Short from Sin Tax in Johannesburg. ‘Do your research, learn your classics, learn the fundamentals of the industry because those are the building blocks for everything,’ says Short. ‘How to make an Old Fashioned, how to work a seven, 12, 15-hour shift, how to work with money and with people, and when you become a great bartender, just keep going. Fall in love with it.’
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The awards also recognised four industry pioneers, Bizcommunity reports, who have invested years in the industry – not just locally but also internationally. Their contribution to the industry is viewed as insurmountable, and between them, they have innovated, trained, mentored and develop much of the local cocktail landscape as we see it today. The recipients of the Industry Icon Awards include Brent Perremore, Kurt Schlechter, Marson Strydom and Raymond Endean.
‘On behalf of the Angostura Bar & Beverage Awards, we extend our heartfelt congratulations to all the winners of 2023. These remarkable individuals, teams, and brands have demonstrated outstanding dedication, innovation, and excellence to keep South Africa a top-performing player on the global stage,’ says Reynell.
‘Their achievements serve as inspiration to us all, and we look forward to watching their continued impact, supporting them and experiencing their cocktails!’
Here are all the winners:
Category: Bar
- Best Cocktail Bar: Sin Tax
- Best New Cocktail Bar: Hacienda
- Best Hotel Bar: Gigi Rooftop Restaurant and Bar at the Gorgeous George Hotel
- Best Restaurant Bar: Asoka
- Best Bartender: Charne van Heerden and Julian Short
- Best Bar Team: The House of Machines
- Best Support Staffer: Alex Duru
- Best Bar Solutions: Just Short
- Best Upliftment Programme or Initiative: Sisterhood for Industry Support (SIS)
- Best Brand Ambassador: Bradley Jacobs
- Best Bar Communicator: Leah van Deventer
- Best Mentor: Cassandra Eichhoff
- Industry Icon: Brent Perremore
Category: Beverage
- Best Brand Campaign: Castle Double Malt (M-Sports)
- Best CSI Campaign: Amstel the Entrepreneur (Heineken)
- Best New Local Product: Wildebeest Kamoefleer (Bundu Brands)
- Bartender’s Best Friend: Angostura Bitters
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Also read:
5 unique toasty beverages and where to find them in Cape Town
Picture: Bar and Beverage Awards