NEW ORLEANS – Neal Bodenheimer and the team at Cure are celebrating their fourth consecutive appearance on North America’s 50 Best Bars list, along with earning the Nikka Highest Climber Award. The cocktail bar jumped from the No.50 to the No.21 spot for 2026, announced April 22 in Vancouver. Honoring standout innovation and exceptional hospitality, the recognition underscores Cure’s continued role in shaping and advancing the modern cocktail movement in New Orleans. The bar’s accolades include a James Beard Foundation Award for “Outstanding Bar Program” in 2018, inclusion on The World’s 50 Best Bars in 2014, and repeat placements on North America’s 50 Best Bars list in 2023, 2024, and 2025. Cure was also named the No. 1 bar in the United States in 2026, by Food & Wine as part of its annual Global Tastemakers awards.
“It’s an incredible privilege to be included on North America’s 50 Best Bars for the fourth year running,” said Neal Bodenheimer. “Sustained recognition like this speaks to the heart of what we do, showing up every day with intention and a deep respect for the craft and our guests. We’re grateful to our team and our community for continuing to grow with us, and we remain as committed as ever to serve as a standard-bearer, inspiring the success of classic cocktails bars both in New Orleans and beyond.”
As part of Cure’s continued efforts to drive the beverage industry forward and expand its presence beyond New Orleans, the team shares it has cultivated long-term partnerships and destination pop-ups around the world. Most recently, Cure debuted the second year of its residency at The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel; participated in industry events like Arizona Cocktail Week and Charleston Wine & Food Festival; hosted a two-night Mardi Gras activation at Zero Bond New York; and was featured during a guest shift at Rosewood Mayakoba.
Cure is located at 4905 Freret St. with reservations available seven days a week via Resy. Additional information can be found at CureNola.com and @curenola.