BVI Bars, Distillery Nominated by USA Today
Soggy Dollar Bar and Poor Man’s Bar have been shortlisted among USA Today 10Best nominees for the best Caribbean beach bars, while Callwood Rum Distillery is nominated in the best Caribbean distillery category. Public voting is now open on USA Today’s 10Best website and will determine the final rankings.
Two iconic British Virgin Islands businesses — Soggy Dollar Bar on Jost Van Dyke, Poor Man’s Bar near The Baths on Virgin Gorda, and the historic Callwood Rum Distillery on Tortola — have been named among USA Today’s 10Best nominees for its 2026 Caribbean beach bar and distillery lists.
USA Today’s 10Best editors compiled shortlists of notable venues across the region before opening the competition to public voting this month. The public vote will decide the final rankings, with results to be published after the voting period closes. Soggy Dollar Bar is recognised for its long-standing reputation and its signature cocktail, the Painkiller — a blend of cream of coconut, pineapple, orange juice and freshly grated Grenadian nutmeg — enjoyed against the backdrop of Jost Van Dyke’s turquoise waters.
Poor Man’s Bar, a popular stop for visitors exploring The Baths on Virgin Gorda, is cited for its role in the local party scene and for serving fruit-forward cocktails, including frozen margaritas, piña coladas and its own versions of the Painkiller. Callwood Rum Distillery, one of the Caribbean’s oldest continuously operating pot still distilleries, secured a nomination in the best Caribbean distillery category.
Callwood bottles a 10-year aged brown rum noted for a smooth finish, as well as a white rum with sugarcane and citrus notes. The distillery has enjoyed prior recognition in USA Today rankings, including a #4 finish in the Best Caribbean Rum category in 2025. For BVI residents, the nominations offer both a point of local pride and a potential boost to tourism-dependent businesses.
National exposure on a platform like USA Today can attract more visitors, increase bookings and support local employment — but it also underscores the need to manage visitor numbers responsibly to protect natural sites such as The Baths and Jost Van Dyke’s beaches. Voting is open on USA Today’s 10Best website and the competition typically closes after several weeks; the final lists will be published once voting ends.
Residents and supporters who wish to back local favourites can cast their votes online and share the nominations to help raise the BVI’s profile across the Caribbean hospitality scene. The nominations place the BVI alongside other celebrated Caribbean bars and distilleries and highlight the Territory’s unique offerings in beach culture and rum heritage.
Primary source: BVI News