
Her work regularly appears in major industry publications, and she is also the content creator and social media manager for a list of prestigious clients, including Sopexa, Paris Wine Company, Becky Wasserman, Volcanic Selections, Le Du’s Wines, Windmill Wine & Spirits and Corkbuzz. Vicki is a wine and travel journalist who splits her time between New York and Paris. Her partner thinks she should consider downsizing. She owns almost 200 vintage glasses, from art deco Karl Palda decanters to 1800s-era crystal coupes, and she’s happy to wax poetic about all of them. She has been writing about the bar and spirits world for six years, including extensive coverage of glassware. Kate Dingwall is an experienced spirits writer and glassware collector. As much as we want to figuratively feel good in our own shoes, feeling physically good is definitely more important here. Lastly, while style is important, we’d say this is probably lowest on the totem pole. Seek out materials that not only mesh to your body and feet well but will also keep your feet dry-and be easy to clean when the inevitable spills happen. Materials are likely less important, though they do somewhat go hand in hand with structure. If your bar tends to get sticky and slippery, be sure to add non-slip soles to the top of your list of what to look out for. In addition to comfort and avoiding long-term injury, safety is of utmost importance. Other potentially important factors will certainly depend on your exact work environment. That said, we recommend seeking out something that offers support without sacrificing comfort. Long hours standing on your feet can be detrimental to your back, ankles and beyond, so placing comfort and structure above all else is key. In short, we’d pick running shoes over flats, heels or other everyday footwear, though we certainly don’t see them as interchangeable with the options above.Ībove all, when it comes to shopping for bartender shoes, comfort reigns king. Additionally, most running shoes tend to not be as waterproof as other options and have less durability, meaning they will likely need to be replaced more often. However, most of them will not offer the support that the well-made shoes listed above will. Running shoes certainly provide comfort and structure, making them better than other forms of everyday footwear. Although regular shoes will work in a pinch (there’s no need to call out if you happen to forget your shoes one night), we certainly don’t recommend using just any shoe as a daily solution. If your bar does not require a certain shoe, we recommend seeking out comfort, structure and design above all else first (when choosing your preferred brand), then looking at materials and style second. Most establishments don’t require a specific shoe for bartending, though there are certainly exceptions. Just behind the Docs, we’d say that our picks for the Dansko ( see it the brand's site) and Blundstone ( view it at Amazon) are the next best options here, thanks to their support, removable soles and (in the case of Blundstone) lifetime guarantee.įAQs Do I need specific shoes for bartending?

These are NOT comfortable, stand on your feet all day, hard construction work boots. Sneakers are affordable and stylish, though they tend to not hold up as well (or as long) as other shoes on this list. Buy Red Wing Heritage 6 Moc Toe Black Prairie 8 D (M) and other. Wear outside of work first to test the waters, then give it a go ( view at Walmart). The Doc Martens are definitely our best overall pick, though we absolutely would not recommend working in them prior to being broken in. It's like using an M1 Garand in combat.Above all, seeking out comfort and structure is key.

Heritage shoes aren't bad, you can do 90% of your activities with them and people have been using them for decades, but they aren't your best option if aesthetics don't count.

I think one was called Dave's Boots or something.Īs far as heritage shoes, they can be decent enough if you add a dense gel insole but they'll never compare to an athletic shoe or modern work boot because leather is just not as good of a shock absorber compared to TPU/TPR. Since they are a real work boot, Red Wing restricts your ability to buy them outside of Red Wing stores, but I've seen a few places that will ship them. That said they are honestly pretty overpriced, $175 for a made in Asia shoe so from a practical point of view you may want to just buy a modern breathable knit tennis shoe for half the cost. They have a bulky toe that some love and some hate, aesthetically, but it is very comfortable. They are super comfortable for standing for long periods and they are certified for electrical hazards.
