The most photographed drinks in Europe

Words by Georgina Groom-Rietschy

Many of us are guilty of photographing an aesthetically pleasing drink before taking a sip. With low-intervention wines, craft ales and artisan coffee roasters changing how we socialise, and inventive flavours reshaping familiar favourites, our data science team analysed millions of camera rolls to discover which concoctions get snapped most across Europe.

Comparing the findings with our 2024 rankings, the results are largely unchanged: wine still dominates, its popularity reinforced by the rise of biodynamic and organic bottles. Elsewhere, beer and tea hold their ground alongside cocktail classics – the martini, margarita and mojito among them. Here are the ten most photographed drinks in Europe.

To learn how the data was analysed and how the photo index scores were calculated, see the methodology at the end of this article.

1. Wine

Photo index score: 100

There’s a long-standing debate over where wine first originated, but some of the earliest evidence points to Georgia. In 2017, archaeologists uncovered 8,000-year-old pottery containing traces of wine at two sites south of Tbilisi. Today, growing interest in organic, biodynamic and low-intervention winemaking has fuelled a new generation of natural wines. Neighbourhood bottle shops and wine bars have emerged in cities across the world, but Europe remains the heartland of the wine scene, with Italy and France celebrated for their historic vineyards and centuries-old traditions.

2. Beer 

Photo index score: 53

With roots tracing back more than 13,000 years to a cave near present-day Haifa, beer has come a long way from the thick, porridge-like brews of the ancient world. The market now spans everything from innovative IPAs and crisp pilsners to low alcohol beers and cocktail-inspired sours. Belgium remains a European hotspot, with Brussels famed for its historic brewing culture and distinctive lambics and gueuzes. Munich offers Bavarian traditions, legendary beer halls and Oktoberfest, while Prague is celebrated for its pilsners, built on Czech barley and Saaz hops. Copenhagen and London, meanwhile, are home to a strong independent brewery scene experimenting with new styles and techniques.

3. Coffee 

Photo index score: 20

Coffee culture has transformed the hospitality scene, with artisan roasters, independent cafés and hotels offering espresso-fuelled spaces to linger and socialise. Convenience coffee still has its place – from pods to instant sachets – but speciality beans, creative brewing methods and inventive flavours have changed the landscape. Whether you favour the classics or prefer alternative milks, fruit-forward beans and on-trend twists, the humble cup has never been more photogenic. Across Europe, coffee culture takes many forms, from London’s speciality scene and Copenhagen’s modern roasters to Amsterdam’s thriving cafés and the traditions of Vienna and Milan.

4. Sangria

Photo index score: 3

Few drinks symbolise summer quite like sangria. The Spanish classic is traditionally made with red wine and fruit, but today’s versions include crisp white and rosé blends, and sparkling takes loaded with seasonal citrus fruits and fresh herbs. Across the open-air terraces and tapas bars of Madrid, Barcelona and Seville, you’ll find sangria served by the glass or in generous pitchers. It’s an easy crowd-pleaser, ideal for long lunches, late afternoons and sundowners – so it’s little surprise that it features often on our camera rolls. The drink has travelled well beyond Spain, appearing on Mediterranean-inspired menus across major European cities.

5. Mojito

Photo index score: 2

Originating in Havana, the mojito is Cuba’s best-known cocktail, remaining a staple of the city’s historic bars and Caribbean beaches. It’s also a favourite in Europe, with its refreshing combination of white rum, fresh lime juice, sugar, mint and soda water perfectly suited to balmy beach clubs and rooftop bars. Barcelona is particularly fond of mojitos, and it’s equally at home in Lisbon’s bars, Italy’s coastal towns and across the Greek islands. Plus, it’s easy to recreate at home, making it a highly photographed cocktail.

6. Milkshakes

Photo index score: 2

Towering creations, varied flavours and elaborate toppings have made milkshakes a popular photographic subject across Europe. Often found on dessert menus and at ice cream parlours, classic combinations such as chocolate, vanilla and strawberry now sit alongside indulgent concoctions. In London, hotspots like Covent Garden’s Udderlicious use freshly made ice cream to create mouthwatering milkshakes, piled high with sauces, fruit and whipped cream, while in Paris, the city’s celebrated chocolatiers and pâtisseries have embraced the same attitude, delighting those with a sweet tooth.

7. Martini

Photo index score: 2

You’d be forgiven for assuming that a certain 007 put the martini on the map with his famous order, “shaken, not stirred”, but the sharp, sophisticated cocktail was already a favourite among high society in Europe and the US during the Roaring Twenties. Loved by writers, politicians and cultural figures including Winston Churchill, Frank Sinatra and Ernest Hemingway, the martini’s enduring appeal lies in its simplicity and elegance. Walk into any top cocktail bar in Europe and you’ll find the martini – and variations like espresso martini – on the menu, from the trolley service at London’s Connaught Bar to the low-lit Paradiso in Barcelona.

8. Tea

Photo index score: 1

First arriving in Europe as an import from China, tea has evolved into an everyday ritual woven into cultures across Europe, appearing on kitchen tables, in grand hotels and at neighbourhood cafés. It takes many forms, from elaborate afternoon teas served with dainty cakes and sandwiches to the humble breakfast brew. Wellness trends have brought a fresh appetite for loose-leaf blends and botanical infusions, while bubble tea and matcha have given the centuries-old drink a modern appeal. Fortnum & Mason flies the flag in London with more than 80 blends to choose from, while Paris’s emporiums, including Palais des Thés and Mariage Frères, are worth visiting for their rare selections and tearooms.

9. Margarita

Photo index score: 1

Sharp, citrusy and refreshing, the margarita is loved for its mouth-tingling flavour – a smooth blend of tequila, lime juice and orange liqueur, served in a salt-rimmed glass. Widely considered to have been created in Mexico, the cocktail has evolved in recent years, with interpretations such as the spicy margarita gaining popularity across social media during lockdown. The chilli-infused variation is now a permanent fixture at top bars and restaurants across Europe.

10. Tequila shot 

Photo index score: 0

A tequila shot often features in celebrations, from weddings to birthdays, with the traditional salt-and-lime ritual starting or ending a night. Originating with the blue agave plant in Mexico, primarily grown in the state of Jalisco, premium brands such as Patrón, Don Julio and George Clooney’s Casamigos have introduced the spirit to a new audience. While southern Europe – France, Italy, Spain and Portugal – favour regional wines and post-meal digestifs like grappa and limoncello, tequila is often the shot of choice across the UK, Ireland and Germany.

Methodology 

To determine the most photographed drinks in Europe, Popsa’s data science team analysed millions of customer photos taken in 2024 and 2025. Photos were never viewed by the team. Instead, drinks were identified entirely on-device, with each drink ranked by total photo volume.

Popsa’s app uses on-device machine learning to recognise general details within each photo – including whether a drink is present and which type it most closely matches. Only these labels, never the photos themselves, are aggregated for analysis. Each drink was assigned a photo index score reflecting its frequency relative to all other drinks in the dataset. Scores were then normalised on a scale of 0 to 100, with the most photographed drink set as the benchmark.