Niko Tiutan

Niko Tiutan’s love for beverages began with coffee, landing him a front-of-house and barista position at Toyo Eatery. It was here that he became enamoured with mixology, inspiring him to launch a bottled cocktail brand with his partner, Alex Atienza. Fast forward four years later, and Tiutan now helms one of the most groundbreaking bars in the country. As Ito’s beverage director, Tiutan leads their evening sessions, serving beverages exclusively through course menus—a bold decision in the metro’s young bar scene. Using a produce-oriented approach, Tiutan focuses his efforts on championing seasonal ingredients, leveraging innovative techniques to make them shine through every sip. It’s for this reason that Tiutan likewise excels in low- and zero-ABV cocktails—while the spirits add depth and dimension to his drinks, they’re never used as a crutch, challenging this up-and-coming talent to think outside the box.