PUBLISHED October 4th, 2019 05:12 am | UPDATED May 18th, 2020 06:52 pm
If you’ve paid attention over the last few years, the World’s 50 Best Bars list has seen more fluctuation than its World’s 50 Best Restaurants counterpart. And frankly, it makes for a more exciting and riveting show each year. Besides mentioning that 14 new bars joined the top 50 when the 51-100 list was released, there’s no Hall of Fame-like collective (aka “Best of the Best”). Held last night in conjunction with London Cocktail Week, the ceremony saw the century-old Dante in Manhattan’s Lower West Side take home the crown at the much coveted awards. World’s 50 Best veterans Connaught Bar (London), Floreria Atlantico (Bueno Aires), The Nomad (New York), and American Bar at The Savoy London round up the top five.
Overall, Asia fared better this year with 13 bars on the list – compared to the 10 the continent raked in last year – courtesy of five new bars in the region making their mark. They are: Shingo Gokan’s SG Club (No. 14) in Shibuya, Tokyo and Sober Company (No. 46) in Shanghai, Singapore’s The Old Man (No. 38) and Jigger & Pony (No. 29), as well as tequila temple COA (No. 49) in Hong Kong. Unfortunately, Bar Benfiddich in Tokyo’s vibrant Shinjuku neighbourhood and Singapore speakeasy 28 HongKong Street slipped places and into the list’s 51-100 rankings. Following the departure of Manhattan‘s core duo behind the bar – Philip Bischoff and Cedric Mendoza who are continuing their journeys in Bangkok and Sydney respectively – the hotel bar dropped out of the top 10, with gin palace Atlas taking over as the Best Bar in Asia.
In other parts of the world, it’s worth taking note that cocktail capitals London and New York still dominate, covering one third of the list. Noteworthy venues from the region this year include Lyaness (No. 39),which was resurrected in the same space that last year’s best bar Dandelyan occupied in London, and New York’s Japanese-fusion spot Katana Kitten (No. 14). The latter won over plenty of the 525 votes that took part in this exercise as they also took home the Best New Opening award.
For the full list of the World’s 50 Best Bars, see below. Venues in bold indicate that the venues are in Asia.
1. Dante, New York, USA (Best Bar in North America)
2. Connaught Bar, London, UK (Best Bar in Europe)
3. Floreria Atlantico, Bueno Aires (Best Bar in South America)
4. The Nomad, New York, USA
5. American Bar, London, UK (Legend of the List)
6. The Clumsies, Athens, Greece
7. Attaboy, New York, USA
8. Atlas, Singapore (Best Bar in Asia)
9. The Old Man, Hong Kong, China
10. Licorería Limantour, Mexico City, Mexico
11. Manhattan, Singapore
12. Native, Singapore (Ketel Sustainable Bar Award)
13. Carnaval, Lima, Peru (NEW, Highest New Entry)
14. Katana Kitten, New York, USA (NEW, Best New Opening)
15. Guilhotina, Sao Paolo, Brazil
16. Three Sheets, London, UK
17. Himkok, Oslo, Norway
18. Bar High Five, Tokyo, Japan
19. Salmon Guru, Madrid, Spain (Highest Climber)
20. Paradiso, Barcelona, Spain
21. Indulge Experimental Bistro, Taipei
22. Dead Rabbit, New York, USA
23. Coupette, London, UK
24. SG Club, Tokyo, Japan (NEW)
25. Stravinsky, Barcelona, Spain
26. Employees Only, New York, USA
27. El Copitas, St. Petersburg, Russia
28. Scout, London, UK
29. Jigger & Pony, Singapore (NEW)
30. Operation Dagger, Singapore
31. Baba Au Rhum, Athens, Greece
32. La Factoria, Old San Juan, Puerto Rico
33. Presidente, Buenos Aires, Argentina
34. Schumann’s, Munich, Germany
35. Speak Low, Shanghai, China
36. Little Red Door, Paris, France
37. Tjoget, Stockholm, Sweden
38. The Old Man, Singapore (NEW)
39. Lyaness, London, UK (NEW)
40. Happiness Forgets, London, UK
41. Swift, London, UK
42. Trick Dog, San Francisco, USA
43. Maybe Sammy, Sydney, Australia (NEW, Best Bar in Australasia)
44. 1930, Milan, Italy
45. Sober Company, Shanghai, China (NEW)
46. Electric Bing Sutt, Beirut, Lebanon (NEW, Best Bar in Middle East and Africa)
47. Kwānt, London, UK (NEW)
48. Artesian, London, UK
49. COA, Hong Kong, China (NEW)
50. Jerry Thomas Speakeasy, Rome, Italy
For more drinking destinations around the world, continue reading for the long list of bars ranked between 51-100 of the World’s Best Bars 2019 below:
51. Subastor, São Paulo, Brazil
52. Tayer + Elementary, London, UK (NEW)
53. Lost & Found, Nicosia, Cyprus
54. The Bamboo Bar at Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok, Thailand
55. SCARFES BAR, London, UK (NEW)
56. Bar Benfiddich, Tokyo, Japan
57. Two Schmucks, Barcelona, Spain
58. Candelaria, Paris, France
59. Tales & Spirits, Amsterdam, Netherlands
60. Tommy’s, San Francisco, USA
61. 28 Hongkong Street, Singapore
62. Zuma, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
63. Buck and Breck, Berlin, Germany
64. Oriole, London, UK
65. Hanky Panky, Mexico City, Mexico
66. Bulletin Place, Sydney, Australia
67. Sweet Liberty, Miami, USA
68. Danico, Paris, France
69. Siete Negronis, Santiago, Chile (NEW)
70. Baccano, Rome, Italy (NEW)
71. Quinary, Hong Kong, China
72. Blacktail, New York, USA
73. Central Station, Beirut, Lebanon
74. Dry Martini, Barcelona, Spain
75. Lobster Bar, Hong Kong, China
76. Long Island Bar, New York, USA
77. Panda & Sons, Edinburgh, UK
78. Satan’s Whiskers, London, UK (NEW)
79. The Baxter Inn, Sydney, Australia
80. Black Pearl, Melbourne, Australia
81. ABV, San Francisco, USA
82. Drink Kong, Rome, Italy (NEW)
83. Charles H, Seoul, South Korea
84. Le Syndicat, Paris, France
85. Bar Trench, Tokyo, Japan
86. Nottingham Forest, Milan, Italy
87. Donovan Bar, London, UK (NEW)
88. Sin+Tax, Johannesburg, South Africa (NEW)
89. Bar Orchard Ginza, Tokyo, Japan
90. Nutmeg & Clove, Singapore (NEW)
91. Lost Lake, Chicago, USA
92. Tropic City, Bangkok, Thailand (NEW)
93. The Pontiac, Hong Kong, China (NEW)
94. Amor y Amargo, New York, USA
95. PS40, Sydney, Australia (NEW)
96. Frank Bar, São Paulo, Brazil
97. The Gibson, London, UK
98. Mabel, Paris, France (NEW)
99. Aviary, Chicago, USA
100. Clover Club, New York, USA (NEW)