Here’s one for you: how many bars do you think there are in the world? Not just those we’ve all heard about but including the tiny under the radar ones, those with zero marketing budget or famous names to propel them into the limelight. Impossible right? Particularly as every hotel and restaurant in the world now sees the value of having a cocktail programme as a part of its offering. That’s why those who made it to the top 100, never mind the top 50 in the World’s 50 Best Bars list should be seriously high-fiving themselves right now. Who doesn’t want that kind of recognition?
The countdown from 100-51 was revealed a couple of weeks ago, while the big guns, the top 50 were unveiled at a packed ceremony at the Roundhouse in London last week. Everyone who’s anyone in the bar world was in attendance, which was great for those of us in the room but not so lucky for anyone hoping to find the movers and shakers in their respective bars. But before the countdown (which lets face it, most of you will already know), here are the highlights:
- The list includes 26 cities from across 20 countries, so please, no comments about it being all of the usual suspects…
- There was plenty of movement too. The list featured 12 new bars; 10 making their debut and two returners
- The UK and USA – most notably London and New York – once again lead, each featuring 10 bars in the top 50
- Four new London bars enter the ranking – all of them independents, hurrah! Give it up for Coupette, Scout, Three Sheets and Swift
- Connaught Bar from London picked up the 2018 Heering Legend of the List
- The Old Man in Hong Kong made its first appearance on the list in fine style, winning the Highest New Entry Award
- The late John Lermayer, co-founder of Sweet Liberty in Miami, was honoured with the Industry Icon Award, sponsored by Seedlip
- Himkok in Oslo, Norway was the first recipient of the Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award
- Joe Schofield, recently of Singapore’s Tippling Club, was named the Altos Bartenders’ Bartender
- Carnaval in Lima, Peru was named the Campari One To WatchAnd now, that list. Congratulations to all of the teams for all their hard work
Congratulations to Team Dandelyan, winners of this year’s World’s 50 Best Bars 2018
1. Dandelyan – London, UK
2. American Bar – London, UK
3. Manhattan – Singapore
4. The NoMad – New York, USA
5. Connaught Bar – London, UK
6. Bar Termini – London, UK
7. The Clumsies – Athens, Greece
8. Atlas – Singapore
9. Dante – New York, USA
10. The Old Man – Hong Kong, China
11. Licorería Limantour – Mexico City, Mexico
12. Bar High Five – Tokyo, Japan
13. Native – Singapore
14. Florería Atlántico – Buenos Aires, Argentina
15. Attaboy – New York, USA
16. The Dead Rabbit – New York, USA
17. Oriole – London, UK
18. Coupette – London, UK
19. Himkok – Oslo, Norway
20. Speak Low – Shanghai, China
21. Sweet Liberty – Miami, USA
22. Baba Au Rum – Athens, Greece
23. Operation Dagger – Singapore
24. Le Syndicat – Paris, France
25. Lost & Found – Nicosia, Cyprus
26. Employees Only – New York, USA
27. Central Station – Beirut, Lebanon
28. Scout – London, UK
29. Three Sheets – London, UK
30. Black Pearl – Melbourne, Australia
31. Tales and Spirits – Amsterdam, Netherlands
32. Linje Tio – Stockholm, Sweden
33. Little Red Door – Paris, France
34. 28 HongKong Street – Singapore
35. Happiness Forgets – London, UK
36. La Factoría – Old San Juan, Puerto Rico
37. Paradiso – Barcelona, Spain
38. Indulge Experimental Bistro – Taipei, Taiwan
39. El Copitas – St Petersburg, Russia
40. Tommy’s – San Francisco, USA
41. BlackTail – New York, USA
42. Candelaria – Paris, France
43. Schumann’s – Munich, Germany
44. Trick Dog – San Francisco, USA
45. Fifty Mils – Mexico City, Mexico
46. Swift – London, UK
47. Salmon Guru – Madrid, Spain
48. Buck and Breck – Berlin, Germany
49. Bar Benfiddich – Tokyo, Japan
50. Lost Lake – Chicago, USA
