Cheers to that: Alex Kratena and Monica Berg, founders of Tayēr + Elementary
(Picture: Handout)London was named “the cocktail capital of Europe” as five of its bars were named among the 50 best in the world — but the Connaught Bar in Mayfair was knocked off top spot after two years in first place.
Paradiso, a bar tucked away behind a pastrami shop in Barcelona, rose to number one in the list of the World’s 50 Best Bars, with its victory revealed at a ceremony in the Spanish city last night (October 4). It’s the time since the list launched 13 years ago that a bar outside of London or New York has claimed the honour.
It was closely followed in second place by TayÄr + Elementary, the bar on London’s Old Street whose cocktails were described by judges as “the liquid equivalent to fine dining, though with none of the pretence”.
The Connaught Bar, which for two consecutive years had claimed the accolade of the world’s best bar, dropped down to number eight, while Satan’s Whiskers in Bethnal Green was placed at number 23 — its first appearance on the 50 Best list.
Elsewhere in the capital, there was a re-entry for Soho bar Swift at number 30, while Hackney spot A Bar with Shapes for a Name claimed its first ever place on the list at number 37.
New York City has six bars on the list — more than any other city in the world — while Singapore, Bangkok and Hong Kong were each represented by two bars. Dubai led the way in the Middle East with three entries.
The list was compiled by votes from more than 650 drinks experts, including bartenders, consultants, drinks writers and cocktail specialists, drawn from around the world with a 50/50 gender split. The full list is below:
- Paradiso, Barcelona
- TayÄr + Elementary, London
- Sips, Barcelona
- Licorería Limantour, Mexico City
- Little Red Door, Paris
- Double Chicken Please, New York
- Two Schmucks, Barcelona
- Connaught Bar, London
- Katana Kitten, New York
- Alquímico, Cartagena
- Handshake Speakeasy, Mexico City
- Jigger & Pony, Singapore
- Hanky Panky, Mexico City
- BKK Social Club, Bangkok
- Salmon Guru, Madrid
- Drink Kong, Rome
- Coa, Hong Kong
- Florería Atlántico, Buenos Aires
- The Clumsies, Athens
- Baba au Rum, Athens
- Café La Trova, Miami
- Attaboy, New York
- Satan’s Whiskers, London
- Tropic City, Bangkok
- Kumiko, Chicago
- Sidecar, New Delhi
- Tres Monos, Buenos Aires
- Argo, Hong Kong
- Maybe Sammy, Sydney
- Swift, London
- Line, Athens
- Baltra Bar, Mexico City
- Manhattan, Singapore
- Overstory, New York
- 1930, Milan
- Dante, New York
- A Bar with Shapes for a Name, London
- Zuma, Dubai
- Locale Firenze, Florence
- Red Frog, Lisbon
- Cantina OK!, Sydney
- CoChinChina, Buenos Aires
- Himkok, Oslo
- Carnaval, Lima
- Galaxy Bar, Dubai
- L’Antiquario, Naples
- Employees Only, New York
- Bar Benfiddich, Tokyo
- Lucy’s Flower Shop, Stockholm
- Bulgari Bar, Dubai
