While last night was a huge night for Barcelona bar, Sips as they took the gold ringin the World’s 50 Best bars, but there were also a few other bars and bartenders celebrating through to the early hours. In fact 49 other global bars got to stand in the spotlight and highlight not only their talents and skills but also the cities in which they trade.

Aside from Sips, Barcelona saw Paradiso bar landing No.4., while down south Madrid’s Salmon Guru came in at No.16.

In Italy, Rome’s Drink Kong at No.21 is joined by new entry Freni e Frizioni (No.33), alongside 1930 (No.42) in Milan, L’Antiquario (No.44) in Naples and Locale Firenze (No.46) in Florence.

Athens continues its ascendency with Line, winner of London Essence Best New Opening Award, at No.12, alongside Baba Au Rum (No.25) and The Clumsies (No.47), which was also named Rémy Martin Legend of The List.

Elsewhere in Europe, Paris features Little Red Door at No.6 and newcomer The Cambridge Public House at No.38, while Oslo’s Himkok (No.10) bags the Nikka Highest Climber Award. Berlin sees a strong return to the list with new entry Wax On at No.29. Last year’s Campari One To Watch, Röda Huset from Stockholm, ranks No.31 and is also the recipient of the Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award.

Back in London, there were five bars that got a jersey, including two in the top 10: Connaught Bar, rising three places to No.5, and Tayēr + Elementary at No.8. They are joined by East London neighbours Satan’s Whiskers at No.28 and A Bar with Shapes for a Name at No.35, with Scarfes Bar coming in at No.41. Edinburgh’s Panda & Sons also returns to the list at No.39.

Across the pond, New York’s Double Chicken Please (No.2) is crowned The Best Bar in North America, with fellow Manhattan bars Overstory coming in at No.17 and Katana Kitten at No.27. Miami’s Café La Trova is at No.24 along with new entry Jewel of the South (No.49) bringing New Orleans back into the list for the first time since 2014.

In Mexico City, Handshake Speakeasy has risen 8 places to No.3, with Licorería Limantour at No.7, Hanky Panky at No.22 and Baltra Bar at No.45.

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Handshake Speakeasy

The Best Bar in South America is once again Cartagena’s Alquímico, which has risen to No.9, alongside Buenos Aires’ three entries: Tres Monos (No.11), also winner of the Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award), CoChinChina (No.26) and Florería Atlántico (No.30). Carnaval in Lima is at No.43.

In the host city of Singapore, Jigger & Pony is at No.14 alongside Sago House (No.32) and re-entry Atlas at No.48. They are joined by Seoul newcomer Zest, winner of this year’s Disaronno Highest New Entry Award, at No.18.

Bangkok, Singapore, Hong Kong and Tokyo each feature two bars in the list, with Bangkok’s BKK Social Club taking the top spot as The Best Bar in Asia at No.13 and welcoming neighbour Mahaniyom Cocktail Bar, entering at No.19. Tokyo stalwart Bar Benfiddich (No.37) is joined by The SG Club, which re-enters the list at No.36. Hong Kong is represented by Coa at No.20 and Argo at No.34.

Also of note, Sydney’s Maybe Sammy (No.15) is crowned The Best Bar in Australasia for an incredible fifth time, having won the title every year since its launch in 2019, whilst Melbourne’s Caretaker’s Cottage joins the list for the first time at No.23.

In Dubai, newcomer Mimi Kakushi storms into the list at No.40 as The Best Bar in The Middle East and Africa, joined by Galaxy Bar at No.50.

Other honourable mentions include Lady Bee in Lima which was named as the Campari One To Watch, an honour bestowed on a bar outside of the 1-50 ranking that the 50 Best team believes has what it takes to make future editions of the list.

The winner of the inaugural Bareksten Best Bar Design Award was Night Hawk in Singapore. Founded by renowned Singapore bartender Peter Chua in May 2022, the speakeasy’s enigmatic interiors have been meticulously designed to offer an intimate, immersive experience that combines retro and futuristic elements.

The American Bar at Gleneagles in Auchterarder, Scotland was awarded the Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu Award for its Book of Berries menu. Inspired by the 20th-century ‘observer books’, this menu features 18 cocktails, each dedicated to a single botanical berry sourced from the local hills of Perthshire.

Renato ‘Tato’ Giovannoni has been voted Roku Industry Icon. A bartender, entrepreneur and visionary, Giovannoni’s multi-award winning Florería Atlántico in Buenos Aires has been a firm fixture of The World’s 50 Best Bars list since opening in 2013, being named The Best Bar in South America an incredible eight times. His passionate celebration of Argentinian produce, heritage and culture and unwavering commitment to hospitality is celebrated around the world.

Joining the list for the first time at No.18, Seoul’s Zest was awarded Disaronno Highest New Entry. Founders Demie Kim, Sean Woo, Jisu Park and Noah Kwon are paving the way to a more sustainable future behind the bar with a zero-waste approach that celebrates the finest local flavours alongside house-made innovations.

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Zest

Line in Athens is named London Essence Best New Opening as the bar which enters the list in the highest position of any that have opened during the voting period. The latest venture from the team behind Athens stalwart The Clumsies, alongside Greek entrepreneur Dimitris Dafopoulos, Line draws its inspiration from the dynamic and natural journey of fermentation, the seasonality of produce, the concept of sustainability and the synergy with small Greek producers in an industrial space gently accented with natural materials.

Oslo’s Himkok won the Nikka Highest Climber Award, rising 33 places within the 1-50 list to No.10. Opened in 2015 by Erk Potur and renowned for placing Scandinavian cocktail culture on the map, Himkok offers an innovative exploration of Nordic flavours, produce and products under the stewardship of bar manager Maroš Dzurus.

The honour of Rémy Martin Legend of the List was bestowed upon The Clumsies, an award given to a bar that has performed most consistently in the list since its inception. With The Clumsies, founders Vasilis Kyritsis and Nikos Bakoulis have created the ultimate neighbourhood bar showcasing world class cocktails alongside warm Greek hospitality.

Röda Huset in Stockholm won the Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award, based on independent adjudication by the Sustainable Restaurant Association. Inspired by co-owner Hampus Thunholm’s time at Fäviken, the remote Swedish restaurant renowned for only working with ingredients that came from the surrounding estates, Röda Huset celebrates the wealth of outstanding produce available in Sweden.

Other special award winners, announced in the run-up to the event on 17 October, include Tres Monos, Buenos Aires, named the winner of the Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award, and GN Chan, winner of the Altos Bartenders’ Bartender Award.

The 2023 list itself

1. Sips – Barcelona
2. Double Chicken Please – New York
3. Handshake Speakeasy – Mexico City
4. Paradiso – Barcelona
5. Connaught Bar – London
6. Little Red Door – Paris
7. Licorería Limantour – Mexico City
8. Tayēr + Elementary – London
9. Alquímico – Cartagena
10. Himkok – Oslo
11. Tres Monos – Buenos Aires
12. Line – Athens
13. BKK Social Club – Bangkok
14. Jigger & Pony – Singapore
15. Maybe Sammy – Sydney
16. Salmon Guru – Madrid
17. Overstory – New York
18. Zest – Seoul
19. Mahaniyom Cocktail Bar – Bangkok
20. Coa – Hong Kong
21. Drink Kong – Rome
22. Hanky Panky – Mexico City
23. Caretaker’s Cottage – Melbourne
24. Café La Trova – Miami
25. Baba au Rum – Athens
26. CoChinChina – Buenos Aires
27. Katana Kitten – New York
28. Satan’s Whiskers – London
29. Wax On – Berlin
30. Florería Atlántico – Buenos Aires
31. Röda Huset – Stockholm
32. Sago House – Singapore
33. Freni e Frizioni – Rome
34. Argo – Hong Kong
35. A Bar with Shapes for a Name – London
36. The SG Club – Tokyo
37. Bar Benfiddich – Tokyo
38. The Cambridge Public House – Paris
39. Panda & Sons – Edinburgh
40. Mimi Kakushi – Dubai
41. Scarfes Bar – London
42. 1930 – Milan
43. Carnaval – Lima
44. L’Antiquario – Naples
45. Baltra Bar – Mexico City
46. Locale Firenze – Florence
47. The Clumsies – Athens
48. Atlas – Singapore
49. Jewel of the South – New Orleans
50. Galaxy Bar – Dubai