The annual ranking of The World's 50 Best Bar was revealed on Tuesday, October 22nd during the event in Madrid, in Spain. Now in its 16th year, the event has brought together the stars of the international cocktail scene, celebrating leading bartenders, owners and brands. Let's take a closer look at the list from 1st to 50th place.
The World's 50 Best Bar, first place goes toHandshake Speakeasy from Mexico City
The 2024 ranking includes bars from 28 cities, with theHandshake Speakeasy of Mexico City elected Best Bar in North America and the World, sponsored by Perrier, marking the first win for a Mexican bar.
«Handshake Speakeasy's victory was in the air – he tells us Louis DeMichele, Global Trade Marketing Manager of Lucan 1894 – It was definitely one of the favorites going into the event and deserves its position at the top of The World's 50 Best Bar, as well as winning the 50 Best Bars in North America».
Hidden in the neighborhood Colonia Juarez in Mexico City, the Handshake Speakeasy is one of the capital's best-kept secrets. Behind a secret door, in a dimly lit room filled with vintage spirits, The bar's interior masterfully evokes the bygone era of Hollywood speakeasies.
While the black marble, brass details and dark lighting of the interior evoke a century ago, The innovative cocktail menu is firmly rooted in the future: at Hanshake Speakeasy tradition is fused with innovation, elevating classics through cutting-edge, lab-developed techniques, revolutionizing familiar recipes with unexpected flavors and a complex palate; finally, tinctures and infusions homemade they refer back to the middle of the last century, together with the use of rare and aged liqueurs.
Emma Sleight, Head of Content for The World's 50 Best Bars, says: “It is with great pride that we announce Handshake Speakeasy as the World’s Best Bar 2024, sponsored by Perrier. Being the first #1 from Mexico is an extraordinary achievement, and Eric van Beek and his team are well deserved. Their impressive rise in the World’s 50 Best Bars list over the years is a testament to their unique combination of impeccable hospitality, innovative technique and truly excellent cocktails. We also extend our heartfelt congratulations to all the bars on this list, which once again highlights the incredible diversity of the global bar industry. We hope this list continues to be a guide for cocktail lovers around the world.”
Sips Best Bar in Europe again, while London is the capital of cocktails and Italy confirms 4 presences in the ranking
Even in this ranking, London retains title as cocktail capital of Europe, counting four bars out of 19 for the continent: it climbs to fourth position Tayer + Elementary, with the co-founder Monica Berg also awarded as a Roku Industry Icon.
Dropping a few positions, at no. 13, there is the Connaught Bar, followed by Satan's Whiskers at no. 29 and Scarfs Bar at no.37. Looking at the UK as a whole, Panda & Sons in Edinburgh climbs nine places to 30th place, while the founder Iain McPherson is awarded the Altos Bartenders' Bartender Award.
The title as Best Bar in Europe goes again to Sips of Barcelona, ranked third in The World's 50 Best Bars after topping the list in 2023, followed by Paradise (Barcelona) at no.10 and the Salmon Guru of the host city, Madrid, at no.23.
Italy consolidates its presence – with ups and downs! – in the 1-50 ranking of The World's 50 Best Bar: after leaving the list of Brakes and clutches And The Antiquary, we find the Drink Kong of Rome and 1930 of Milan dropped to positions no. 33 and no. 50 respectively, while Local Florence of the Tuscan capital gains 10 positions, reaching 36th place.
«It can be said that Italy is well present in the 1-100 list of The World's Best Bar – says Luigi De Michele – and confirms itself once again as one of the destinations for cocktailing on an international level».
Big news is the entry at 38th place of the Moebius of Milan, a Milanese address that takes its name from the French cartoonist Jean Giraud and where design, music and cuisine thrive under the guidance of the starred chef Enrico Croatti.
Winner of the Nikka Highest Climber Award And The Cambridge Public House of Paris, up 19 positions and flanked by two new entries for the city: New Bar at no. 39 and Danic at no.49.
Line And Baba with Rum in Athens they improved their positions compared to 2023, respectively at no. 6 and no. 17, while Himkok of Oslo is at no.11 and wins the Bareksten Best Bar Design Award. Finally the Röda Hut of Stockholm is ranked at no.45.
New York Dominates North America, Singapore Leads Asia
With four bars, New York City continues to dominate North America, with Double Chicken Please (n.14) and Overstory (n.15) flanked by new entries Martin's (n.24) and Super good (n.27), the latter winner of the London Essence Best New Opening Award. Jewel of the South of New Orleans ranks at #34.
Moving up two spots to take the title of Best Bar in the World and Best Bar in North America is the'Handshake Speakeasy at #1, confirming Mexico City as one of the world's great cocktail capitals. The new entrance flanks it Tlecan at no. 20, Liquor shop Limantour at n.32 and the new entrance The Tall Black Rooster of Guadalajara at no.48.
Three Monos in Buenos Aires becomes the new Best Bar in South America at #7, supported by colleagues Porteños CoChinChina (n.22) and Flower shop Atlantic (n.46), winner of the Rémy Martin Legend of the List Award.
Alchemical in Cartagena, Colombia, continues its ascent to No. 8, while a new entry in Bogotá, Laura's Room, is positioned at no. 44. The winner of the Campari One To Watch Award from last year, Lady Bee of Lima, joins the list at number 16, while Tan Tan from São Paulo is another new entry at No.31.
With four bars on the list, Singapore leads in Asia, with the top bars Jigger & Pony at no. 5 – which in 12 years has revolutionised the Singaporean and global mixology scene – and Atlas at no. 43, flanked by the new entries Nutmeg & Clove (n.28) and Analogue Initiative (n.47).
In Hong Kong, the new entrance Bar Leone It reached #2, obtaining the title of Best Bar in Asia and the Disaronno Highest New Entry, with the nearby Coa at no.18.
«Bar Leone we can consider it a moral winner – says Luigi De Michele – because after having beaten every record of 50 Best Bar Asia (winning by entering the list as a new entry), it was also succeeding in the feat of the World's 50 Best Bar. In any case we are talking about a stellar result and Lorenzo Antinori deserves all the recognition it is currently gettingI give for his bar."
Bangkok and Tokyo they get two bars each, with the BKK Social Club Bangkok which rises to no. 12, flanked by the new entrance Bar Us at no. 41, while the Benfiddich Bar of Tokyo (n.25) is accompanied by the new entry Virtue at No. 42. In Seoul, Zest is positioned at no. 9 and wins the Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award.
For the first time in five years, there is a new Best Bar in Australasia, with the Caretaker's Cottage of Melbourne who climbs two places to No.21 and takes the Michter's Art of Hospitality Award. He is joined by Maybe Sammy of Sydney at No.26 and the new entrance Byrdthe, still in Melbourne, at no.35. Mimi Kakushi of Dubai maintains its position at No.40 and is named The Best Bar in the Middle East and Africa.
Special prizes in detail
The ceremony opened with the Cat Bite Club of Singapore receiving the Campari One To Watch Award, an award given to a bar outside the 1-50 ranking that the 50 Best team believes has the potential to make it onto future editions of the list.
The winner of the Bareksten Best Bar Design Award this year is Himkok of Oslo. Opened in 2015 by Erk Potur, Himkok is a world-famous bar, known for establishing cocktail culture in Scandinavia. The Himkok building is considered part of Oslo's architectural heritage, a unique, multi-story space that embodies the principles of functionality, sustainability and cultural heritage. The design creates a unique and immersive experience for guests, inviting them to be part of Himkok's history and taking them on a journey that goes beyond the surface of a typical bar.
Lyaness receives the award in London You are Misterios Best Cocktail Menu for its menu Cookbook 3.0. Offering guests a stripped-down approach to mixology, combining storytelling and flavor creation for a multi-layered drinking experience, the menu draws inspiration from stories from around the world, centered on flavor with eighteen unique ingredients at its heart. The Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu Award is open to any bar in the world and is judged by 28 Academy Chairs.
Monica Berg has been named a Roku Industry Icon. Award-winning London-based barista and entrepreneur, her bar Tayer + Elementaryy has been a regular presence in the top ten of the World’s 50 Best Bars since 2020, among many other achievements.
His sincere passion for education, advocacy and empowerment within the broader hospitality community is recognized globally, having co-founded P(OUR), a non-profit, charitable organization that works to expand beverage knowledge in the bar community and support communities that protect regional biodiversity, as well as the online resource BackOfHouse.
Entering the list for the first time at No.2, the Bar Leone of Hong Kong receives the Disaronno Highest New Entry Award. The bar at Central, founded by Lorenzo Antinori, is guided by the philosophy of popular cocktails – “cocktails for the people” – combining speed, consistency and simplicity in a drinks program that has conquered the world.
Superbueno in New York is nominated London Essence Best New Opening, like the bar that enters the list in the highest position among those open during the voting period, reaching no. 27.
A vibrant homage to Mexican-American culture, Superbueno is an elevated cantina on Manhattan’s Lower East Side created by industry veterans Ignacio “Nacho” Jimenez and Greg Boehm. The cocktail program blends bold Mexican flavors with a New York City flair, from early afternoon until the early hours.
The Cambridge Public House of Paris wins the Nikka Highest Climber Award, rising 19 places in the 1-50 ranking to No. 19. Inspired by a classic British pub, seamlessly fused with elements of a chic Parisian cocktail bar, The Cambridge Public House offers world-class drinks in the welcoming, casual setting of everyone’s favourite neighbourhood pub.
The world’s first B-Corp bar, sustainability is at the heart of everything they do, and their “Community Plan” initiative aims to build a more sustainable future by helping local communities around the world implement meaningful change.
The honor of the Rémy Martin Legend of the List Award was awarded to the Atlantic Flower Shop, an award given to a bar that has consistently performed best on the list since its inception. With Florería Atlántico, founder Renato 'Tato' Giovannoni created a passionate celebration of Argentine produce, heritage and culture, and has been named the Best Bar in South America an incredible eight times.
Zest of Seoul won the Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award, based on an independent assessment by the Sustainable Restaurant Association. Founders Demie Kim, Sean Woo, Jisu Park, and Noah Kwon are paving the way for a more sustainable future behind the bar with a zero-waste approach that celebrates the best local flavors alongside homegrown innovations.
Other special award winners, announced ahead of the October 22 ceremony, include Iain McPherson, winner of theAltos Bartenders' Bartender Award, And Caretaker's Cottage of Melbourne, named winner of the Michter's Art of Hospitality Award.
The winner of the 50 Best Bars Roku Scholarship is Calliope Draper. Created to recognize emerging, forward-thinking talent and professionalize the art of bartending, the scholarship winner will now complete three internships in three bars: Maybe Sammy in Sydney, Virtue and High Five in Tokyo.
Calliope impressed the judges with her commitment to creating a better, safer, and more inclusive space for the LGBTQ+ community. Feeling welcomed and included in bars as someone who identifies as nonbinary and transgender was the catalyst for Calliope to enter the industry, and her desire to educate more people both in front of and behind the bar earned her the respect and admiration of this year’s judges.
As for the pre-ranking reveal events, «this year the program of events has been much richer than in previous years, especially because the city of Madrid is very vibrant and lends itself very well to events of this kind – Luigi tells us – Today there is the closing party at the Mandarin Oriental Ritz in Madrid and it will be the ideal moment to say goodbye!».
