Unveiling the Ultimate Bar of 2023: A Place like No Other
For the second year in a row, a Spanish city has clinched the title of World's Best Bar at the prestigious World's 50 Best Bar Awards, challenging the long-standing dominance of New York and London cocktail establishments Get ready to discover the ultimate dream destination for bar enthusiasts in 2023
Barcelona maintains its hold on the Worlds 50 Best Bars list with Sips, an intimate cocktail bar, claiming the top spot at the 2023 awards. Previously, London and New York establishments dominated this prestigious title. However, Barcelona has now secured its second consecutive victory, solidifying its status as a cosmopolitan city in Spain. Last year's winner, the trendy speakeasy Paradiso, dropped to fourth place in this year's rankings.
The first ceremony to be held outside Europe in the 14-year history of the awards took place at a decommissioned 1950s power plant in Singapore. The list of top bars has become more diverse in recent years, with Mexico City having four bars on the 2023 list, including the third-ranked Handshake Speakeasy. Both Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, and Singapore, the host city, are home to three top 50 bars. Several Asian countries saw their establishments featured for the first time, such as Zest in Seoul, which focuses on sustainability and entered the list at 18th place. Bangkok's growing bar scene also made an impressive appearance, with Mahaniyom Cocktail Bar ranking 19th and BKK Social Club being named the top bar in Asia at 13th place with its retro style.
Winners were selected through an anonymous vote conducted by the Worlds 50 Best Bar Academy, which comprises 680 industry professionals including bar owners, bartenders, and critics. The voting process does not have any specific criteria; members are solely requested to evaluate and decide based on "the best experience" they have had, according to the organizers.
Lets call it a dream
This year's list of top bars in New York City has decreased from eight in 2015 to just three. The runner-up position was awarded to Double Chicken Please, located in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Miami's Café La Trova and New Orleans' Jewel of the South secured the 24th and 49th spots respectively, representing Florida and Louisiana.
London, which is known for having the most top-50 bars, did not have any establishments finish in the top three for the first time since the awards were established in 2009. The Connaught Bar, a two-time winner, placed fifth this year, compared to eighth place in the previous year. The Connaught Bar is located in the prestigious Mayfair district of London.
Sips co-founders Simone Caporale and Marc Álvarez, who launched their Barcelona bar amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, expressed their belief that clinching the top position could bring about a remarkable change for their establishment. "Let's consider it as a dream," Caporale conveyed to CNN following the announcement of the awards.
No other country possesses a greater number of the world's 50 best restaurants than this one.
Sips, with only 33 seats, creates "high couture cocktails" using locally sourced ingredients. The renowned mixologist, Ãlvarez, appreciates the growing reputation of Barcelona's bar scene, commenting on its pleasant ambiance, architecture, gastronomy, and good weather. With exceptional drinks and service, he believes that Sips deserves recognition. William Reed, the company organizing the awards, has now introduced regional lists for the best bars in Asia and North America. Hong Kong's Coa and New York's Double Chicken Please were the winners in these respective regions earlier this year.
The group also coordinates the Worlds 50 Best Restaurants list, which named fine dining establishment Central, in the Peruvian capital Lima, at No. 1 for 2023.
Worlds best bars for 2023
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. LicorerÃa Limantour, Mexico City
8. TayÄr + Elementary, London
9. AlquÃmico, 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. Caretakers Cottage, Melbourne
24. Café La Trova, Miami
25. Baba au Rum, Athens
For the full list of the top 50, visit the Worlds 50 Best Bars site.
