The World’s 50 Best Bars have just been announced—and you can consider this your official bucket list of exceptional drinking dens around the world.
For those unfamiliar with the list, The World’s 50 Best Bars is one of the most prestigious awards on the planet: a definitive ranking of the world’s most outstanding places to drink. The list is updated each year at an awards ceremony, which this year took place in Singapore—our readers’ favorite city in the world this year, and the first time in the awards’ 15-year history that the ceremony has traveled to Asia.
Which bar was named the best bar in the world in 2023?
Sips in Barcelona won the coveted spot of the best bar in the world in 2023, after placing third in the 2022 list. 2022’s winner, Paradiso, was also located in Barcelona.
The World’s 50 Best Bars: 50-1
New entries are marked with an asterisk.
50. Galaxy Bar, Dubai, UAE
49. Jewel of the South, New Orleans, USA
48. Atlas, Singapore
47. The Clumsies, Athens, Greece
46. Locale Firenze, Florence, Italy
45. Baltra Bar, Mexico City, Mexico*
44. L’Antiquario, Naples, Italy
43. Carnaval, Lima, Peru
42. 1930, Milan, Italy
41. Scarfes Bar, London, UK*
40. Mimi Kakushi, Dubai, UAE*
39. Panda & Sons, Edinburgh, UK
38. The Cambridge Public House, Paris, France*
37. Bar Benfiddich, Tokyo, Japan
36. The SG Club, Tokyo, Japan
35. A Bar With Shapes For A Name, London, UK
34. Argo, Hong Kong
33. Freni e Frizioni, Rome, Italy*
32. Sago House, Singapore*
31. Röda Huset, Stockholm, Sweden*
30. Florería Atlántico, Buenos Aires, Argentina
29. Wax On, Berlin, Germany*
28. Satan’s Whiskers, London, UK
27. Katana Kitten, New York City, USA
26. CoChinChina, Buenos Aires, Argentina
25. Baba au Rum, Athens, Greece
24. Café La Trova, Miami, USA
23. Caretaker’s Cottage, Melbourne, Australia*
22. Hanky Panky, Mexico City, Mexico
21. Drink Kong, Rome, Italy
20. Coa, Hong Kong
19. Mahaniyom Cocktail Bar, Bangkok, Thailand*
18. Zest, Seoul, South Korea*
17. Overstory, New York City, USA
16. Salmon Guru, Madrid, Spain
15. Maybe Sammy, Sydney, Australia
14. Jigger & Pony, Sinagpore
13. BKK Social Club, Bangkok, Thailand
12. Line, Athens, Greece
11. Tres Monos, Buenos Aires, Argentina
10. Himkok, Oslo, Norway
9. Alquimico, Cartagena, Colombia
8. Tayer + Elementary, London, UK
7. Licorería Limantour, Mexico City, Mexico
6. Little Red Door, Paris, France
5. Connaught Bar, London, UK
4. Paradiso, Barcelona, Spain
3. Handshake Speakeasy, Mexico City, Mexico
2. Double Chicken Please, New York City, USA
1. Sips, Barcelona, Spain
Which country and city has the best bars in the world?
Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States are tied for the most entries on the list, with five entries each. Mexico City, meanwhile, is the best-represented city on the list, with four bars named.
Which bars placed highest in each continent?
There are also six awards given to the bar which places highest in each continent. This year, the best bar in the Middle East and Africa went to Mimi Kakushi in Dubai, a new entry to the list, which placed at number 40. The best bar in Australasia was Maybe Sammy in Sydney. The best bar in Asia was BKK Social Club, Bangkok (number 13) while the best bar in South America went to Alquimico in Cartagena (number 9). The best bar in North America was named as Double Chicken Please in New York City (number 2) and the best bar in Europe was Sips in Barcelona, which won the coveted top spot on the list.
Which bars won The World’s 50 Best special awards?
There were also some special awards outside of the list of 50-1. These include the Campari One To Watch Award—a bar which placed in the 51-100 list which the judges believe has the potential to break into the top 50 in years to come. This year, the award went to Lady Bee in Lima, Peru. The Remy Martin Legend of the List Award is given to the bar that has performed most consistently over the years—and this award can only be won once per bar. It went to The Clumsies in Athens. Apoorva Kohli, a New Delhi-based bartender, won the 50 Best Bars Blend Scholarship.
Night Hawk in Singapore, meanwhile, won the Bareksten Best Bar Design award. The Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award went to new entry Röda Huset in Stockholm. The Best Cocktail Menu Award went to The American Bar at Gleneagles, Scotland. The Best New Opening 2023 went to Line in Athens, Greece and the Art of Hospitality Award went to Tres Monos in Buenos Aires. Himkok in Norway won the Nikka Highest Climber Award for climbing 33 places since 2022. The Roku Industry Icon Award, voted for by the 680-strong 50 Best academy, went to Tato Giovannoni.
How many new entries were there to the list in 2023?
There were 11 new entries on the 2023 list. The highest new entry was Zest in Seoul, South Korea which placed at number 18.
