For the first time in the history of the World’s 50 Best Bars, the awards was held outside of Europe in Asia, with Singapore hosting the auspicious ceremony at the Pasir Panjang Power Station. It was here that Sips in Barcelona was announced to take the top spot.
“As the brainchild of cocktail-world icons Marc Álvarez and Simone Caporale, Sips was destined for greatness even before it rocketed into the list at No.37 just a few short months after opening in 2021. The bar seamlessly translates contemporary innovation and technical precision into a playful cocktail programme, accompanied by the warmest hospitality, making it a worthy winner of The World’s Best Bar 2023 title. At 50 Best, we take great pride in highlighting the unparalleled diversity of the global bar industry and we extend our sincere congratulations to each bar that has earned a place on this illustrious ranking. We have once again seen the number of cocktail cities represented here increase, and hope this list continues to ignite the spark of wanderlust for cocktail lovers around the world.” — William Drew, Director of Content for 50 Best.
Sipping At The Top, In Singapore
For the first time in its inception, the World’s 50 Best Bars makes its appearance outside of Europe in the island state of Singapore. The event held at Pasir Panjang Power stating saw the bar industry from across the globe fly in for the announcements. This year also marks Sips in Barcelona taking the top spot, combining an elegant design with cutting-edge techniques for someting unfussy yet playful, brought together by masterminds Simone Caporale and Marc Álvarez.
Asian Representation: 10 in Top 50, 14 in Top 100
This year saw 10 bars across Asia make the top 50 spots, while 14 bars were in the 51-100 List, with a total of 24 bars. Appearing in the top 50 are 2 bars from Thialand, BKK Social Club (No. 15) and Mahaniyom Cocktail Bar (No. 19); 3 bars from Singapore, Jigger & Pony (N0.16), Sago House (No. 32) and Atlas (No. 48); 1 from South Korea, Zest (No. 18); 2 from Hong Kong, Coa (No. 20) and Argo (No. 34); and 2 bars from Japan, The SG Club (No. 36) and Bar Benfiddich (No. 37).
Meet The Bartenders: Media Round Table
There was also a media round table where some of the bartenders from the top 50 bars spoke about their concepts and what made their bars unique, including Indra Kantono of Jigger & Pony Singapore, Rob Uldis Libecans and Matt Stirling of Caretaker’s Cottage Melbourne, Demie Kim of Zest Seoul and Ines De Los Santos of CoChinChina Buenos Aires.
50 Best Signature Sessions and Guest Shifts Galore
This year also saw a record breaking over 200 guest shifts held across the city, with some of the best ones being Little Red Door (Paris) and South Side Parlour (Seoul) at Atlas (50 Best Signauture Session), Satan’s Whiskers (London) at Gibson, Schofield’s Bar (Manchester) at Live Twice, The Connaught Bar (London) at Manhattan, World’s 50 Best Brunch by Mimi Kakushi (Dubai) at W Sentosa, Barstars at Plume from across the globe including Tokyo Confidential (Tokyo), Penrose (Kuala Lumpur), Savoury Project (Hong Kong) at Gibson, Harry’s Bar (Paris) at Sago House, Handshake Speakeasy (Mexico) at Jigger & Pony, and The Donovan Bar (London) at Republic Bar culmulaitng with the glorious Bacardi After Party at 1880.
The World’s 50 Best Bars 2023
- Sips, Barcelona, Spain
- Double Chicken Please, New York, USA
- Handshake Speakeasy, Mexico City, Mexico
- Paradiso, Barcelona, Spain
- Connaught Bar, London, UK
- Little Red Door, Paris, France
- Licorería Limantour, Mexico City, Mexico
- Tayēr + Elementary, London, UK
- Alquímico, Cartagena, Colombia
- Himkok, Oslo, Norway
- Tres Monos, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Line, Athens, Greece
- BKK Social Club, Bangkok, Thailand
- Jigger & Pony, Singapore
- Maybe Sammy, Sydney, Australia
- Salmon Guru, Madrid, Spain
- Overstory, New York, USA
- Zest, Seoul, South Korea
- Mahaniyom Cocktail Bar, Bangkok, Thailand
- Coa, Hong Kong, China
- Drink Kong, Rome, Italy
- Hanky Panky, Mexico City, Mexico
- Caretaker’s Cottage, Melbourne, Australia
- Café La Trova, Miami, USA
- Baba au Rum, Athens, Greece
- CoChinChina, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Katana Kitten, New York, USA
- Satan’s Whiskers, London, UK
- Wax On, Berlin, Germany
- Florería Atlántico, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Röda Huset, Stockholm, Sweden
- Sago House, Singapore
- Freni e Frizioni, Rome, Italy
- Argo, Hong Kong, China
- A Bar with Shapes for a Name, London, UK
- The SG Club, Tokyo, Japan
- Bar Benfiddich, Tokyo, Japan
- The Cambridge Public House, Paris, France
- Panda & Sons, Edinburgh, UK
- Mimi Kakushi, Dubai, UAE
- Scarfes Bar, London, UK
- 1930, Milan, Italy
- Carnaval, Lima, Peru
- L’Antiquario, Naples, Italy
- Baltra Bar, Mexico City, Mexico
- Locale Firenze, Florence, Italy
- The Clumsies, Athens, Greece
- Atlas, Singapore
- Jewel of the South, New Orleans, USA
- Galaxy Bar, Dubai, UAE
- Danico, Paris, France
- Lady Bee, Lima, Peru
- The Bellwood, Tokyo, Japan
- Lyaness, London, UK
- Vesper, Bangkok, Thailand
- Tan Tan, São Paulo, Brazil
- Attaboy, New York, USA
- SubAstor, São Paulo, Brazil
- 28 HongKong Street, Singapore
- Arca, Tulum, Mexico
- Byrdi, Melbourne, Australia
- Hero Bar, Nairobi, Kenya
- Manhattan, Singapore
- Nutmeg & Clove, Singapore
- El Gallo Altanero, Guadalajara, Mexico
- Tropic City, Bangkok, Thailand
- Sidecar, New Delhi, India
- Martiny’s, New York, USA
- Ergo, Dubai, UAE
- Barro Negro, Athens, Greece
- Penicillin, Hong Kong, China
- Rayo, Mexico City, Mexico
- Civil Liberties, Toronto, Canada
- Hope & Sesame, Guangzhou, China
- Bar Cham, Seoul, South Korea
- Swift, London, UK
- Velvet, Berlin, Germany
- Analogue Initiative, Singapore
- High Five, Tokyo, Japan
- La Sala de Laura, Bogotá, Colombia
- Kaito del Valle, Mexico City, Mexico
- Kumiko, Chicago, USA
- Native, Singapore
- Svanen, Oslo, Norway
- Camparino in Galleria, Milan, Italy
- Nouvelle Vague, Tirana, Albania
- Ruby, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Red Frog, Lisbon, Portugal
- Thunderbolt, Los Angeles, USA
- Mirror Bar, Bratislava, Slovakia
- Maison Premiere, New York, USA
- Donovan Bar, London, UK
- Tjoget, Stockholm, Sweden
- Sin + Tax, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Schofield’s, Manchester, UK
- Lost & Found, Nicosia, Cyprus
- Darkside, Hong Kong, China
- The Bar in Front of the Bar, Athens, Greece
- Employees Only, New York, USA
- Artesian, London, UK
The World’s 50 Best Bars 2023: Special Awards
Best Bar in the World: Sips, Barcelona, Spain
Best Bar in Asia: BKK Social Club, Bangkok, Thailand
Best Bar in Australasia: Maybe Sammy, Sydney, Australia
Best Bar in Europe: Sips, Barcelona, Spain
Best Bar in the Middle East and Africa: Mimi Kakushi, Dubai, UAE
Best Bar in North America: Double Chicken Please, New York, USA
Best Bar in South America: Alquímico, Cartagena, Columbia
Bareksten Best Bar Design Award: Night Hawk, Singapore
Campari One To Watch Award: Lady Bee, Lima, Peru
Disaronno Highest New Entry Award: Zest, Seoul, Korea
Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award: Röda Huset, Stockholm, Sweden
London Essence Best New Opening Award: Line, Athens, Greece
Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award: Tres Monos, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Nikka Highest Climber Award: Himkok in Oslo, Norway
Rémy Martin Legend of the List Award: The Clumsies, Athens, Greece
Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu Award: “Book of Berries” menu, The American Bar at Gleneagles, Auchterarder, Scotland.
50 Best Bars The Blend Scholarship: Apoorva Kohli of Sidecar, New Delhi, India
Altos Bartenders’ Bartender Award: GN Chan of Double Chicken Please, New York, USA
Roku Industry Icon Award: Renato ‘Tato’ Giovannoni of Florería Atlántico of Buenos Aires, Argentina
For our thoughts on The Worlds 50 Best Bars, see The World’s 50 Best Bars 2022.
For our thoughts on Asia’s 50 Best Bars, see Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2022.
For all 50 Best related content, see 50 Best.
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