In the bar industry, the annual World’s 50 Best Bars awards are an anticipated event that has always featured two cities — New York and London — at the top of the list. This, things happened differently: Barcelona’s Paradiso, a top destination on any Barcelona itinerary (and a speakeasy style bar that, word has it, includes a speakeasy-within-a-speakeasy), won number one in 2022.
Photo: The World's 50 Best Bars
This Barcelona Bar Was Just Crowned the Best in the World
by
Nickolaus Hines
Oct 5, 2022
It seems fitting that Barcelona bars landed so high on the list. The awards ceremony was held in Barcelona — the first time it’s been held outside of London.
“The fact that this is the first time we have crowned a bar outside New York or London as The World’s Best Bar is a testament to the huge achievements of Giacomo, Margarita, and their team,” Mark Sansom, content director of World’s 50 Best Bars, said in a statement. “Since being named One To Watch in 2017 a year after opening, Paradiso has been a firm fixture of the 50 Best list, enhancing its ranking year after year.”
The city also had the number three bar, Sips, which moved up 34 places since last year, and the number seven bar, Two Schumcks, that rose four places. This wasn’t the only evidence that incredible cocktails are being recognized in cities other than those that have historically been at the forefront of cocktail culture. In all, 26 cities had bars on the list, including Athens, Bangkok, Dubai, Hong Kong, Florence, Lisbon, and Naples.
Licoreria Limantour in Mexico City had the highest ranking in North America at number four, while New York’s Double Chicken Please was the highest new bar to make the list at number six. New York has the most bars on the list overall with six.
For a cocktail experience you won’t forget on your next city vacation, but sure to add the following 50 bars to your list.
The 50 Best Bars 2022 winners
- Paradiso, Barcelona
- Tayēr + Elementary, London
- Sips, Barcelona
- Licorería Limantour, Mexico City
- Little Red Door, Paris
- Double Chicken Please, New York
- Two Schmucks, Barcelona
- The Connaught Bar, London
- Katana Kitten, New York
- Alquímico, Cartegena
- Handshake Speakeasy, Mexico City
- Jigger & Pony, Singapore
- Hanky-Panky, Mexico City
- Bangkok Social Club, Bangkok
- Salmon Guru, Madrid
- Drink Kong, Rome
- Coa, Hong Kong
- Florería Atlántico, Buenos Aires
- The Clumsies, Athens
- Baba au Rum, Athens
- Cafe La Trova, Miami
- Attaboy, New York
- Satan’s Whiskers, London
- Tropic City, Bangkok
- Kumiko, Chicago
- Sidecar, New Delhi
- Tres Monos, Buenos Aires
- Argo, Hong Kong
- Maybe Sammy, Sydney
- Swift, London
- Line, Athens
- Baltra Bar, Mexico City
- Manhattan, Singapore
- Overstory, New York
- 1930, Milan
- Dante, New York
- A Bar with Shapes for a Name, London
- Zuma, Dubai
- Locale Firenze, Florence
- Red Frog, Lisbon
- Cantina OK!, Sydney
- CoChinChina, Buenos Aires
- Himkok, Oslo
- Carnaval, Lima
- Galaxy Bar, Dubai
- L’Antiquario, Naples
- Employees Only, New York
- Bar Benfiddich, Tokyo
- Lucy’s Flower Shop, Stockholm
- Bulgari Bar, Dubai