The best bar in the world is called Handshake Speakeasy and it is in Mexico City

The Sips cocktail bar in Barcelona has dropped to third place in the ranking of ‘The World’s 50 Best Bars’

One of the cocktails at Mexico's Handshake Speakeasy, the new best bar in the world.

The best bar in the world is in Mexico City and is called Handshake Speakeasy. This is what the annual ranking The World’s 50 Best Bars has decided. It announced the names of the 50 best establishments in this category on Tuesday, at a gala held for the first time in Madrid. Second place went to the cocktail bar Bar Leone, in Hong Kong, while Sips, in Barcelona, has slipped into third place on the list, also earning a special mention for the best cocktail bar in Europe.

The gala began at half past eight in the evening, but it was not until just after ten at night that the name of the winner of this 16th edition was revealed. The Handshake Speakeasy team then burst onto the stage to collect the award that certifies them as the best drinking establishment in the world, thanks in part to the advanced culinary techniques used in the preparation of the creations. “Each drink is more complex than it seems, often taking 48 hours to make from start to finish and usually featuring unexpected textures,” the renowned ranking highlights about the work of bartender Eric Van Beek. The Mexican establishment has dethroned Sips in Barcelona, which took first place last year, just two years after its opening.

The Mexican Handshake Speakeasy team on stage at the gala held tonight in Madrid. Photo provided by the organization.

The annual list of The World’s 50 Best Bars is decided by a voting panel of over 700 independent drinks experts, renowned bartenders and lecturers, alongside award-winning drinks journalists and cocktail specialists. The guide also clarifies that voters remain anonymous and that voting is confidential, secure and independently audited by Deloitte.

Here are the names of all the distinguished venues. You can learn more about these places and see the rest of the winners in the official website.

  1. Handshake Speakeasy in Mexico City
  2. Bar Leone in Hong Kong
  3. Sips in Barcelona
  4. Tayer + Elementary in London
  5. Jigger & Pony in Singapore
  6. Line in Athens
  7. Tres Monos in Buenos Aires
  8. Alquímico in Cartagena
  9. Zest in Seoul
  10. Paradiso in Barcelona
  11. Himkok in Oslo
  12. BKK Social Club in Bangkok
  13. Connaught Bar in London
  14. Double Chicken Please in New York
  15. Overstory in New York
  16. Lady Bee in Lima
  17. Baba au Rum in Athens
  18. Coa in Hong Kong
  19. The Cambridge Public House in Paris
  20. Tlecán in Mexico City
  21. Caretaker’s Cottage in Melbourne
  22. CoChinChina in Buenos Aires
  23. Salmon Guru in Madrid
  24. Martiny’s in New York
  25. Bar Benfiddich in Tokyo
  26. Maybe Sammy in Sydney
  27. Superbueno in New York
  28. Nutmeg & Clove in Singapore
  29. Satan’s Whiskers in London
  30. Panda & Sons in Edinburgh
  31. Tan Tan in Sao Paulo
  32. Licorería Limantour in Mexico City
  33. Drink Kong in Rome
  34. Jewel of the South in New Orleans
  35. Byrdi in Melbourne
  36. Locale Firenze in Florence
  37. Scarfes Bar in London
  38. Moebius Milano in Milan
  39. Bar Noveau in Paris
  40. Mimi Kakushi in Dubai
  41. Bar Us in Bangkok
  42. Virtú in Tokyo
  43. Atlas in Singapore
  44. La Sala de Laura in Bogotá
  45. Röda Huset in Stockholm
  46. Florería Atlántico in Buenos Aires
  47. Analogue Initiative in Singapore
  48. El Gallo Altanero in Guadalajara
  49. Danico in Paris
  50. 1930 in Milan


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