The World’s 50 Best Bars 2022 were recently announced with Paradiso in Barcelona being crowned The World’s Best Bar 2022. It marks the first time this accolade has been won by a bar outside New York or London. In Australasia, Sydney’s Maybe Sammy placed No.29 and was awarded the Best Bar in Australasia, and Cantina OK! placed No. 41 in this years list.
The 2022 list features bars from 26 cities with 14 new entries spread across Athens, Bangkok, Buenos Aires, Chicago, Dubai, Florence, Hong Kong, Lisbon, London, Naples and New York. Legendary bartender Agostino Perrone was voted Roku Industry Icon and Stockholm’s Röda Huset was named Campari One To Watch.
London regains its position as the cocktail capital of Europe with a total of five bars in the list. Tayēr + Elementary maintains its place at No.2, with Connaught Bar at No.8 and a re-entry from Swift at No.30. The city also sees new entries from Satan’s Whiskers at No.23 and A Bar with Shapes for a Name at No.37.
In host city Barcelona, not only has Paradiso risen two places to No.1 to be named The Best Bar in Europe, sponsored by Perrier, but it is joined in the top 10 by Sips at No.3, which is this year’s Nikka Highest Climber, and Two Schmucks at No.7, which has risen 4 places. Elsewhere in Spain, Madrid’s Salmon Guru is at No.15.
Italy also has four bars on the list across four different cities – Rome’s Drink Kong at No.16 and Milan’s 1930 at No.35, alongside new entries Locale Firenze in Florence at No.39 and L’Antiquario in Naples at No.46. Athens favourites The Clumsies (No.19) and Baba Au Rum (No.20) are joined by newcomer Line at No.31.
Paris, Lisbon, Oslo and Stockholm each have one bar on the list, with Little Red Door at No.5, which is this year’s Ketel One Sustainable Bar, Red Frog at No.40, Himkok at No.43 and Lucy’s Flower Shop at No.49.
New York leads with a whopping six bars in the list, more than any other city in the world, including two in the top 10: Double Chicken Please at No.6, which is also awarded the Disaronno Highest New Entry Award, and Katana Kitten rising one place to No.9. The city also has Attaboy at No.22, Overstory at No. 34, Dante at No.36 and Employees Only at No.47. Chicago returns to the list for the first time since 2018 with Kumiko at No.25 and Miami’s Café La Trova has risen 7 places to No.21.
Singapore, Bangkok and Hong Kong each have two bars in the list, with Singapore’s Jigger & Pony (No.12) named The Best Bar in Asia. It is joined by Manhattan at No.33. Bangkok boasts new entries BKK Social Club, winner of London Essence Best New Opening at No.14, as well as new entry Tropic City at No.24. Hong Kong’s Coa comes in at No.17 alongside new entry Argo at No.28.
Dubai has three bars on the list, including Zuma at No.38, named The Best Bar in the Middle East and Africa for the third year in a row. The city also sees Galaxy Bar remain at No.45 and a new entry in the form of Bulgari Bar at No.50.
The winner of Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu is Juliana of Guayaquil, which takes the accolade for its outstanding Diverso cocktail list. The menu is not simply a drinks list, but a reflection of the bar’s ethos and mission to champion the produce and people of its country. Navigating the document takes guests on a journey, where each page operates as a shrine to a single cocktail. Marked simply by a title and minimalist drawing, description of ingredients and taste profile, every drink is also paired by a contextualisation of its formulation, from short histories of its indigenous ingredients to their wider cultural impact.
Coming into the list for the first time at No.6, New York’s Double Chicken Please is awarded the Disaronno Highest New Entry. Co-founders GN Chang and Faye Chen along with their team have created an exceptional dual-concept space on New York’s Lower East Side that draws inspiration from the worlds of food, drink and design.
