2009 World's 50 Best Bars: Complete Rankings and Analysis

Buddha Bar is a better fit for a high-energy Paris celebration than for a quiet, technical cocktail session. Its strongest credential is historical bar recognition, including World's 50 Best Bars #3 in 2009, but the safer decision is to book it for atmosphere and occasion value rather than a specific spirits specialty.

Please Don't Tell (PDT) is worth the effort for cocktail drinkers who care about bar pedigree and want a date-friendly East Village booking. It is a poor fit for loose group plans or anyone needing easy access, flexible timing, or outdoor seating.

Pegu Club is worth booking when the brief is credible cocktails without a high-friction destination-bar plan. It is a better fit for small groups, solo drinkers, regulars who want an easy East Village stop; choose Double Chicken Please or Bar Contra instead if the night needs a more high-concept cocktail room.

Book Bramble if cocktails are the point of the night and the group is small enough to handle a high-demand Edinburgh bar. Its global awards history makes it a stronger pick than a casual fallback, but it is not the right choice for a food-led evening or a loose large-group plan.

Death & Co NYC is worth planning around if the night is specifically about cocktails and an intimate indoor room. It is not the right pick for rooftop drinking, large groups, or a flexible last-minute plan; choose it when access and atmosphere matter more than ease.

Black Pearl is the Fitzroy pick for a cocktail-led night, not a food-first booking. Its World's 50 Best Bars history and 2025 Top 500 Bars placement make it stronger than a casual late-night fallback, but diners who want serious food should compare Napier Quarter, Bar Olo, or Bar Liberty first.

1806 is worth prioritising when you want a recognised cocktail bar in central Melbourne, backed by a World's 50 Best Bars #12 ranking from 2009. It is less useful for outdoor seating, dinner-led plans, or confirmed happy-hour hunting, so treat it as the drinks anchor rather than the whole evening.

A Sydney CBD nightlife choice that works better for energy, groups, late-night momentum than for a quiet meal. Book it when location and bar credibility matter; compare Felix Bistro & Bar, Dean & Nancy on 22, or Eau de Vie if the brief is date-night polish or cocktail focus.

Against Paris peers, Harry's Bar is the stronger choice when the night needs a serious bar anchor rather than a casual fallback. Go for small groups, bar credibility, a focused drinks plan; look elsewhere if outdoor seating, easy group logistics, or a softer lounge setting matter more.

Little Branch is worth choosing when the night is about cocktails and a darker West Village room, not dinner or group logistics. It suits two-person plans better than larger outings, with World's 50 Best Bars recognition as the clearest trust signal. Cross-shop Temperance for wine, Hudson Clearwater for a fuller restaurant-bar plan, or Nami Nori West Village when food is the priority.

Le Lion Bar de Paris is the Hamburg pick when a cocktail round needs to feel deliberate and occasion-worthy, not casual. Its World's 50 Best Bars history and 2025 Top 500 Bars listing make it a stronger choice for dates and business drinks than for happy-hour hunting or large groups.

Trailer Happiness is worth shortlisting for a cocktail-led night in Notting Hill, especially if the goal is a lively west London bar rather than a formal tasting format. Its World's 50 Best Bars #22 recognition from 2009 gives it real credibility, but the booking challenge means it is better as a planned stop than a casual backup.

Seamstress is worth booking when the brief is an easy Melbourne CBD meal with social energy, not a high-ceremony dining event. It is a stronger fit for casual dinners, after-work plans, repeat visits than for diners chasing awards, named chef credentials, or a clearly defined special-occasion format.

Mojo Leeds is worth choosing for a loud, central, late-night group plan rather than a quiet drink or terrace-led evening. Its World's 50 Best Bars recognition gives it more weight than a generic party bar, but Angelica & Crafthouse suits a more polished night and Friends of Ham is stronger when food matters.

Book Buddha Bar Dubai if you want a high-energy Dubai Marina night with legacy bar recognition and a dressed-up international crowd. It is better for groups, visitors, occasion-led dates than for quiet drinks or a tightly documented cocktail-counter experience.

Employees Only NYC is worth the booking effort if you want an award-backed West Village cocktail bar where the food can carry a full evening. The drinks have the deeper reputation, but the listed steak tartare, cavatelli, burrata, ribeye make it more useful than a one-round stop.

Zeta Bar - Sydney Hilton is the right call for a polished, drinks-led Sydney CBD occasion, especially when a hotel setting helps the night feel more organised. Its 2010 World's 50 Best Bars #18 recognition gives it real credibility, but treat food, prices, hours as details to confirm before planning a full evening around it.

Bowery Bar is a drinks-first choice for readers who care about cocktail credibility more than a fully mapped dinner plan. Its key trust signal is a World's 50 Best Bars #29 ranking in 2009, but current food, pricing, seating, booking details are not clear enough to make it a low-risk group or meal-led pick.

Dry Martini is the Barcelona pick for a composed cocktail stop rather than a loose party bar. The case is strongest for two to four guests who want a classic drink-led room in Eixample, with Javier de las Muelas attached and 2026 European recognition adding credibility. Larger groups should plan ahead rather than assume easy seating.

Clover Club is the Brooklyn pick when the night needs a polished cocktail room rather than a quick bar stop. Recognition from Top 500 Bars and World's 50 Best Bars lists gives it real credibility, but the practical case is simpler: book it for dates, small groups, cocktail-led evenings where the room is part of the value.

Aqua New Delhi works for a central Connaught Place drinks plan, especially if a recognised bar credential matters. Treat the food as secondary unless the current menu has been checked first; for a dinner-led night, compare alternatives before committing.

Road House works for a Covent Garden drinks plan when location and late-evening energy matter more than a food-first brief. Its World's 50 Best Bars #34 listing in 2009 gives it historical bar credibility, but unclear current food, pricing, booking detail make it a higher-risk choice for dinner-led plans.

Ku de Ta is a strong Seminyak pick when the brief is beachfront nightlife with a polished, social crowd. Treat it as a high-demand evening venue rather than a quiet dinner fallback; the stronger case is late-night atmosphere, not detailed menu comparison or deal-hunting.

Tommy's Mexican Restaurant is a practical Richmond District pick for casual Mexican dining when ease matters more than polish. Go for a relaxed dinner or weekend meal, not for a formal special occasion; if you want a more defined seafood, Thai, Italian, dim sum, or Russian direction, compare it against PPQ Dungeness Island, Khan Toke Thai House, Fiorella, Dragon Beaux, Red Tavern.

Boudoir is a legacy Dubai nightlife pick in Jumeirah with one clear trust signal: World's 50 Best Bars #38 in 2009. Choose it for a social, resort-adjacent night with historical bar credibility, not for a tightly documented cocktail, wine, or spirits program.

Jeremy Lee's Modern British cooking at this Dean Street institution delivers precision over elaboration, with a menu of reworked classics and seasonal specials. Booking is easy, the room retains original stained glass from its Italian past, the kitchen's consistency; recognised by Opinionated About Dining for three consecutive years; makes it a reliable choice in Soho's crowded field.

Portobello Star is a stronger pick for a drinks-led date or small celebration than for a full dinner plan. Its past World's 50 Best Bars recognition gives it credibility, but the practical move is to go early and treat it as a focused Portobello Road cocktail stop rather than a flexible group fallback.

Melbourne Supper Club is the pick for a planned, wine-led evening near Spring Street rather than a quick bar hop. Book it for dates, celebrations, or business drinks where conversation and a slower pace matter more than novelty; choose 1806 instead if the night is mainly about cocktails.

Planet Bar is worth booking when the goal is a polished late drink in central Cape Town rather than a cheap, casual round. Its World's 50 Best Bars recognition gives it a stronger trust signal than many nearby options, but value-seekers should cross-shop Asoka, Publik Wine Bar, Yours Truly before committing the whole night.

The Toff works for a central Melbourne drinks night, especially if location and bar pedigree matter more than a detailed food plan. Treat it as a bar-first booking: eat elsewhere if dinner is the priority, then use this as the CBD stop for the later part of the evening.

Asoka is worth booking when you want a lively Kloof Street bar with recognised cocktail credibility and a social, late-night feel. It is less suited to quiet conversation or a food-first plan, so first-timers should use it as a drinks-focused stop in Gardens rather than the anchor for the whole evening.

Skyview Bar is the Dubai pick for a special-occasion drink when the setting matters more than a food-led night. Prioritize it for dates, milestone toasts, or polished business drinks; look elsewhere if the group needs easy availability, casual value, or a bar-food-focused plan.

Book Dux Central for a polished Christchurch night out where drinks, music, room energy matter more than dinner. The $$$ spend is easiest to justify for dates, birthdays, small groups that want an upscale-casual setting with late-night momentum; skip it if the priority is a quiet round or a food-led plan.

April Bloomfield's Fort Greene bistro has earned OAD Casual, NY Mag, Esquire recognition in under two years, the seasonal menu justifies the lines. Lunch walk-ins are possible; dinner requires advance booking. What to order depends heavily on when you visit: the kitchen builds around seasonal produce, so time your trip and target accordingly.

A scarce Sydney bar pick with a World's 50 Best Bars #50 listing from 2009, The Marchant makes more sense for a date or two-person drinks than a larger group plan. Book it when recognition and bar focus matter; choose a more predictable venue if food, seating, or easy coordination are the priority.