The 2012 World's 50 Best Bars: London's Artesian Takes the Crown

Artesian at The Langham London held the World's 50 Best Bars number one position four consecutive years from 2012 to 2015, a run that placed it at the centre of London's cocktail conversation for a generation. The bar carries a Google rating of 4.6 from 865 reviews and has maintained a presence in the Top 500 Bars list through 2025. It remains one of the most award-documented hotel bars in Europe.

Please Don't Tell (PDT) entered the New York cocktail conversation in 2007 through a phone booth hidden inside a hot dog counter on St. Marks Place, and it spent the next several years at the top of the World's 50 Best Bars rankings, reaching No. 1 in 2011. It holds a 4.3 Google rating across more than 2,300 reviews and remains Pearl Recommended in 2025, making it one of the few bars from that era still earning serious critical attention.

A basement bar on City Road that has spent over a decade among the world's most recognised cocktail addresses, Nightjar deals in prohibition-era atmosphere, live jazz, and technically elaborate drinks. Ranked as high as No. 2 in the World's 50 Best Bars, it opens nightly from 6pm until 3am, making it one of London's few serious late-night destinations for craft cocktails.

The Connaught Bar has appeared in the World's 50 Best Bars rankings every year since 2010, reaching number one twice. Its David Collins-designed interior and technically precise cocktail programme — anchored by a signature tableside Dry Martini — set the standard by which other hotel bars in London and beyond are measured. Open Tuesday through Sunday in the heart of Mayfair.

Few bars in London carry a ranking history as sustained as American Bar at the Savoy. From World's 50 Best number one in 2017 to consistent top-twenty placement across more than a decade, its position in the global cocktail conversation is grounded in verifiable record rather than reputation alone. The Strand address puts it at the centre of London's most storied hospitality corridor.

Death & Co at 433 E 6th St has shaped the East Village cocktail scene since 2006, building a track record that includes a top-ten ranking in the World's 50 Best Bars for four consecutive years between 2009 and 2013. With 2,003 Google reviews averaging 4.5 stars and a 2025 Pearl Recommended listing, it remains a reference point for serious cocktail programming in New York City.

A Clarence Street basement that spent six consecutive years inside the World's 50 Best Bars top ten, The Baxter Inn is the reference point for serious whisky drinking in Sydney. The format is deliberate — low ceilings, candlelight, and a back-bar collection that runs to several hundred bottles. Plan to arrive before 9pm if you want a stool.

69 Colebrooke Row is a compact cocktail bar on Islington's canal-adjacent backstreets that spent the early 2010s placing consistently inside the World's 50 Best Bars — reaching number seven in 2011 and number eight in 2012. The bar holds a 4.6 Google rating across more than 700 reviews, and remains one of the addresses that shaped how London thinks about the serious cocktail bar format.

Few bars in London have sustained the kind of award trajectory that Callooh Callay built across the early 2010s, climbing to number nine on the World's 50 Best Bars list before settling into a longer-term presence on the Top 500. On Rivington Street in Shoreditch, the bar has developed a loyal following that returns not for novelty but for consistency, wit, and a program that rewards repeat visits.

Bramble has held a position in the World's 50 Best Bars since 2009, reaching number seven in the world in that same year and peaking at number ten in 2012. Located on Queen Street in Edinburgh's New Town, it operates as a benchmark for serious cocktail craft in Scotland, with a Google rating of 4.6 across nearly a thousand reviews. Its sustained recognition over more than fifteen years places it in a different tier from most Edinburgh bars.

One of Singapore's most decorated cocktail bars, 28 HongKong Street occupies a converted shophouse on 28 Hong Kong St and has appeared in the World's 50 Best Bars list every year since 2012. A sustained run of recognition — including a #1 Asia ranking in 2016 — places it among the bars that shaped the city's modern cocktail identity. Google reviewers rate it 4.4 across more than 1,100 scores.

On Hudson Street in the West Village, Employees Only has held a place in the World's 50 Best Bars rankings every year since 2009, peaking at #4 globally in 2015. The bar operates a walk-in policy with no reservations, making timing and crowd knowledge the key variables for any visit. In 2025 it holds #18 in North America and #95 globally.

One of Hoxton Square's most recognised addresses, Happiness Forgets earned a place in the World's 50 Best Bars every year from 2012 to 2019, peaking at number six globally. The basement bar trades in precisely constructed cocktails without theatrical staging, positioning itself in the quieter, more technically serious end of London's drinking culture. Open daily from 5pm, it remains a reference point for how East London reshaped the city's cocktail conversation.

Drink Boston pioneered the no-menu cocktail experience in Fort Point's subterranean setting, where James Beard Award-winning mixologists craft entirely bespoke cocktails through intimate conversations with guests. This minimalist sanctuary has influenced the national cocktail scene since 2008, offering personalized luxury bar service that transforms every visit into a unique discovery.

The Varnish Los Angeles pioneered the city's craft cocktail renaissance from a hidden speakeasy behind Cole's historic saloon. Eric Alperin's intimate bar transforms classic cocktails through personalized service and meticulous technique, establishing the authentic speakeasy experience that influenced an entire generation of LA mixologists.

The Zetter Townhouse bar in Clerkenwell earned back-to-back placements on the World's 50 Best Bars list in 2012 and 2013, reaching as high as number 15 globally. Housed in a Georgian townhouse on St John's Square, it operates in a tier of London bars where atmosphere and ingredient-led cocktail craft matter more than volume. Rated 4.4 across more than a thousand Google reviews, it remains a reference point for the neighbourhood's drinking culture.

One of Milan's most recognised cocktail bars, Nottingham Forest at Viale Piave has held positions inside the World's 50 Best Bars list across multiple years, peaking at number 15 in both 2012 and 2014. The bar operates Tuesday through Saturday from 18:30 and on Sundays from 18:00, placing it firmly in the evening-only tier. Over 2,900 Google reviews at 4.4 average confirm sustained local and international interest.

Mutis is an Eixample cocktail bar that earned consecutive World's 50 Best Bars rankings between 2011 and 2013, peaking at number 16 globally. Sitting on Carrer de Còrsega in Barcelona's grid-planned residential and commercial centre, it operates as a neighbourhood fixture rather than a destination spectacle, drawing a mix of locals and informed visitors who track its sustained critical recognition.

Black Pearl on Brunswick Street has held a position in the World's 50 Best Bars rankings for over a decade, peaking at number seven globally in 2013. Open nightly until 3am, it functions as both a serious cocktail destination and a genuine Fitzroy local — the kind of bar that draws regulars as reliably as it draws out-of-towners. Rated 4.6 across 708 Google reviews, its longevity in a competitive field says more than any single award.

One of Brooklyn's most decorated cocktail bars, Clover Club at 210 Smith St has held a place in the World's 50 Best Bars rankings since 2009, reaching as high as #18 globally in 2012. It occupies a particular position in New York's bar scene: technically serious, historically grounded, and deliberately unglamorous in the way only confident institutions can afford to be.

One of Barcelona's most enduring cocktail addresses, Dry Martini on Carrer d'Aribau has held a place in the World's 50 Best Bars rankings for over a decade. The room itself — dark timber, leather seating, white-jacketed staff — reads like a mid-century European bar that never needed reinventing. The martini program is the anchor, but the broader list and the precision of service are what keep serious drinkers returning.

La Capilla sits on Hidalgo street in the old town of Tequila, Jalisco, and holds a place in the World's 50 Best Bars record that few cantinas anywhere can match: four consecutive rankings between 2011 and 2014, peaking at number 16. The bar is less a cocktail destination in the contemporary sense and more a living document of how Mexico's national spirit has been served and celebrated in its birthplace for generations.

Palmer & Co. occupies a basement on Abercrombie Lane in Sydney's CBD, operating in the format of a Prohibition-era bar with enough substance to reach No. 21 on the World's 50 Best Bars list in 2012. With a Google rating of 4.4 across more than 1,400 reviews, it remains one of the CBD's most consistently referenced cocktail venues. Arrive with a plan: the lane itself is easy to miss.

Bar High Five has appeared on the World's 50 Best Bars list every year since 2011, reaching as high as #3 globally in 2013. Located in a basement in Ginza, it represents the classical Tokyo bar tradition — precise technique, minimal theatre, and drinks built around the guest rather than the menu. A 4.3 Google rating across 715 reviews reflects consistent execution over more than a decade.

Once a consistent presence in the World's 50 Best Bars top 25, Le Lion Bar de Paris at Rathausstraße 3 sits at the serious end of Hamburg's cocktail spectrum. The room leans toward old-world discretion rather than theatrical spectacle, placing it in a category of European bars that treat the drink as the central proposition. A Google rating of 4.6 across more than 1,600 reviews reflects sustained consistency rather than novelty appeal.

Smuggler's Cove on Gough Street is San Francisco's most decorated rum bar, appearing in the World's 50 Best Bars every year from 2011 to 2016 and holding a Pearl Recommended status in 2025. The bar opens daily from 5pm and closes at 1:45am, making it one of the city's later-running serious cocktail destinations. A Google rating of 4.6 across more than 3,100 reviews confirms its sustained standing with both regulars and first-time visitors.

Beneath a Wynyard Lane laneway entrance, Eau de Vie operates as one of Sydney's most credentialed cocktail bars, having held a World's 50 Best Bars ranking continuously from 2011 through 2014, peaking at number 13. The program sits in a tier defined by technical precision rather than theatrical novelty. Holding a 4.6 Google rating across nearly 700 reviews, it remains a reference point for serious drinking in the CBD.

One of the early adopters of New York's serious cocktail-bar format, Experimental Cocktail Club at 6 W 24th St has held a position in the World's 50 Best Bars list and carries a 2025 Top 500 ranking at #218. The bar operates in a Flatiron neighbourhood that now draws a dense cluster of ambitious drinking programs. A 4.6 Google rating across 74 reviews signals a consistent guest experience.

A Notting Hill institution that placed twice in the World's 50 Best Bars rankings — number 27 in 2012 and number 40 in 2009 — Portobello Star operates on a stretch of Portobello Road where serious drinking and market-day energy have coexisted for decades. Its gin-focused programme and consistent international recognition place it in a peer set well above its neighbourhood-local appearance.

Schuman's Bar has held a place in the World's 50 Best Bars every year between 2010 and 2019, reaching as high as number 20 in 2010. Positioned at Odeonsplatz, one of Munich's most architecturally considered public squares, it occupies a tier of German cocktail bars that compete internationally rather than regionally. A Google rating of 3.7 across more than 1,500 reviews suggests a venue that polarises, which is often the mark of a bar with a clear point of view.

Tippling Club has held a place on the World's 50 Best Bars global list every year since 2011, making it one of the most consistently recognised cocktail bars in Asia. Located on Tanjong Pagar Road in Singapore's former warehouse district, the bar operates at the intersection of technical precision and theatrical presentation. A 4.6 Google rating across nearly 740 reviews reflects sustained performance over more than a decade of competition.

A Kurfürstendamm-adjacent bar that ranked among the world's 30 best in 2012, Lebensstern operates in the upper tier of Berlin's serious cocktail scene. Open from 8am through to 1am, it covers more hours than most of its peers, making it as plausible a morning coffee stop as an evening destination for considered drinking.

Goldene Bar occupies a storied address inside Munich's Haus der Kunst on Prinzregentenstraße, placing it at the intersection of art-institution gravity and serious cocktail programming. A former World's 50 Best Bars entry (ranked 31st in 2012), it draws a mixed crowd of Schwabing intellectuals, gallery visitors, and dedicated bar regulars across spring and autumn seasons when Munich's cultural calendar runs at full pace.

Audrey Saunders' legendary Pegu Club New York City ignited America's cocktail renaissance from 2005-2020, training a generation of master bartenders while serving impeccably crafted classics and innovations in an intimate colonial-inspired setting above West Houston Street.

Worship St Whistling Shop revolutionized London's cocktail scene through its immersive Victorian gin palace concept and award-winning mixology. This underground Shoreditch speakeasy earned three consecutive years on the World's 50 Best Bars list, serving theatrical cocktails like the Zazel in an atmospheric setting that transported guests to 19th-century London's clandestine drinking dens.

Angel's Share on Grove Street in the West Village holds a decades-long position in New York's serious cocktail scene, earning a spot at #43 on the World's 50 Best North America's Best Bars list in both 2024 and 2025, with a historic #34 global ranking in 2012. Across 1,722 Google reviews it holds a 4.5 rating, reflecting consistent execution rather than novelty. The space rewards those who find it.

Dutch Kills earned back-to-back World's 50 Best Bars rankings in 2011 and 2012, placing it among a small cohort of New York bars to achieve that recognition from a Queens address rather than Manhattan. With a 4.5 Google rating across more than 1,200 reviews, it has held its position in the serious cocktail conversation well beyond its peak press years — a reliable indicator of sustained execution rather than momentary hype.

Frank's earned a place at #36 on the World's 50 Best Bars list in 2012, and its reputation in Buenos Aires's Palermo cocktail scene has held since. Located on Arévalo 1445, the bar operates in a format that rewards those who plan ahead. With a Google rating of 4.2 across nearly 2,800 reviews, it draws a consistent crowd of locals and international visitors.

Located inside the Ritz Paris at 38 Rue Cambon, the Hemingway Bar has ranked in the World's 50 Best Bars every year from 2010 to 2014, reaching as high as #24. With a Google rating of 4.5 from 735 reviews and a 2025 Top 500 Bars listing at #303, it remains one of the most credentialed hotel bars in Europe, positioned at the upper tier of Paris cocktail culture.

META at 425 W Chestnut St holds a place in Louisville's cocktail scene that few bars in the city can match: a World's 50 Best Bars listing in 2012 and a 2025 Pearl Recommended Bar distinction signal sustained critical attention over more than a decade. With a 4.5 Google rating across 423 reviews, it draws both locals and visitors looking for serious craft in a bourbon-heavy market.

The legendary Milk & Honey London pioneered the modern speakeasy movement from its unmarked Soho location, where Sasha Petraske's exacting cocktail methodology and strict house rules created London's most exclusive drinking sanctuary. This members-only institution trained a generation of world-class bartenders while perfecting classic cocktails in an atmosphere of refined intimacy.

Boutiq'bar on Paulay Ede utca has held a place in the World's 50 Best Bars conversation since ranking 43rd in 2012, and its 2025 appearance at number 284 in the Top 500 Bars list confirms its staying power in Budapest's cocktail scene. The bar occupies a narrow street in the city's cultural district, where it has helped define the standard for craft cocktails in Central Europe. A 4.7 Google rating across more than 1,200 reviews reflects consistent execution over time.

Chainaya, Tea & Cocktails placed on the World's 50 Best Bars list three consecutive years between 2012 and 2014, peaking at number 28, which positioned it among the most internationally recognised bars in Eastern Europe during that period. Located on 1-Ya Tverskaya-Yamskaya Ulitsa in central Moscow, it built its reputation around a tea-driven cocktail program that few Russian bars were attempting at the time.

A taqueria on Rue de Saintonge that conceals one of Paris's most decorated cocktail bars behind an unmarked interior door. Candelaria built its reputation on Mexican spirits and inventive mixing, earning a place inside the World's 50 Best Bars top 20 across multiple consecutive years. The Google rating of 4.3 across nearly 3,000 reviews reflects a crowd that returns for the drinks, not the novelty.

Salvatore Calabrese's legendary 'liquid history' philosophy defined Salvatore at Playboy, where vintage spirits dating back centuries met Playboy Club glamour in London's most exclusive cocktail experience, featuring the world's most expensive cocktail and unparalleled mixological storytelling.

Ruby has appeared in the World's 50 Best Bars list every year from 2011 through 2023, reaching as high as #22 in 2013 — a record of sustained recognition that places it among the most consistently acknowledged cocktail bars in Scandinavia. Situated on Nybrogade in Copenhagen's inner city, it holds a 4.5 Google rating across more than 2,000 reviews and remains a reference point for the city's serious cocktail scene.

A Schöneberg institution that landed on the World's 50 Best Bars list in 2012, Stagger Lee operates in the quieter register of Berlin bar culture: no velvet rope theatrics, no concept-heavy menus. The 4.7-star Google rating across nearly 900 reviews signals what regulars already know — this is a room worth returning to, on Nollendorfstraße in the heart of a neighbourhood that has always known how to drink.

One of the Avenue Montaigne addresses that defined Paris palace-bar culture, La Bar du Plaza Athénée earned a spot on the World's 50 Best Bars list in 2012 and continues to draw those who treat the 8th arrondissement's hotel bars as a category of their own. The room reads as an exercise in Deco grandeur — red and silver, crystal and leather — where the drink in hand is almost secondary to the setting.

Asoka on Kloof Street has held a place in the global bar conversation since the late 2000s, earning back-to-back appearances on the World's 50 Best Bars list in 2009 and 2012. Set in Cape Town's Gardens neighbourhood, it draws a consistent crowd reflected in over 2,500 Google reviews averaging 4.3 stars. For serious bar travellers moving through South Africa, it remains a fixed reference point.