World's 50 Best Bars 2013: Complete Rankings

Artesian is worth prioritising for a polished London cocktail occasion, especially dates, celebrations, or business drinks where awards history and room quality matter. It is a weaker fit for bargain drinking, large casual groups, or food-led plans; book it as the drinks anchor, not the whole night.

Nightjar is a strong London choice for a planned cocktail night, especially for two to four people who want a seated, late-running bar near Old Street. It is less useful for big groups, spontaneous plans, or anyone prioritising outdoor space over a focused room and serious drinks credentials.

Book Bar High Five if the priority is a serious Ginza cocktail stop with global recognition, not a food-led night or casual group drinks. It works best as a focused pre- or post-dinner plan, with food handled elsewhere and a backup bar kept in mind.

A serious Mayfair cocktail booking for polished dates, visiting bar obsessives, late-evening hotel-bar energy. The Connaught Bar is worth the effort when recognition and setting matter; skip it for casual groups or value-led rounds.

Book The Dead Rabbit Grocery and Grog when cocktails are the point of the night and the group is small enough to handle a high-demand bar. The awards history is strong, including World's 50 Best Bars #1 in 2016 and a Pinnacle Guide 1 Pin in 2026, but easier alternatives make more sense for loose group plans.

Happiness Forgets is a strong London date-night pick if the goal is serious cocktails in a compact Hoxton room rather than dinner or a big group plan. Recent bar recognition supports the credibility, but the practical reason to go is simpler: it suits two people who want conversation, a focused drinks stop, an East London setting without hotel-bar formality.

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.

Prioritise The Baxter Inn for a drink-led CBD night rather than a full dinner plan. Its World's 50 Best Bars #6 recognition from 2015 gives it stronger credibility than a casual fallback, but booking friction means small groups should keep Old Mate's Place or Cantina OK in mind as backups.

Candelaria is worth prioritizing for a small-party cocktail night in Paris, especially if the goal is a recognized bar rather than a spacious lounge. Its awards history supports the hype, but the compact setup means it is better for dates or pairs than groups.

28 HongKong Street is worth booking for a focused two-person cocktail night in Singapore, especially if bar pedigree matters more than skyline views or a full dinner format. It is less suitable for spontaneous groups, bargain-led happy hour plans, or guests who want food to drive the evening.

Callooh Callay is worth choosing for a drinks-led Shoreditch evening, especially when booking needs to stay easy and flexible. It is not the right answer for brunch, lunch, or a full dining occasion; pair it with a nearby restaurant if food is the priority.

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.

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.

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.

Door 74 is worth targeting for a planned Amsterdam cocktail date, especially if you want a darker, more intimate room with serious bar-world recognition. It is less useful for groups or food-led plans, the booking friction means it should be treated as the main drinks stop rather than a casual backup.

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.

Book Buck & Breck when the night calls for a serious, tightly focused cocktail stop in Berlin rather than a loose group bar. It is strongest for two people or a planned solo drink, less useful for flexible arrivals or loud social drinking. Global bar recognition gives it a clear trust signal.

The Parlour is worth targeting for a small, drinks-led occasion, especially a date or compact celebration where the beverage program is the draw. It is a tougher call for 4+ because group logistics and pricing are not confirmed, so larger parties should keep a backup and avoid relying on it as the only stop.

Book Jerry Thomas Speakeasy if the Rome night is about cocktails, not convenience. Its international bar recognition makes it a serious choice for drink-focused travellers, but the format is better for small groups and planned evenings than casual walk-ins or food-led plans.

A formal Strand hotel bar with major bar-world recognition, American Bar is worth targeting for a polished cocktail occasion rather than a value-led food stop. Treat the food as support, not the reason to book; if dinner matters, pair drinks here with a dedicated restaurant 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.

Ruby is a strong Copenhagen pick when the night is built around cocktails rather than dinner. The 2026 Opinionated About Dining recognition gives it a credible signal, but the smartest plan is a small-party drinks stop before or after a restaurant booking, with food handled elsewhere.

Schuman's Bar is the Munich pick for a serious, classic cocktail evening when the room matters as much as the drink. Its World's 50 Best Bars #23 recognition from 2013 gives it real credibility, but the practical move is to treat it as a planned date or celebration stop, not an easy fallback.

Book Eau de Vie when the night is about serious cocktails rather than easy group logistics. Its international bar recognition gives it real credibility, but the better use case is a small, drinks-focused CBD plan near Wynyard, not a casual fallback for a large party.

A serious Islington cocktail booking for drinkers who care more about precision than pub looseness. Its World's 50 Best Bars #7 recognition from 2011 is the trust signal, but the practical verdict is simpler: book for a focused two-person drinks plan, not a large group night or dinner-led evening.

Book Chainaya, Tea & Cocktails if the night is about a focused cocktail room rather than a loud group outing. Its 2012 World's 50 Best Bars #44 recognition gives it a real credibility marker, but the fit is narrow: better for small parties, dates, drinkers who care about the bar itself than for dinner-led plans or easy walk-in logistics.

Mutis is the Barcelona choice for a deliberate cocktail date, not a casual backup plan. Its strongest signal is serious bar credibility, including a World's 50 Best Bars #29 ranking in 2013, but the better reason to go is the intimate, conversation-first fit for two people.

Smuggler's Cove is worth targeting when the night calls for a serious, rum-focused cocktail bar with real recognition behind it. It is strongest for dates and small celebrations; groups of 4+ should only choose it if they are comfortable with a compact, high-energy setting rather than a lounge-style hang.

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.

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.

Book Zetter Townhouse when the room matters: it is a Clerkenwell choice for dates, small catch-ups, a planned round rather than a cheap, casual stop. The 2012 World's 50 Best Bars listing gives it useful pedigree, but the real value is the townhouse atmosphere and central London location.

Florería Atlantico is the Buenos Aires bar to pick when the night needs atmosphere and a clear sense of occasion, especially for two people who want energy over privacy. Demand is serious, so treat it as a planned anchor rather than an easy walk-in. For quieter conversation or larger groups, keep a calmer backup in mind.

La Capilla is worth prioritising for drinkers who want a recognised Tequila bar with real awards history, not for anyone trying to organise a full dinner or polished group night. Couples and small parties are the safer fit; groups of 4+ should keep a backup and treat it as one stop on a wider crawl.

Quinary is worth prioritizing for a first Hong Kong cocktail night if drinks are the main event and the group is small. Do not make it the core dinner plan: the safer move is to eat elsewhere, then treat this Central address as a focused bar stop with serious awards credibility and high demand.

Little Red Door is the Paris cocktail booking to prioritise when the drinks list is the main reason for going. Its World's 50 Best Bars, Top 500 Bars, Pinnacle Guide recognition make it a stronger fit for dates and serious cocktail drinkers than for large spontaneous groups or food-led plans.

Le Coq works for polished cocktails around Trocadéro, especially for a date or celebration where the setting matters. Treat it as a drinks-first stop rather than a food-led booking, since no verified food format or menu detail is available.

Choose Shady Pines Saloon for an easy, late-running CBD drinks stop rather than a tightly planned date-night dinner. It suits two people who want flexibility after dinner, with less certainty around menu detail, pricing, reservations than more structured hotel or restaurant bars.

Attaboy NYC is worth the access hassle for a two-person cocktail date built around bartender-led drinks and serious New York cocktail history. It is less useful for groups, dinner, or a tightly scheduled night, but the long World’s 50 Best Bars record and Pearl Recommended Bar status make it one of the city’s more defensible high-effort bar picks.

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.

Baba au Rum is Athens' dedicated rum bar on Klitiou, open until 3 AM most nights with a tight cocktail program and enough counter space for walk-ins. The format suits post-dinner drinking when you need something more focused than a wine bar but less formal than a tasting-menu venue. Come for the rum flights, stay because the bartending holds up through the late shift.

Nottingham Forest is worth targeting if the night is about cocktails rather than dinner. Its international bar-list recognition gives it real pull in Milan, but the smarter move is to plan food elsewhere and treat this as a focused drinks stop for two, with a backup ready if access proves difficult.

Book Delicatessen if the night is about serious cocktails rather than hotel-lounge comfort. Its World's 50 Best Bars #50 recognition from 2013 makes it a credible Moscow choice, but the booking difficulty means it is better for small, planned-out evenings than casual walk-ins or group drinks.