World’s 50 Best Bars are named with London hotel bar coming in at number one

Last year’s winner has been knocked off the top spot

The Connaught Bar has been named the best in the world (World’s 50 Best Bars)

The 2020 World’s 50 Best Bars have just been announced, with the Connaught Bar in London’s Connaught Hotel coming in at number one.

Last year’s top dog, Dante in New York, has been knocked into second place.

The Clumsies in Athens, Atlas in Singapore and Tayēr + Elementary in London are third, fourth and fifth respectively. The latter is also this year’s highest new entry.

The rest of the top 10 also included entries from Argentina, China, Singapore and Japan.

While many of the bars on the list are now off limits due to the current coronavirus travel restrictions, there are still plenty of winners in the UK to visit closer to home.

Eight of the UK bars on the list are in London – although they’re all currently shut by the second lockdown. Panda & Sons in Edinburgh, meanwhile, remains open due to different restrictions in Scotland.

Separately, Alquímico in Cartagena, Colombia, won this year’s Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award.

The World’s 50 Best Bars list is compiled through votes cast by more than 540 judges based around the world, with the anonymous panel made up of renowned bartenders and consultants, drinks writers and cocktail specialists.

Each person casts seven votes based on their best bar experiences from the previous 18 months. At least three of these must be for bars located outside the voter’s country of residence.

The sister award, World’s 50 Best Restaurants, was postponed this year due to the pandemic. It’s not clear how the travel restrictions will affect the judging process for both awards for 2021.

The full list of 50 best bars

1. Connaught Bar, London, UK
2. Dante, New York, USA
3. The Clumsies, Athens, Greece.
4. Atlas, Singapore
5. Tayēr + Elementary, London, UK
6. Kwānt, London, UK
7. Florería Atlántico, Buenos Aires, Argentina
8. Coa, Hong Kong, China
9. Jigger & Pony, Singapore
10. The SG Club, Tokyo, Japan
11. Maybe Sammy, Sydney, Australia
12. Attaboy, New York, USA
13. Nomad Bar, New York, USA
14. Manhattan, Singapore
15. The Old Man, Hong Kong, China
16. Katana Kitten, New York, USA
17. Licorería Limantour, Mexico City, Mexico
18. Native, Singapore
19. Paradiso, Barcelona, Spain
20. American Bar, London, UK
21. Carnaval, Lima, Peru
22. Salmón Gurú, Madrid, Spain
23. Zuma, Dubai, UAE
24. Little Red Door, Paris, France
25. 1930, Milan, Italy
26. Two Schmucks, Barcelona, Spain
27. El Copitas, St Petersburg, Russia
28. Cantina OK!, Sydney, Australia
29. Lyaness, London, UK
30. Himkok, Oslo, Norway
31. Baba au Rum, Athens, Greece
32. Panda & Sons, Edinburgh, UK
33. Swift, London, UK
34. Three Sheets, London, UK
35. The Bamboo Bar, Bangkok, Thailand
36. Tjoget, Stockholm, Sweden
37. Buck & Breck, Berlin, Germany
38. Employees Only, New York, USA
39. Bulletin Place, Sydney, Australia
40. Bar Benfiddich, Tokyo, Japan
41. Artesian, London, UK
42. Sober Company, Shanghai, China
43. Indulge Experimental Bistro, Taipei, Taiwan
44. Bar Trigona, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
45. Drink Kong, Rome, Italy
46. Room by Le Kief, Taipei, Taiwan
47. Alquímico, Cartagena, Colombia
48. High Five, Tokyo, Japan
49. Charles H, Seoul, South Korea
50. Presidente, Buenos Aires, Argentina