London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Sep 16, 2025

The best bars in the world for 2021 have been revealed

The best bars in the world for 2021 have been revealed

We're sorry, USA. Europe has completely trounced you at the cocktail game.

For much of its history, the annual World's 50 Best Bars list has been a battle at the top between New York and London.

But for the 2021 edition, announced Tuesday night at an awards ceremony in the UK capital, London holds the top two spots while New York has just two bars in the whole of the top 30.

It's also a notably more international affair than usual, with 17 countries represented in the top 50, and with 18 new entries spread across Australia, India, Mexico, Russia, Argentina, Sweden, Spain, China and the UAE.

After a Zoom-based event in 2020, this year's ceremony was in person once again at London's Roundhouse. However, the UK's new entry rules in response to the Omicron variant meant the overseas visitors faced some last-minute PCR test and self-isolation requirements before attending.

London takes top two spots


The Connaught Bar: Mayfair specialists in being ritzy.


London's Connaught Bar took the crown for the second year in a row, only the third bar to have done so in the awards' 13-year history.

The five-star Connaught Hotel has been a Mayfair institution since it opened as the Prince of Saxe-Coburg Hotel in 1815, and the Cubist-inspired 1920s-style bar, which opened in 2008, was designed by the late David Collins.

The Connaught's leadership team of director of mixology Agostino Perrone, head mixologist Giorgio Bargiani and bar manager Maura Milia have perfected their winning formula of consistently high-quality drinks and service in an elegant setting. The bar's specialty is its Martini trolley, where bartenders give a personalized drinks experience to guests.

Alex Kratena's Tayēr + Elementary, on London's Old Street, climbed to No. 2 after being last year's Highest New Entry.

Also in Mayfair, basement bar Kwant -- helmed by mixologist Erik Lorincz, who brought the American Bar at the Savoy to victory at the top of the Best Bars list in 2017 -- was at No. 31, having dropped down from No. 6 last year.

A bite out of the Big Apple


At No. 10 on the list, Katana Kitten, a Japanese-style bar in New York's West Village, was the highest-ranking bar in the US.

Subway-tiled Dante in Greenwich Village, which held the top spot in 2019, slipped down to No. 30 on this year's list. Miami's Cafe La Trova is at No. 28 while Attaboy, on New York's Lower East Side was at No. 32.

Mexico City's Licorería Limantour, at No. 6, was named Best Bar in North America, and the city was also represented by Hanky Panky at No. 12, Handshake Speakeasy at No. 25 and Baltra Bar at No. 38.

Buenos Aires also took a bite out of the Big Apple's cocktail dominance, with Florería Atlántico climbing to No. 5 and holding onto the Best Bar in South America award, and Presidente taking the Highest Climber award by rising 29 places to No. 21. Tres Monos, at No. 33, was another new entry.

Spain leads Europe


Giacomo Giannotti's Paradiso is a Mediterranean-style speakeasy, entered through the freezer door of a pastrami bar.


Spain led the way in Europe with four bars on the list, including Barcelona's Paradiso and Two Schmucks at No. 3 and No. 11 respectively. Salmon Guru in Madrid was at No. 24 and won the Michter's Art of Hospitality award.

Russia also outperformed the US, with St. Petersburg's El Copitas at No. 8 and Moscow's Insider Bar at No. 13.

Hong Kong's Coa climbed to No. 7 and was named Best Bar in Asia, but Singapore was the city with the most entries overall: a whopping six in total, led by Jigger & Pony at No. 9. It even has a bar called Manhattan -- at No. 15 -- as a further swipe at New York's lost crown.

The World's 50 Best Bar Academy is made up of bar industry experts from around the world. The voting period took place between March 2020 and September 2021.

The world's best bars for 2021

1. Connaught Bar (London)
3. Paradiso (Barcelona)
4. The Clumsies (Athens)
5. Florería Atlántico (Buenos Aires) *Best Bar in South America*
6. Licorería Limantour (Mexico City) *Best Bar in North America*
7. Coa (Hong Kong) *Best Bar in Asia*
8. El Copitas (St. Petersburg)
9. Jigger & Pony (Singapore)
10. Katana Kitten (New York City)
11. Two Schmucks (Barcelona)
12. Hanky Panky (Mexico City) *Highest New Entry*
13. Insider Bar (Moscow)
14. Baba au Rum (Athens)
15. Manhattan (Singapore)
16. Atlas (Singapore)
17. Zuma (Dubai) *Best Bar in Middle East and Africa*
18. The SG Club (Tokyo)
19. Drink Kong (Rome)
20. 1930 (Milan)
21. Presidente (Buenos Aires)
22. Maybe Sammy (Sydney)
23. Cantina OK! (Sydney)
24. Salmon Guru (Madrid)
25. Handshake Speakeasy (Mexico City)
26. No Sleep Club (Singapore)
28. Cafe La Trova (Miami)
29. Little Red Door (Paris)
30. Dante (New York City)
For the full list, visit the 50 World's Best site.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
U.S. and Britain Poised to Finalize Over $10 Billion in High-Tech, Nuclear and Defense Deals During Trump State Visit
China Finds Nvidia Violated Antitrust Laws in Mellanox Deal, Deepens Trade Tensions with US
US Air Force Begins Modifications on Qatar-Donated Jet Amid Plans to Use It as Air Force One
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
Elon Musk Retakes Lead as World’s Richest After Brief Ellison Surge
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
London Daily Podcast: London Massive Pro Democracy Rally, Musk Support, UK Economic Data and Premier League Results Mark Eventful Weekend
This Week in AI: Meta’s Superintelligence Push, xAI’s Ten Billion-Dollar Raise, Genesis AI’s Robotics Ambitions, Microsoft Restructuring, Amazon’s Million-Robot Milestone, and Google’s AlphaGenome Update
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Musk calls for new UK government at huge pro-democracy rally in London, but Britons have been brainwashed to obey instead of fighting for their human rights
Elon Musk responds to post calling for the murder of Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk: 'Either we fight back or they will kill us'
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
USA: Office Depot Employees Refused to Print Poster in Memory of Charlie Kirk – and Were Fired
Proposed U.S. Bill Would Allow Civil Suits Against Judges Who Release Repeat Violent Offenders
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
French Debt Downgrade Piles Pressure on Macron’s New Prime Minister
US and UK Near Tech, Nuclear and Whisky Deals Ahead of Trump Trip
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
Anesthesiologist Left Operation Mid-Surgery to Have Sex with Nurse
Tens of Thousands of Young Chinese Get Up Every Morning and Go to Work Where They Do Nothing
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
The German Owner of Politico Mathias Döpfner Eyes Further U.S. Media Expansion After Axel Springer Restructuring
Suspect Arrested: Utah Man in Custody for Charlie Kirk’s Fatal Shooting
In a politically motivated trial: Bolsonaro Sentenced to 27 Years for Plotting Coup After 2022 Defeat
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
ChatGPT CEO signals policy to alert authorities over suicidal youth after teen’s death
The British legal mafia hit back: Banksy mural of judge beating protester is scrubbed from London court
Surpassing Musk: Larry Ellison becomes the richest man in the world
Embarrassment for Starmer: He fired the ambassador photographed on Epstein’s 'pedophile island'
Manhunt after 'skilled sniper' shot Charlie Kirk. Footage: Suspect running on rooftop during panic
Effective Protest Results: Nepal’s Prime Minister Resigns as Youth-Led Unrest Shakes the Nation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
King Charles and Prince Harry Share First In-Person Moment in 19 Months
Starmer Establishes Economic ‘Budget Board’ to Centralise Policy and Rebuild Business Trust
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Brazilian police say ex-President Bolsonaro had planned to flee to Argentina seeking asylum
Trinidad Leader Applauds U.S. Naval Strike and Advocates Forceful Action Against Traffickers
Kim Jong Un Oversees Final Test of New High-Thrust Solid-Fuel Rocket Engine
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Supreme Court temporarily allows Trump to pause billions in foreign aid
Charlie Sheen says his father, Martin Sheen, turned him in to the police: 'The greatest betrayal possible'
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
×