The World’s 50 Best Bars Have Just Been Announced
It’s official, the list of The World’s 50 Best Bars for the year is out, following an awards ceremony where the best of the industry gathered to celebrate. We’re always keen to see which London bars make the list, and this year, the same four that made it to the 50 best list last year have retained a place in 2025.
Rosewood London’s very posh, very sophisticated Scarfes Bar was at No.37 last year, and has moved up to No. 31. East London’s Satan’s Whiskers was at No.29, and has moved to No. 21, while Connaught Bar shuffled all the way from No. 13 to No. 6. Still keeping their top five spot is Tayer + Elementary, although they have dropped from No.4 to No. 5. After this year’s best restaurants and best hotels, these are the bars which topped the charts at The World’s 50 Best Bars 2025:
1. Bar Leone, Hong Kong
Just two years after opening its doors, Bar Leone has found a place at the top with a No. 1 ranking in the World’s Best Bars list, after placing in the No. 2 rank last year. With vintage spirits prints and framed football jerseys on the walls, it’s got an old-school charm about it and serves up classic cocktails to innovative mixes. On the menu, we found a stunning Caffe Paradiso (Amaro Lucano, cold brew, honey, Dom Benedictine, salted cream and green cardamom) and Luna Rossa (ratafia rossi, coffee vermouth, NS gin, lemon and raspberries).
website: www.barleonehk.com
2. Handshake Speakeasy, Mexico City
A prohibition-era-inspired drinking den, Handshake is a speakeasy hidden behind a doorway – you won’t even know it’s there unless you’re looking for it. Also awarded Best Bar in North America, this year is a big win for this unassuming spot that’s known for its friendly vibe and incredible cocktails put together by bar director Eric Van Beek.
A prohibition-era-inspired drinking den, Handshake is a speakeasy that’s hidden behind a doorway.
website: www.handshake.bar
3. Sips, Barcelona
We’re hardly surprised that this one reached the top three on the list. Last year, the bar launched a 14-seat space called Escencia that’s centred around a tasting menu that includes curated “sips”.
The self-titled “drinkery house” serves high-quality cocktails that are creative and cool, served in a super casual, relaxed atmosphere that allows you to really enjoy your drinks. An interesting order we spotted is the Sips Cilline – a whisky-based “smoked antidote against stress” accompanied by notes of stewed apple, vanilla cream, and pears in syrup, followed by sea salt, herbal smoke, crisp seaweed, and cooling menthol.
website: www.sips.barcelona
4. Paradiso, Barcelona
Paradiso is one of Spain’s hottest bars, and it’s another one that doesn’t take reservations in advance. To enter, you have to sign up for the virtual queue that you can access by scanning a QR code at the Paradiso door. There’s a list of award-winning cocktails on the menu, like the Hidden Island with Santa Teresa 1796 rum, carrot cake, coconut cream and pepper syrup, or go for the Secret of Java with Diplomático Reserva rum, banana shochu, Mancino hazelnut vermouth, salted caramel tea and banana.
website: www.paradiso.cat
5. Tayer + Elementary, London
Famously walk-in only, Tayer + Elementary has two bars with different concepts – there’s Elementary at the front, which serves simple, punchy cocktails and drinks, and the more technical, rather sciency Tayer is in the back, combining modern techniques and old-fashioned practices and serving produce-driven cocktails.
Famously walk-in only, Tayer + Elementary has two bars with different concepts.
Established in 2019, Tayer + Elementary also sells ready-to-drink, bottled cocktails that bring together their classics blended with unique natural ingredients.
website: www.tayer-elementary.com
The rest of the list
6. Connaught Bar, London
7. Moebius Milano, Milan
8. Line, Athens
9. Jigger & Pony, Singapore
10. Tres Monos, Buenos Aires
11. Alquímico, Cartagena
12. Superbueno, New York
13. Lady Bee, Lima
14. Himtok, Oslo
15. Bar Us, Bangkok
16. Zest, Seoul
17. Bar Nouveau, Paris
18. Bar Benfiddich, Tokyo
19. Caretaker’s Cottage, Melbourne
20. The Cambridge Public House, Paris
21. Satan’s Whiskers, London
22. Locale Firenze, Florence
23. Tlecan, Mexico City
24. Tan Tan, Sao Paolo
25. Mirror Bar, Bratislava
26. Co ChinChina, Buenos Aires
27. Baba au Rum, Athens
28. Nouvelle Vague, Tirana
29. Hope & Sesame, Guangzhou
30. Danico, Paris
31. Scarfes Bar, London
32. Svanen, Oslo
33. Sastrería Martinez, Oslo
34. Panda & Sons, Edinburgh
35. Röda Huset, Stockholm
36. Mimi Kakushi, Dubai
37. Salmon Guru, Madrid
38. Coa, Hong Kong
40. Drink Kong, Rome
41. Double Chicken Please, New York
42. Maybe Sammy, Sydney
43. 1930, Milan
44. Jewel of the South, New Orleans
45. Virtù, Tokyo
46. Overstory, New York
47. The Bar In Front Of The Bar, Athens
48. The Bellywood, Tokyo
49. BKK Social Club, Bangkok
50. Nutmeg & Clove, Singapore
