The World’s 50 Best Bars just released its 2022 list, crowning Paradiso in Barcelona as the best bar in the world. Now in its 14th year, this is the first time in World’s 50 Best Bars history that the top spot was claimed by a bar located outside of either New York or London.
Paradiso ranked third last year, with 2021 winner, The Connaught Bar in London, falling to eighth. London bar Tayēr + Elementary held strong at number two for the second straight year.
The 2022 list features bars from 26 cities, with 14 bars making their first appearance on the lists. Paradiso was joined in the top 10 by two other Barcelona bars—Sips and Two Schmucks—so the city enjoyed a particularly good showing.
New York fields the most bars with six, London has five, and Mexico City boasts four. Interestingly, Singapore didn’t put up as good of a showing as usual—after 2021 saw the city post six bars, only two made the list in 2022.
The top American bars are both in New York. Double Chicken Please ranked sixth, while Katana Kitten is ninth.
Paradiso hides behind an antique refrigerator in the back of an unassuming pastrami shop in Barcelona’s El Born district. It makes serious drinks in a fun setting, often employing theatrical flourishes and fun glassware. One signature cocktail is the Supercool Martini, which uses “supercooled” gin to build an iceberg in the glass before tailoring the final product tableside for guests.
The World’s 50 Best Bars voting academy is composed of more than 650 industry experts, including bartenders, bar owners, drinks writers, and consultants from around the world.
The World’s 50 Best Bars 2022
- Paradiso, Barcelona
- Tayēr + Elementary, London
- Sips, Barcelona
- Licorería Limantour, Mexico City
- Little Red Door, Paris
- Double Chicken Please, New York
- Two Schmucks, Barcelona
- The Connaught Bar, London
- Katana Kitten, New York
- Alquímico, Cartegena
- Handshake Speakeasy, Mexico City
- Jigger & Pony, Singapore
- Hanky-Panky, Mexico City
- Bangkok Social Club, Bangkok
- Salmon Guru, Madrid
- Drink Kong, Rome
- Coa, Hong Kong
- Florería Atlántico, Buenos Aires
- The Clumsies, Athens
- Baba au Rum, Athens
- Cafe La Trova, Miami
- Attaboy, New York
- Satan’s Whiskers, London
- Tropic City, Bangkok
- Kumiko, Chicago
- Sidecar, New Delhi
- Tres Monos, Buenos Aires
- Argo, Hong Kong
- Maybe Sammy, Sydney
- Swift, London
- Line, Athens
- Baltra Bar, Mexico City
- Manhattan, Singapore
- Overstory, New York
- 1930, Milan
- Dante, New York
- A Bar with Shapes for a Name, London
- Zuma, Dubai
- Locale Firenze, Florence
- Red Frog, Lisbon
- Cantina OK!, Sydney
- CoChinChina, Buenos Aires
- Himkok, Oslo
- Carnaval, Lima
- Galaxy Bar, Dubai
- L’Antiquario, Naples
- Employees Only, New York
- Bar Benfiddich, Tokyo
- Lucy’s Flower Shop, Stockholm
- Bulgari Bar, Dubai
