The 10 best bars in the world right now

The Worlds 50 Best Bars group has released its annual list of the best watering holes on the planet. And much to our delight, the bar that took the top spot is right on our doorstep.

The major bragging rights have been awarded to London’s Artesian for the fourth year in a row, beating city rival New York with four entries over their three.

Make sure to add the top ten to your to-try list. 

20 DRINKS YOU'D NEED TO SELL YOUR LIVER TO PAY FOR

8 UNUSUAL FOOD & WINE PAIRINGS THAT WILL MAKE YOU LOOK LIKE A CHAMP

THE 25 WEIRDEST BURGERS EVER MADE

10. Black Pearl, Melbourne

So heavy is the influence of Black Pearl on the Australian bar industry that no barman is further than six degrees of separation from someone who worked at the Pearl. And a load of their current staff have won international award. Expect plenty of in-house creations.

9. Connaught Bar, London

Frequently topping the bests of lists, the bar lives up to the reputation of the Mayfair hotel of which it is the flagship bar. Which is five-star in case you hadn’t guessed. It’s widely believed that they serve up the best Bloody Mary in London, which is no small feat. 

8. Happiness Forgets, London

In typical style of its surroundings (Hoxton), Happiness Forgets is shabby chic and difficult to find, hidden in a basement signposted by a painting on a wall. But it serves up the slickest of cocktails and it’s where bartenders go to drink. 

7. 28 Hong Kong Street, Singapore

It’s an understatement to say Singaporeans love food and drink - it’s a national obsession, a hobby that every citizen partakes in. So obsessed is the population that this bar hired a PR agency so that they weren’t in the news and all over the internet (sorry guys). But with world-class bartenders from across the globe, people still flock to the tiny bar. 

6. The Baxter Inn, Sydney

Whisky. This place is all about the whisky. They’ve got hundreds of bottles of the amber nectar and a menu to reflect that fact with loads of combos you wouldn’t have thought of – like whisky and fresh apple.

5. American Bar, London

The American Bar is as much of an institution as the monarchy. The 126-year-old bar has been on the list for the past five years straight since it reopened in 2010 thanks to a menu that nods to favourite flavours from bygone eras and up to the minute trending cocktails. 

4. Employee’s Only, New York

Let’s talk numbers. Employee’s Only has been around for 10 year, serves up 183,000 cocktails a year and sells one of their Amelia cocktails every fifteen minutes. Then again, with Ayelsbury Duck vodka and St Germain elderflower liqueur shaken with pureed blackberries and lemon juice, we’re not surprised. 

3. Nightjar, London

With live bands every night, this 20s-style speakeasy already nails the Shoreditch vibe. They add to it by sourcing fresh ingredients twice a week from the market at 5am, on a scooter (did we mention Shoreditch?) for their 48 cocktails - the recipes of which all the staff know by heart. 

2. The Dead Rabbit Grocery & Grog, New York

To give you an idea of how this Irish bar takes things to the next level, let us whet your appetite by simply stating the ingredients for the Spell Spoke; hibiscus-infused Jameson Black Barrel Irish whiskey, lime juice and ginger syrup. It’s fuss-free but top-notch.

1. Artesian, London

Before you even get to the cocktails, the décor (lego elephants) and the menu (this summer saw a menu inspired by Surrealism) have your jaw hanging loose. Then you get to the ultra-sonic homogeniser that infuses ingredients in seconds, smoking cocktails and balloons which float stringless above your cocktail. This place will do as much for your mind as it does for your taste buds.