Paradiso in Barcelona has been named No.1 on the World’s 50 Best Bars 2022 list, the first time a bar outside of London and New York has taken the top spot.
The cocktail bar was given the crown during a ceremony in Barcelona early this morning Singapore time, beating out previous winner Connaught Bar in London, which came in at No.8 this year. Rounding out the top three is London’s Tayēr + Elementary and Barcelona’s Sips.
Located in the trendy El Born district, Paradiso blends theatrics with precision. Access is through an antique refrigerator in the back of a pastrami shop, which opens up to a striking Gaudi-inspired curved wood ceiling and sweeping bar counter.
The speakeasy was founded by Giacomo Giannotti and Margarita Sader, who use modernist techniques to create their cocktails. In their Supercool Martini, water is chilled past freezing point, then crystallises as it is poured over a frozen olive.
Closer to home, Singapore’s Jigger & Pony was once again named the Asia’s best bar at No.12, and was joined by Manhattan at No.33. Thailand was represented by newcomer BKK Social Club (No.14) and Tropic City (No.24), while Hong Kong’s Coa placed No.17 and Argo debuted at No.28. Other regional bars include Sidecar from New Delhi (No.26), the first Indian entry since 2010, and Tokyo’s Bar Benfiddich (No.48).
In total, the 2022 list featured bars from 26 cities with 14 new entries. New York’s Double Chicken Please was the highest newcomer at No.6, while bars from Florence, Lisbon, and Naples were named on the list for the first time.
Other prizes given out during the ceremony include the Roku Industry Icon, which was awarded to Agostino Perrone of Connaught Bar, and Stockholm’s Röda Huset was named Campari One To Watch. Juliana of Guayaquil in Ecuador won the Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu, and Little Red Door in Paris received the Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award.
World’s 50 Best Bars also announced a number of awards in the lead up to the top 50 ranking. Last week, they unveiled the best 51-100 bars in the world, and presented Mexico City’s Hanky Panky with the Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award last month. The Altos Bartenders’ Bartender Award went to Jean Trinh of Alquímico in Cartagena, Colombia.
This is the first time the World’s 50 Best Bars awards ceremony took place outside London since its inception in 2009. The annual list is complied based on votes by 650 drinks expert from around the globe, who include drinks writers, bar owners, and bartenders.
See below for the full list of the 2022 World’s 50 Best Bars.
1. Paradiso (Barcelona)
2. Tayēr + Elementary (London)
3. Sips (Barcelona)
4. Licorería Limantour (Mexico City)
5. Little Red Door (Paris)
6. Double Chicken Please (New York)
7. Two Schmucks (Barcelona)
8. Connaught Bar (London)
9. Katana Kitten (New York)
10. Alquímico (Cartagena)
11. Handshake Speakeasy (Mexico City)
12. Jigger & Pony (Singapore)
13. Hanky Panky (Mexico City)
14. BKK Social Club
15. Salmon Guru (Madrid)
16. Drink Kong (Rome)
17. Coa (Hong Kong)
18. Florería Atlántico (Buenos Aires)
19. The Clumsies (Athens)
20. Baba au Rum (Athens)
21. Café La Trova (Miami)
22. Attaboy (New York)
23. Satan’s Whiskers (London)
24. Tropic City (Bangkok)
25. Kumiko (Chicago)
26. Sidecar (New Delhi)
27. Tres Monos (Buenos Aires)
28. Argo (Hong Kong)
29. Maybe Sammy (Sydney)
30. Swift (London)
31. Line (Athens)
32. Baltra Bar (Mexico City)
33. Manhattan (Singapore)
34. Overstory (New York)
35. 1930 (Milan)
36. Dante (New York)
37. A Bar with Shapes for a Name (London)
38. Zuma (Dubai)
39. Locale Firenze (Florence)
40. Red Frog (Lisbon)
41. Cantina OK! (Sydney)
42. CoChinChina (Sydney)
43. Himkok (Olso)
44. Carnaval (Lima)
45. Galaxy Bar (Dubai)
46. L’Antiquario (Naples)
47. Employees Only (New York)
48. Bar Benfiddich (Tokyo)
49. Lucy’s Flower Shop (Stockholm)
50. Bulgari Bar (Dubai)
This story first appeared on Lifestyle Asia Singapore
