London has claimed the crown as the cocktail capital of the world at the World’s 50 Best Bars Awards 2016, with five bars in the top 10 and nine in the top 50. The results were announced on Thursday 6 October 2016 by Drinks International
The American Bar, at The Savoy London was crowned the Tanqueray Best Bar in Europe at number 2, followed by Dandelyan at the Mondiran Hotel on the South Bank, which took the Nikka Whisky Highest Climber Award with a dramatic 47-place ascent to number 3, and the Connaught Bar at The Connaught in Mayfair at number 4. The Gibson Bar on Old Street debuts at number 6, taking the Urban Bar Highest New Entry Award, but it was London’s hotel bars leading the rankings this year.
And the best bar in the world? The Dead Rabbit Grocery & Grog in New York, which took the top spot as Botran Rum Best Bar in North America & the World. The bars were chosen by an Academy of 476 members from 57 countries – the strongest, most diverse collection of industry experts ever assembled to express their view on the best bars in the world.
The Dead Rabbit Grocery & Grog in New York was voted the World’s Best Bar 2016
The team at The Savoy’s American Bar is delighted to have been crowned best bar in Europe and the second best bar in the world at number 2. Bar Manager Declan McGurk said of their success: ‘We are incredibly proud of this recognition, which clearly demonstrates our commitment to honouring the legacy of the American Bar whilst pushing the boundaries of the bar industry.’
It’s the sixth time in a row The American Bar has made The World’s 50 Best Bars list, earning it a place in The World’s 50 Best Bar’s All-time Achievers’ List. The American Bar may be the longest-surviving cocktail bar in the UK, but its continuous reinvention shows that the bar is still very much at the forefront of the beverage industry. In January this year they launched The London Menu, a cocktail menu that combines theatre and storytelling as it takes guests on a journey around the six London boroughs surrounding The Savoy.
Other London bars blazing a trail include Hoxton favourite Happiness Forgets at number 10, and regular high achiever Nightjar is joined by new sister venue Oriole in the top 50, both owned by husband-and-wife team Edmund Weil and Roisin Stimpson. Industry favourite Callooh Callay returns to the list after a year of absence, and Tony Conigliaro and Marco Arrigo’s Soho aperitivo and coffee concept Bar Termini makes a first appearance in under two years of opening.
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The World’s 50 Best Bars is the most influential and respected global survey of its kind. The list represents the ultimate guide to the top bars and drinking destinations around the globe, with restaurant bars, speakeasies, hotel bars, and tiki-themed venues all contributing to the diverse and eclectic list.
The awards are the result of an international industry survey produced by Drinks International, the leading magazine for the global drinks industry. Representatives from the world’s leading bars flew into the capital to attend the Awards at Christ Church Spitalfields in London, along with internationally renowned industry figures and celebrity supporters.
See the full list of the World’s 50 Best Bars here