Food & Drink

The World's Best Bar Is Sips in Barcelona

Plus the 49 Other Spots You Need to Drink At

By Kevin Gray ·
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Image: Sips

Each year, the World’s 50 Best Bars releases its list of the top 50 cocktail joints around the globe. And each year, it gives us something fun to talk about — and plan vacations around.

The 2023 list just dropped, and like last year, a Barcelona bar earned the top spot. Except while Paradiso got the nod last year, now it's Sips turn in the sun. And that's particularly impressive considering it only opened in 2021.

Sips is located in the heart of Barcelona’s L'Antiga Esquerra de l'Eixample district. It's an elegant space and the drinks incorporate cutting-edge techniques while remaining fun and playful. Part of its instant success is due to the founders, Simone Caporale — who was one half of the creative duo that led London’s Artesian to The World’s Best Bar title a record four times — and Marc Álvarez, who spent almost a decade at Ferran and Albert Adrià’s elBarri restaurant group.

New York's Double Chicken Please grabbed the number two spot, while the top five is rounded out by Handshake Speakeasy in Mexico City, Paradiso in Barcelona and Connaught Bar in London.

London topped the list with five entries, while Mexico City has four, and New York, Singapore and Athens boast three bars in the top 50. In total, the 2023 list features bars from 28 cities, with 11 new entries across Bangkok, Berlin, Dubai, London, Melbourne, New Orleans, Paris, Rome, Seoul, Singapore and Stockholm.

Marc Álvarez and Simone Caporale of Sips barcelona
Marc Álvarez and Simone Caporale | Sips

The list is compiled by votes from The World’s 50 Best Bars Academy, which comprises 680 drinks experts (with 50/50 gender parity), including bartenders and consultants, drinks writers and cocktail experts from around the world. 

The World's 50 Best Bars — 2023

1. Sips, Barcelona

2. Double Chicken Please, New York

3. Handshake Speakeasy, Mexico City

4. Paradiso, Barcelona

5. Connaught Bar, London

6. Little Red Door, Paris

7. Licorería Limantour, Mexico City

8. Tayēr + Elementary, London

9. Alquímico, Cartagena

10. Himkok, Oslo

11. Tres Monos, Buenos Aires

12. Line, Athens

13. BKK Social Club, Bangkok

14. Jigger & Pony, Singapore

15. Maybe Sammy, Sydney

16. Salmon Guru, Madrid

17. Overstory, New York

18. Zest, Seoul

19. Mahaniyom Cocktail Bar, Bangkok

20. Coa, Hong Kong

21. Drink Kong, Rome

22. Hanky Panky, Mexico City

23. Caretaker’s Cottage, Melbourne

24. Café La Trova, Miami

25. Baba au Rum, Athens

26. CoChinChina, Buenos Aires

27. Katana Kitten, New York

28. Satan’s Whiskers, London

29. Wax On, Berlin

30. Florería Atlántico, Buenos Aires

31. Röda Huset, Stockholm

32. Sago House, Singapore

33. Freni e Frizioni, Rome

34. Argo, Hong Kong

35. A Bar With Shapes for a Name, London

36. The SG Club, Tokyo

37. Bar Benfiddich, Tokyo

38. The Cambridge Public House, Paris

39. Panda & Sons, Edinburgh

40. Mimi Kakushi, Dubai

41. Scarfes Bar, London

42. 1930, Milan

43. Carnaval, Lima

44. L’Antiquario, Naples

45. Baltra Bar, Mexico City

46. Locale Firenze, Florence

47. The Clumsies, Athens

48. Atlas, Singapore

49. Jewel of the South, New Orleans

50. Galaxy Bar, Dubai

Kevin Gray

Kevin Gray lives in Texas. He likes whiskey, weekends and hammocks, often at the same time.

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