Barcelona’s Paradiso named World’s Best Bar

Paradiso’s win last night (4 October) marks the first time the accolade of World’s Best Bar has been won by a venue outside New York or London. 

Located in the Spanish city’s trendy El Born district, Paradiso offers a ‘truly masterful take on the speakeasy, combining technique, precision and creativity with an unwavering sense of fun’. 

London‘s Tayēr + Elementary took second place while Sips - also in Barcelona - was ranked third on the list, which features bars from 26 cities (see full list, below). 

Spain dominates the top 10 but London regains its position as the cocktail capital of Europe with a total of five bars in the list, the Connaught Bar at number eight and a re-entry from Swift at number 30.

The city also sees new entries from Satan’s Whiskers at number 23 and A Bar with Shapes for a Name at number 37. 

New York leads with a total of six bars in the list, more than any other city in the world, including two in the top 10: Double Chicken Please at number six, which was also awarded the Disaronno Highest New Entry Award, and Katana Kitten at number nine. 

Special awards included Röda Huset in Stockholm being named the Campari One To Watch; the Italian-born but London-based Agostino Perrone being named Roku Industry Icon; and BKK Social Club in Bangkok being named London Essence Best New Opening.

Now in its 14th year, the list is compiled by votes from The World’s 50 Best Bars Academy, which comprises more than 650 drinks experts with 50/50 gender parity, including renowned bartenders and consultants, drinks writers and cocktail specialists from around the world.

The Academy of voters is spread across 28 global geographic regions, each headed by an Academy Chair who selects their region’s voters, with the distribution of voters designed to reflect the relative development and sophistication of the drinks sector, and the concentration of quality bars, in each region.

Each voter casts seven votes based on their best bar experiences of the previous 18 months, although if they have been unable to travel, they are welcome to provide five votes from their home country or SAR. Voters are required to remain anonymous and voting is confidential, secure and independently adjudicated by Deloitte.