The 2012 World's 50 Best Bars: London's Artesian Takes the Crown

Artesian at The Langham London held the World's 50 Best Bars number one position four consecutive years from 2012 to 2015, a run that placed it at the centre of London's cocktail conversation for a generation. The bar carries a Google rating of 4.6 from 865 reviews and has maintained a presence in the Top 500 Bars list through 2025. It remains one of the most award-documented hotel bars in Europe.

Once the most-awarded bar on the planet, PDT operates out of a phone booth inside a St. Marks Place hot dog shop, and that physical fact still defines the experience. Its run of consecutive World's 50 Best placements through 2016, including the number-one position in 2011, established the East Village phone-booth format as a reference point for the global cocktail bar conversation. A 4.3 Google rating across 2,313 reviews confirms that the concept continues to land.

One of London's most decorated cocktail bars, Nightjar on City Road has held a place inside the World's 50 Best Bars since 2011, reaching number two globally in 2013. The bar operates nightly until 3am, drawing a committed crowd to its subterranean setting where the drinks program has consistently defined what serious cocktail craft looks like in the capital. A 4.6 Google rating across more than 2,500 reviews confirms the reputation holds.

The Connaught Bar has appeared in the World's 50 Best Bars list every year since 2010, twice claiming the top position, and remains the benchmark against which London's hotel bar category is measured. Housed within Mayfair's Connaught hotel, the David Collins-designed space marries Cubist geometry with a service programme of rare technical precision. The bespoke Dry Martini trolley service, led by Agostino Perrone and Giorgio Bargiani, is the bar's most replicated and least reproducible signature.

The American Bar at the Savoy has spent more than a decade inside the World's 50 Best Bars rankings, reaching number one in 2017. Anchored on the Strand in central London, it occupies a specific tier in the city's cocktail hierarchy: hotel bars with a verifiable international award record and a clientele that spans regulars, professionals, and informed visitors. It is one of the few bars in any European capital that functions simultaneously as a London institution and a global benchmark.

Death & Co on East 6th Street helped define the modern American cocktail bar format when it opened in the East Village in 2006, and its award history — four consecutive years inside the World's 50 Best Bars top ten between 2009 and 2012 — marks it as one of the most consequential bars of its era. The 4.5-star Google rating across more than 2,000 reviews reflects a reputation that has outlasted the hype cycle.

Few bars in Australia have shaped the country's premium drinking conversation more consistently than The Baxter Inn. Tucked below street level on Clarence Street in Sydney's CBD, it spent six consecutive years in the World's 50 Best Bars rankings, peaking at #6 globally in 2015. The focus is whisky — a serious, deep list — served in a space that earns its reputation through program depth rather than spectacle.

A compact, technically serious bar on a quiet Islington residential street, 69 Colebrooke Row built its reputation through a methodical approach to cocktail construction rather than theatrical staging. Ranked as high as #7 in the World's 50 Best Bars, it holds a 4.6 Google rating across 715 reviews and sits in the tier of London bars where programme discipline and drink precision define the offer.

Callooh Callay has held a position in the World's 50 Best Bars rankings since 2011, peaking at number nine globally in 2012 and returning to the Top 500 in 2025. Located on Rivington Street in Shoreditch, the bar sits at the heart of East London's cocktail corridor and operates across an evening-into-late-night format that distinguishes it from destination-only peers.

Bramble has occupied a basement on Edinburgh's Queen Street since 2006, accumulating a run of World's 50 Best Bars placements that few UK venues can match. The programme sits in the serious cocktail tier: technique-driven, spirit-forward, and built for repeat visitors who track what's in the glass rather than what's on the walls. It ranks #177 in the 2025 Top 500 Bars list, with peak recognition reaching #7 globally in 2009.

28 HongKong Street has held a position in the World's 50 Best Bars global list every year since 2012, making it one of Singapore's most consistently recognised cocktail bars. Located at 28 Hongkong St in the CBD fringe, it operates as a serious spirits-forward programme in an understated space that prioritises the glass over the room. A 4.4 Google rating across more than 1,100 reviews suggests it delivers consistently at scale.

Employees Only has held a place in the World's 50 Best Bars rankings every year since 2009, peaking at #4 globally in 2015. The West Village address on Hudson Street operates as one of New York's most consistently recognised cocktail programs, drawing on a European apéritif and spirits tradition that sits apart from the speakeasy-revival bars that followed in its wake. In 2025, it holds #18 in North America and #95 globally.

Happiness Forgets is a basement cocktail bar on Hoxton Square that spent much of the 2010s inside the World's 50 Best Bars top 12, peaking at number six in 2013. Its combination of low-key format, serious drink-making, and east London positioning made it a reference point for the no-frills, high-craft model that reshaped London's bar scene over that decade.

Drink Boston pioneered the no-menu cocktail experience in Fort Point's subterranean setting, where James Beard Award-winning mixologists craft entirely bespoke cocktails through intimate conversations with guests. This minimalist sanctuary has influenced the national cocktail scene since 2008, offering personalized luxury bar service that transforms every visit into a unique discovery.

The Varnish Los Angeles pioneered the city's craft cocktail renaissance from a hidden speakeasy behind Cole's historic saloon. Eric Alperin's intimate bar transforms classic cocktails through personalized service and meticulous technique, establishing the authentic speakeasy experience that influenced an entire generation of LA mixologists.

A Clerkenwell cocktail bar that placed 15th on the World's 50 Best Bars list in 2012, Zetter Townhouse trades on atmosphere as much as technique. Set inside a Georgian townhouse on St John's Square, the bar occupies a different register from Shoreditch's louder venues — closer to a well-stocked drawing room than a conventional bar. Google reviewers rate it 4.4 across more than a thousand visits.

Nottingham Forest has held a position inside the World's 50 Best Bars rankings across six separate years, including back-to-back placements at #15 in 2012 and 2014. The bar sits on Viale Piave in Milan's Porta Venezia district and operates six evenings a week. Its decade-long track record places it among the most consistently recognised cocktail addresses in Italy.

Mutis on Carrer de Còrsega has ranked among the World's 50 Best Bars three years running, peaking at number 16 in 2012, which positions it in the same conversation as Barcelona's most technically rigorous cocktail programs. Sitting in the Eixample grid, it draws a crowd that treats the bar as destination rather than pitstop, with a Google rating of 4.4 across 318 reviews confirming durable local standing.

Few bars in the Asia-Pacific region carry a decade-long presence in the World's 50 Best Bars rankings. Black Pearl on Brunswick Street in Fitzroy has held that ground continuously, peaking at #7 globally in 2013 and returning a 4.6 Google rating from over 700 reviews. Open nightly until 3am, it sits at the serious end of Melbourne's cocktail spectrum without the velvet-rope posturing that often accompanies that status.

Clover Club has held a place in the global cocktail conversation since 2008, with consistent World's 50 Best recognition and a 4.6 Google rating across more than a thousand reviews. Located on Smith Street in Brooklyn's Carroll Gardens, it operates at the intersection of pre-Prohibition technique and contemporary bar craft — a reference point for serious drinking in New York City.

Few bars in Europe carry the kind of sustained award record that Dry Martini has accumulated on Carrer d'Aribau. Ranked inside the World's 50 Best Bars every year from 2009 to 2015, and returning to the Top 500 in 2025, it occupies a different tier from Barcelona's newer cocktail openings — a reference-point bar that the city's broader scene measures itself against.

La Capilla is a bar in the town of Tequila, Jalisco that earned consecutive placements on the World's 50 Best Bars list between 2011 and 2014, peaking at number 16. It holds a 4.7 Google rating across 35 reviews and sits at the centre of one of the most historically loaded drinking towns on earth. For anyone serious about agave spirits in their native context, it is a reference point rather than a detour.

Palmer & Co. occupies a basement on Abercrombie Lane in Sydney's CBD, operating in the format of a Prohibition-era bar with enough substance to reach No. 21 on the World's 50 Best Bars list in 2012. With a Google rating of 4.4 across more than 1,400 reviews, it remains one of the CBD's most consistently referenced cocktail venues. Arrive with a plan: the lane itself is easy to miss.

Among Tokyo's most decorated cocktail bars, Bar High Five has appeared in the World's 50 Best Bars rankings every year since 2011, peaking at number three globally in 2013. Situated in a basement space on Ginza's Chuo-dori, it represents a specific strain of Japanese bartending — classical technique, guest-led service, and an absence of theatrical gimmickry — that has given Ginza its international standing in bar culture.

Le Lion Bar de Paris has held a place in the World's 50 Best Bars rankings continuously since 2009, making it one of the most consistently recognised cocktail programmes in Germany. Located on Rathausstraße in central Hamburg, it draws a mix of regulars and informed visitors who know that longevity in that list requires more than a strong opening year. A 4.6 rating across more than 1,600 Google reviews suggests the reputation holds in practice, not just on paper.

Smuggler's Cove at 650 Gough St has held a position in the World's 50 Best Bars every year from 2011 through 2016, reaching as high as #16 globally, and earned a Pearl Recommended designation in 2025. Open seven nights a week from 5pm to 1:45am, it remains one of the most decorated rum-focused bars in the United States, drawing from a deep catalogue of spirits and tiki-adjacent tradition.

One of Australia's most decorated cocktail bars, Eau de Vie occupies a basement on Wynyard Lane in Sydney's CBD, where its track record on the World's 50 Best Bars list — including a peak ranking of #13 in 2011 — places it among a small tier of Australian bars with genuine international recognition. A 4.6 Google rating across nearly 700 reviews confirms that standing has held over time.

Experimental Cocktail Club has held a place in New York's serious cocktail conversation since earning a World's 50 Best Bars ranking in 2012, and its 2025 Top 500 Bars placement at #218 confirms sustained relevance across more than a decade of shifting tastes. Located in Flatiron at 6 West 24th Street, it occupies the space where European cocktail sensibility and New York ambition converge — a reliable address for a considered night out.

Portobello Star is a Notting Hill gin bar on Portobello Road with a track record of serious recognition: ranked 27th on the World's 50 Best Bars list in 2012 and 40th in 2009. The back bar leans heavily on gin, drawing a crowd that takes its spirits research as seriously as its market browsing. Google reviewers rate it 4.3 from 426 reviews.

Schuman's Bar occupies a corner position on Odeonsplatz, one of Munich's most formally charged public squares, and has held a place in the World's 50 Best Bars every ranked year from 2010 through 2019. Its back bar is built around depth of spirits curation rather than cocktail theatre, placing it alongside Germany's small cohort of bars that compete on substance over spectacle. Reservations are advisable.

Tippling Club has held a place on the World's 50 Best Bars global list every year since 2011, making it one of the most consistently recognised cocktail bars in Asia. Located on Tanjong Pagar Road in Singapore's former warehouse district, the bar operates at the intersection of technical precision and theatrical presentation. A 4.6 Google rating across nearly 740 reviews reflects sustained performance over more than a decade of competition.

Lebensstern ranked among the world's leading bars twice in consecutive years, placing #30 on the World's 50 Best Bars list in 2012 and #36 in 2013. Located on Kurfürstenstraße in Berlin's Schöneberg district, it operates daily from 08:00 until 01:00, covering the full arc from morning coffee to late-night cocktails. For Berlin's serious bar circuit, it remains a reference point from the era that put the city's craft programs on the global map.

Inside the Haus der Kunst on Prinzregentenstraße, Goldene Bar occupies one of Munich's more architecturally charged drinking rooms. The bar earned a place at World's 50 Best Bars number 31 in 2012, a signal that its programme reaches beyond local reputation. It remains a reference point for serious cocktail drinking in a city better known for beer halls than bar craft.

Audrey Saunders' legendary Pegu Club New York City ignited America's cocktail renaissance from 2005-2020, training a generation of master bartenders while serving impeccably crafted classics and innovations in an intimate colonial-inspired setting above West Houston Street.

Worship St Whistling Shop revolutionized London's cocktail scene through its immersive Victorian gin palace concept and award-winning mixology. This underground Shoreditch speakeasy earned three consecutive years on the World's 50 Best Bars list, serving theatrical cocktails like the Zazel in an atmospheric setting that transported guests to 19th-century London's clandestine drinking dens.

Angel's Share on Grove Street in the West Village is one of New York City's most decorated cocktail bars, holding a 2025 World's 50 Best North America ranking and a spot in the Top 500 Bars globally. Recognised for curation depth and considered service, it occupies a distinct tier among Manhattan's serious cocktail programs. A 4.5 Google rating across more than 1,700 reviews confirms its sustained draw.

A Queens cocktail bar that placed on the World's 50 Best Bars list in both 2011 and 2012, Dutch Kills brought serious bar craft to Long Island City before the neighbourhood attracted wider attention. The program draws on classic American techniques with a disciplined approach to ice and spirits. Google reviewers rate it 4.5 across more than 1,200 scores.

Frank's earned a place at number 36 on the World's 50 Best Bars list in 2012, a recognition that positioned Buenos Aires cocktail culture on the global map at a critical moment. Located in Palermo on Arévalo 1445, this is a bar that rewards those who find it — the entrance is deliberately understated. With a Google rating of 4.2 across nearly 2,800 reviews, its reputation has proven durable well beyond that early international acknowledgment.

Inside the Ritz Paris on Rue Cambon, Hemingway Bar has held a position in the World's 50 Best Bars rankings across four consecutive editions and carries a 4.5 Google rating from over 700 reviews. The bar operates in the upper tier of Paris hotel bar culture, where program discipline and historical weight set the competitive standard. It draws both serious cocktail travellers and guests staying at the Ritz.

META at 425 W Chestnut St has held a position in Louisville's cocktail conversation since earning a World's 50 Best Bars ranking in 2012 and continues to draw recognition through a 2025 Pearl Recommended Bar award. With a 4.5 Google rating across more than 400 reviews, it represents the more technically serious end of Louisville's bar scene — a city whose drinking culture extends well beyond its bourbon reputation.

The legendary Milk & Honey London pioneered the modern speakeasy movement from its unmarked Soho location, where Sasha Petraske's exacting cocktail methodology and strict house rules created London's most exclusive drinking sanctuary. This members-only institution trained a generation of world-class bartenders while perfecting classic cocktails in an atmosphere of refined intimacy.

Boutiq'bar on Paulay Ede utca has held a place in the World's 50 Best Bars and now ranks No. 284 in the global Top 500, making it one of Budapest's most internationally recognised cocktail addresses. The back bar operates as a serious spirits reference, positioning the venue inside Budapest's maturing craft-cocktail tier rather than its ruin-bar circuit. A Google rating of 4.7 from over 1,200 reviews reflects sustained, broad approval.

Chainaya, Tea & Cocktails brought Moscow a serious international bar credential in the early 2010s, appearing on the World's 50 Best Bars list three consecutive years — peaking at #28 in 2013. The bar's premise fuses Russian tea culture with a technical cocktail programme, placing it in a small peer set of concept-driven bars that earned global recognition before Moscow's scene was widely mapped.

Candelaria holds a firm place in Paris's cocktail conversation, ranking as high as #9 in the World's 50 Best Bars (2013) and returning to the Top 500 in 2025. The bar on Rue de Saintonge in the 3rd arrondissement built its reputation on a Mexican-rooted drinks program that sits apart from the classical French bar tradition, drawing a crowd that books well in advance and stays late.

Salvatore Calabrese's legendary 'liquid history' philosophy defined Salvatore at Playboy, where vintage spirits dating back centuries met Playboy Club glamour in London's most exclusive cocktail experience, featuring the world's most expensive cocktail and unparalleled mixological storytelling.

One of Copenhagen's most decorated cocktail bars, Ruby has held a place in the World's 50 Best Bars rankings across multiple years, peaking at number 22 in 2013. Set inside a 18th-century townhouse on Nybrogade, the bar operates across several intimate rooms that reward quiet conversation over carefully built drinks. It is a strong reference point for anyone mapping the city's cocktail scene.

A Schöneberg institution that landed at number 48 on the World's 50 Best Bars list in 2012, Stagger Lee on Nollendorfstraße has built its reputation less on spectacle than on neighbourhood gravity. The bar draws a loyal local crowd alongside cocktail tourists, holding a 4.7 Google rating across nearly 900 reviews. It sits in Berlin's broader canon of technically serious but atmospherically grounded bars.

The bar inside the Hôtel Plaza Athénée on Avenue Montaigne operates at the intersection of grand hotel tradition and serious cocktail craft. Ranked 49th at the World's 50 Best Bars in 2012, it holds a position among Paris's most formally regarded drinking rooms. The setting, the address, and the level of service all price it into the upper tier of the city's hotel bar category.

Asoka on Kloof Street earned back-to-back World's 50 Best Bars rankings in 2009 and 2012, placing it among the few Cape Town venues to reach that tier in the programme's early years. The bar sits in Gardens, one of the city's most concentrated after-dark strips, and carries a 4.3 Google rating across more than 2,500 reviews — a signal of sustained local relevance long after the awards cycle.