50 of the world's best bars
Rounding out the top three spots is the Dandelyan and the American Bar in London, and the Manhattan Bar at the Regent hotel in Singapore.
By AFP Relaxnews /
Some of the world's top mixologists gathered in London last week to hear where they placed on the influential World's 50 Best Bars ranking, an offshoot of the World's 50 Best Restaurants awards.
Overall, the list reveals a bias towards London: four of the top 10 bars are located in the British capital, with the posh, botany-themed bar Dandelyan at the Mondrian Hotel leading the charts.
(Related: Singapore's best bars with a view)
Rounding out the top three spots is the American Bar at The Savoy in London and the Manhattan bar at the Regent hotel in Singapore.
Just four years after opening, the Dandelyan swiftly became one of the city's biggest hotspots thanks to the renown of star mixologist Ryan Chetiyawardana and designer Tom Dixon, who created one of the most Instagram-worthy watering holes in London with bubble gum pink leather banquettes and green marble bar.
The Dandelyan bar in London as designed by Tom Dixon.
But in an Instagram post this week, Chetiyawardana – better known as Mr. Lyan – made the surprising announcement of plans to "kill off" the venue to pave the way for something new.
"There's so much I think we can do, and so much we want to challenge, discuss and create in this industry... it makes sense to burn it down, start afresh, and rise again as something brighter, shinier and more fitting of where we're (all) now at," he wrote.
Currently, the drinks menu at Dandelyan explores the "Modern Life of Plants" under a trio of categories like mint, grapes and hops.
But for its next incarnation, the visionary mixologist hinted at something bigger, and more experimental.
"I really think we're just hitting our stride, and now it's time to pull out the real weird stuff. Here's to keeping it weird."
(Related: 9 best after-work bars in Singapore for late-night chilling)
Below, the top 50 watering holes on the World's 50 Bars list 2018:
1. DANDELYAN (LONDON, UK)
2. AMERICAN BAR AT THE SAVOY (LONDON, UK)
3. MANHATTAN (SINGAPORE)
4. THE NOMAD (NEW YORK CITY, USA)
5. CONNAUGHT BAR (LONDON, UK)
6. BAR TERMINI (LONDON, UK)
7. THE CLUMSIES (ATHENS, GREECE)
8. ATLAS (SINGAPORE)
9. DANTE (NEW YORK CITY, USA)
10. THE OLD MAN (HONG KONG)
11. LICORERIA LIMANTOUR (MEXICO CITY, MEXICO)
12. HIGH FIVE (TOKYO, JAPAN)
13. NATIVE (SINGAPORE)
14. FLORERIA ATLANTICO (BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA)
15. ATTABOY (NEW YORK CITY, USA)
16. THE DEAD RABBIT GROCERY & GROG (NEW YORK CITY, USA)
17. ORIOLE (LONDON, UK)
18. COUPETTE (LONDON, UK)
19. HIMKOK (OSLO, NORWAY)
20. SPEAK LOW (SHANGHAI, CHINA)
21. SWEET LIBERTY (MIAMI, FLORIDA, USA)
22. BABA AU RUM (ATHENS, GREECE)
23. OPERATION DAGGER (SINGAPORE)
24. LE SYNDICAT (PARIS, FRANCE)
25. LOST & FOUND (NICOSIA, CYPRUS)
26. EMPLOYEES ONLY (NEW YORK CITY, USA)
27. CENTRAL STATION (BEIRUT, LEBANON)
28. SCOUT (LONDON, UK)
29. THREE SHEETS (LONDON, UK)
30. BLACK PEARL (MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA)
31. TALES & SPIRITS (AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS)
32. LINJE TIO (STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN)
33. LITTLE RED DOOR (PARIS, FRANCE)
34. 28 HONGKONG STREET (SINGAPORE)
35. HAPPINESS FORGETS (LONDON, UK)
36. LA FACTORIA (OLD SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO)
37. PARDISO (BARCELONA, SPAIN)
38. INDULGE EXPERIMENTAL BISTRO (TAIPEI, TAIWAN)
39. EL COPITAS (ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA)
40. TOMMY'S (SAN FRANCISCO, USA)
41. BLACKTAIL (NEW YORK, USA)
42. CANDELARIA (PARIS, FRANCE)
43. SCHUMANN'S (MUNICH, GERMANY)
44. TRICK DOG (SAN FRANCISCO, USA)
45. FIFTY MILS (MEXICO CITY, MEXICO)
46. SWIFT (LONDON, UK)
47. SALMON GURU (MADRID, SPAIN)
48. BUCK AND BRECK (BERLIN, GERMANY)
49. BAR BENFIDDICH (TOKYO, JAPAN)
50. LOST LAKE (CHICAGO, USA)
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