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Connaught triumphs at World's 50 Best Bars

05 November, 2020

London’s Connaught Bar has taken the crown at The World’s 50 Best Bars 2020, ending its 10-year wait for the industry’s most coveted prize.

The list, organised annually by William Reed, was announced today via a digital broadcast on social media. As trade media partner to the Awards, Drinks International has published the official guide to the 2020 list as part of its Global Bar Edition, which also launches today.

Led by Ago Perrone, Giorgio Bargiani and Maura Milia, the flagship bar of the Connaught Hotel in Mayfair has boasted an impressive record in The World’s 50 Best Bars over the years, with a run of 10 top-10 finishes including two runner-up placements.

Heading into this year’s ceremony, Connaught Bar - which is famed for its refined approach to cocktails and five-star service - was one of the favourites to take the largest share of the 540-strong Academy vote.

Last year’s winner Dante - a New York-based Italian cafe-bar which majors on aperitivos - made the list of 50 for the fifth year straight, but relinquished top spot, finishing second.

In its sixth appearance, The Clumsies in Athens, climbed to third; the joint highest rank achieved by any bar outside of New York or London in the 12 years the list has been produced.

For the first time, the top four positions comprised bars from different cities, with Singapore’s luxury gin bar Atlas taking fourth spot.

In fifth and sixth came two London bars launched last year – Monica Berg and Alex Kratena’s Tayēr + Elementary and Erik Lorincz’s Kwānt. They were among eight bars from London, this year’s cocktail capital. New York supplied the next most with five.

Completing the top 10 was Florería Atlántico of Buenos Aires, Coa from Hong Kong, Singapore’s Jigger & Pony and The SG Club of Tokyo.

It was a record low turnout for North American bars in 2020 list – with six – and a record high for Asia, which laid claim to 15, with four of the top 10.

Through the lens of The World’s 50 Best Bars, Asia’s rapid development has been clear. This year, emerging scenes such as Bangkok (Bamboo Bar), Seoul (Charles H) and Kuala Lumpur (Bar Trigona) became the latest to achieve 50 Best status.

It was also a first for Colombia, with Alquimico from Cartagena making its debut.

AWARDS

• Connaught Bar, London, ranks No.1 in The World’s 50 Best Bars 2020 and is also The Best Bar in Europe, sponsored by Perrier

• The 2020 list features bars from 23 countries, with 11 new entries spread across Australia, Colombia, Greater China, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, Spain, Thailand and UK

• Drinks sector activist and educator Ashtin Berry is named the Roku Industry Icon

• Alquímico, Cartagena, clinches Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award

• Tayēr + Elementary, London, secures Disaronno Highest New Entry Award

• Coa in Hong Kong takes Nikka Highest Climber Award • High Five, Tokyo, is named Heering Legend of The List

• Kwānt, London, is awarded London Essence Best New Opening Award

• Dante, New York, is The Best Bar in North America, sponsored by Asahi Super Dry

• Atlas, Singapore, is The Best Bar in Asia, sponsored by Rémy Martin

• Maybe Sammy, Sydney, is The Best Bar in Australasia, sponsored by Torres Brandy

• Zuma, Dubai, is The Best Bar in the Middle East and Africa, sponsored by Matusalem

• Florería Atlántico, Buenos Aires, is The Best Bar in South America, sponsored by iichiko Saiten

• Maybe Sammy, Sydney, winner of Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award

• Galaxy Bar, Dubai, winner of Campari One To Watch Award

• Renato ‘Tato’ Giovannoni of Florería Atlántico, Buenos Aires, winner of Altos Bartenders’ Bartender Award

• Ashtin Berry from the US is named the Roku Industry Icon

• High Five, Tokyo, is named Heering Legend of The List

THE LIST

1 Connaught Bar, London, UK

2 Dante, New York, USA

3 The Clumsies, Athens, Greece

4 Atlas, Singapore

5 Tayēr + Elementary, London, UK

6 Kwānt, London, UK

7 Florería Atlántico, Buenos Aires, Argentina

8 Coa, Hong Kong, China

9 Jigger & Pony, Singapore

10 The SG Club, Tokyo, Japan

11 Maybe Sammy, Sydney, Australia

12 Attaboy, New York, USA

13 Nomad Bar, New York, USA

14 Manhattan, Singapore

15 The Old Man, Hong Kong, China

16 Katana Kitten, New York, USA

17 Licorería Limantour, Mexico City, Mexico

18 Native, Singapore

19 Paradisco, Barcelona, Spain

20 American Bar, London, UK

21 Carnaval, Lima, Peru

22 Salmón Gurú, Madrid, Spain

23 Zuma Dubai, UAE

24 Little Red Door, Paris, France

25 1930 Milan, Italy

26 Two Schmucks, Barcelona, Spain

27 El Copitas, St Petersburg, Russia

28 Cantina OK! Sydney, Australia

29 Lyaness, London, UK

30 Himkok, Oslo, Norway

31 Baba au Rum, Athens, Greece

32 Panda & Sons, Edinburgh, UK

33 Swift, London, UK

34 Three Sheets, London, UK

35 The Bamboo Bar, Bangkok, Thailand

36 Tjoget, Stockholm, Sweden

37 Buck & Breck, Berlin, Germany

38 Employees Only, New York, USA

39 Bulletin Place, Sydney, Australia

40 Bar Benfiddich, Tokyo, Japan

41 Artesian, London, UK

42 Sober Company, Shanghai, China

43 Indulge Experimental Bistro, Taipei, Taiwan

44 Bar Trigona, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

45 Drink Kong, Rome, Italy

46 Room by Le Kief, Taipei, Taiwan

47 Alquimico, Cartagena, Colombia

48 High Five, Tokyo, Japan

49 Charles H, Seoul Korea

50 Presidente, Buenos Aires, Argentina





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