An annual rundown of the globe’s top bars, the World’s 50 Best Awards are collated through the combined experiences of 650 drinks experts with 50/50 gender parity, including renowned bartenders and consultants, drinks writers and cocktail specialists from around the world. The globally recognised ranking takes into account a number of factors, however, much like the 50 Best Restaurants list, there is no pre-determined checklist of criteria.

In the interest of complete impartiality, the World’s 50 Best Bars list and awards are organised and compiled by Deloitte, with none of the employees of the organiser, or of any of the sponsors associated with the awards, allowed to partake in the voting academy. The academy is made up of drinks writers and critics, mixologists, restauranteurs and foodies, with each given 10 votes to hand out. The votes are completely confidential and remain anonymous throughout the process.

This year, the World’s 50 Best Bars took a distinctly international approach, with outposts hailing from 26 different cities across the globe. Importantly, the 2022 edition also saw 14 new entries make the list, including new hotspots in Athens, Bangkok, Chicago, Dubai and Lisbon, however, it was hard to top Barcelona. The Spanish precinct best-known for its pumping nightclubs and heaving party culture took home top honours in this year’s rankings, with Paradiso being named the Best Bar in Europe, alongside being named the World’s Best Bar, sponsored by Perrier. The accolade marks the first time a bar outside of the historic cocktail capitals of New York and London has managed to nab the top spot, highlighting just how strong the global outlook is getting.

Hidden behind an antique refrigerator in the back of an unassuming pastrami shop in Barcelona’s trendy El Born district, you’ll find Paradiso. The quaint little speakeasy is a masterful blend of technique, precision and creativity that arrives with an “unwavering sense of fun”, despite its understated exterior. As soon as you walk through the unassuming entrance, you’re greeted by a majestic front bar that opens to a playful space littered with dramatic glass light fittings and Gaudi-inspired curved-wood ceiling.

When Tayēr + Elementary first launched back in 2019, it exuded the kind of finesse you’d expect to see in a world-beating venue and despite a few upending years due to COVID, Monica Berg and Alex Kratena’s hotspot is living up to the hype. The elevated cocktail bar is split in two, embodying a unique contrast of styles and aesthetics. Elementary is the industrially styled street-side space complete with a long communal table and seasonal cocktails served from the tap, ideal for the after-work bar scene or a quick drink. Tayēr, on the other hand, delivers a more “forensic, culinary” approach. Here, the team work with lesser-known ingredients brought to life through high-tech equipment to deliver new flavour experiences.

Barcelona-based cocktail bar Sips stunned the world last year when it claimed 37th place in the top bars ranking, however, this year, the venue has taken things to a whole new level. Founders Simone Caporale and Marc Alvarez’s immersive space delivers a series of unique creations, elevated by a blend of traditional and high-tech techniques. For example, the Heliodora makes use of a  vintage Mexican hand-turned machine to deliver grapefruit ‘shaved ice’ as a base, before a gargantuan pipette drops sherry into the glass and finished with rum and lime. On the food side of things, Sips dabbles in high-end flavours, with a Michelin-grade pastry chef dropping off creations at the Sips door every Monday morning. This year, Sips in Barcelona secured the Nikka Highest Climber Award, having moved up 34 places within the 1-50 list to number three.

Coming ina t number four in this year’s list of the world’s best bars is Licorería Limantour in Mexico City. The Benjamin Padrón and José Luis Leon-led institution has continued to push the boundaries of what a modern cocktail bar can do, dishing up a series of enviable menus over the years, many of which have birthed mainstay flavours, such as the Margarita al Pastor.

Rounding out the top five in this year’s list of the world’s best bars is Little Red Door in Paris. The cosy, cosmopolitan hotspot in Marais is only located through, you guess, a little red door that offers an entrance to an untouched world. Taking a firmly farm-to-glass approach to cocktail making, current drinksmiths Alex Francis and Barney O’Kane have managed to continue the legacy set down more than a decade ago. Here, the pair curate and create a series of stunning drinks that embody an earthly feel that contrasts the busy city streets outside.

While Barcelona, New York and London continued to firm as the world’s premier cocktail destinations, there were a few other cities that managed to make a splash this year. The 2022 edition saw a number of new entrants make the list of the world’s best bars, with two Aussie institutions breaking through.

51. Sago House, Singapore52. Barro Negro, Athens

53. Cause Effect Cocktail Kitchen, Cape Town

54. La Factoría, Old San Juan

55. 28 HongKong Street, Singapore

56. Quinary, Hong Kong

57. MO Bar, Singapore

58. Mimi Kakushi, Dubai

59. Schofield’s, Manchester

60. Caretaker’s Cottage, Melbourne

61. Presidente, Buenos Aires

62. Tan Tan, São Paulo

63. The SG Club, Tokyo

64. Brujas, Mexico City

65. Analogue, Singapore

66. El Barón, Cartagena

67. Atlas, Singapore

68. Hero Bar, Nairobi

69. No Sleep Club, Singapore

70. La Sala de Laura, Bogotá

71. Tjoget, Stockholm

72. Three Sheets, London

73. Camparino in Galleria, Milan

74. Nutmeg & Clove, Singapore

75. Side Hustle, London

76. Candelaria, Paris

77. The Court, Rome

78. Röda Huset, Stockholm

79. Vesper, Bangkok

80. Dead End Paradise, Beirut

81. Lost & Found, Nicosia

82. Indulge Experimental Bistro, Taipei

83. Bar Goto, New York

84. Le Syndicat, Paris

85. Danico, Paris

86. Freni e Frizioni, Rome

87. Re, Sydney

88. Art of Duplicity, Cape Town

89. Donovan Bar, London

90. Republic, Singapore

91. Antique American Bar, Bratislava

92. The House of Machines, Cape Town

93. Mace, New York

94. Sweet Liberty, Miami

95. The Bamboo Bar, Bangkok

96. The Dead Rabbit, New York

97. Tag, Kraków

98. Zapote Bar, Playa del Carmen

99. Tesouro, Goa

100. Sin + Tax, Johannesburg