When you’ve already got the best, why settle for the rest? For the second year running, London’s Connaught Bar has just been crowned the best cocktail bar in the world, according to The World’s 50 Best Bars 2021. Under the leadership of Director of Mixology Agostino Perrone, Head Mixologist Giorgio Bargiani, and Bar Manager Maura Milia, the Connaught Bar was feted for their innovative, seemingly effortless cocktails and a consistent brilliance that had seen it kicking around the upper echelons of the list for a few years now. Having snagged the number one spot for the first time last year, they’ve successfully fended off all comers to defend their title!
Judges were presumably wowed mostly by the drinks, but the bar’s cool grey and platinum colour palette (inspired by 1920 Cubist artworks of the UK and Ireland) certainly couldn’t hurt. Still, the praise for the bar’s “continued pursuit of excellence” and their revolutionary takes on the classic Martini show they looked beyond the décor for perfection here. As the judging panel noted, only two bars have ever successfully captured the title of The World’s Best Bar for two consecutive years, making this a historic achievement for The Connaught.
If you’re planning a visit, you’ll want to make a beeline for the bar’s famed Dry Martini trolley, which designs bespoke riffs on the classic tailored to their guest’s satisfaction. Meanwhile, judges have previously lavished praise on their Magnetum cocktail, a mix of scotch and sherry served in two distinct parts – and if The World’s 50 Best Bars are recommending it, we’re definitely not going to disagree with them…
The Connaught Bar isn’t the only London bar celebrating the results though, as Old Street’s Tayēr + Elementary built on last year’s award for the highest new entry. They’ve jumped from last year’s fifth place all the way to #2, meaning that you can drink at the two best cocktail bars in the world without leaving Zone 1! Our city also scooped a third bar on the list, with Mayfair’s Kwānt taking 31st place – although having said that, five London bars that featured last year slipped off the list entirely. The Savoy’s famed American Bar, Lyaness, Swift, Three Sheets in Dalston, and Marylebone’s Artesian didn’t appear this year, but they’re still all winners in our eyes.
Other cities doing particularly well out of the awards included Singapore (with six bars featuring, the most of any country), Barcelona, which had three bars feted, including Paradiso at #3, and NYC, which continued a strong performance through the years with three bars featuring on the list. It’s worth keeping an eye on Athens bar The Clumsies, which clocked in at #4; well worth a visit if you’re ever in Greece, it’s also known to make the odd pilgrimage to London every now and then, bringing their inimitable Aegean Negroni in tow. So, whilst I’d suggest hitting up London’s finest bars first, it’s good to know there are plenty more for the bucket list!