4 Australian bars land on the World’s 50 Best Bars 2021 list

This morning Australian time, at a ceremony in London, the annual unveiling of the World’s 50 Best Bars list took place with four Australian bars making the cut this year. Three  bars from Sydney and one Melbourne bar made the list.

Cantina OK! returned to the list this year after debuting last year at 28. This year the micro Sydney mezcal bar has improved its position, coming in at 23 this year.

Sydney cocktail bar Maybe Sammy made its third appearance on the World’s 50 Best Bars list, landing at 22 and taking out the title of the Best Bar in Australasia.

And in Melbourne, the Hayden Lambert-helmed Above Board made its first entry onto the 50 Best, coming in at 44.

The top two spots on the evening went to two London bars: Tayer + Elementary claimed the number two spot, with the title of the number one bar in the world in 2021 going to The Connaught for the second year in a row.

Matt Whiley’s Sydney bar Re made its debut on the list, with the no-waste newcomer landing at number 46. They also picked up the Ketel One Sustainable Bar award at the awards.

The Altos Bartender's Bartender award went to the accomplished Lynnette Marrero from New York, a recognition not only of her bartending talent and skill but also her philanthropic work with Speed Rack.

The Roku Industry Icon award this year was awarded to bartender Remy Savage, whose most recent opening in London — The Bar With Shapes For A Name — is inspired by the Bauhaus movement.

This year also saw the introduction of a new award, the Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu award, which went to Lab 22 from Cardiff, Wales.

This year saw 600-odd voters spread across the world over 28 regional voting panels cast votes for their favourite seven bars. [Full disclosure: I am the Oceania Academy Chair.]

Take a look at the full list below.

1. The Connaught, London
2. Tayer + Elementary, London
3. Paradiso, Barcelona
4. The Clumsies, Athens
5. Floreria Atlantico, Buenos Aires — winner of the Best Bar in South America award
6. Licoreria Limantour, Mexico City — winner of the Best Bar in North America
7. Coa, Hong Kong — winner of The Best Bar in Asia
8. El Copitas, St. Petersburg
9. Jigger & Pony, Singapore
10. Katana Kitten, New York
11. Two Schmucks, Barcelona
12. Hanky Panky, Mexico City — the Disaronno Highest New Entry Award
13. Insider Bar, Moscow — winner of The London Essence Best New Opening award
14. Baba Au Rum, Athens
15. Manhattan, Singapore
16. ATLAS, Singapore
17. Zuma, Dubai — the Best Bar in the Middle East & Africa
18. The SG Club, Tokyo
19. Drink Kong, Rome
20. 1930, Milan
21. Presidente, Buenos Aires — winner of the Nikka Highest Climber award
22. Maybe Sammy, Sydney — the winner of the Best Bar in Australasia
23. Cantina OK!, Sydney
24. Salmon Guru, Madrid — the winner of the Michter’s Art of Hospitality award
25. Handshake Speakeasy, Mexico City
26. No Sleep Club, Singapore
27. Camparino In Galleria, Milan
28. Cafe La Trova, Miami
29. Little Red Door, Paris
30. Dante, New York
31. Kwant, London
32. Bar Benfiddich, Tokyo
33. Tres Monos, Buenos Aires
34. Attaboy, New York — winner of the Remy Martin Legend of the List award
35. Lucy’s Flower Shop, Stockholm
36. MO Bar, Singapore
37. Sips, Barcelona
38. Baltra Bar, Mexico City
39. Sober Company, Shanghai
40. Tjoget, Stockholm
41. Epic, Shanghai
42. Charles H, Seoul
43. Tippling Club, Singapore
44. Above Board, Melbourne
45. Galaxy Bar, Dubai
46. Re, Sydney
47. Sidecar, New Delhi
48. Union Trading Company, Shanghai
49. Darkside, Hong Kong
50. Quinary, Hong Kong

Up in smoke: The Dunes cocktail from Maybe Sammy

Drawing, as Maybe Sammy does, on the ritz and the lore of the Rat Pack era, it makes sense that their cocktail list features signatures named for Las Vegas casinos.

Boothby.Sam Bygrave

Cantina OK! owners talk micro mezcal, and the ‘vanity project’ that landed on the World’s 50 Best Bars

“What’s interesting to us is the people, places, and experiences. The mezcal is a bonus.”

Boothby.Sam Bygrave