When it comes to a drinking discovery, there’s nothing like a global bar competition to whet your whistle and put you on the cutting edge of the world’s best bar scene.
And to fast track you to the top bartending talent and experiences, this year’s list of The Best Bars 2026 (formerly The World’s 50 Best Bars) has been announced at a red carpet ceremony in Milan.
With a strong showing from Europe, three British bars made the list, with London’s Connaught Bar leading at number eight, and making the top 10.
Highlighting the best destinations showcasing innovative mixology, game-changing serves and spins on the classics, here are the top five who took the coveted spots…
Crowned the winner for the second time in a row, the Hong Kong cocktail scene is proving its a big hitter with three other spots making the top-50 list.
Taking a simplistic approach to bar culture and design, Italian co-founder Lorenzo Antinori has taken the concept of ‘cocktail popolari’, which translates to ‘cocktails of the people’, to another level… showing the real impact of the notion.
Cited as a tribute to the neighbourhood bars of Rome, where locals gather for coffee, aperitivi and casual conversation, think expertly executed classics with a strong Italian influence, and promise of aperitivo bliss with variations on a negroni.
The cheers, applause and high-pitched whistles must have been deafening when Moebius grabbed the second spot in the host city.
Also voted the Best Bar in Europe 2026, this is where a passion for haute cuisine (the restaurant has a Michelin star), music and a cocktail voyage of discovery collide beautifully together.
Moreover, with a towering wall of more than 300 spirits’ labels, takeovers and guest appearances from international bartenders, live-music events, DJ’s and curated vinyl selection, it’s a one-stop shop for a fashionable taste of la dolce vita.
Slowly climbing up the ranks, Alquimico reached number eight in 2024, and also won the accolade this year for Best Bar in South America.
Located in a 19th-century mansion in Cartagena’s historic centre, Alquimico combines creative mixology with local ingredients and community work, establishing itself as a concept bar with a purpose.
Celebrating its routes, with a social focus on how the power of community can translate into ‘conscious hospitality’, the bar has grown from a team of five, to more than 100 people… redefining mixology and rooted in the richness of their land.
Jumping from number 15 in 2025, Bar Us describes itself as "not a dining, but a drinking room”, with a focus on liquid cuisine cocktails and experimentation through taste and aroma.
With a menu divided into three parts, it’s a go-to place for cocktail hounds on the trail for their next tasting adventure, with an apothecary of local ingredients to stir the imagination - and ultimately tantalise the tastebuds.
There are no set rules, but the format is a starter, main and after. Accompanied with a refreshing cocktail to begin; then experiment with a more intense, savoury style; and round off with a clean, aromatic cocktail. Who wouldn’t drink to that?
Located in a former art gallery space, high ceilings and an industrial aesthetic lend Line a spacious, exhibition-style vibe where fruit wines, fermentation and experimental cocktails are the name of the game.
Here, the Why-ins menu (a play on the word wine) features in-house made grapeless wines, while the extensive cocktail list features familiar names such as Line’s Strawberry Daiquiri but with unexpected ingredients. A taster: Bacardi Carta Blanc Rum/Lacto Strawberry/Mustard.
With fruit, seasonality, fermentation, preservation, "and the possibilities of using an ingredient more completely”, the vision is to channel Greek hospitality through exploration and creativity. Eviva! – Sam Wylie-Harris/dpa
