When you think of London and drinking, you probably picture a cosy pub with perfectly-poured pints, and maybe even a roaring fire. And you wouldn’t necessarily be wrong; our city sure is full of delightful down-to-earth boozers. But it also boasts some truly world-class cocktail bars. In fact, the capital is home to some of the very best cocktail bars in the whole world.
Don’t believe us? Well, you need look no further than ’50 Best’s recent list of The World’s 50 Best Bars. There, in the top 10, you’ll find 2 esteemed London cocktail venues. And within the wider top 50, London makes an impressive showing, with 4 bars on the list.
Taking the top spot on the list was Hong Kong’s Bar Leone – from “Rome-born bartender and founder Lorenzo Antinori… (who has) worked at the finest bars in London, Seoul, and Hong Kong.” Mexico City’s Handshake Speakeasy took the second spot, with Sips, from Barcelona, rounding out the top 3. And sitting pretty in 5th and 6th position, respectively, were Tayēr + Elementary and the legendary Connaught Bar.
Image: @tayer_elementary, via IG
The top 10 best bars in the world
Wondering where in the world to go to try out the very best cocktails you can currently drink? Plan your next vacation, and book a table ahead of time at these bars, which took the top 10 spots in the list of The World’s 50 Best Bars.
- Bar Leone – Hong Kong
- Handshake Speakeasy – Mexico City
- Sips – Barcelona
- Paradiso – Barcelona
- Tayēr + Elementary – London
- Connaught Bar – London
- Moebius Milano – Milan
- Line – Athens
- Jigger & Pony – Singapore
- Three Monkeys – Buenos Aires
London’s best bars
Okay, but what if you just want to try out world-class drinks without having to jump on a plane? These London bars all made their way into the top 50 ranking:
- Tayēr + Elementary (#5)
- Connaught Bar (#6)
- Satan’s Whiskers (#21)
- Scarfes Bar (#31)
London wasn’t the only city in the UK to show up on the list. Edinburgh’s Panda & Sons also ranked among the world’s best at 34th position. Not too shabby at all!
See the full list of The World’s 50 Best Bars 2025 here.
