Sips in Barcelona - that opened during the Covid-19 pandemic - is the world's best bar! 2023 list is out

Good news for travellers goin' places and those who like to have a swig or two! If you enjoy a martini or two (or make that many) or a margarita, then Barcelona is the place to be!

Sips in the Spanish city of Barcelona has topped this year's bar ranking in the World’s 50 Best Bar list which was revealed at a ceremony on Tuesday. For Barcelona, this is the second year in a row that the city has bagged the top spot: Paradiso, also in Barcelona, was adjudged the best bar of 2022.

Located in the heart of Barcelona's L'Antiga Esquerra de l'Eixample district, Sips is the brainchild of Simone Caporale and Marc Álvarez. Drawing on the lessons of their already illustrious careers – Caporale was one half of the creative duo that led London's Artesian to The World's Best Bar title a record four times, whilst Álvarez spent almost a decade at Ferran and Albert Adrià's revolutionary elBarri restaurant group.


Sips started operations during the Covid-19 pandemic. In an interview with CNN, Caporale said: "Let’s call it a dream.”

With just 33 seats, Sips uses locally sourced ingredients to produce what Álvarez called “high couture cocktails.” The celebrated mixologist welcomed the Barcelona bar scene’s growing reputation, adding: “It’s a very nice spot — architecture, gastronomy, good weather. If we add on top of that nice drinks and good service, I think it’s (somewhere) that needs to be recognized.”

The awards, held at a decommissioned 1950s power plant in Singapore, marked the first time that the event was hosted outside Europe in its 14-year history. This year's list also saw a diverse mix, with Mexico City shining with four bars on the list - including Handshake Speakeasy at the 3rd spot - while Buenos Aires and host city Singapore are both home to three top 50 bars.

The 2023 list features bars from 28 cities with 11 new entries across Bangkok, Berlin, Dubai, London, Melbourne, New Orleans, Paris, Rome, Seoul, Singapore and Stockholm. Several Asian countries saw establishments making their debuts, and this includes Seoul’s sustainability-focused Zest — which debuted at the 18th spot.

For those frequenting Bangkok, there is news to lift your spirits, literally! The Mahaniyom Cocktail Bar finished 19th and the retro-styled BKK Social Club bagged the 13th place.

The voting was done anonymously by the World’s 50 Best Bar Academy, a group of 680 industry figures including bar owners, bartenders and critics. There are no specific voting criteria, with members simply asked to judge where “they have enjoyed the best experience,” organisers said in a press release.

London managed to retain its place as one of the world's cocktail capitals. It had five bars on the list - more than any other city - including two in the top 10: Connaught Bar which rose three places to clinch the fifth slot, and Tayēr + Elementary at the eight position.

Meanwhile, only three bars in New York City made this year’s list — down from eight in 2015 — the runner-up spot went to Double Chicken Please on Manhattan’s Lower East Side.

World’s Best Bars For 2023

1. Sips, Barcelona
2. Double Chicken Please, New York
3. Handshake Speakeasy, Mexico City
4. Paradiso, Barcelona
5. Connaught Bar, London
6. Little Red Door, Paris
7. Licorería Limantour, Mexico City
8. Tayēr + Elementary, London
9. Alquímico, Cartagena
10. Himkok, Oslo
11. Tres Monos, Buenos Aires
12. Line, Athens
13. BKK Social Club, Bangkok
14. Jigger & Pony, Singapore
15. Maybe Sammy, Sydney
16. Salmon Guru, Madrid
17. Overstory, New York
18. Zest, Seoul
19. Mahaniyom Cocktail Bar, Bangkok
20. Coa, Hong Kong
21. Drink Kong, Rome
22. Hanky Panky, Mexico City
23. Caretaker’s Cottage, Melbourne
24. Café La Trova, Miami
25. Baba au Rum, Athens

Full list available here