According to the ranking compiled by publisher Reed, Tayer + Elementary in Old Street is London’s finest bar.
It earned fifth place on the list which was topped by Hong Kong’s Bar Leone and boasts venues from Melbourne to China and Mexico.
Snapping at its heels in sixth place is the cocktail bar at five star Mayfair hotel The Connaught.
Bethnal Green drinking den Satan’s Whiskers, frequently namechecked among the world’s best bars, came in at No 21.
And Scarfes bar at The Rosewood Hotel in High Holborn took the no 31 place on the list.
Hoxton’s Tayer + Elementary was founded six years ago Monica Berg and Alex Kratena and Judges said the influential bar still feels like “stepping into the future.”
“It feels as fresh as the day it opened while also becoming the blueprint for progressive cocktail bars. The influence of this bar is evident in every cocktail capital the world over. From its exposed, industrial aesthetic, ingredient-led minimalism and constantly evolving drinks list, the philosophy refined by co-founders Monica Berg and Alex Kratena has become bartending scripture.”
One to order: The One Sip Martini with a blue cheese olive
The Cubist-influenced Connaught opened in 2008, and judges say it “changed the game for hotel bars almost overnight”.
“Before it opened its doors, five-star hotel bars were vestiges of old-world luxury – the Connaught brought that model into the 21st century, modernising both drinks and service without losing an ounce of elegance. The Connaught set the bar and hasn’t fallen short since – its 16 appearances in The World’s 50 Best Bars lists is unparalleled. Essentially, this Mayfair sanctuary has become the quintessential hotel bar.
One to order: The bespoke Martini which arrives on a trolley and is mixed to your taste
Satan’s Whiskers in Cambridge Heath Road, Hackney was opened by Kevin Armstrong’s now 12-years ago and features low lighting, a hip-hop soundtrack and a rotating cocktail list of 900 classics.
Judges said: “This is fifth-dan bartending, where speed meets accuracy.
That means ice-cold cocktails delivered to your table within little more than five minutes. And because everything here is made fresh to order – not pre-batched before service as has become the modern trend – drinks can be personalised. So as much as the Satan’s Manhattan is one of the best renditions around, if you want it made your way, the bartenders will do it without blinking.”
One to order: The signature East 8 Hold-Up of vodka, Aperol, pineapple, and lime juice
Scarfes bar at the Rosewood in Holborn features antique revolving doors and a leather bound lounge of bookcases and chandeliers – so you feel like an aristocrat in a Gentleman’s club.
The walls are adorned with the Hampstead cartoonist’s work, the bartenders sport jackets and tartan trousers, and the menu is inspired by Scarfe’s work in stage film and political satire.
Judges labelled the hotel bar with its grand piano played by top musicians “seventh heaven”.
“Wherever you find yourself, you’ll feel like you landed the best seat in the house – every spot offers something different: a cosy nook under namesake cartoonist Gerald Scarfe’s artwork, a ringside stool at the bar, or nestled in among the musicians.”
One to try: The Toothless Grin, Rémy Martin 1738, medjool dates, evaporated beetroot, and citra hops
