19 must-visit bars in the greatest cities on Earth

Telegraph

26-04-2025

What makes a good bar? The answer, of course, is subjective: one man's dry martini is another man's mai tai. Some want cutting edge techniques with (sometimes literal) smoke and mirrors, others simply want a stiff drink to sip while watching the world go by.
But one thing's for sure – the once humble cocktail bar is now big business: glitzy award shows crown the scene's crème de la crème; while showman bartenders, combining DJ-glam with celebrity-chef skill, rise to become household names. Once a means to an end – a place to drink with friends or meet a date – bars around the world have become the preferred pit stop for decadent socialising and, for travellers, an essential part of experiencing a destination.
After all, few things capture the very soul of a city like its well-loved watering holes. Whether a slick parlour or tiki-themed dive, a great bar provides an instant connection to its home town – its locals, its inside jokes, its past and its cultural touchstones. It confirms or denies our expectations with merciless rapidity, laying its city bare in glorious microcosm.
Rome still has a soft spot for tradition, but there's modern artistry too; Barcelona may have its bohemian side, but it's no stranger to elegance either.
Here, our destination experts select the bars that best encapsulate the essence of their city, each one guaranteeing to offer authenticity, individuality and a rollicking good drinks list, whether it's your first time in town, or your twentieth. Sam Gilani
New York
Sip & Guzzle
The bibulous fanfare surrounding Sip & Guzzle since it set up shop in Greenwich Village in early 2024 has yet to quiet down. On any night of the week, cocktail aficionados clamour for stools, so they can sip (or guzzle) the bar's creative cocktails. It's really two bars in one: on the ground floor is Guzzle, a first-come, first-serve bar, while downstairs at reservations-only Sip, the lights dim, the volume decreases and cocktails become more complex, such as Drunken Grandma's Apple Pie, a bold mix of Calvados, baked apple, brown butter, and egg whites. David Farley
Rome
Chorus Café
Even if the chic Chorus Café bar and restaurant weren't set in a storied choir room once used by the Vatican, a quick chat with award-winning barman Massimo D'Addezio would leave no doubt you were in Rome. D'Addezio has that trademark Roman simpatia, serving up excellent cocktails and rapid-fire wit. Try his special concoction with vodka, passion fruit, lime juice and a splash of chilli pepper tincture. The ultra-stylish setting – with hushed lighting, soaring ceilings, Art Deco furnishings, Carrara marble and a modern bar designed like a communal table – makes this convivial spot a draw for locals and visitors alike. Rebecca Winke
Dubai
Barasti
Sooner or later, everyone who comes to Dubai finds themselves at Barasti. Dubbed the emirate's OG bar, it was one of the first structures in Dubai Marina. Grainy old photos show it standing alone on the shore in 1995, an emblem of the hedonistic future to come. Today, it's a sprawling beach club and open-air sports bar screening big league games, then spinning tunes until 3am. Special occasions are amped up by live bands, St Patrick's Day is great craic and women score with discounted deals every weekday. Sarah Hedley Hymers
Le Meridien Mina Syahi Beach Resort & Marina, Dubai Marina
Prague
House at the Golden Tiger
Prague has trendy cocktail spots and stylish wine bars galore these days, but at its heart the Czech capital remains one of the best places in Europe to enjoy a pivo. While the House at the Golden Tiger isn't exactly a secret, it's an incredible slice of local culture and tradition – a classic, wood-heavy beer hall set inside a fourteenth-century building that has hosted dissidents and intellectuals including Vaclav Havel and Bohumil Hrabal.
Just a few minutes' walk from Old Town Square, it has managed to maintain its lively local atmosphere. I'd advise arriving early to find a seat, ordering a beer in Czech, and enjoying it with a mustard-covered sausage while the ambience grows pleasantly raucous all around you. Paul Sullivan
Husova 17, 110 00 Prague 1, Czech Republic
London
Amaro Bar
The team behind Amaro Bar cut their teeth in the capital's prestigious five-star hotels – and it shows. A model of quintessential modern London cocktail culture, this Kensington haunt combines classic and contemporary flavours with the aesthetics of a heritage stalwart and the unhurried warmth of a local. Their guava pisco sour may currently be one of London's best drinks, but it's Dec's Martini (served frozen with a hint of mezcal) that really captures the city's mercurial spirit. All are welcomed like old friends, and it's this balance of formal and fun that makes it such an all-round crowd pleaser. Sam Gilani
Melbourne
Caretakers Cottage
In a city where black is always the new black, this diminutive city boozer and its Gothic-revival, bluestone setting is a masterclass in Melbourneness. Once inside though, the locals' easy affability will be as equally evident as their raven-hued style. Close quarters mean you'll soon be chatting vintage vinyl rarities and drink picks. Guinness on tap or their gloriously glacial house martini? Maybe it's the William Morris wallpaper, but I'll unfailingly plump for the milk punch special: Victorian frisson on ice. Donna Wheeler
139-141 Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne, Victoria
Berlin
Schöneberg's Victoria Bar
New cocktail bars seem to open every month in Berlin, from experimental mixology labs to flamboyant, Weimar-inspired spots. But I like to take my visiting friends to Schöneberg's Victoria Bar – the kind of place with a diverse cast of regulars and experienced bartenders. Bag a table on the terrace if it's sunny, or pull up a seat at the handsome bar and admire the artwork on the walls, which includes works by Sarah Lucas, Marcel Dzama and Martin Kippenberger. Happy hour runs from 6-9pm, so start the evening with a Prince Charles 1995 – a Champagne cocktail with Cognac V.S.O.P., Giffard Abricot and Angostura. Paul Sullivan
Potsdamer Straße 102, 10785 Berlin
Dublin
Bar 1661
The chances of stumbling upon Bar 1661 accidentally are slim to none, but this Dublin 7 bar stands heads and shoulders above the rest. Though the (impeccable) cocktails are made with quirky components like miso butter, dehydrated chillies and bone marrow, there's zero pretentiousness – just well-worn bar stools, dark walls and chatty bartenders. The star ingredient is poitín, the once-banned Irish moonshine, so try that in their signature Belfast Coffee, where it's shaken with cold brew, cream and nutmeg. Nicola Brady
1 – 5 Green St, Dublin
Buenos Aires
Bar Británico
'Bar' and 'café' are used interchangeably in Buenos Aires, which has hundreds of local corner venues for soft and strong drinks. Many have Italian and Spanish connections, but Británico is one of the few surviving joints with ties to the British presence. These days it's open to all-comers, and is a place to come by day for good cortado or a bottle of beer and, in the evening, enjoy wine or vermouth and perhaps a meal. A few years ago, the bar was threatened with closure, but locals protested and it was mercifully saved. With chequerboard tiles, windows on the street, and calm lighting inside, it's a classic BA experience. Chris Moss
Brasil 399, San Telmo, Buenos Aires; 00 54 11 4361 2107
Copenhagen
La Banchina
The Danish capital isn't short of cool cocktail and craft beer joints, but nothing feels quite as quintessentially Copenhagen as laid-back La Banchina, a wine bar/café/restaurant on the Refshaleøen waterfront. Behind a small, blue-painted shack lies a large al fresco area where the sunny wooden dock is particularly popular (handy for taking dips in the harbour), though I prefer a quieter, shadier spot amid the raised beds. To drink? An organic, flower-topped spritz or bottle of natural wine, ideally enjoyed as the sun sets across the water. Suzanne King
Refshalevej 141, 1432 Copenhagen; 00 45 31 26 65 61
Los Angeles
The Spare Room at the Hollywood Roosevelt
Generally, hotel bars are rather sad places. But not so in Los Angeles. Here, many of the very best bars can be found in the city's upmarket hotels, from the Polo Lounge at the Beverly Hills Hotel to the Tower Bar at the Sunset Tower. But my favourite has to be The Spare Room at the Hollywood Roosevelt. Hidden away within the storied hotel, it has plenty of old-school Tinseltown charm, with dark wood panelling, sultry lighting and vintage bowling lanes. Go with friends and order one of their potent punch bowls. Luciana Bellini
7000 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles
Singapore
Jigger and Pony
This convivial, low-lit haunt was part of the wave of bars and restaurants that opened in the early 2010s and made the world sit up and take notice of Singapore as a competitive culinary destination. Though beginning as an independent spot, as its fortunes rose (it's currently number five on The World's 50 Best Bars), it moved into the more sultry confines of the Amara hotel, yet retains a welcoming, cosy ambience. The magazine-like menu features helpful photos of each creation – try the Smashing Sundae, a delicious, fruity take on a milk punch. Patrick Courtney
165 Tanjong Pagar Road, Singapore 088539
Cape Town
Planet Bar
Planet Bar is not exactly traditional, nor is it hip. It's the heart of the locally-loved 'Nellie' – the Mount Nelson, a pink confection of a hotel, with white trellised balconies and riotous flowerbeds, contemporary African art and antiques salvaged from the Union-Castle Line it once serviced. Charming waiters have been unruffling feathers here for more than a century, and deep, comfortable chairs house interesting, even famous, guests – local fashionistas, film directors and more. It has a well-rounded menu, but nothing beats its old fashioned. Pippa de Bruyn
76 Orange Street, Gardens, Cape Town
Edinburgh
Cafe Royal Edinburgh
The good folk of Edinburgh have been frequenting this little changed, outrageously ornate example of Victorian decorative excess just off Princes Street since the 1860s. It's always been the place for celebrations, commiserations or just gazing awestruck at acres of mahogany and gilded plasterwork, but there have never been social boundaries here, reflected in stained glass portrayals of Edinburgh trades and Royal Dalton tiles portraying its great inventors. Blend in with oysters and a glass of Champagne and feel the glow. Linda Macdonald
Barcelona
Caribbean Club
The trend for 'secret' cocktail bars hidden behind fridges and broom cupboards continues apace in Barcelona, but for me the original speakeasy is still the best. Caribbean Club, hidden behind a wooden door down an El Raval alley, calls itself a 'ronería' – a rum bar – and it stocks an enviable selection, though really you can order whatever you fancy. Styled as a cabin on an old-time cruise ship, it's a cosy bolthole just off La Rambla but a million nautical miles away. Sally Davies
Carrer de les Sitges, 5, Ciutat Vella, 08001 Barcelona; 34 933 02 21 82
Miami
Sweet Liberty
With its cocktail program by homegrown mixology vanguard, the late great John Lermayer, Sweet Liberty is a laidback neighbourhood spot in South Beach. It kicks up the energy late night with an eclectic lineup of DJs and live music, but there's always space to tuck away for a more relaxed night out.
A favourite amongst locals and visitors alike, the airy, high-ceilinged space is inviting with an industrial vibe softened by palm tree-patterned wallpaper. I'm partial to their piña colada, made with three different rums, coconut cream and Jamaican coffee, and I can't visit without an order of their addictive cauliflower nachos. Shayne Benowitz
237-B 20th Street, Miami Beach
Paris
Bar Joséphine at the Mandarin Oriental Lutetia
Paris has no shortage of slinky drinking spots, but the refined Bar Joséphine at Mandarin Oriental Lutetia is a favourite for a special treat. It feels quintessentially Parisian, thanks in part to its location in the historic heart of the Left Bank. Past patrons included Picasso, Cocteau and legendary cabaret star Josephine Baker, after whom it is named – and today it continues to attract a glitzy literary crowd.
The fabulously restored Art Nouveau setting, including an exquisite 1910 mural, helps set the tone. Crucially, the cocktails are simply top-notch. Maestro mixologist Angelo Forte presides over a menu blending classics and more daring contemporary creations. Hannah Meltzer
45 Boulevard Raspail, 75006 Paris
Mexico City
Zinco Jazz Club
Mexico City is, famously, massive, and downtown can feel a bit unfriendly after dark. But a jazz bar is almost always the kindest – as well as the coolest – place to go in a new town. Zinco is a dimly lit, sultry venue housed inside a former bank vault, dating to the 1930s.
Red drapes behind the stage and black décor make the ambience feel classy and opulent. It's a showcase for local as well as visiting jazz bands and has an impressively busy roster. There are small tables with food service, but I prefer to perch myself by the corner of the bar, enjoy a slow mojito or premium mezcal and a quesadilla. Chris Moss
Calle de Motolinia 20, Centro Histórico, Centro, Mexico City