19 must-visit bars in the greatest cities on Earth
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
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All our recommendations below have been hand selected and tested by our resident destination expert to help you discover the best coffee houses in Hanoi. Find out more below, or for more Hanoi inspiration, see our guides to the region's best hotels, restaurants, bars and things to do. In this guide: Best for the local brew Bancong This former Art Deco townhouse is now a gigantic café restaurant spread over several floors. The balconies are the café's standout feature ('bancong' is balcony in Vietnamese), as they offer elevated views over one of the Old Quarter's busiest crossroads. You'll find a range of coffees on the menu, but it's hard to pass up the coconut coffee, made with condensed milk, coconut milk, dried coconut and crushed ice, making it more like a dessert. Café Nuoi This tiny one-room corner café is about as classic as it gets, with cream walls, wooden stools and a retro sign that has probably been around for decades. 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Phin Bar by refined This coffee shop sits just steps away from the Temple of Literature, so you can pop in for a quick pick-me-up before or after exploring the iconic Hanoi sight. Refined, the parent café, specialises in premium grade Robusta beans selected from boutique farms. This is where you can see the true potential of traditional Vietnamese coffee. While Phin Bar offers some welcome calm, grab the outside table if you can – it affords views of the temple. Website: Toka Coffee Stand Toka is one of a handful of cafés tucked down a quiet street that is quickly becoming one of Hanoi's hippest, understated enclaves. Seating wraps around a gorgeously weatherworn colonial-era townhouse while the smiley young baristas conjure up photogenic cappuccinos inside – a skill not lost on the ever-present gaggle of selfie takers. Toka only has a handful of tables, so if it's too busy then continue down the street for a broader selection of equally alluring coffee shops. 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The café opens at 7am, so if you're up early to explore the lake at dawn, you might want to retire here for coffee and cake afterwards. The classic croissant rivals a Parisian boulangerie, but the almond croissant is just as tempting. A broad pavement section outside means you can watch the world go by while munching on breakfast. Return to index How we choose Every café and coffee house in this curated list has been tried and tested by our destination expert, who has visited to provide you with their insider perspective. We cover a range of budgets, from neighbourhood roasteries to high street favourites – to best suit every type of traveller's taste – and consider the food, drinks, service, atmosphere and price in our recommendations. We update this list regularly to keep up with the latest opening and provide up to date recommendations. About our expert Joshua Zukas I've spent two decades digging deep into Vietnam, with over ten years rooted in Hanoi. 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He went on to add: "I'm glad that she's found someone new." Marcel continued: "My biggest priority is Roman," his son, adding: "He is my heart outside of my chest. He's literally the love of my life. "I love that boy with all my heart, so everything that I'm trying to do, I'm just trying to do things with the level of decorum and level of respect so that he's not affected by what's going on too much. I'm not going to speak for Rebecca, or how Rebecca is feeling, but I'm trying to do things as amicably and as peacefully as possible. "We're co-parenting, and that's the most important thing we need to make sure we get right because Roman, he's the central thing, he's going to make us have a relationship for the rest of our lives. With her moving on and doing her thing, I'm glad she's found someone who wants to be with her. "I'm just more focused on me, Roman, and just healing and progressing through life. It's been a long journey, and I feel there's still a way to go in regards to me being fully back to myself and feeling like I want to be in that situation again. But in regards to Roman, I'm out here trying to be the best dad and best man I can be to make sure he's growing up happy and thriving." But while Rebecca has given fans an insight into her new relationship, Marcel later shared a cryptic post, but he has no intentions of shading his ex-wife. "When everyone's been contacting me, I've been like 'I've seen it, it's not triggering me,'" he commented. He went on to add: "I've made a decision to choose myself and choose self-respect over staying in something that wasn't right for me. "I can't be upset that Rebecca's moved on. Good luck to her, I really hope it works out for them. If this is the person who's going to be around my son, I want to make sure they're on a solid foundation, so I'm hoping this is the real thing and she is happy. I hope that's the case." Nowadays, the musician is happier in himself and is living a relaxed and free life, with "respect and as much compassion" as he can. His latest single, Did For Love, a house track, focuses on the breakdown of his marriage in a respectful manner. Reflecting on the track which is out this Friday, he said: "I'm so excited. I've lived decades in music, this is the realest and most honest pieces of work I've ever made. "It's been a very therapeutic situation – the song is about me reflecting on love and the choices that I've made for someone I love and the choices I've made in regards to loving myself." He explained that over the last year, following the breakdown of his marriage, he had been working on this project for two years when "everything went down". While working on the music, he poured his soul into the tracks, with some having "hurt" in them. "With this song, there's no hurt, I feel like I've healed myself since the situation," he explained, and is reflecting on the positive choices he's made regarding his life and the decision to "walk away from someone who wasn't good" for him. "I had to make the choice to walk away, I needed to love myself again," Marcel said. Growing up in the Blazin' Squad, Marcel admits he put on a persona with his rapping, but in recent years, he has been living his authentic self with his music. "This is the hardest situation I've ever had to go through in my life," he said, before adding that he'd previously experienced hard situations, but they hadn't compared to his heartbreak. He said: "The experience of being in something that you thought was going to last forever and doing everything you could do to try and make it last forever, then realising that it's not, it has a mental toll on you. It can take a lot out of you. I think making the song, I was putting down the lyrics and the beat, I feel like it's a release in a way, I've been so real, everyone knows my life, it's hard for someone not to know what's going on. "The number of people who know my life, I've tried to handle the situation with decorum and respect and not say anything about Rebecca because I don't feel it's on me to do that. I feel like it's on me to heal myself, and I think the honesty that I've put into this song, when you listen to the lyrics of it, I'm not talking about Rebecca, I'm talking about me and coming through the situation and reflecting on who I was in it." Aged just 15, Marcel found himself swapping the school hall for the bright lights of fame with the Blazin' Squad. Just one year later, aged 16, he found himself and his bandmates topping the charts and touring the country, performing to thousands in arenas every night. They had six top ten hits, including the iconic Crossroads. "Dealing with that and living this wave of the craziest and best life," he said, adding: "When the record label doesn't take up the third option on the album, you're thinking 'What do I do next?' Dealing with the fame and then dealing with the comedown gave me the outlook on life that things can go up, but when they go down, it's what you do next. "It's been numerous occasions in my life." Just two years after he found fame, Blazin' Squad came to an end, with Marcel finding himself working on the other side of music, in a publishing company. But he later found himself being made redundant from the role, just before Love Island came knocking at his door. But working in publishing gave Marcel a different perspective on the music industry. After Love Island, he found himself exploring music production and producing music. It was good to take all of the information with me, I was managing artists and that. "So I was able to teach people about it and bring it to the front, there's a lot of artists who don't know that they're meant to sign up for PPL and PRS to get the royalties. I was doing a lot of development, the developmental production and management stuff. I was taking the information I learned and passing it on. "I always knew about that stuff, but when you're in the industry, you've obviously got publishers and people that deal with that stuff. Actually doing the legwork, you learn even more and learn how you can make money in different ways from music." But after almost 25 years of being in the public eye, what has he learned most about himself? "I'm resilient, I can adapt to the harder situations," he said. He went on to add: "No matter how hard the situation is, as long as you handle yourself in the right way, you deal with things in the right way, you'll always come through. "It's when things don't go in the right way, people tend to be like 'I'm going to take a step back', so handling yourself with decorum and giving yourself freedom to try new things and just be resilient in life. These industries are hard; they're hard to navigate and maintain, but it's about reinventing yourself and being true to yourself. Life changes at the drop of a dime."
