The Best New Cocktail Destinations Around the World
5 min read
The pandemic hasn’t been kind to cocktail bars and the aficionados who frequent them. But as the world’s leading destinations open back up to visitors, there’s a raft of hotly anticipated bars and lounges eager to serve next-level libations, with a side of top-notch hospitality that makes customers order a second round.
Here’s a look at some of the newest notable bars and lounges to pop up on the international cocktail circuit. Some had their launches stunted or delayed due to the global pandemic, and each is navigating its way through ever-changing health and safety protocols.
EUROPE
Led by the internationally known mixologists
Simone Caporale
and Marc
Álvarez,
Sips is looking to disrupt Barcelona’s cocktail scene with an ambitious approach that blends the artistry of classic cocktails with the latest technology and trends. A masticator machine is used to mix aromas and ingredients with surprising results—an espresso martini features “coffee air” whipped with frankincense—and vessels designed by glass artists for each cocktail. Defying the limits of a conventional cocktail experience, Caporale and Álvarez chose not to incorporate a physical bar as a central element, eliminating barriers between guests and the bartenders.
Two of the most decorated bartenders in the Netherlands,
Tess Posthumus
and
Timo Janse,
have opened their second Amsterdam venue, Dutch Courage, focused on genever (traditional Dutch gin), offering more than 150 different bottles and an extensive range of genever-based cocktails.
One of Paris’ hottest new drinking dens can be found near the shadow of the Arc de Triomphe, hidden behind a secret door in the newly refurbished Hotel
Barrière Le Fouquet’s
. Le Marta Paris offers a sexy atmosphere for delicious designer drinks. Le Rooftop Marta upstairs is open during the summer, complete with orange trees and Italian nibbles.
Le Marta Paris offers a sexy atmosphere for delicious designer drinks.
Le Fouquet’s
The NoMad Hotel—one of New York City’s most decorated cocktail addresses—has opened its first international property in a historic building in the heart of London’s bustling Covent Garden. A veteran of NoMad New York, bar director
Pietro Collina
is overseeing the bar programs across all venues, chief among which is The NoMad Restaurant. Set in the glass-ceilinged atrium, the restaurant’s cocktail list juxtaposes traditional drinks with NoMad favorites and a new selection of concoctions focused on the seasonality of London. Also drawing crowds is Side Hustle; NoMad’s take on a classic British pub is housed in the building’s former police station.
UNITED STATES
Los Angeles’ hottest new spot for next-level cocktails is a New York City import, and a notable one at that. Death & Co, one of the most influential and creative cocktail bars of this century, has opened its first West Coast outpost in Downtown L.A.’s buzzing Arts District. As with the original New York location, the diminutive, dimly lit spot doesn’t take reservations, which gives customers time to choose between the wickedly creative concoctions on offer, and learn about new techniques and obscure ingredients.
Manhattan’s
Dante,
a welcoming haunt serving fine cocktails in an updated, historic Greenwich Village setting, has earned numerous global accolades in recent years. The Australian couple behind Dante, Linden Pride and
Nathalie Hudson,
have opened their first offshoot, Dante West Village a few blocks away. Set on the picturesque corner of Hudson and
Perry
streets, the mint-colored space features a hand-carved marble bar, with green velvet banquets, vintage lighting, and bespoke wallpaper. The Italian-accented list of libations includes Instagram-ready aperitivos and martinis served in elegant glassware to trendy spritzes and letter-perfect negronis.
Dante West Village.
Giada Paoloni
Located in Brooklyn’s Prospect Heights, Bar Goto Niban is Kenta
Goto’s
second venture after the success of his Lower East Side cocktail bar,
Bar Goto.
The newer, more spacious outpost (niban means “second” in Japanese) follows in the footsteps of the original—a former winner of Bon Appétit’s “Bar of the Year”—by placing a focus on Goto’s Japanese-inspired drinks. The handsome space features walnut paneling and a gorgeous Japanese garden landscape spanning nearly 40 feet behind the bar, to sip on a meticulously crafted sakura martini, plum sazerac, or sesame milk punch, and a notable assortment of Japanese sake and shochu is offered as well.
ASIA
The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore’s newest drinking haunt, Republic Bar, can be found in the hotel’s newly refurbished east wing, which was designed by New York City’s tonychi studio. Inspired by the 1960s, the extensive cocktail menu is devoted to a narrative of historical and cultural anecdotes originating from Singapore, the U.K., Italy, and the U.S.. There’s also a selection of 1960s-era spirits and cocktails, and this being the Ritz, an opulent, British-inspired afternoon tea experience is hosted daily.
Set in Bangkok’s new, ultra-luxe Four Seasons Hotel at
Chao Phraya River,
BKK Social Club is the latest project for the lauded bar manager Philip
Bischoff.
Designed by the New York City-based firm AvroKo, the attractive space transports a well-dressed mix of locals and visitors to Buenos Aires, as Bischoff and his team have infused Argentinian-inspired offerings with Thai flourishes.
The bar team at The Diplomat, Hong Kong.
Courtesy of The Diplomat, Hong Kong
The first speakeasy concept by award-winning mixologist (and Seattle native)
John Nugent,
The Diplomat has opened in Hong Kong’s H Code, an au-courant lifestyle complex. Eclectic artworks by the likes of
Ryan McGinley
and
Josh Sperling
add some color and panache to the 18-seat hideaway, where the sleek interior features brown leather banquettes, motif ceiling tiles, and custom brass finishes. The beverage menu includes a range of mini martinis, from Gibsons to Tuxedos, and twists on modern classics such as an espresso martini with baijiu for extra depth. A lucky few are granted access to The Diplomat’s Back Room, where there’s a DJ on the decks, a button on the table that reads “Press For Champagne,” and a strict no cameras policy.
AUSTRALIA
The trio behind Maybe
Sammy,
one the most-decorated Australian cocktail destinations to have debuted in recent years, have opened Sammy Junior a short walk away in
Sydney’s
Central Business District. The suave sibling, which starts out on weekdays as an espresso bar with bespoke coffee blends and classic breakfast bites, transforms into a cosy cocktail destination in the afternoons, most notably on Fridays after work, when live jazz is the highlight of a weekly aperitivo session. Smooth bottled cocktails include a jasmine negroni and eucalyptus gimlet, offered in mini (100ml) and large (500ml) formats.
