The 50 crowns the 50 Best Bars for 2026

The annual list of the World’s 50 Best Bars was just unveiled at a live awards ceremony in Milan. Hong Kong’s Bar Leone retains the No. 1 spot for the second consecutive year. The bar, founded by Italian bartender Lorenzo Antinori in 2023, draws inspiration from Rome’s neighborhood bars, focusing on classic cocktails, Italian influences and approachable hospitality.

Moebius Milano took the No. 2 spot, followed by Alquímico in Cartagena, Bangkok’s Bar Us, and Athens’ Line at No. 5. Mexico City’s Handshake Speakeasy, a former top-ranked bar, placed sixth this year and earned Best Bar in North America honors.

The 2026 list spans 26 cities, with Hong Kong, New York and Paris tied for the most entries at four apiece. New York’s highest-ranked bar was newcomer Schmuck at No. 11, followed by Sip & Guzzle at No. 14, Martiny’s at No. 46 and Bar Snack at No. 49. We’ve been to all four and can confirm, regardless of the order, that each is great, mixing excellent drinks with fun vibes and good hospitality.

Hong Kong’s bar scene is another one of our favorites, and it continues to impress. Bar Leone serves serious cocktails, but it’s casual and comfortable, so you can also stop in for an espresso and a killer mortadella sandwich. It was joined by Argo at the Four Seasons, Montana—another bar from Leone’s Antinori—and Gokan, a new bar from industry legend Shingo Gokan.

There are lots of great bars that never make lists like this, so it’s worth taking everything with a grain of salt. But we like to consult 50 Best when we’re traveling, choosing a few bars as destination stops. It all but guarantees a good drink, or at least a worthwhile side quest. So take a look at the full list below, and you’ll know where to score a great cocktail the next time you’re in Hong Kong or Milan—or Guangzhou or Bratislava.

The World’s 50 Best Bars, 2026

1. Bar Leone, Hong Kong
2. Moebius Milano, Milan
3. Alquímico, Cartagena
4. Bar Us, Bangkok
5. Line, Athens
6. Handshake Speakeasy, Mexico City
7. Zest, Seoul
8. Connaught Bar, London
9. Lady Bee, Lima
10. Bar Mauro, Mexico City
11. Schmuck, New York
12. Hope & Sesame, Guangzhou
13. The Cambridge Public House, Paris
14. Sip & Guzzle, New York
15. Bar Nouveau, Paris
16. Sips, Barcelona
17. Paradiso, Barcelona
18. Jigger & Pony, Singapore
19. The Bar in Front of the Bar, Athens
20. Exímia, São Paulo
21. Tres Monos, Buenos Aires
22. Mamba Negra, Medellín
23. De Vie, Paris
24. Himkok, Oslo
25. Argo, Hong Kong
26. Danico, Paris
27. Dry Wave Cocktail Studio, Bangkok
28. El Gallo Altanero, Guadalajara
29. Satan’s Whiskers, London
30. BKK Social Club, Bangkok
31. Victor Audio Bar, Buenos Aires
32. Waltz, London
33. Locale Firenze, Florence
34. Mirror Bar, Bratislava
35. Tan Tan, São Paulo
36. Montana, Hong Kong
37. Sastrería Martinez, Lima
38. Nutmeg & Clove, Singapore
39. Bar Carmen, Medellín
40. Barro Negro, Athens
41. Gokan, Hong Kong
42. Mimi Kakushi, Dubai
43. Nouvelle Vague, Tirana
44. Bar Benfiddich, Tokyo
45. Caretaker’s Cottage, Melbourne
46. Martiny’s, New York
47. Tlecān, Mexico City
48. Virtù, Tokyo
49. Bar Snack, New York
50. Angelita, Madrid