World’s 50 best bars in 2017

What’s the recipe for creating the world’s best bar? In 2017, it’s one part swanky hotel, two parts classic Art Deco and three parts hard work – all mixed up for more than 125 years.

It certainly worked for London’s venerable American Bar at the Savoy, which was named as the planet’s best cocktail joint at a glitzy awards ceremony in the UK capital.

There were raucous cheers and, inevitably, dozens of drinks spilled in excitement as the number one bar on the list of the World’s 50 Best Bars 2017 was revealed as a hometown venue.

GALLERY: See photos of the world’s best bars

Victory for the Savoy meant a return to form for London. A year after ceding the top spot to New York City’s Dead Rabbit Irish bar, London’s total of eight bars in 2017’s top 50 is unrivaled.

“We really didn’t see that coming,” Savoy senior bartender Dominic Whisson told CNN, shortly after wiping a pour of fresh tears from his cheeks. “It’s a victory for all of us, for all the late nights, early mornings and long days.”

Va-va-voom

The Savoy, making its debut at number one, was joined in the top three by two more hotel bars: The London riverside Mondrian hotel’s stylish Dandelyan and the regal NoMad in New York City.

With another London hotel venue, the redoubtable Connaught Bar, at number four, last year’s victor fell to fifth place.

The top 10 was rounded out by Athens’ intimate The Clumsies at six, Singapore’s Manhattan at the Regent Hotel at seven, New York’s Attaboy at eight, London’s Bar Termini at nine and, lastly, Shanghai’s secretive Speak Low.

Selected by a panel of 500 international judges, the Savoy was acclaimed for its winning combination of tradition and innovation – praise that Whisson reckons was well-earned.

“There’s a good few bars that have the same va-va-voom as the Savoy,” he says. “But I think ours is a very unique bar. We have a responsibility to the heritage of the place – the history is something you don’t get anywhere else.”

Other London bars on the list are Happiness Forgets at 12, Oriole at 17, The Gibson at 21 and Nightjar at 43.

While New York claimed the next highest number of bars – seven, including bright and cheerful Dante at 16, Dead Rabbit sequel BlackTail at 32, legendary Employees Only at 37 and spicy East Village venue Mace at 42 – Singapore emerged as a new powerhouse.

(Click through the above gallery to see images of the top 25 venues on this year’s list.)

‘Hungry scene’

The Asian city-state now counts six top 50 venues. In addition to Manhattan at number five, there’s gin specialists Atlas at 15, Operation Dagger at 24, 28 Hongkong Street at 25, the Tippling Club at 31 and Native at 47.

“It’s a new and very hungry scene,” says Roman Foltan, head bartender at Atlas, which was named the highest new entry into the 50 Best Bars list. “People are very open to trying new things. Not just in Singapore, but in other Asian cities like Hong Kong and Bangkok.”

William Drew, group editor for The World’s 50 Best Bars, says while many bars work hard to promote themselves, particularly in the age of Twitter, success still comes down to quality of service, genuine atmosphere and, most importantly, satisfied customers.

From Operation Dagger

The world's best bars. 25 -- 28 Hongkong Street, Singapore: Coming in at number 25 on the 2017 World's 50 Best Bars list, 28 Hongkong Street is one of six Singapore venues to make this year's list. Click through the gallery to see which others made it.

From Operation Dagger

24. Operation Dagger, Singapore: If you look hard enough you'll find the entrance to Operation Dagger where, under a staggering number of light bulbs, staff are hard at work inventing creative cocktails.

From Floreria Atlantico

23. Floreria Atlantico, Bueno Aires: The highest climber, up 26 places, Floreria Atlantico came in at 23 on this year's list.

From The Black Pearl

22. The Black Pearl, Melbourne, Australia: Winner of this year's Legend of the List award, The Black Pearl is the only bar to have made every top 50 since the awards began nine years ago.

From The Gibson

21. The Gibson, London: The Gibson sits on the city's trendy Old Street. The bar takes its name from its signature drink -- a gin martini that includes a pickled onion rather than an olive.

From Himkok

20. Himkok, Oslo: Another big climber, Himlock rose from 42nd place to land the number 20 spot on this year's list.

From Candelaria

19. Candelaria, Paris: Paris's Candelaria is a Mexican-style taqueria that specializes in agave-based drinks.

From Broken Shaker

18. Broken Shaker, Miami: Miami's Broken Shaker, at 18 on the list, describes itself as a "backyard oasis." Its menu includes monthly and seasonal cocktails.

From Oriole

17. Oriole, London: Located in London's Smithfield Market, this subterranean cocktail bar features explorer-style decor and live music.

From Dante

16. Dante, New York City: Another high climber, Dante rose from 34 to 16 at this year's World's 50 Best Bars awards.

From Atlas

15. Atlas, Singapore: This year's highest new entry. Gin specialist Atlas is one of six bars from Singapore on this year's list.

Courtesy Licoreria Limantour

14. Licoreria Limantour, Mexico City: Falling one spot to number 14, Mexico City's Licoreria Limantour was voted Latin America's best bar by the World's 50 Best Bars 2017 judges.

Bar High Five

13. Bar High Five, Tokyo: Japan's best bar, Bar High Five rose 10 spots at this year's World's 50 Best Bars awards. Located in Tokyo's ritzy Ginza neighborhood, it's known for offering classic cocktails with surprising innovation.

Happiness Forgets

12. Happiness Forgets, London: A subterranean venue in London's ultra-hip Hoxton Square, Happiness Forgets bills itself as a bar offering "high-end cocktails" in a "low-rent basement."

Little Red Door

11. Little Red Door, Paris: Last year's number 24, the hip Little Red Door offers inventive cocktails served by skilled bartenders.

Speak Low

10. Speak Low, Shanghai: Shanghai's Speak Low is a Japanese-style speakeasy hidden behind a sliding bookshelf at the back of a store in the city's French Concession.

Termini

9. Bar Termini, London: London's Bar Termini, on Soho's Old Compton Street, is famed for offering what many say is the world's best Negroni.

Attaboy

8. Attaboy, New York City: Attaboy, at number 5, is described by the 50 Best Bars team as a New York City "institution."

Tom White/© Tom White

7. Manhattan, Singapore: Singapore's best bar, the Manhattan Bar is a plush venue within the city's Regent Hotel. Its cocktail menu includes, inevitably, a version of the classic Manhattan based around Michter's Single Barrel Rye and house-made cherry brandy.

KAPLANIDIS

6. The Clumsies, Athens: This endearingly named Athens bar takes its moniker from the "generous serving of favorite mistakes" that make up its menu mission statement.

Dead Rabbit

5. The Dead Rabbit Grocery & Grog, New York: A New York cocktail bar meets Irish pub, last year's World's 50 Best Bars winner is a celebration of what was going down in lower Manhattan long before it became the Financial District.

Connaught Bar

4. Connaught Bar, London: At number 4, the Connaught Bar is located in the upscale hotel of the same name in London's wealthy Mayfair district.

Francesco Tonelli/Photography: © 2014 Francesco Tonelli

3. The NoMad, New York: New York's NoMad Bar aims to emulate a classic NYC tavern. It's one of seven New York bars to make the list.

Niall Clutton

2. Dandelyan Bar, London: Located in the prosaically named Sea Containers House on London's South Bank, the Dandelyan rose one spot to make number 2 on this year's list.

Savoy

1. American Bar, London: The American Bar at the Savoy came out on top at this year's World's 50 Best Bars awards. The recipe for success at this London institution? One part swanky hotel, two parts classic Art Deco and three parts hard work -- all mixed up for more than 125 years.

“Much is made of how bars generate publicity using social media,” he tells CNN. “But if there’s a fantastic bar somewhere, even if it’s underground and relatively unknown, people will find out about it and they will come.”

And when they come to the Savoy Bar, Whisson and his fellow bartenders will be waiting.

“It’s a glory to cherish,” he says of his venue’s victory in the nine-year-old contest. “But tomorrow, we’ll be back behind the bar, doing what we do.”

World’s 50 Best Bars

1. American Bar, London

2. Dandelyan, London

3. NoMad Bar, New York City

4. Connaught Bar, London

5. The Dead Rabbit Grocery & Grog, New York City

6. The Clumsies, Athens

7. Manhattan, Singapore

8. Attaboy, New York

9. Bar Termini, London

10. Speak Low, Shanghai

11. Little Red Door, Paris

12. Happiness Forgets, London

13. High Five, Tokyo

14. Licoreria Limantour, Mexico City

15. Atlas, Singapore

16. Dante, New York City

17. Oriole, London

18. The Broken Shaker, Miami

19. Candelaria, Paris

20. Himkok, Oslo

21. The Gibson, London

22. Black Pearl, Melbourne, Australia

23. Floreria Atlantico, Buenos Aires

24. Operation Dagger, Singapore

25. 28 Hongkong Street, Singapore

26. Trick Dog, San Francisco

27. Sweet Liberty Drinks & Supply Company, Miami

28. Indulge Experimental Bistro, Taipei

29. Lost & Found, Nicosia

30. Baba Au Rum, Athens

31. Tippling Club, Singapore

32. BlackTail, New York City

33. The Jerry Thomas Project, Rome

34. Le Syndicat, Paris

35. Tales & Spirits, Amsterdam

36. Bar Benfiddich, Tokyo

37. Employees Only, New York City

38. Schumann’s, Munich, Germany

39. La Factoria, Old San Juan, Puerto Rico

40. Quinary, Hong Kong

41. Aviary, Chicago

42. Mace, New York City

43. Nightjar, London

44. Linje Tio, Stockholm

45. The Baxter Inn, Sydney

46. ABV, San Francisco

47. Native, Singapore

48. Tommy’s, San Francisco

49. Lobster Bar, Hong Kong

50. Imperial Craft, Tel Aviv