Bars / Cafés of December | 2024

Bars / Cafés of the Month News, Reviews & Resources

• 10 Great New York City Rooftop Bars - "Summer is a sweaty, trying season, but also the perfect time to enjoy a cold drink with a stunning view."
• 42 Best Bars in America 2024 - "From glamorous hotel bars in New York to cocktail dens in San Francisco, here are the very best new spots to grab a seat and start a tab."
• Asia's 50 Best Bars 2024 - ""The List and Awards." Hong Kong Coa bar crowned the best in Asia for third straight year."
• Asia’s 50 best bars for 2024 have been announced. A newcomer has earned the top spot - "Bar Leone - an Italian cocktail spot in central Hong Kong - has been crowned the best bar in Asia. It’s an impressive achievement, considering the venue has only been open for about a year."
• cafe where almost nothing has changed for a century - "Nearly a century old, Cafe Lion, one of Tokyo's last 'masterpiece cafes' discourages socializing and forbids mobile phones. The cafe has more than 10,000 classical music CDs and records."
• Ernest Hemingway’s 5 favourite European bars - "We recount 5 of Ernest Hemingway's favourite European bars. A cultural trip across the modern age."
• Inside The Best Bar In The World 2022: Lyaness - "London’s Lyaness roared to victory at the 16th annual Spirited Awards at Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans. Ryan Chetiyawardana - a longtime darling of the hospitality world awards circuit - bested Fifty Mils, Charles H. Seoul, and the American Bar at The Stafford, as his famed cocktail cathedral was named World’s Best Bar for 2022. Lyaness was also honored as the Best International Hotel Bar and Chetiyawardana received another shot of acclaim as his Washington D.C. outpost, Silver Lyan (which was awarded Best New American Cocktail Bar in 2020), was recognized as the Best U.S. Hotel Bar for 2022." Forbes | YouTube 4:59.
• Is This The World’s Best Scotch Whisky Bar? - "Operating a Scotch bar in the heart of Scotch Country comes with certain expectations. For one, most newcomers to such an establishment presume they’ll encounter a wide array of liquids, including bottles that could surprise even the most jaded of whisky enthusiasts. For two, there’s a degree of knowledge and expertise that ought to go with each pour. Patrons are typically thirsty for more than just tasting notes, these days. It’s a daunting challenge to meet. Procuring the juice is actually the easy part. At The Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh, it’s achieved with such unflinching confidence that they never hesitated to name their outpost, simply, SCOTCH. In other words, this isn’t just any Scotch bar... It is the Scotch bar. The credentials are apt: a library of over 500 labels, proudly positioned in floor-to-ceiling cubbies, so guests can get up close and personal with the collection without being separate by a bar. Bar Manager Cameron Ewen is almost always on-hand (and in full-kilt), dutifully delivering the goods along with all associated intel you could ever hope to attain. Even when he’s not, his team consists of worthy surrogates."
• Meet The Owner Of America's Best New Cocktail Bar For 2022: Kate Gerwin - "The founder of Happy Accidents in Albuquerque, New Mexico on winning a top prize at the 2022 Spirited Awards." YouTube 3:15.
• North America's 50 Best Bars 2023 - World's 50 Best Bars.
• North America’s best bar for 2023 serves pizza cocktails - "Double Chicken Please, a cocktail bar-slash-chicken joint on New York’s Lower East Side, took the No.1 spot in North America’s 50 Best Bars 2023."
• Shots, Shots, Shots! Why Tiny Drinks Are on the Rise - "Bartenders are shrinking their pours with variety and festivity in mind."
• The Customized Drink Is Out of Control - "As cafes grant us the power to cobble together ultra-personalized beverages filled with syrups, powders, fruit chunks, boba and plenty of caffeine, we’re all soda jerks now."
• The oldest, most iconic bars in New York City - "In a city where new bars and restaurants open all the time, the old, revered favorites take on a different meaning."
• The world's most beautiful bars - "The world's best hotel bars (and what to drink there)."
• This Is Officially the Best Bar in the World 2021 - Of all the watering holes in all the cities and towns, there is one that can officially call itself the best bar in the world: The Connaught.
• World’s 44 Best Hotel Bars - "Being named one of Forbes Travel Guide’s Best Hotel Bars wasn’t just a matter of serving top-notch drinks or having a certain atmosphere. The best-of list comes from comprehensive data gathered by the company’s inspectors, who stay at nearly 1,100 hotels anonymously and evaluate them based on up to 900 standards for the guide’s annual Star Ratings, which were unveiled in February."
• world's 50 best bars 2024 - "The List and Awards." Mexico City's Handshake Speakeasy was named the greatest bar in the world at an awards ceremony in Madrid on October 22.
• World’s Best Bar 2022: London’s Lyaness Wins Top Honor At The 16th Annual Spirited Awards - "London’s Lyaness roared to victory at the 16th annual Spirited Awards at Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans. Ryan Chetiyawardana - a longtime darling of the hospitality world awards circuit - bested Fifty Mils, Charles H. Seoul, and the American Bar at The Stafford, as his famed cocktail cathedral was named World’s Best Bar for 2022."
• World’s Best Bars & Bartenders 2022 - Tales Of The Cocktail Announces Top 10 Nominees For 16th Annual Spirited Awards.
• world's best bars for 2022 have been revealed - "The 'world's best bar' isn't in London or New York for the first time."

Bars / Cafés of the Month

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• La Palette - since 1950. Café and brasserie-type restaurant in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, France. It is listed as a monument historique since 1984. The café was originally and still is a gathering place for students of the nearby Fine Arts National Higher School. Paul Cézanne, Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque were among the regular patrons. More recently, La Palette became a trendy place and attracted Parisian youth as well as tourists. Former French President Jacques Chirac was a regular patron of La Palette. The café’s bar room served as a filming location for Taylor Swift’s “Begin Again” music video (2012). 3 Rue de Seine, 75006 Paris, France.
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• CAFÉ DE PARIS Monte-Carlo - since 1868. "The delicious harmony between the magic of Paris and the prestige of Monaco makes for an enchanting atmosphere." On the Place de Casino, MC 98000 Monaco.
• Much-awaited CafÉ de Paris reopens to great acclaim - "The totally-rebuilt Café de Paris has opened to the public and the response, unsurprisingly, has been very positive. Now on two floors, the design allows for many separate areas, and on the first floor, with views of the Casino and Hôtel de Paris, even in the winter there are plenty of opportunities for taking the sun on the front-facing terrace. On the ground floor, despite its spaciousness, there is an ambience that comes very close to cosy. Given time, the space will mature into a familiar and welcoming venue along the lines of the American Bar. There has been great attention to detail. The many mirrors have been artificially aged as if they’ve been in place for the past hundred years."
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• Paradiso - "Stood in front of a fridge door in an otherwise regular pastrami shop, it’s hard to imagine what might confront you next. You are about to step foot in the majestic Dali-esque curved wooden bar that is Paradiso - the 2022 World’s Best Bar, sponsored by Perrier. Once in, the surprises keep on coming, starting with the show-stopping Supercool Martini, which uses a ‘supercooled’ gin mix to build an iceberg in the glass. There’s also a new menu, fresh from the imagination of creative-in-chief and co-owner Giacomo Giannotti." Carrer de Rera Palau, 4, 08003 Barcelona, Spain.
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• Lyaness Bar - Sea Containers London, 20 Upper Ground, London SE1 9PD, U.K. "Lyaness is one of the latest endeavours from the award-winning Mr Lyan and team, and voted as one of the top 50 World’s Best Bars." Created by multi award-winning Ryan Chetiyawardana AKA Mr Lyan (“The World’s Most Awarded Bartender” The Telegraph; International Bartender of the Year 2015, Most Influential Britons 2017, Personality of the Decade 2017) and the team behind iconic venues White Lyan, Super Lyan, Cub, Dandelyan and more. Team Lyan has always had a curiosity to find new ingredients, and an ability to make these unusual, alien and outright weird forms more delicious. In an embrace of the alternative, these key ingredients are at the heart of Lyaness.
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• The Connaught - "The Finest in the World." The Connaught Bar has been named ‘World's Best Bar’ in The World’s 50 Best Bars 2021. Judged by more than 500 industry experts, the awards celebrate the finest drinking destinations across the globe. Carlos Place, Mayfair, London W1K 2AL, U.K.
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• SCOTCH whisky bar at The Balmoral - "Settle in for a dram in SCOTCH, our world-class whisky bar. With over 500 unique varieties of Scottish whisky within the bar’s hand-crafted, oak-panelled whisky cabinet, selected from distilleries in the Highlands, Lowlands, Islands, Islay and Speyside, our collection is one of the largest in Edinburgh." 1 Princes St, Edinburgh EH2 2EQ, Scotland, U.K.
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• CaffÈ Pedrocchi - since 1831. It has architectural prominence because its rooms were decorated in diverse styles, arranged in an eclectic ensemble by the architect Giuseppe Jappelli. The café has historical prominence because of its role in the 1848 riots against the Habsburg monarchy, as well as for being an attraction for artists over the last century from the French novelist Stendhal to Lord Byron to the Italian writer Dario Fo. Padua, Italy.
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• Connaught Bar - at the The Connaught hotel, Carlos Place, London W1K 2AL, U.K. "The Connaught Bar has been named ‘The Best Bar in Europe’ in The World’s 50 Best Bars 2020. Judged by more than 500 industry experts, the awards celebrate the finest drinking destinations across the globe." It’s hard to think of a bar anywhere in the world that has made excellence so effortlessly routine as Connaught Bar. This Mayfair hotel bar’s trick is it isn’t trend-chasing and flash; under the stewardship of Ago Perrone, Giorgio Bargiani and Maura Milia, it evolves from one year to the next, always delivering with poise and studied purpose. The gleaming cubist interior frames the bar like a piece of fine art, the service is pitched perfectly - warm and judiciously attentive - and whatever your penchant, the cocktails, like the staff, are impeccably tailored.
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• Dante NYC - since 1915. 79-81 Macdougal St, New York, NY 10012, U.S.A. "Aperitivo bar celebrating the Italian heritage of a New York institution. Proudly serving New Yorkers since 1915." Dante NYC is a legendary circa-1915 cafe serving small plates & cocktails in an updated historic setting. Number 1, Worlds 50 Best Bars 2019.
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• CAFÉ DE PARIS Monte-Carlo - since 1868. "The delicious harmony between the magic of Paris and the prestige of Monaco makes for an enchanting atmosphere." Place de Casino, MC 98000 Monaco.
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• Champagne Room - at The Connaught hotel, Mayfair, London, U.K. "A hidden gem, at the heart of the hotel, the Champagne Room is a beautiful yet intimate place, perfect for drinks for two or a party of 25. Choose from a selection of eight prestige champagnes, fine wines and rare spirits."
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• Dandy - "Adored by locals for it’s colourful and lush surroundings, that bring back flashes to the a 60’s art deco champagne lounge in Hollywood, from afterwork and pre dinner cocktails to late nights on the dancefloor. Dandy a hidden gem in the heart of CPH." Dronningens Tværgade 9, Copenhagen K, Denmark.
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• Dandelyan - at Mondrian Hotel, 20 Upper Ground, London SE1 9PD, U.K. "A journey of discovery where new tastes and unexpected combinations can be experienced." Named best cocktail bar in the world 2018.
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• Atlas Bar - 600 North Bridge Road, Parkview Square, Singapore 188778. "ATLAS is a celebration of the 1920’s rich culinary and beverage traditions. The result is something unique in Asia, a truly grand backdrop that harks to a time when - while their American contemporaries were surreptitiously tippling in underground speakeasies - Europeans were revelling in Deco glamour and unabashed Jazz Age elegance, sampling the finest libations in suitably beautiful surrounds. Beverage highlights include elegant European cocktails and one of Asia’s finest collections of gin (1,000+ varieties, some dating back to 1910!), spirits and champagnes sourced from around the world."
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• Princess Victoria - 217 Uxbridge Rd, White City, London W12 9DH, U.K. "One of the original gin palaces built in 1829, the elegant Princess Victoria has recently undergone an extensive refurbishment to become a truly beautiful public house."
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• Old Town Ale House - since 1958. 219 West North Avenue, Chicago, IL 60610, U.S.A. "The best bar in the world that I know about." - Robert Ebert.
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• Bemelmans Bar - Ground Floor, The Carlyle, 35 East 76th St., New York City, NY 10021, U.S.A. "Named in honor of Ludwig Bemelmans, the creator of the classic Madeline children’s books, Bemelmans Bar is a timeless location that continues to attract socialites, politicians, movie stars and moguls with its extensive drink menu and nightly live entertainment."
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• CafÉ Imperial - at Hotel Imperial, Kärntner Ring 16, 1010 Vienna, Austria. "A Tribute to Viennese Coffeehouse Tradition." For the Viennese, a coffeehouse is like a second home outside of one’s own home. After a lavish buffet breakfast between 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m., guests can enjoy delicious Viennese specialties and tidbits together with popular coffee variations such as Wiener Melange (coffee & milk blend), Pharisäer (the Austrian-style Irish Coffee) or Maria Theresia (black coffee with orange liqueur and whipped cream) as well as the home-made Imperial Torte until 11:00 p.m.
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• Devil’s Place Whisky-Bar - 'The Largest Whisky Bar in the World' at Hotel Waldhaus am See, Via Dim Lej 6, 7500 St.Moritz, Switzerland. "As one of the 'Leading Bars of the Wold' this bar has 2,500 different kinds of whisky, which is the largest selection in the world. Two times, Devil's Place has received an entry in the 'GuinnessBook of World Records' for its outstanding whisky collection. Devil's Place is not only for the hotel guests, it is open to the public all year round until 00:30 o'clock."
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• CafÉ DONEY - Via Vittorio Veneto, 125, 00187 Rome, Italy. Rome's most elegant and celebrated gathering point. A favorite local hotspot any time of the day for delicious breakfast with fresh juices or light and organic lunch. After dinner it is the hotspot of Via Veneto for a relaxing evening with friends enjoying one of the signature drinks overlooking the Dolce Vita pass by. "Try the typical Italian breakfast, Cornetto & Capuccino, or choose your preferred breakfast items from our menu. We have what you need to start well into the day. Every day from 8:00 AM until 11:30 AM. Café Doney offers a delicious street food menu to be tasted during a quick lunch or a cocktail moment."
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• Marbella Club's Champagne Room - Bulevar Príncipe Alfonso von Hohenlohe, s/n, 29602 Marbella, Spain. October to April, open daily 17:00 to 1:00. "Little wonder, Pol Roger, Krug, Marguet, Salon, Dom Perignon and Cristal have been sipped here over the decades by many a celebrity."
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• La Closerie Des Lilas - 171, boulevard du Montparnasse, Paris, France. Famous café, restaurant & brasserie. Was where the intelligentsia hung out in the early 20th century: A bust-up between André Breton and Tristan Tzara marked the end of the Dada movement here in 1922; then the Surrealist crowd moved in, along with literary expats like Henry Miller, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway, who said that the Closerie was 'one of the best cafés in Paris'. A bronze plaque engraved with Hemingway’s name (in the piano bar) commemorates the author’s patronage. The literary flame is kept burning too, thanks to the Prix de la Closerie des Lilas - an award for 21st-century, French-language, female authors.
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• CafÉ Schwarzenberg - since 1861. Kärntner Ring 17, 1010 Vienna, Austria. The oldest traditional Viennese coffeehouse existing Ringstraße coffee house, opened during the construction of the prestigious boulevard in 1861. In the Viennese ball season, the Café Schwarzenberg is one of the few cafés to offer early morning goulash and beer breakfasts for the ball attendees.
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• LE BAR AMÉRICAIN - at Hôtel de Paris, Place du Casino, MC-98000 Monte-Carlo, Principality of Monaco. "Cosy, elegant, low-key ambience, beautiful wood, leather armchairs, soft lighting and windows onto the sea. The 300,000 great vintages on offer make this the largest hotel cellar in the world."
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• The Hemingway Bar - at Hôtel Ritz Paris, 15 Place Vendôme, 75001 Paris, France. "The incredible concoctions of head bartender Colin Field have set the bar high for cocktail lovers everywhere. The night begins and ends at the Ritz Paris." Cole Porter would spend up to 9 hours a day in the Hemingway Bar: he's said to have composed "Begin the Beguine" here. F. Scott Fitzgerald had his favorite seat; Ernest Hemingway and Gary Cooper made it the epicenter of their life in Paris and would sit and talk for hours...
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• Harry's Bar - One Hanover Square, New York City, NY 10004, U.S.A. "Originally established in 1972 by its namesake, Harry Poulakakos, the bar at One Hanover Square quickly became a Wall Street institution as well as a favorite haunt for financiers who came to celebrate or commiserate over the state of the market."