High Alert! A New Delhi bar is among the world’s best drinking places

Cheers to New Delhi’s ‘Sidecar’. It has once again made it to the list of the World’s 50 Best Bars.

The ceremony to present the 14th edition of the award, which serves as a guide to the most outstanding places to drink across the world, took place in Barcelona.

At No.1 in The World’s 50 Best Bars 2022, sponsored by Perrier, is Paradiso in #Barcelona! Congratulations to Giacomo Giannotti, Margarita Sader and the whole team! #Worlds50BestBars pic.twitter.com/fUp1j927rF

— 50BestBars (@50BestBars) October 4, 2022

According to a report by Conde Nast Traveller, the nominees gathered in the city of Barcelona on 3 October to participate in an invite-only bartender’s feast. The awards ceremony was live streamed on Facebook and Twitter. This year marked the first time that the ceremony did not take place in London.

Delhi’s ‘Sidecar’ joins the club

The bar, which is located in New Delhi’s Greater Kailash II, ranked 26 on the list of the World’s 50 Best Bars.

This is not the first time ‘Sidecar’ appeared on the list. In 2021, the bar was placed at the 47th position among the top 50 world’s best bars in the world.

According to the official website of World’s Best Bars, the two-storeyed place gains its expertise in bartending from Yangdup Lama. Sidecar boasts a noteworthy selection of signature cocktails as well as an extensive food menu.

The first floor of the bar features a space that has a bookstore where visitors can relax and read a book or two and even buy a curated list of books coupled with tea and coffee. While the second floor is where the actual bar is located and is led by Yangdup Lama.

The bar’s signature cocktail is called ‘The Sidecar’ which is made with house-blend cognac, sandalwood cordial, lemon juice and orange blossom water.

Barcelona’s Paradiso bags the first price

A bar, called ‘Paradiso’, hidden behind a pastrami shop in the El Born neighbourhood of Barcelona has earmarked its name as the top drinking spot on the list.

According to a report by Mint Lounge, Paradiso made history as this is the first time an establishment outside of New York or London has won the first position. The bar’s door is a white refrigerator door following which visitors pass a counter that specialises in cured meat. It features cocktails such as smoked milk punch with bourbon and tahini.

Next on the list is London’s Tayer + Elementary bar. It was last year’s runner up too.

The third position was taken by another Barcelona bar called ‘Sips’, which jumped 34 spots up from its previous 37th position.

New York is, however, still holding a dominant position on the list. Six bars including ‘Overstory’, which stands on the 64th floor of an office building in the Financial District, and a bar that specialises in food-focused cocktails called ‘Double Chicken Please’, are included in the top 50 list.

A total number of 26 cities are featured on this year’s list. Among the 14 new entries are bars from Bangkok. Florence, Lisbon and Naples.

According to a report by Bloomberg, the event also saw individual awards being handed out to bars like Stockholm’s ‘Roda Huset’. Apart from bagging the fifth position on the list, Paris’ ‘Little Red Door’ also won the Ketel One Sustainability title. The Mitcher’s Art of Hospitality award was given to ‘Hanky Panky’ in Mexico City, according to a report by Bloomberg.

The voting system

The list of bars is compiled annually by World’s 50 Best Bars, which is owned by United Kingdom-based William Reed Business Media.

The votes of more than 650 drinks experts, including renowned bartenders and consultants, drink writers and cocktail specialists are counted for this purpose. Each voter casts seven votes based on their best bar experiences of the previous 18 months.

At No.2 in The World’s 50 Best Bars is… Tayēr + Elementary in #London #Worlds50BestBars pic.twitter.com/eg4VKYkgI8

— 50BestBars (@50BestBars) October 4, 2022

Prior to the pandemic, voters were allowed to cast up to five votes for places in their country of residence while at least two votes had to be international. However, post-pandemic, in a bid to address travel restrictions, the organisers permitted voters who were unable to travel to limit voting to five regional spots only.

Content Director for World’s 50 Best Bars, Mark Sansom said, “While voting guidelines aren’t back to pre-pandemic regulations, we have made changes in the way voting operated to ensure the most authentic vote possible.”

Bars that missed out

The Russia-Ukraine war did not spare this list too. Bars like ‘El Copitas’ of St Petersburg and Moscow’s ‘Inside Bar’ which ranked number eight and 13 respectively last year, had no mention on the 2022 list owing to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Mark Sansom said, “As an organisation, we do not believe it is right to promote Russia as a drinking destination at this current time.”

Other prestigious places that dropped out of the top 50 list include Tokyo’s ‘SG Club’, which fell from number 18 to 63^rd place and a bar called ‘Re’ in Sydney which fell more than 40 spots, from 46 to 87.

With inputs from agencies

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