World’s 50 Best Bars is landing in Singapore for the first time, with a colossal number of events in its wake.
The awards ceremony will take place on 17 October 2023, the first time it is being held in Asia. In the lead up to it, numerous Singapore bars will host visiting team members from bars around the world and their signature cocktails.
Boldfaced names include Barcelona hot spot and current world’s best bar, Paradiso, as well as previous winner, The Connaught Bar from London. Entries from 50 Best’s regional lists also feature, such as Handshake Speakeasy from Mexico City (No.2 on North America’s 50 Best Bars 2023), and Tokyo’s Bar Benfiddich (No.4 on Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2023).
Complementing these pop-ups is the inaugural 50 Best Signature Sessions, or branded events that will take place at selected bars from 14 to 18 October. Venues like Jigger & Pony and Atlas will feature some of the industry’s finest talents from Seoul to Stockholm.
The bulk of all these events happens on Saturday and Sunday (15 and 16 October), with a break for the live ceremony on Tuesday, before resuming on Wednesday. See below for more details.
World’s 50 Best Bars 2023 Singapore events
13 October
Pier 42 (Oslo) at Smoke & Mirrors
Smoke & Mirrors welcomes Slovakian bartender Adrián Michalcík of Oslo bar, Pier 42. Named after the iconic Manhattan pier where thousands of Norwegians first set foot on the American continent, the bar’s signature cocktails are inspired by art from Norway and New York, as well as recipes from one of the ships the migrants sailed on.
7pm – 11pm
14 October
Tjoget (Stockholm) at Jigger & Pony (50 Best Signature Session)
Hailing from Stockholm, Tjoget demonstrates how they have been a regular on the World’s 50 Best Bars – they placed 71st last year – with a lineup of whisky cocktails like the scotch-based Cafe Con Leche and Remember The Fan Club with rye, passionfruit, and white wine. They are joined by Jigger & Pony bar manager, whose creations include a whisky sour with red plum.
6pm – 10pm
Allegory (Washington DC) at Gibson
Hidden inside a Washington DC hotel library, Allegory’s cocktails span art, literature, and social commentary. The current menu is based on Lewis Carroll’s “Alice in Wonderland & Through the Looking Glass,” but told through the eyes of Ruby Bridges, the first Black child to attend a desegregated Louisiana elementary school in 1960. Her story unfolds through classic cocktails twists put together using molecular gastronomy techniques.
8pm – midnight
Speak Low (Shanghai) at Sugarhall
Japanese bartender Shingo Gokan is a household name in the industry now, but in the mid 2010s, he just won a cocktail competition with a drink called Speak Low, and opened a Prohibition-era bar in Shanghai with the same name shortly after. The eponymous rum, sherry, and matcha cocktail still remains on the menu, along with other creations that straddle New York and Japan.
8pm – midnight
Vender (Taichung) at Antidote
Summer Chen, cofounder of Vender in Taichung (41st in Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2023), will be shaking up four low-ABV and low-sugar cocktails at Antidote. She uses ingredients such as winter melon, agave nectar, maple, and honey for natural sweetness, which are spiked with Matusalem rums and lengthened into a highball.
9pm – midnight
Other World’s 50 Best Bars 2023 Singapore events on 14 October
Mister Paradise (NYC) at Sago House 2.0
7pm – 11pm
Baltra Bar (Mexico City) at Madame Fan
8pm onwards
Soko Bar (Seoul) at Live Twice
8pm – midnight
15 October
Sammy Junior (Melbourne) x Flamingo Coffee Bar boozy brunch
Flamingo Coffee Bar joins forces with Sammy Junior – Melbourne’s buzzy coffee spot and bar – for a special edition of their boozy brunch. Look forward to brunch staples paired with classic cocktails from the Garibaldi to Boulevardier.
11am – 3pm
Botanist Bar (Vancouver) at Manhattan (50 Best Signature Session)
Manhattan, a two-time winner of The Best Bar in Asia, teams up with Vancouver’s Botanist Bar (No.19 in North America’s 50 Best Bars 2023) for a special edition of Manhattan’s Sunday cocktail brunch. The Dark Spirits Brunch includes a gourmet delicatessen counter, freshly shucked oysters, seafood, and a variety of desserts, accompanied by drinks from Manhattan’s iconic cocktail trolley. Expect Bloody Marys, boozy milkshakes, and highballs made with brandy and rum. Tickets are S$158++ per person for three hours of free-flow food and cocktails.
Email to book.
12pm – 3pm.
Little Red Door (Paris) and Southside Parlor (Seoul) at Atlas (50 Best Signature Session)
Little Red Door from Paris and Seoul’s Southside Parlor get behind the stick at Atlas to serve their creations alongside signatures from the Singapore bar. For food, expect dishes from Daniele Sperindio of the one-Michelin-starred Art, along with a lobster roll station. Tickets cost S$30 per person and includes one drink. Additional drinks cost S$25 nett each.
Book here.
7pm – midnight
Paradiso (Barcelona) at Origin Bar
Grab a seat at Origin Bar for an evening of fantastical cocktails by the best bar in the world. Dreamed up by founder Giacomo Giannotti, the Barcelona-based Paradiso is inspired by vast-ranging topics from space to human evolution, which have led to iconic drinks like a Martini that turns into an iceberg in the glass.
7pm onwards
Bar Benfiddich (Tokyo) at Jigger & Pony
Benfiddich founder Hiroyasu Kayama has dedicated himself to farm-to-bar cocktails. His drinks harnesses herbs and fruits from his own farm in Saitama Prefecture, and the Shinjuku bar has the feel of an apothecary den. For his guest shift, Kayama will be serving creations like the creamy Anko-mmon with Japanese whisky and sweet bean jam.
8pm – midnight
Satan’s Whiskers (London) at Gibson
Gibson plays hosts to London bar Satan’s Whiskers. Making its debut on The World’s 50 Best Bars list last year at No. 23, owner Kevin Armstrong and bartender Daniel Waddy focus on classic cocktails with fresh ingredients, such as the Cherry Americano with gin, Campari, maple verjus, and cherry soda.
8pm – midnight
Schofield’s Bar (Manchester) at Live Twice
Brothers Joe and Daniel Schofield bring their eponymous Manchester drinking spot to Live Twice, where they will be serving 1930s-inspired creations like Chicago Lightning with bourbon, dry curaçao, orange blossom water, and chocolate bitters.
8pm – midnight
Café La Trova (Miami), Scarfes Bar (London), and Bar High Five (Tokyo) at Nutmeg & Clove (50 Best Signature Session)
Purvis Street takes on flavours of Miami, London, and Tokyo all in one evening. At Nutmeg & Clove, Julio Cabrera showcases the Miami-based Café La Trova, while Last Word upstairs plays host to Martin Ciska and Yann Bouvvignies from London’s Scarfes Bar. In the newly-opened Room 0202, the legendary Hidetsugu Oeno from Bar High Five holds court for a cocktail omakase. All outlets will feature a special bar bites menu by chef LG Han of Labyrinth.
Book here for Café La Trova, here for Scarfes Bar, and here For Bar High Five.
8pm onwards
Barstars festival at Plume
Pan Pacific hotel bar Plume brings together over 23 bartenders across Asia, including Antonio Lai of Quinary in Hong Kong and Terry Kim from Alice in Seoul, for the three-day Asian Bar Extravaganza. From 15 to 16 October, they will be serving their creations, followed by a viewing party for the World’s 50 Best Bars ceremony on 17 October.
9pm onwards
Other World’s 50 Best Bars 2023 Singapore events on 15 October
Slink and Bardot (Mumbai) at Ms. Maria & Mr. Singh
12pm – 8pm
The Pontiac (HK), Bar Lab Hospitality (Miami), and Salón de Agave (Mexico City) at Potato Head Rooftop Bar
4pm – 8pm
Nomad London at Writers Bar
6pm – 9pm
Licoreía Limantour (Mexico City) at Astor Bar
7pm onwards
Service Bar (Washington DC) at Sago House 1.0
7pm onwards
Vida Rica Bar (Macau) at Smoke & Mirrors
7pm – 11pm
Thirsty Shaker (HK) and The Old Man Hong Kong at Potato Head Studio 1939
7.30pm – midnight
Bar Leone (HK) at Fura
8pm onwards
Booking Bar and Gallery 20.5 (both Kaohsiung) at Antidote
8pm – midnight
Cambridge Public House (Paris) at Sugarhall
8pm – midnight
16 October
The Connaught Bar and Blue Bar (both London) at Manhattan
The Connaught Bar is a series winner of the World’s 50 Best Bars, and their cocktails like the Connaught Martini have become the template for many in the industry. Director of mixology Agostino Perrone, bar manager Maura Milia, and bartender Riccardo Lugano will be there to serve their signature cocktail along with The Goodfellas, the Faraway Collins, and the Eclipse Code. Following this, Blue Bar shows why they are the centre for cocktail innovation in London. Drinks that evening include the Raj by Night, Mirror Martini, the Roadrunner, and London to Singapore, made by bar manager Marcello Cauda and head bartender Giovanni Bruno.
4pm – 1am
The SG Club (Tokyo), El Lequio (Naha), and Bar High Five (Tokyo) at Barbary Coast Ballroom
Barbary Coast Ballroom corrals three titans of Japanese bartending: Shingo Gokan of SG Club, Satoshi Sugiura of El Lequio, and Bar High Five’s Hidetsugu Oeno. Expect plenty of shochu and precise drink-making.
6pm onwards
Harry’s Bar (Paris) at Sago House 2.0
The world’s oldest cocktail bar comes to what possibly is the newest bar on Duxton Hill. Harry’s Bar, which opened in 1911 in Manhattan and eventually reassembled in Paris, and is known for inventing cocktail classics the Bloody Mary, Sidecar, Blue Lagoon, and White Lady. Bartender Patrick Dooley and owner Franz Mac Elhone will be among the first to make drinks at the new Sago House, which is moving to 37 Duxton Hill in November.
7pm – 1am
Hero Bar (Nairobi), Sin+Tax (Johannesburg), and Front/Back (Accra, Ghana) at Sugarhall
Get a glimpse of African cocktail culture at Sugarhall. Nairobi’s Hero Bar, Sin+Tax from Johannesburg, and Front/Back of Accra, Ghana team up to shake and stir cocktails like the Ayoba with whisky, burnt butter, and rooibos tea, and the gin-based Berbere with an Ethiopian hot spice blend.
8pm – midnight
Camparino in Galleria (Milan) at MO Bar
Camparino in Galleria is best known as the Milanese institution that birthed the now globally-known aperitivo ritual. For their stint at MO Bar, bar manager Tommaso Cecca will be delivering Italian icons such as the Negroni, Sbagliato, and Americano in classic guises and subtle twists.
9pm onwards
Sips (Barcelona) at Atlas
Bartender Simone Caporale, who runs Barcelona’s Sips (No.3 on The World’s 50 Best Bars 2022), comes to Atlas to show off his new purchase. He recently acquired Boadas Cocktails, the oldest cocktail bar in Barcelona, and will be serving their drinks alongside a range of creations that defined his celebrated career.
9pm onwards
Caretakers Cottage (Melbourne) at Offtrack
Melbourne is full of quaint Victorian houses, and it was only a matter of time before someone opened a cocktail bar in one. Adopting the name of the building’s former life, bartenders Rob Libecans, Matthew Stirling, and Ryan Noreiks will be on shift together for a night of cocktails and evocative house music.
8pm onwards
Artesian (London) at Antidote
Artesian, four-time consecutive winners of the World’s 50 Best Bars’ top spot, lands in Antidote to show off their new menu, Ingredients of the Future. Drinks are built around a produce, like Mushrooms with rye and maple, and Peas with tangy apple notes.
10pm – 1am
Other World’s 50 Best Bars 2023 Singapore events on 16 October
Indian Accent (New Delhi), Ekaa Mumbai, Americano (Mumbai), and PCO (New Delhi) at Potato Head Studio 1939
5pm onwards
Bee’s Knees (Kyoto) at Goho
7pm onwards
Cahoots (London) at Smoke & Mirrors
7pm – 11pm
Firefly, Opium, and #FindTheLockerRoom (all BKK) at Rappu
7pm onwards
Red Frog (Lisbon) at Astor Bar
7pm onwards
Handshake Speakeasy (Mexico City) at Jigger & Pony
8pm – midnight
Lost & Found (Nicosia, Cyprus) at Madame Fan
8pm onwards
Martiny’s (NYC) at Live Twice
8pm – midnight
The Savory Project (HK) at Gibson
8pm – midnight
Danico (Paris) and CMYK (Changsha) at Nighthawk
9pm onwards
Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2023: Jigger & Pony And 10 Other Bars In Singapore Make The Cut
17 October
Donovan Bar (London) at Republic
Right before the ceremony starts, London destination Donovan Bar (No.89 on the World’s 50 Best Bars 2022) takes over Republic. Named after the legendary photographer, Terence Donovan, director of mixology Federico Pavan and bar manager Fabio Spinetti present four cocktails from their new Evoke menu, like the Old Fashioned-style Deep Blue with raspberry liquor.
4pm – 7pm
18 October
Dukes Bar (London) at Manhattan
Alessandro Palazzi of Dukes Bar in London shows why he is considered the “maestro of the Martini” by using frozen gin or vodka, a splash of vermouth, and a twist of unwaxed lemon, all prepared table-side at Manhattan.
5pm – 10pm
True Laurel (SF), Salón de Agave (Mexico City) and Bar Lab Hospitality at Cat Bite Club
Three esteemed North American names – San Francisco’s True Laurel, Salón de Agave of Mexico City, and US bar empire Bar Lab Hospitality – take over Cat Bite Club for an tequila-soaked evening.
7pm – 11pm
Moebius Milano at Smoke & Mirrors
Moebius is what happens when a visionary bar entrepreneur joins forces with a chef of a two-starred restaurant. Owner Lorenzo Querci graces Smoke & Mirrors to show off cocktails from the buzzy Milan destination, including the herbaceous Pesto Martini and Baby Godzilla emboldened by soy sauce.
7pm onwards
Atwater Cocktail Club (Montreal) at Gibson
Atwater Cocktail Club files all the way in from Montreal to set up shop at Gibson. Bartender Kate Boushel will be presenting highlights from their latest cocktail programme that spotlights high-quality ingredients and modern techniques like emulsion and sustainably-minded initiatives.
8pm – midnight
Freni e Frizioni (Rome) at MO Bar (50 Best Signature Session)
One of Rome’s most popular cocktail spots, Freni e Frizioni brings it high energy to MO Bar. Cofounder Riccardo Rossi will be making undoubtedly Italian cocktails created based on instinct, backed by plenty of flair.
Book here.
8pm onwards
Handshake Speakeasy (Mexico City) at Writers Bar
Eleventh on The World’s 50 Best Bars 2022 and the second best bar in North America, Mexico City’s Handshake Speakeasy is renowned for their cocktails based on vintage spirits. However, tradition is also a springboard for more creative endeavours, seen through their latest menu that pays tribute to the Mexican bar community.
6pm – 9.30pm
Other World’s 50 Best Bars 2023 Singapore events on 18 October
Aperitif Bar at Junior The Pocket Bar
7pm – 10pm
Civil Liberties (Toronto) at Sago House 2.0
7pm – 11pm
The Cocktail Club (Jakarta) at Potato Head Studio 1939
7pm onwards
Drink Kong (Rome), Panda & Son (HK), and Tropic City (BKK) at Neon Pigeon
9pm onwards
Rayo Cocktail Bar (Mexico City) at Native
9pm – midnight
(Hero and featured images credits: Sammy Junior; Schofield’s Bar)
This story first appeared on Lifestyle Asia Singapore
