Greenwich Village hangout named World’s Best Bar

By Richard Vines, Bloomberg

AN ALL-DAY neighborhood joint in New York’s Greenwich Village was last week named the world’s best bar, beating competition from luxury lounges around the globe and knocking London off the top of The World’s 50 Best Bars rankings.

Dante, which is now owned by Australian friends, serves modern Italian food and a range of cocktails but is still known for its espressos and negronis. The original Caffe Dante first opened on Macdougal Street in 1915, which was then a largely Italian neighborhood. Dante placed 9^th last year and has won numerous awards since the current owners took over in 2015.

Second place went to the luxurious Connaught Bar in London, followed by Florería Atlántico in Buenos Aires. Fourth was NoMad, New York, followed by the American Bar, London. The Clumsies, Athens, was 6^th; Attaboy, New York, 7^th; Atlas, Singapore, 8^th; the Old Man, Hong Kong, was 9^th; and Licorería Limantour, Mexico City, rounded out the Top 10.

The UK leads the 2019 list with 10 bars, while the US has seven: Six in New York and one in San Francisco. Last year’s winner, Dandelyan, closed after founder Ryan Chetiyawardana, AKA Mr. Lyan, created a new venue, Lyaness, in the same London space. Lyaness placed at No. 39 this year. The awards were announced in a party-style ceremony at the Roundhouse in London.

The 50 Best is an annual ranking voted for by more than 500 drinks experts from around the world. It’s owned and organized by William Reed Business Media, the group behind the World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards.

Here is the Top 50 followed by the 51-100 rankings:

1. Dante, New York

2. Connaught Bar, London

3. Florería Atlántico, Buenos Aires

4. The NoMad, New York

5. American Bar, London

6. The Clumsies, Athens

7. Attaboy, New York

8. Atlas, Singapore

9. The Old Man, Hong Kong

10. Licorería Limantour, Mexico City

11. Manhattan, Singapore

12. Native, Singapore

13. Carnaval, Lima

14. Katana Kitten, New York

15. Guilhotina, São Paulo

16. Three Sheets, London

17. Himkok, Oslo

18. High Five, Tokyo

19. Salmón Gurú, Madrid

20. Paradiso, Barcelona

21. Indulge Experimental Bistro, Taipei

22. The Dead Rabbit, New York

23. Coupette, London

24. The SG Club, Tokyo

25. Dr. Stravinsky, Barcelona

26. Employees Only, New York

27. El Copitas, St Petersburg

28. Scout, London

29. Jigger & Pony, Singapore

30. Operation Dagger, Singapore

31. Baba Au Rum, Athens

32. La Factoría, Old San Juan

33. Presidente, Buenos Aires

34. Schumann’s, Munich

35. Speak Low, Shanghai

36. Little Red Door, Paris

37. Linje Tio, Stockholm

38. The Old Man, Singapore

39. Lyaness, London

40. Happiness Forgets, London

41. Swift, London

42. Trick Dog, San Francisco

43. Maybe Sammy, Sydney

44. 1930, Milan

45. Sober Company, Shanghai

46. Electric Bing Sutt, Beirut

47. Kwānt, London

48. Artesian, London

49. Coa, Hong Kong

50. Jerry Thomas Speakeasy, Rome

51. Subastor, São Paulo, Brazil

52. Tayer + Elementary, London (new entry)

53. Lost & Found, Nicosia, Cyprus

54. The Bamboo Bar at Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok

55. Scarfes Bar, London (new entry)

56. Bar Benfiddich, Tokyo

57. Two Schmucks, Barcelona

58. Candelaria, Paris

59. Tales & Spirits, Amsterdam

60. Tommy’s, San Francisco

61. 28 Hongkong Street, Singapore

62. Zuma, Dubai

63. Buck and Breck, Berlin

64. Oriole, London

65. Hanky Panky, Mexico City

66. Bulletin Place, Sydney

67. Sweet Liberty, Miami

68. Danico, Paris

69. Siete Negronis, Santiago (new entry)

70. Baccano, Rome (new entry)

71. Quinary, Hong Kong

72. Blacktail, New York

73. Central Station, Beirut

74. Dry Martini, Barcelona

75. Lobster Bar, Hong Kong

76. Long Island Bar, New York

77. Panda and Sons, Edinburgh

78. Satan’s Whiskers, London (new entry)

79. The Baxter Inn, Sydney

80. Black Pearl, Melbourne

81. ABV, San Francisco

82. Drink Kong, Rome (new entry)

83. Charles H, Seoul

84. Le Syndicat, Paris

85. Bar Tench, Tokyo

86. Nottingham Forest, Milan

87. Donovan Bar, London (new entry)

88. Sin+Tax, Johannesburg (new entry)

89. Bar Orchard Ginza, Tokyo

90. Nutmeg & Clove, Singapore (new entry)

91. Lost Lake, Chicago

92. Tropic City, Bangkok (new entry)

93. The Pontiac, Hong Kong (new entry)

94. Amor Y Amargo, New York

95. PS40, Sydney (new entry)

96. Frank Bar, São Paulo

97. The Gibson, London

98. Mabel, Paris (new entry)

99. Aviary, Chicago

100. Clover Club, New York (new entry)