It has been a tough year for the food and beverage industry this year, and while the official World’s Best Restaurants list has been shelved for a year, the World’s Best Bars have been announced: great news for Dubai Zuma, it sits proudly in the number 23 spot.
As per usual, bars are reviewed by a series of drinks experts around the world. Considering this year, and many of the covid-19 restrictions in place, restaurants that managed the ‘new normal’ appear to have done very well.
Topping the list this year is London’s Connaught Bar, at the Connaught Hotel. After that, comes Dante in New York – which harks back to 1915. Coming in third place was The Clumsies, in Athen’s Greece.
A regular staple on the Dubai dining scene – and Esquire’s Best Restaurants list – is Zuma, which ranked the 23rd best bar in the world. It was the only bar in the UAE to make the cut, and indeed the wider Middle East.
According to the 50 Best List, “there is something individual about Zuma Dubai. Any night of the week expect crowds – this bar throbs under its popularity, yet the drinks and service never suffer.”
“But while the vibe remains high-octane and the service on point, the style of the drinks has evolved in recent years. Gone are the theatrical serves that made Zuma’s rapier delivery so improbable and in is a more minimalist approach that still pulls at the emotions.”
You can check out the full list below, as well as the full announcement video:
1: Connaught Bar – London, UK
2: Dante – New York, USA
3: The Clumsies – Athens, Greece
4: Atlas, Singapore
5: Tayēr + Elementary – London, UK
6 : Kwānt – London, UK
7: Florería Atlántico – Buenos Aires, Argentina
8: Coa – Hong Kong, China
9: Jigger & Pony, Singapore
10: The SG Club – Tokyo Japan
11: Maybe Sammy – Sydney Australia
12: Attaboy – New York USA
13: Nomad Bar – New York USA
14: Manhattan – Singapore
15: The Old Man – Hong Kong China
16: Katana Kitten – New York USA
17: Licorería Limantour – Mexico City Mexico
18: Native – Singapore
19: Paradisco Barcelona Spain
20: American Bar – London, UK
21: Carnaval Lima Peru
22: Salmón Gurú Madrid Spain
23: Zuma Dubai UAE
24: Little Red Door Paris France
25: 1930 Milan Italy
26: Two Schmucks Barcelona Spain
27: El Copitas St Petersburg Russia
28: Cantina OK! – Sydney, Australia
29: Lyaness – London, UK
30: Himkok – Oslo, Norway
31: Baba au Rum – Athens, Greece
32: Panda & Sons – Edinburgh, UK
33: Swift – London, UK
34: Three Sheets – London, UK
35: The Bamboo Bar – Bangkok, Thailand
36: Tjoget – Stockholm, Sweden
37: Buck & Breck – Berlin, Germany
38: Employees Only – New York, USA
39: Bulletin Place – Sydney, Australia
40: Bar Benfiddich – Tokyo, Japan
41: Artesian – London, UK
42: Sober Company – Shanghai, China
43: Indulge Experimental Bistro – Taipei, Taiwan
44: Bar Trigona – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
45: Drink Kong – Rome, Italy
46: Room by Le Kief – Taipei, Taiwan
47: Alquimico – Cartagena, Colombia
48: High Five – Tokyo, Japan
49: Charles H – Seoul, Korea
50: Presidente – Buenos Aires, Argentina
Esquire now has a newsletter – sign up to get it sent straight to your inbox.
Want up-to-the-minute entertainment news and features? Just hit ‘Like’ on our Esquire Facebook page and ‘Follow’ on our @esquiremiddleeast Instagram and Twitter account.
