The 50 Best Bars in North America Were Just Announced

25.04.2024 - 18:27 / cntraveler.com

Since 2022, when World's 50 Best first began ranking North America’s 50 Best Bars, New York City and Mexico City have vied for the top spot. Always the bridesmaid, CDMX's Handshake Speakeasy has earned second place for the last two years in a row (first trailing Attaboy, then Double Chicken Please—both beloved Lower East Side joints). This year, however, the Colonia Juarez cocktail bar takes first place at long last.

While New York City is no longer top dog, its watering holes occupy second, third, and fourth place with Superbueno, Overstory, and Martiny’s, respectively. Rounding out the top five is another Mexico City establishment, Rayo.

Last year’s number one, Double Chicken Please, has fallen to seventh—but New York City continues to house more of North America’s top bars than any other city, with 12 of the US’s 26 entries. The other bars are Katana Kitten (No. 12), Employees Only (No. 15), Dante (No. 20), Attaboy (No. 31), The Dead Rabbit (No. 33), Maison Premiere (No .41), new entry Angel’s Share (No.43), and Milady’s (No.44). With the exception of Maison Premiere in Williamsburg, all of the above bars are located in downtown Manhattan.

So, what is it that pushed Handshake Speakeasy over the top this year? The details are unclear, but the bar—which is notoriously difficult to find, and therefore aptly named—has for one thing maintained its quality with nothing short of steadfast joy. Emma Sleight, 50 Best’s Head of Content, notes in a statement that the bar is “part of a strong cocktail culture in Mexico” that warrants celebration. Adding to the mystique is bar director Eric van Beek, who with his team cooks up clarified juices, fat-washed spirits, and home-made syrups from a proper alchemist’s laboratory hidden onsite.

There are, as always, superlatives galore to be picked apart from the results. Superbueno earns the title of Disaronno Highest Entry for its debut at number two (the bar opened in early 2023) and in the process also takes the crown as the best bar in the United States. Toronto's Civil Liberties is the best bar in Canada for the third year in the row (No. 21), while the best bar in the Caribbean is Puerto Rico’s La Factoría (No. 18). Grand Cayman marks its first entry on the list with Library by the Sea (No. 35)—it was also recognized with the London Essence Best New Opening Award.

Also notable: San Francisco’s True Laurel (No. 30) takes home the Kettle One Sustainable Bar Award with some much-needed representation for the West Coast (Los Angeles has two entries, Thunderbolt at No. 8, and Mírate at No. 46.) The 270 members of the voting academy bestowed Claudia Cabrera of Mexico City’s Kaito del Valle with the Roku Industry Icon Award for her work championing female bartenders