New horizons

From deluxe sky bars to five-star dives: the latest must-visit hotspots

Writer ______________ Kate Malczewski

After months of mixing Martinis at home, the thrill of visiting a new bar is a glorious prospect indeed. Fortunately, there’s plenty of choice for those who want to explore: the bar world has been making up for lost time with the opening of dazzling new drinking dens across the globe, from sumptuous hotel establishments to chilled-out dives. So where to start? We’ve pinpointed 11 bars in nine destinations that deserve a coveted spot at the top of your must-visit list – including a cheeky preview of what’s set to be one of Barcelona’s hottest party bars. In a sea of exciting new openings, these are the ones to watch…

ATHENS

Line

Vasilis Kyritsis and Nikos Bakoulis are the cocktail legends behind The Clumsies, one of the best bars in the world. Earlier this year, they teamed up with Dimitris Dafopoulos, co-founder of mixer brand Three Cents, to bring a new venue into their fold. Line (main image) is set in a former gallery, with an airy industrial style and ample accents of metal, concrete and wood. Its menu is a study in fermentation, from its homemade bread to its freewheeling wines. The latter are made with ingredients such as figs, pomegranates, honey and apples – there’s not a grape on the horizon, and the ferments have been dubbed “why-ins” to highlight this point of difference. At first glance it seems the bar takes a classic approach to its cocktails, but upon further inspection, savvy drinkers will note thoughtful and inventive twists in each drink. The Negroni uses vermouth made in-house; the Margarita features a confit tomato triple sec. The playfulness continues in the food menu too, with octopus hot dogs in squid ink buns to a bread “experience” with both sweet and savoury options.

LONDON Seed Library

Its name may lead you to believe that cocktail titan Ryan ‘Mr Lyan’ Chetiyawardana has moved into the gardening business, but Seed Library is London hospitality at its finest. The bar, set in the basement of the new One Hundred Shoreditch hotel, has a laid-back atmosphere and mod interiors – think wood panelling, mushroom-shaped table lamps and bold red accents. It’s all very stylish and understated, in keeping with the bar’s strippedback approach to cocktail making. Indeed, while Mr Lyan’s bars are typically known for their cutting-edge techniques and elaborately crafted house-made ingredients, Seed Library’s bartending is described as “lo-fi” and “analogue”. The cocktails on the rotating menu draw on the structure and stories of classic serves, resulting in sophisticated, unexpected riffs that are as groovy and nostalgic as your favourite record. Case in point is the Sansho Leaf Martini, which ups the traditional cocktail’s botanical profile with spiced citrus flavours of the sansho leaf. Add the bar’s comforting snacks to the mix (hello, potato smileys), and you’re bound to get that warm, fuzzy feeling all over.

ALSO…

GLENEAGLES TOWNHOUSE Edinburgh The iconic country estate gets a new, exciting city outpost and with it comes two exceptional bars – one, a rooftop terrace, the other, positioned in the grand, all-day restaurant. The drinks list is overseen by Director of F&B Development, Gareth Evans, previously heading up bar operations for Jason Atherton’s outlets worldwide. Expect big things. Opening spring.

LAST WORD Singapore This purposely pared-back venue from the team behind Singapore favourite Nutmeg & Clove, celebrates the best of the classics – from the cocktail it takes its name from to the simple, crowdpleasing Japanese dishes it serves. The short-andto-the-point drinks list is neatly divided into Sours, Highball, Champagne and Spirit Forward. Sit at the eightmetre-long wooden bar and watch the chefs and bartenders at work.

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GOLD BAR AT EDITION Tokyo Inspired by the golden age of cocktails in pre-Prohibition America, this shiny new addition to Tokyo's bar scene showcases innovative takes on classic cocktails using Japanese spirits and a carefully chosen selection of local ingredients. Expect the likes of Mugi & Shoga, featuring dark rum, barley shochu, blood orange liqueur, ginger, citrus and soda. TAMARINDO

Cata

If you’re an agave spirits lover, Cata in Costa Rica should take place of honour on your bar bucket list. At this vibrant rooftop haven on the beach, owners Megs Miller, global brand ambassador for Altos Tequila (left), and Liz Furlong, founder of bar-turned-consultancy business Bebedero, offer an impressive selection of tequilas and mezcals. The word ‘cata’ means ‘tasting’ in Spanish, and the venue lives up to its name: Megs and Liz are passionate about sharing their extensive knowledge of all things agave, and delight in leading curious drinkers on a journey of discovery through the bottles on their back bar.

Fancy a cocktail? There are excellent options on that front, too – including the Mex Martini, an agave-focused version of the classic serve with tequila, bianco vermouth and a citrus coin garnish. When you’re visiting with a crowd, try one of Cata’s playful sharing offerings.

With the ocean in view and top-notch agave spirits flowing, we can’t imagine a better place to watch the sunset and sip late into the night.

LONDON Silverleaf

London’s hotel bar scene has been graced with several swanky new openings recently, and Silverleaf is among the most striking. Located in the grounds of the Pan Pacific Hotel in Liverpool Street, this moody drinking den is the latest project from the team behind whisky institution Milroy’s. The space, designed by Tom Dixon’s Design Research Studio, is inspired by naturalism and the elements. The bar itself is a sleek stretch of black marble with swirling stainlesssteel light fixtures creating a darkly dramatic ambience – the perfect setting to sip one of Silverleaf’s distinctly minimalist cocktails. But while the drinks are pared-back in appearance, they’re bold in flavour. The Pineapple | Miso, for instance, marries its namesake ingredients with Craigellachie 13-Year-Old and brown butter for a tropical, nutty serve that packs a decadent punch. Open until 2am every day, Silverleaf is sure to be a regular haunt for late-night luxury seekers.

BARCELONA Dead End Paradise

Jad Ballout helped to put Lebanon on the cocktail map with his bar Electric Bing Sutt, which was sadly destroyed in the explosion that devastated Beirut in August 2020. Six months and one massively successful GoFundMe page later, he and his partners have opened a new venue in the city, Tikiinspired Dead End Paradise.

Now Jad is taking Dead End Paradise global, with plans to open a new branch in the thriving bar scene of Barcelona. The space will take inspiration from an “independent, freethinking skateboarder lifestyle”, Jad says, with an energetic, hedonistic vibe. “If it were the last day on earth, you [would] wish you were here.” Like the flagship Beirut location, the drinks will use Asian and Mediterranean ingredients with a modern Tiki twist, with the food drawing inspiration from both cultures. The new venue has a few tricks up its sleeve too, including two menus: the daytime drinks list featuring low-alcohol, aperitif-style cocktails and an evening menu delivering experimental styles and flavours designed to accompany “a Barcelona night out”.

Set to open in July, the Barcelona bar will be Jad’s first venue outside of Beirut, but he has big plans to build Dead End Paradise into an international empire.

NEW YORK

Overstory

Perched on the 64th floor of the glamorous 70 Pine Street skyscraper, Overstory boasts some of the most breathtaking views in all of Manhattan – but you might be too enthralled by its cocktails to notice the skyline. The bar is owned and operated by chef James Kent and Jeff Katz, who also run Michelin-starred restaurant Crown Shy and new fine-dining spot SAGA on the floor below in the same building. And its drinks match the soaring standards of its sister enterprises, with a laser focus on labour-intensive techniques, unique ingredients and nuanced flavours. To get a taste of Overstory’s signature style, try the 212. This take on a Manhattan showcases some serious culinary influence, with Irish whiskey and a trio of complex house-made ingredients: blackened pear vermouth, rye whiskey infused with miso made from cacao nibs, and smoked rhubarb amaro. And if you’re off the booze, you’re in luck – Overstory also serves up standout non-alcoholic drinks made with the same sky-high levels of dedication.

MIAMI Sexy Fish

Taking the joosh of its older, more established London sister and dialling it up to 11, this is the fi rst international opening for Sexy Fish and boy, does it live up to its name.

Martin Brudnizki's studio is back on design, injecting their signature high-octane glam style into the room – think lush coral leather seating, high-gloss tables, pink onyx bar and illuminated agate fl oors. Original sculptures by Damien Hirst, bespoke fi sh lamps and a massive fi sh tank add even more drama to the scene.

By contrast, the cocktail menu is purposely pared back, heroing two key fl avours. For example, Chocolate & Wine (cacao nibinfused Haku Vodka, cacao butter and Sauternes), Peanut Butter & Banana (peanut-infused Brugal 1888 Rum, banana, peanut orgeat, Yellow Chartreuse and yuzu), and Pear & Cardamom (Crystal Head Vodka, pear, cardamom, acids and Champagne).

Entertainment-wise, expect mermaid dancers, thematic entertainment, international headline DJs and more.

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SODA & FRIENDS London The clue is in the name of this recently opened bar in London’s City Island – it’s all about drinks lengthened with soda, aka Highballs.

The serves like the decor, are strikingly simple, with quality spirits, house-made cordials, liqueurs and ferments teased out with of sodas and seltzers.

On the menu: The House Highball (pear, apple and plum with Kentucky whiskey and soda); Irish Air Con (cantaloupe melon, apple aperitif, Irish vodka and cucumber soda) and Rye-Ball (cherry, cherry wood, vetiver, Finnish whisky and cherry soda). To go with? The likes of dumplings, pickled miso quail eggs and fried chicken bites.

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