The 10 pubs and bars in the world worth a visit
Wet your whistle at these iconic drinking holes around the world.
1. Dead Rabbit, New York City
An Irish pub in lower Manhattan was named the world’s best bar in 2016, so it should be at the top of any boozy bucket list. Dead Rabbit has an unpretentious, sawdust-floored downstairs taproom and a super fancy upstairs cocktail room, so you can take your pick depending on your mood.
2. The Harbour Bar, Bray
Lonely Planet readers chose this authentic pub in Bray, Ireland, as the best in the world a few years ago. It's been around for over a century and has been a favourite of the likes of James Joyce (who lived across the road), Lawrence Olivier, Peter O’Toole, Katherine Hepburn and many more in its time.
3. Nottingham Forest, Milan
You wouldn't expect to find a bar called Nottingham Forest in the style capital of Italy, but don’t let that put you off. It’s both a local institution and one of the best bars in the world, with a quirky mish mash of design and magical molecular cocktails. It’s tiny, so get there early.
4. The Cat’s Eye Pub, Baltimore
There’s something very cool about arriving at a pub by boat and that’s the only way to get to The Cat’s Eye. It’s part of historic Fell’s Point, which dates back to the 1700s, and you’ll feel like you’ve stepped back into New England’s whaling heyday.
5. The Baxter Inn, Sydney
Winner of the best bar in Australasia (and coming in at 12th in the world), this backstreet speakeasy in the CBD is seriously cool. There’s a big focus on whisky, with almost 800 on the list, as well as some killer cocktails served with a cosy, intimate atmosphere. The entrance can be tricky to find, but it’s worth the effort.
6. In De Verzekering Tegen de Grote Dorst, Belgium
This one is a little out of the ordinary. It’s a 175 year old café/pub outside Brussels that’s only open for a few hours on Sundays and serves local lambic beers. The name translates to Insurance Against A Great Thirst, which definitely sounds promising.
7. Smuggler’s Cove, San Francisco
Arrr mateys! This is a pirate-themed bar that actually manages to be really good. It has the largest selection of rums in the United States that are turned into an enormous array of innovative cocktails. The décor is pretty crazy – make sure you check out all the nautical paraphernalia hanging from the ceiling.
8. Rock Bar, Bali
This could easily win the award for prettiest bar in the world. Perched on a cliff 14 metres above the Indian Ocean at the southern tip of Bali, it’s an incredible spot for a sunset cocktail.
9. Floridita, Cuba
Yes, it’s a bit of a tourist trap. But it’s also somewhere that you won't want to miss when you visit Cuba. This was Ernest Hemingway’s favourite watering hole and you can prop yourself up at the bar with a mojito or daiquiri and appreciate how little has changed in this corner of the Caribbean.
10. Raffles Hotel Bar, Singapore
It’s the home of the Singapore Sling, invented right here in 1915, and this two-storey legend still makes the best in the world. All the pub classics are here as well as some innovative new offerings, and it feels just as cool as it did when Rudyard Kipling and Somerset Maugham were regulars.
Have you been to any of these venues?