The World’s 50 Best Bars to celebrate 2021 awards in London next December

The annual list of The World’s 50 Best Bars, sponsored by Perrier, will be unveiled as part a live awards ceremony on Tuesday 7^th December 2021 at London’s iconic Roundhouse.

Returning to a physical event after a virtual awards in 2020 – during which 50 Best devoted its resources to its 50 Best for Recovery fundraising project – The World’s 50 Best Bars 2021 programme will give bartenders, bar owners, brand partners and cocktail aficionados the opportunity to recognise and celebrate the resilience and achievements of the sector in the last year and a half, and provide motivation and positive storytelling in this crucial next stage of recovery.

The 2021 ranking will be unveiled in a ceremony which will form part of a two-day event programme, and the list will be based on members of The World’s 50 Best Bars Academy’s bar experiences across a voting period between March 2020 to September 2021. In 2020, 50 Best made several changes to its Academy, which now includes more than 540 anonymous industry experts and is 50/50 gender balanced. There are 23 Academy Chairs across 23 geographic regions, and the voting process and results are independently adjudicated by Deloitte to ensure authenticity. The 2021 voting requirements have been amended to reflect the travel restrictions imposed by the pandemic.

The live awards programme on 7^th December, which will represent a key milestone in the ongoing revival of the global bar sector, will be preceded by three special award announcements in the weeks running up to the ceremony:

• 18^th November – Michter’s Art of Hospitality. This award is voted for by all members of The World’s 50 Best Bars Academy, who are asked to name the bar where they received the single best hospitality experience during the voting period

• 25^th November – Altos Bartenders’ Bartender. This award is voted for by the bartenders behind those bars on this year’s list, who are asked to name one peer who has done more to further the craft of bartending than any other, with reference to their work throughout the pandemic

• 2^nd December – The extended 51-100 list. Five days before the virtual awards ceremony, 50 Best will reveal those bars ranked between 51st and 100th in the world on its website and social media channels

There is also an exciting new award for 2021: the Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu, which is designed to reward innovation, design, drinks craft and idea communication. The award is open to all bars across the globe and will involve the submission of a current menu and supporting materials. Details on how to enter will be announced on The World’s 50 Best Bars website and social channels in the coming weeks.

50 Best continues to be a progressive force in the hospitality ecosystem in the wake of Covid-19, forging ahead with the important work it has carried out in response to the pandemic. Its 50 Best for Recovery project has raised more than $1.29m to date and provided grants to 236 hospitality businesses from 53 countries. The programme included 50 Best’s first charity e-book, Home Comforts: Simple Lockdown Recipes from the World’s Best Chefs and Bartenders, the Bid for Recovery auction, the Recovery Summit and the online Recovery Hub. Moving forward, 50 Best is committed to supporting the recovery of the bar industry, and the 2021 live awards programme will be the next step in recognising the talent, passion and dedication evident across the global cocktail landscape.

Mark Sansom of the World’s 50 Best Bars says: “We are thrilled that The World’s 50 Best Bars ceremony is returning to London this year for an in-person event, allowing the bar community to reunite once again after being starved of vital international face-to-face interaction. Championing great bars is more important than ever before and we hope this event and list inspires people around the world to return to their beloved bars, discover new favourites and seek out fresh adventures.”

Elisa Gregori of Perrier International Business  adds: “The bond between Perrier and the hospitality community is a century-old partnership. Since 1863, the iconic green bottle of Perrier has been on the tables of the world’s best cafés and bars as an iconic sparkling refreshment, versatile mixer or accompanying beverage. In 2021, we are proud to continue our partnership with The World’s 50 Best Bars. As pandemic-related restrictions diminish and consumers safely rediscover hospitality, we’re excited to bring extra light to those world-class bars and experts who are committed to delighting visitors and creating positive new memories in a post-Covid world.”

The countdown of the list of The World’s 50 Best Bars 2021 and the awards programme will also be broadcast to a global audience who are not able to attend in person. This “hybrid” format will ensure that no one misses out on the highly anticipated events of the evening.  Bars and cocktail lovers are invited to join through The World’s 50 Best Bars Facebook page and 50 Best Bars TV channel on YouTube.

The editorial unit

For further information visit The World’s 50 Best Bars website here.