The World’s 100 Best Cocktail Bars

A cocktail bar in Osaka with a seasonal menu, where bartenders also mix drinks to order. What sets it apart is the inventive drinks, made with house infusions, and staff who explain each ingredient.

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Cozy Cuban cocktail bar on Calle de los Reyes with Havana-style decor and Cuban music. Specialities include the mojitos, piña coladas and strawberry daiquiris, though service varies widely.

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A small cocktail bar in Funchal run by a husband-and-wife team, with a relaxed room and chilled music. Drinks are mixed one at a time from fresh fruit, and custom orders are built from spirits and flavours chosen by the customer.

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A small cocktail room in Lisbon's Graça district, run by Peter and Joana with a few tables and a cozy, home-like feel. Drinks are made in house from scratch, with unusual ice and a tasting menu that changes often.

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The cocktail bar in Kanazawa's bar district is run by French-Japanese brothers and has an original menu of inventive drinks. The bartenders' hospitality and the show of preparation behind the bar set it apart.

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Small cocktail bar in a historic Takayama building, run by owner Yu and one colleague. Cocktails mix Japanese spirits and local ingredients, served in a dim, cluttered room with explanations of each drink.

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The cocktail bar occupies the first floor of a building a few minutes from Kintetsu Nara Station and is run by Michito Kaneko, winner of the 2015 World Class competition. Bartenders build each drink to the customer's stated tastes, with no written menu.

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A small cocktail bar in Cologne's old town, with a cosy interior and a courtyard garden. Carefully made drinks are offered, including classics reworked with house twists.

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A cocktail bar in Kyoto where bartenders perform magic tricks and fire effects while making drinks. The cocktail show is theatrical, the room is crowded and full of curiosities, and staff are willing to make custom mixes.

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A small speakeasy-style cocktail bar in Osaka where drinks are made to each guest's taste rather than from a printed list. Its hidden entrance, mostly foreign crowd and spice-lined back shelves set it apart.

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A tiki cocktail bar in the Anaheim Packing District, set in a dark interior styled as a capsized ship. Drinks are freshly made, the rum list is large, and bartenders make recommendations.

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Form + Matter is a cocktail bar in Mexico City's Roma Norte neighbourhood, with a lab at the back where the drinks are prepared. Its menu draws on flavour science, including nitrogen foams and fat washes, and the bartenders explain each drink.

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Cocktail bar in Dublin focused on poitín and Irish spirits, with an extensive menu of original drinks. The bartenders are knowledgeable and explain each cocktail and the history of poitín.

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The dark cocktail bar Liquid Diary sits in central Innsbruck, with red velvet seating and green walls. Bartenders build drinks around each guest's tastes, from classics to inventive house creations.

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A cocktail bar on the ninth floor of a Nishi-Shinjuku building, run by owner-bartender Hiroyasu Kayama. Drinks are built from herbs, fruit and spices grown on his farm, ordered by describing tastes rather than from a menu.

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A dark, intimate cocktail bar in downtown Como with limited seating. What sets it apart is the lack of a printed menu: bartenders ask about tastes, then build drinks around them, with homemade snacks served alongside.

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Cocktail bar near Essen Central Station with a Tiki-style menu and many homemade syrups and flavoured spirits. The jungle-themed room is a draw, and the menu changes yearly, with classics mixed on request.

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The Mexican-themed cocktail bar sits inside the Four Seasons Bangkok, with a 1920s art deco room and a large bar counter. Bartenders are attentive and recommend drinks to suit each guest, and tableside guacamole and complimentary snacks are served.

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A cocktail bar in Kraków where each drink is named after a song and comes with its own story. The staff explain every drink, and the decor and music are stylish.

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Small speakeasy-style cocktail bar in central Belgrade, entered by ringing a doorbell. Bartenders build drinks around each guest's stated preferences rather than from a fixed menu.

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Speakeasy cocktail bar in Tallinn's Old Town, entered by calling a number on the door. Personalised drinks are built from flavour preferences, and staff often serve off-menu creations.

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Spy Speakeasy is a basement cocktail bar in Tirana, hidden behind a camera repair shop front and reached by a coded door. The bartender's tailored, historically informed drinks and the collection of vintage spirits are its specialities.

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A small cocktail bar in central Heraklion serving classic drinks and original house recipes, with a menu of homemade infusions and a list that changes each season. Bartender Stavros explains each drink as he makes it, and the jazz, rock and blues playlist sets the mood.

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Cocktail bar in Salzburg's Schallmoos district with a seasonal menu that changes several times a year. The bartenders mix custom drinks from a chosen base and flavour, and the room is cosy and understated.

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A hidden speakeasy behind a yellow bookstore door in Kyoto's Kiyamachi district, serving creative cocktails. Drinks come with theatrical presentations, such as the smoking Ninja Smash, in a dim interior, though waits are long and service varies.

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A cocktail bar just off Via Roma in Palermo, set in the historic Piazza Sant'Anna area. Off-menu drinks are built from whatever flavours a guest requests.

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Speakeasy-style cocktail bar in a Prague basement, reached by a spiral staircase. Its unusual menu of food-inspired drinks changes every few months, and the bartenders explain each one in detail.

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Small Art Nouveau cocktail bar in Paris with a short menu of drinks, many riffs on classics. Bartending is precise, and staff explain each drink, though the room is cramped and often hot.

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A tiki bar and speakeasy at the back of Craft & Commerce in Little Italy, reached through the restaurant. It has a rum-heavy menu of tiki classics and originals, and bartenders explain their drinks.

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Small cocktail bar in Hanoi's Old Quarter with a menu of drinks inspired by Vietnamese dishes and ingredients. The pho cocktail mimics the noodle soup's spice and herbal notes, and bartenders explain each drink.

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A small cocktail bar in Warsaw with a seasonal menu of themed, signature drinks, many built on house-distilled spirits. The bartenders explain the menu closely, and the entrance requires ringing a doorbell to be let in.

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A cocktail bar in Kraków with a hip hop concept, graffiti walls and a vinyl-style menu, reached through a buzzer and stairwell. Drinks are made to a customer's brief, and staff are attentive and explain each order.

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A hidden Prohibition-style cocktail bar in Rome, entered through a discreet alley door and a password. Bartenders tailor drinks to each guest, with vintage décor and jazz setting the mood.

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A small cocktail bar in Milan with a long menu of molecular and themed drinks. Its drinks arrive in unusual vessels, with dry ice and foam.

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An upstairs cocktail bar in Hoi An, reached by a discreet staircase off the street. It has a large mezcal and tequila list, attentive bartenders and a balcony overlooking the old town.

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The cocktail bar sits in a narrow alley of Chania's Old Town and is run by a pair of owners who work the bar themselves. Custom drinks are built from flavours guests request, and the service is friendly.

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Cocktail bar in Blloku, Tirana, known for creative drinks built on Albanian ingredients such as raki. The bartenders are attentive, explaining each drink's origin and suggesting what to order.

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Cocktail bar in central Kraków with dimmed lighting and a theatrical style of drink service. The bartenders offer hands-on recommendations and tailored drinks, with smoke, foam and dry-ice effects.

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The cocktail bar is hidden in a Mexico City hotel, reached by a staircase from the lobby. Its drinks are creative and theatrical, and the bartenders are attentive, though some cocktails are premade.

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A cocktail bar in Barcelona entered through a deli-style front, with theatrical drink presentation and creative mixing. Staff explain each drink, and the room is speakeasy-style.

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A dimly lit speakeasy tucked below Auckland's CBD, Caretaker has live jazz on some nights. It has no drinks menu; bartenders ask about tastes, then make a bespoke cocktail.

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Alenka is an Alice in Wonderland themed cocktail bar in Prague, reached by stairs down behind a mirror door. Its board game and fold-out book menus, with staff who explain each drink, set it apart.

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A small, dimly lit cocktail bar in central Manchester, marked mainly by a sign at the entrance. Its house-made drinks, including numbered Demo cocktails, are explained by staff from menus printed like record sleeves.

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A cocktail bar in Palma's historic centre, with a menu of classics and inventive drinks. Staff explain each drink and will build an off-menu cocktail from a named spirit or flavour.

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Cocktail bar in central Madrid serving classic drinks alongside its own twisted versions, with a relaxed, music-led atmosphere. Bartenders are attentive, explaining the menu and suggesting drinks to suit each guest.

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Bloody Mary Cocktail Bar in Gracia serves Bloody Marys and other cocktails in a small, cosy room. The homegrown tomatoes and a row of house-made hot sauces for adjusting spice are the bar's signature features.

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Small cocktail bar in central Kraków with around nine seats at the counter and a large gin collection. Its seasonal menus of inventive cocktails and knowledgeable bartenders set it apart.

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A small cocktail bar behind an antique shop in Hoi An's old town, with a shaded courtyard. The husband-and-wife owners tailor drinks to taste and make egg-based drinks like the egg espresso martini.

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A speakeasy-style cocktail bar in Nashville where drinks are made to order from guests' stated tastes. The menu-free format is paired with bartenders who ask about preferences before mixing.

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Small cocktail bar in central Budapest with a short seasonal menu and no standard list. Staff ask about tastes, flavours and spirits, then mix a drink tailored to each guest.

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A cocktail bar in central Catania with a terrace and a retro speakeasy-style interior. It has no drinks menu: customers state their flavour and spirit preferences, and the bartenders build a drink around them.

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Small vintage cocktail bar in Nashville that serves coffee drinks by day and cocktails in the evening. Espresso martinis and friendly bartenders are a feature, along with live music, comedy and songwriter nights.

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Small standing-only cocktail bar tucked into a laneway in the Sydney CBD, specialising in tequila and mezcal. Staff hand-write postcards and juice limes to order, and the mezcal menu offers many options.

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A cocktail bar in Soho with a walk-in room upstairs and a darker level below. The Irish coffee is a standout, and the bartenders give personal drink recommendations.

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A cocktail bar on the fifth floor of a Nashville building, with a dimly lit, speakeasy-style room and a long menu of drinks. Bartenders build custom cocktails from a few questions about taste.

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A cocktail bar on a backstreet off Deansgate, in a preserved old building with dim, art deco interiors. Classic cocktails are made to order, including off-menu requests, and the attentive staff remember regulars' tastes.

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A London cocktail bar split into two rooms: Elementary at the front, with relaxed on-tap drinks, and Tayēr behind it, with a deeper, experimental menu. Its two separate concepts and walk-in-only seating set it apart from typical cocktail bars.

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Small cocktail bar in central Milan serving classic and original drinks, with a menu that keeps changing. Staff provide attentive service, and most drinks arrive with small snacks such as flavored water, marshmallows and popcorn.

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Small speakeasy cocktail bar in central Kyoto, reached through a red telephone booth set into a wall. The bar has a large Japanese whisky selection, and bartenders will make drinks to taste.

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The cocktail bar sits in Chinatown behind an unmarked metal door and is run by owner Lê. It has a no-phone and no-photo policy, a dim room with art, and a strict entry routine with ID checks, with rules explained in the foyer.

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Cocktail bar in Vienna's city centre with a long list of signature cocktails and 80s music in the background. The bartenders are knowledgeable, and they will make custom drinks.

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Alchemix is a cocktail bar in Barcelona with a small food menu and a tasting menu with cocktail pairings. The decor and lighting are a draw, and the bartenders explain each drink and tailor it to the guest.

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A cocktail bar in Madrid on the World's 50 Best Bars list, where mixology is treated as an art form. The interior is eclectic and neon-lit, and the drinks are served in unusual glassware with ice or foam toppings.

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Cocktail bar in Bangkok structured as a three-course meal, with Starter, Main and After sections. Its savoury drinks are built from food flavours such as beef and onion, ramen and pad thai.

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Cocktail bar in Gangnam, with a dimly lit, minimalist room. Drinks are built on Korean ingredients and fermented elements, with zero-waste sourcing and reused materials throughout.

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A cocktail bar inside The Connaught hotel in Mayfair, London, known for its martini trolley and tableside preparation. The bar offers a choice of house bitters, and its small 1920s-style room is often busy.

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A Mexican-style cocktail bar in Central, Hong Kong. What sets it apart is an agave-only menu, candlelit menus and drinks like the Coconut Milk Punch.

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A hidden speakeasy downstairs from La Cubanita in Miami Beach, serving rum-focused cocktails and tiki-style drinks built in front of guests. Specialities include the deconstructed piña colada, and the bartenders are attentive.

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Cocktail bar in Gdańsk's Old Town with a menu of classic and house-made drinks, served in a retro setting with 1980s and 90s rock. The creative recipes, infused spirits and staff who suggest drinks and take off-menu requests are features of the bar.

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A speakeasy-style cocktail bar in Charlotte where drinks are built from guests' descriptions rather than a menu. The room is dark and intimate, and bartenders match drinks to mood and taste.

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Dimly lit East Village cocktail bar with a speakeasy feel and a long-running reputation for inventive drinks. Bartenders build custom drinks from guests' tastes.

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Tiki cocktail bar in Nuremberg's old town, with Hawaiian decor, wood and old-school music. Its original creations include non-alcoholic versions, and the bartenders give attentive recommendations.

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Cocktail bar in Vilnius's old town with a large menu of classics and house creations. Bartenders will build a drink to suit a taste, and free water is brought without being asked.

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A cocktail bar in Barcelona where drinks are prepared at a central island in view of guests. The presentations are creative and technical, though taste, service and value are mixed.

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Small cocktail bar in the heart of Málaga with wooden beams, antiques and street art, and a menu that changes every year. Its drinks are named after the zodiac signs, and each order comes with a card describing the cocktail.

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A small cellar cocktail bar in Prague's centre, with about fifteen seats and a dim, candlelit interior. It has no drinks menu: bartenders ask about tastes and mix each drink to order.

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A dark, speakeasy-style cocktail bar on Queen West in Toronto, known for elaborate drinks. Smoke, dry ice and garnishes feature, alongside a large spirits selection including whisky, though service and pricing are weak points.

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A small, cozy cocktail bar on Södermalm near Slussen, with a few tables and three seats at the bar. Bartenders build drinks around individual tastes, but consistency is mixed.

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Small cocktail bar on Bread Street in Edinburgh's centre, known for Italian-style drinks and a wide amari list. The staff are attentive and tailor drinks to each guest's taste.

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Speakeasy cocktail bar inside a brewery in Antigua, where bartenders build each drink from the flavors and spirits a guest describes. What sets it apart is the lack of a menu and the theatrical staff who serve each drink on its own coaster.

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Cocktail bar inside the Radisson Blu Carlton Hotel in Bratislava, with a menu that reads like a book. Presentation is a feature, staff explain each cocktail, and complimentary prosecco is served.

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A speakeasy cocktail bar in Stockholm's Östermalm, reached through an unmarked door and a flight of stairs down to a basement room. Drinks use seasonal, locally sourced ingredients such as birch, sea buckthorn and plum, and staff explain how each one is made.

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Whisky-focused cocktail bar in central Bath, set in a cave-like room with a courtyard. Staff tailor drinks to each guest's taste, and the seasonal menu pairs classics with inventive new twists.

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A small cocktail bar in central Florence, filled with the owner's paintings and a rock or jazz playlist. Its drinks are made one at a time while guests watch the bartender work.

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A cocktail bar in Vienna with a large menu of classics and original creations, some with daring combinations. Its pharmacy-style drinks list and staff who suggest drinks based on taste set it apart.

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A cocktail bar on a side street near Syntagma Square, with a street-side counter and an inside bar called Rumble in the Jungle. Its menu changes daily and is built on local spirits and minimal waste.

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A cocktail bar in Marseille where drinks are made to order from each guest's tastes rather than a printed list. The concept is bespoke, the balance is precise, and the staff are friendly and attentive.

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The cocktail bar, with two floors and a bar counter, is inside a Singapore hotel. Classic cocktails include the Espresso Martini and Yuzu Whisky Sour, alongside more inventive drinks.

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The Sign is a cocktail bar in Vienna's 9th district with a creative menu of original drinks. Cocktails are made to taste, and owner Khan offers hands-on hospitality.

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A small gin bar in Dresden's old town with red velvet and dark wood, serving experimental gin cocktails and classics. Its menu changes quarterly, bartenders explain each drink, and many ingredients are made in-house.

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A small Guadalajara cocktail bar focused on Mexican spirits, with tequila and mezcal bottles and a menu that changes regularly. The atmosphere is cantina-style, the bartenders create rotating cocktails, and an unassuming entrance leads to an upstairs bar.

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A cocktail bar in Bucharest with no printed menu, where bartenders ask a few questions about taste and build each drink from the answers. Drinks can be adjusted at the end, and the potion-making theme runs through the room and service.

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This hidden Belgrade speakeasy has no menu: patrons choose their preferred flavours, and bartenders build a drink to match. Cocktails are personalised, the bartenders are attentive, and the room is intimate, though service and door policy are mixed.

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Cocktail bar in Barcelona's Born district with a laboratory-style room and a menu charted by flavour profile. Drinks are made largely in-house, with cheese, butter and vinegar used as ingredients, and service is often attentive, though waits are common.

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Himkok is a cocktail bar in Oslo with an anonymous speakeasy entrance and two floors, a downstairs bar and a busier upstairs room. Its cocktails are built on house-distilled gin, vodka and aquavit, and the bartenders are attentive.

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A restaurant and wine bar in Madrid's Chueca neighbourhood, run by two brothers, with a cocktail bar below. Produce comes from the family garden, and the wine list and cocktails made with it are central to the menu.

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A cocktail bar hidden behind the Daroco restaurant in Galerie Vivienne, with a menu that changes every six months around a travel theme. Its drinks are inventive, and the small, intimate speakeasy room is a draw.

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Cocktail bar in Bucharest's Old Town, run by a family team with a large menu of classic and signature drinks. The bartenders suggest drinks by taste, and the cosy room has a resident cat.

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Small cocktail bar in central Verona, a few steps from Piazza delle Erbe, with seating for about six. Drinkers spill onto the street, and the bartenders are known for classic drinks and house-made recipes.

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A cocktail bar in Les Corts, Barcelona, styled like an old library with antique maps, books and paintings. It serves house-made spirits and spiced cocktails, with attentive bartenders behind the bar.

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