The Best Cocktail Bars in Spain

Madrid

El Rincón de La Habana on Calle de los Reyes has Havana-style decor and Cuban music, and it serves mojitos, piña coladas and strawberry daiquiris. Santamaría Coctelería in central Madrid serves classic drinks beside its own twisted versions, with bartenders who suggest drinks to suit each guest. Salmon Guru has a neon-lit interior, with drinks in unusual glassware topped with ice or foam. Angelita, a restaurant and wine bar in Chueca run by two brothers, has a cocktail bar below and uses produce from the family garden.

Barcelona

Paradiso is entered through a deli-style front and has a speakeasy-style room and theatrical drink presentation. Bloody Mary Cocktail Bar in Gracia is a small, cosy room with homegrown tomatoes and a row of house-made hot sauces. The Alchemix offers a small food menu and a tasting menu with cocktail pairings, and Sips prepares its drinks at a central island in view of guests. Dr. Stravinsky in the Born district has a laboratory-style room, a menu charted by flavour profile, and drinks that use cheese, butter and vinegar, while La llibreria in Les Corts is styled like an old library with antique maps and books.

Palma and Málaga

After Landing Cocktail Art sits in Palma's historic centre, and staff there explain each drink and will build an off-menu cocktail from a named spirit or flavour. Renard Cocktail Club is a small bar in the heart of Málaga, with wooden beams, antiques and street art. Its menu changes every year, and its drinks are named after the zodiac signs, with a card describing each cocktail.