HANDSHAKE SPEAKEASY FROM MEXICO CITY IS NAMED THE BEST BAR IN NORTH AMERICA FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW AS THE RANKING OF NORTH AMERICA'S 50 BEST BARS IS REVEALED

In its fourth edition, the list of North America's 50 Best Bars 2025 was announced at a live ceremony in Vancouver

• Handshake Speakeasy, Mexico City, is named No.1 and is crowned The Best Bar in Mexico, sponsored by Perrier 
• This year's list features 26 US bars, 14 from Mexico, 8 from Canada, and 2 based in the Caribbean
• The Best Bar in Canada, sponsored by Torres Brandy, is awarded to Bar Pompette (No.7) from Toronto
• Library by the Sea, Grand Cayman, No.30, earns The Best Bar in the Caribbean, sponsored by Scrappy's Bitters
• Julie Reiner of Clover Club and Milady's in New York wins the Roku Industry Icon Award
• Lemon, Chicago, wins the Campari One To Watch Award
• Three Cents Best New Opening Award goes to New York's Clemente Bar (No.11)
• Thunderbolt, Los Angeles, No.24, earns the Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award
• Toronto's Civil Works is awarded the Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu Award
• Mírate from Los Angeles, No.12, is the Nikka Highest Climber Award winner
• New York's Sip & Guzzle (No.5) earns the Disaronno Highest New Entry Award
• Carry On from Phoenix wins the Best Bar Design Award, sponsored by St-Germain 
• Licorería Limantour (No.9) in Mexico City earns the Rémy Martin Legend of the List Award

VANCOUVER, BC, April 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The list of North America's 50 Best Bars, sponsored by Perrier, was announced at a live awards ceremony on April 29, 2025 at the JW Marriott Parq Vancouver. This was the first year that the awards ceremony was held in Canada and continues to spotlight the region as a leader of the global cocktail scene. The annual ranking features bars from across North America, including the US, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.

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Mexico City's Handshake Speakeasy is crowned No.1 for the second year in a row as The Best Bar in North America and The Best Bar in Mexico, sponsored by Perrier. Mexico City's hip speakeasy has moved premises since it first opened in 2023 and is now ensconced within the NH Hotel in the Colonia Juárez district, but it continues to showcase its excellence by offering guests an unforgettable, luxury cocktail experience. While the cocktail menu is minimalistic, head bartender Eric Van Beek fuels an ever-evolving lineup of batch cocktails, boundary-pushing creations served on draft, and drinks that are much more complex than what meets the eye. The craftsmanship behind many of the cocktails takes about two days to create from start to finish, including the bar's unexpected and innovative flavors. Handshake Speakeasy has been on the global stage since opening, including being named No.1 on North America's 50 Best Bars 2024 list and The World's 50 Best Bars 2024 list.

New York City's Superbueno is ranked at No.2, retaining the title of The Best Bar in Northeast USA, sponsored by Naked Malt. Mexico City's Tlecān follows at No.3.

The full list of North America's 50 Best Bars 2025 is at the bottom of this press release.

Emma Sleight, Head of Content for North America's 50 Best Bars, says: "This year's list is a powerful testament to the relentless drive, creativity, and world-class talent that define the cocktail industry today. These bars don't just serve drinks – they set global standards, push boundaries, and shape the future of hospitality. Cheers to Handshake Speakeasy and head bartender Eric van Beek for excelling in the craft, hospitality and ingenuity that continues to crown them No.1 in North America's 50 Best Bars. We extend our congratulations to all the other incredible bars on this year's list that spotlight pioneers and visionaries who are redefining excellence, one extraordinary cocktail at a time."

New York distinguishes itself as a premier destination for masterfully curated craft cocktails holding 11 of the 26 bars from the US on the list. Superbueno, at No.2, is named The Best Bar in Northeast USA, sponsored by Naked Malt, for the second year in a row. New entries include Sip & Guzzle at No.5 also named the Disaronno Highest New Entry Award and this year's Three Cents Best New Opening Award winner Clemente Bar (No.11). Other New York bars recognized this year are Overstory (No.6), Martiny's (No.15), Employees Only (No.18), Double Chicken Please (No.19), Maison Premiere (No.33), Katana Kitten (No.42), Angel's Share (No.43) and Dante (No.46).

Additional new entries from across the US are Bisous from Chicago at No.39 and Washington DC's Silver Lyan at No.48. Denver's Yacht Club at No.41, re-enters the list in 2025.

New Orleans' Jewel of the South at No.4 claims The Best Bar in South USA, sponsored by Amaro Lucano for the second year in a row. Kumiko (No.10) is named The Best Bar in Midwest USA, sponsored by Tia Maria, and along with Best Intentions (No.25) and Meadowlark (No.38) represent Chicago.

Los Angeles' Mírate (No.12) climbed 34 spots and wins Nikka Highest Climber Award and The Best Bar in West USA, sponsored by Nikka Whisky. Café La Trova (No.13) from Miami, San Francisco's Pacific Cocktail Haven (No.16), Service Bar (No.23) and Allegory at No.45 both from Washington DC and New Orleans' Cure at No.50 round out the list of US bars.

More than half of Mexico's spots on the list hail from Mexico City including Handshake Speakeasy named No.1 and The Best Bar in Mexico, sponsored by Perrier for the second year in a row. Additional bars from the city include Tlecān (No.3), Rémy Martin Legend of the List Award winner Licorería Limantour (No.9), Baltra Bar (No.20), Hanky Panky (No.35), Kaito del Valle (No.40) and Café de Nadie (No.47). Mexico City also includes new entries Bar Mauro (No.14) and Bijou Drinkery Room (No.34).

Cities across Mexico are growing the region's presence on North America's 50 Best Bars 2025 list. The list includes Guadalajara's El Gallo Altanero (No.8), Aruba Day Drink (No.22) from Tijuana, Tulum's Arca at No.27, Selva (No.29) from Oaxaca, plus San Miguel de Allende's Bekeb at No.49.

Bar Pompette (No.7) from Toronto is named The Best Bar in Canada, sponsored by Torres Brandy. Other bars from Canada include Toronto's Civil Liberties (No.21), Botanist Bar (No.26) and The Keefer Bar (No.28) from Vancouver as well as Cloakroom and Atwater Cocktail Club from Montreal at No.31 and No.36, respectively. Toronto's Mother re-enters this year's list at No.44.  

Library by the Sea (No.30) is named The Best Bar in the Caribbean, sponsored by Scrappy's Bitters. La Factoría (No.32) represents Puerto Rico on the list.

Civil Works from Toronto, is named winner of the Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu Award. The bar's inventive cocktail menu stands out for its creative use of water to enhance and showcase the flavors of the featured spirits. Ranked No.55 on this year's extended 51–100 list, the bar was selected by the global Academy Chairs to receive this honor. First introduced in 2021, the award celebrates bars that excel in innovation, design, drink craftsmanship, and menu storytelling.

Julie Reiner of Clover Club and Milady's receives the accolade of Roku Industry Icon. For this award, all 300 members of the voting Academy are invited to nominate the individual who has made the most significant contribution to advancing the bar industry. Reiner is celebrated as a trailblazer of the modern cocktail renaissance, playing a key role in elevating New York City's craft cocktail scene. Her commitment to the bartending community, mentorship, and delivering exceptional hospitality in the heart of the city have rightfully earned her this recognition.

Clemente Bar (No.11) from New York earns the Three Cents Best New Opening Award, as the bar enters the list for the first time. This intimate cocktail lounge offers two distinct experiences where guests can enjoy innovative cocktails alongside Eleven Madison Park's award-winning plant-based dishes. Known for its Clemente Martini with green curry and saffron and negroni piña colada hybrid, Clemente Bar has garnered attention for its unique blend of art and expertly crafted twists on the classics.

Thunderbolt (No.24) in Los Angeles earns the title of Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award. This award is presented to bars that show exceptional dedication to sustainable practices. The Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award is independently assessed by 50 Best's global auditing partner, the Sustainable Restaurant Association.

Lemon hailing from Chicago, is named as the Campari One To Watch, an award given to a bar outside of the main list that the 50 Best team believes has the potential to feature in a future North America's 50 Best Bars list.

From Phoenix, Carry On wins the Best Bar Design Award, sponsored by St-Germain. This award is evaluated by distinguished hospitality design professionals, who review submissions on innovation, accessibility, aesthetics, ergonomics, eco-friendliness and emotional impact. Carry On's immersive airplane-themed cocktail bar takes guests on a flavorful journey around the world with drinks reflecting renowned departure and arrival destinations.

Additional special award winners announced prior to the reveal of this year's list, include Toronto's Bar Pompette (No.7) receiving the Michter's Art of Hospitality Award and Eli Martínez Bello of Tlecān (No.3) in Mexico City, as the celebrated winner of Altos Bartenders' Bartender Award.

EDITOR'S NOTES:

1-50 LIST

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About North America's 50 Best Bars

Following the success of The World's 50 Best Bars, sponsored by Perrier, and the establishment of Asia's 50 Best Bars in 2016, 50 Best launched North America's 50 Best Bars, with the first edition of the awards held in New York, N.Y. on June 7, 2022. It shines a much-deserved spotlight on the region as a world-class drinks' destination and acts as a mouthpiece for the outstanding talent coming through. The inaugural North America's 50 Best Bars awards ceremony and unveiling of the list provided a unique opportunity to unite bartenders, bar owners, cocktail aficionados and drinks media from all over the region at a captivating celebration of drinks, hospitality, passion and talent. North America's 50 Best Bars includes voting for bars from Canada, the US, Mexico and the Caribbean. William Reed, which owns the 50 Best brand, is entirely responsible for the organization of the awards, the voting system and the respective lists.

How the Voting Works

The ranking for North America's 50 Best Bars will reflect the best bar experiences based on the votes of the Academy members, who comprise anonymous North American bar industry experts from the USA, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. The voting split of these bar industry experts is 33% bartenders and bar owners, 33%, drinks writers and educators, and 33% well-traveled cocktail experts. There is a 50/50 gender balance among the voters.

This year's Academy is made up of more than 300 voters. This change was implemented to obtain a wider snapshot and ensure a greater number of diverse voices are heard in the voting process. Moreover, as per all 50 Best lists for restaurants, bars, and hotels, a minimum of 25% of Academy members are refreshed annually to keep the perspectives dynamic and relevant. Members of the 50 Best organization do not vote and do not control the composition of the list; that is the collective role of the voting Academy. This means that bars cannot apply to be on the list and no sponsors have any influence on the list.

The Academy is divided into 7 regions: USA Northeast; USA Midwest; USA West; USA South; Canada East; Canada West; Mexico and the Caribbean. Each region has its own panel of members including a chairperson, called the Academy Chair. The Chairs each select a voting panel, ensuring a balanced selection. Each North America Academy member will vote for 7 bars, with a maximum of 5 in the home country (or state in the US) where they are based. Voters also have the option to vote for a further 2 (or more) bars located outside of their home country (or US state) up to a maximum of 7.

The lists of North America's 50 Best Bars and The World's 50 Best Bars are the results of two separate votes from two different voting Academies, taking place at different times and assessing different geographical regions. Therefore, the results from voting create two separate lists, with different rankings.

Voting is carried out individually and strictly confidentially on a secure site and remains confidential before the list announcement. Academy Chairs are not privy to, and have no knowledge of, the votes cast by the voters in their respective regions. They are not spokespeople for the 50 Best brand.

The list will be the result of a poll of more than 300 experts (all within the North American continent), who each cast votes for the bars where they have had their 'best experience' during the last 18 months before the voting deadline. The list is a simple computation of votes by North American voters for bars in North America. Further information on the Academy Chairs and how the voting works is available on the FAQs page here.

About the Main Sponsor: Perrier

For more than a century, Perrier® has collaborated with some of the world's most influential major artists, including Andy Warhol, Salvador Dalí, Bernard Villemot, and Jean-Gabriel Domergue, each of whom in their own way have demonstrated a certain artistic irreverence. With a history that began in 1863 in Vergèze, in the Gard region of France, the Perrier® brand is now recognized worldwide thanks to its iconic green bottle. Appreciated in more than 140 countries, the brand is acclaimed for its natural mineral water combined with the power of its bubbles.

Partners:

• Destination Vancouver – Official Host Destination Partner
• Perrier – Official Water Partner; sponsor of The Best Bar in North America and The Best Bar in Mexico
• Michter's – Official American Whiskey Partner; sponsor of Michter's Art of Hospitality Award
• Nikka Whisky – Official Whisky of the World Partner; sponsor of Nikka Highest Climber Award and The Best Bar in West USA
• Ketel One – Official Vodka Partner; sponsor of Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award
• Three Cents – Official Mixers Partner; sponsor of Three Cents Best New Opening Award
• Siete Misterios – Official Mezcal Partner; sponsor of Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu Award
• Disaronno – Official Italian Liqueur Partner; sponsor of Disaronno Highest New Entry Award
• Roku Gin – Official Gin Partner; sponsor of Roku Industry Icon Award
• Altos Tequila – Official Tequila Partner; sponsor of Altos Bartenders' Bartender Award
• Naked Malt – Official Scotch Whisky Partner; sponsor of The Best Bar in Northeast USA
• Cointreau – Official Orange Liqueur Partner
• Rémy Martin – Official Cognac Partner; sponsor of Rémy Martin Legend of the List
• Campari – Official Bitters Partner; sponsor of Campari One To Watch Award
• Torres Brandy – Official Brandy Partner; sponsor of The Best Bar in Canada
• St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur - Official French Liqueur Partner; sponsor of Best Bar Design Award
• Tia Maria – Official Coffee Liqueur Partner; sponsor of The Best Bar in Midwest USA
• Almave – Official Non Alcoholic Partner
• Les Vergers Boiron – Official Fruit Purée Partner
• Matusalem – Official Rum Partner; sponsor of ceremonial scarves
• Mancino Vermouth – Official Vermouth Partner; sponsor of ceremonial shakers
• Amaro Lucano – Official Amaro Partner; sponsor of The Best Bar in South USA and ceremonial shakers
• Scrappy's Bitters – Official Cocktail Bitters Partner; sponsor of The Best Bar in the Caribbean
• Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar – Official Venue partner
• Reflections The Garden Terrace – Official Venue Partner

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