Here at Time Out, we know that one of the best parts of exploring a new city is sitting down for a drink – whether it's a glass of wine in Rome, a complex cocktail in Hong Kong or a pint of beer in Prague. Our list of the best bars in the world is a comprehensive global guide to the freshest, most inventive, most memorable and downright tastiest places to drink right now. Discovering the world’s greatest bars is a tough job, but someone’s got to do it – and that someone is Time Out’s local editors and experts, who are constantly searching the world’s great cities for incredible booze, great value and insider tips.
So what kind of places make our list of the best bars in the world? That varies from city to city, depending on the strengths of the local drinking scene: some places might have amazing craft beer bars, others excel at cocktail bars, and some are loaded with wine bars. But whether we’re sinking beers in a basement dive bar or sipping cocktails in the swankiest of hotel bars, we always look for fun, flavour, freshness – and value at every price point. Read on for our booze-swilling, vibe-loving, unashamedly opinionated take on the world’s best bars.
