This year’s World’s 50 Best Bars list was recently announced in Singapore, honoring bars from around the world that turn every visit into an experience. The stellar international list includes venues from London, to Mexico City, to Bangkok, to Sydney; and also saw five bars selected across Rome, Milan, Florence, and Naples—most are institutions among local and international guests, and are definitely worth adding as a stop for a nightcap when passing through these cities.
#46 Locale Firenze (Florence, Tuscany)
View this post on Instagram
It’s hard to tell which aspect of Locale Firenze is the most impressive: the bar, the restaurant, or the beautiful 13th century palazzo it occupies. The restaurant and the bar are internationally recognized, and have appeared in both the 50 Best Bars and Restaurants lists before, so credit where it’s due! With a seasonal drinks menu, the bar team demonstrates their focus on sustainability and creativity with local ingredients.
Address: Via delle Seggiole, 12r, 50122 Florence
#44 L’Antiquario (Naples, Campania)
View this post on Instagram
Forget what you think you might know about Naples, L’Antiquario presents an elevated cocktail experience from start to finish. Park yourself on one of their lush red velvet sofas among the vintage-styled décor and William Morris wallpaper, and you’re transported into another world. The bartenders are experts at hospitality and their craft, responsible for bringing to life their signature drinks (the recent lists Cristo Velato and Napoli Capitale pay tribute to the city and the artists who have left their mark on her) and the classics—they’re particularly famous for their Negroni carousel, which features three variations of Italy’s most famous cocktail.
Address: Via Vannella Gaetani, 2, 80121 Naples
#42 1930 (Milan, Lombardy)
View this post on Instagram
A speakeasy in the truest sense of the word…because this bar’s location is not publicized at all. Anywhere. It’s nowhere on their Instagram account, there’s no indication of it on Google Maps, and hell, they don’t even have a website. Rumor has it that to gain an invitation to enter you have to endear yourself with the owners of Mag Café, Flavio Angiolillo and Marco Russo—they hold the key, and most importantly, the address. The interior of the bar is very much circa-1930s, in line with the name of the bar, with leather couches, a gramophone, and sharply-dressed bartenders. The drinks menu changes regularly, so regular visits should be considered!
Address: ???
#33 Freni e Frizioni (Rome, Lazio)
View this post on Instagram
What would this list be without a bar from Trastevere. Established in 2005 in a former mechanic’s workshop (hence the name, ‘breaks and clutches’), it’s a popular, casual spot with a punk ethic and a come-as-you-are vibe reflected in their mis-matched furniture that welcomes everyone. The drinks menu is unintimidating, but consists of well-made cocktails and even a selection of beers.
Address: Via del Politeama, 4, 00153 Rome
#21 Drink Kong (Rome, Lazio)
Visualizza questo post su Instagram
A regular name on World’s 50 Best Bars, Drink Kong is headed by Patrick Pistolesi in the happening Monti quarter, and has consistently been drawing crowds since it opened in 2018. The cocktail menu is extensive (41 pages!) written in Italian, Japanese, and English, and guides guests through graphic representations of their drinks, detailing the flavor profiles and intensity, making it a more involved experience (or skip to the back of the menu for their signature drinks). Inside, it’s a blacked out space with neon lighting, looking like a scene from Blade Runner, with nods to Pistolesi’s affinity to Japanese traditional and pop culture.
Address: Piazza di S. Martino Ai Monti, 8, 00154 Rome