World's 50 Best Bars 2022: Two Australian bars named in top 50 list (and they're both in Sydney)

The World's 50 Best Bars have been announced in Barcelona, with two Australian bars included in the prestigious list voted by a global academy of bartenders, critics and other industry insiders.

Maybe Sammy in The Rocks, Sydney, was named best bar in Australasia (as it has every year since opening in 2019), coming in at number 29, with judges praising its "golden age cocktails and ratpack vibes, with a unique sense of fun."

Co-founder Stefano Cantino says he was excited and proud to be able to receive the award among his peers in Barcelona, after two long years of border closures.

"It's really very special to be among the community we love," Cantino says.

"When we opened Maybe Sammy in 2019 we never would have dreamed we'd be one of the World's 50 Best bars four years in a row, let alone the best bar in Australasia each four years in a row.

"We're so grateful the bar and our team continues to be recognised for the brilliant work they do."

Coming in at number 41 is Sydney's Cantina OK!, set in a site that was once a single car garage. Co-owners Alex Dowd and Jeremy Blackmore's labour of mezcal love is a shipping container-sized bar hunkered off Clarence Street in the city. There's room for just 20 standing punters who sip on agave-based spirits from all around Mexico.

Ryan Bickley is the general manager of Mucho Aloha, the hospitality group behind Cantina OK! Bickley says the team is "incredibly humbled" to have received the award.

"It's still sinking in. It's mind-blowing for us to have even been considered," he says.

"With Cantina, it was just a place we wanted people to come and to feel at home ... and enjoy the things we're passionate about: mezcal and hospitality.

"The bar has achieved so much over the years but I think the thing we're most proud of is the development of our team ... each and every day they put so much work in and everyone strives for the best they can do."

No Melbourne bars made the list. Last week tiny but mighty new Melbourne bar Caretaker's Cottage and hyper-sustainable Sydney bar Re were named at number 60 and number 87 respectively in the World's 50 Best Bars top 100 longlist.

The number one spot was awarded to Barcelona bar, Paradiso, with judges lauding the team's creativity as well as their sustainability.

Barcelona was also the first city outside of London to host the ceremony. It is sure to be some afterparty.

Maybe Sammy, 115 Harrington St, The Rocks maybesammy.com

Cantina OK! Council Place, Sydney okokok.com.au

worlds50bestbars.com

The World's 50 Best Bars 2022

1. Paradiso, Barcelona
2. Tayer + Elementary, London
3. Sips, Barcelona
4. Licoreria Limantour, Mexico City
5. Little Red Door, Paris
6. Double Chicken Please, New York
7. Two Schmucks, Barcelona
8. Connaught Bar, London
9. Katana Kitten, New York
10. Alquimico, Cartagena
11. Handshake Speakeasy, Mexico City
12. Jigger & Pony, Singapore
13. Hanky Panky, Mexico City
14. BKK Social Club, Bangkok
15. Salmon Guru, Madrid
16. Drink Kong, Rome
17. Coa, Hong Kong
18. Floreria Atlantico, Buenos Aires
19. The Clumsies, Athens
20. Baba au Rum, Athens
21. Cafe La Trova, Miami
22. Attaboy, New York
23. Satan's Whiskers, London
24. Tropic City, Bangkok
25. Kumiko, Chicago
26. Sidecar, New Delhi
27. Tres Monos, Buenos Aires
28. Argo, Hong Kong
29. Maybe Sammy, Sydney
30. Swift, London
31. Line, Athens
32. Baltra Bar, Mexico City
33. Manhattan, Singapore
34. Overstory, New York
35. 1930, Milan
36. Dante, New York
37. A Bar with Shapes for a Name, London
38. Zuma, Dubai
39. Locale Firenze, Florence
40. Red Frog, Lisbon
41. Cantina OK!, Sydney
42. CoChinChina, Buenos Aires
43. Himkok, Oslo
44. Carnaval, Lima
45. Galaxy Bar, Dubai
46. L'Antiquario, Naples
47. Employees Only, New York
48. Bar Benfiddich, Tokyo
49. Lucy's Flower Shop, Stockholm
50. Bulgari Bar, Dubai

• Two Aussie bars named in the World's 50 Best Bars longlist