Dandelyan named world’s best bar, days after announcing closure

London’s Dandelyan has been bagged the number one  spot at The World’s 50 Best Bars awards 2018, just days after it announced it was to close its doors four years after opening.

The Arsenic Waltz at Dandelyan – inspired by ‘lust’, featuring Tapatio Blanco, sour pear, long pepper and cucumber honey

At a ceremony at the Roundhouse in London last night, Dandelyan picked up The World’s Best Bar Award, sponsored by Perrier.

Created by bartender Ryan Chetiyawardana, Dandelyan is located inside the Mondrian Hotel on London’s Southbank, with sustainability and nature its focus having launched five cocktail menus based on botany since opening in 2014.

The bar made its debut on the list at No.50 in 2015, before jumping to No.3 in 2016, and then No.2 in 2017, before taking the top spot this year. The bar also earned the title of Best Bar in Europe.

It’s an appropriate finale for a bar that, after opening just four years ago, confirmed only this week that it was set to close.

Announcing the decision on Instagram, Chetiyawardana said: “There’s so much I think we can do, and so much we want to challenge, discuss and create in this industry that, like with White Lyan, it makes sense to burn it down, start afresh, and rise again as something brighter, shinier and more fitting of where we’re (all) now at”.

Now in its 10th year, The World’s 50 Best Bars includes bars from 26 cities across 20 countries, led by the UK and US, with 10 bars each.

Overall, the 2018 World’s Best list list features 12 new bars; 10 making their debut, and two returning to the list. Four new London bars to enter the ranking include: Coupette (No.18), which also won the Best New Opening Award; Scout (No.28); Three Sheets (No.29); and Swift (No.46).

Connaught Bar (No.5) from London was named the 2018 Heering Legend of the List.

Entering the list at No.10 is The Old Man in Hong Kong, winning the Highest New Entry Award, sponsored by Torres.

The late John Lermayer, co-founder of Sweet Liberty in Miami (No.21), took home the Industry Icon Award, sponsored by Seedlip, while Joe Schofield, recently of Singapore’s Tippling Club (No.58), was named the Altos Bartenders’ Bartender.

Himkok in Oslo, Norway (No.19,) became the inaugural recipient of the Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award, while Carnaval in Lima, Peru (No.68) was named the Campari One To Watch.

William Drew, group editor of The World’s 50 Best Bars, said: ““The awards are designed to showcase the world’s finest bars, the talented people behind them and the unforgettable experiences they serve up. Our aim is to illuminate the artistry of bartending and provide a definitive guide to the finest global destinations for the discerning drinker.

“The list incorporates grand hotel bars, secretive speakeasies, quirky salons and classic drinking dens; a true celebration of the diversity and universality of drinks culture and a reflection of new and developing bar scenes all over the world.”

1. DANDELYAN, LONDON
2. AMERICAN BAR, LONDON
3. MANHATTAN, SINGAPORE
4. THE NOMAD, NEW YORK
5. CONNAUGHT BAR, LONDON
6. BAR TERMINI, LONDON
7. THE CLUMSIES, ATHENS
8. ATLAS, SINGAPORE
9. DANTE, NEW YORK
10. THE OLD MAN, HONG KONG
11. LICORERIA LIMANTOUR, MEXICO CITY
12. HIGH FIVE, TOKYO
13. NATIVE, SINGAPORE
14. FLORERIA ATLANTICO, BUENOS AIRES
15. ARRABOY, NEW YORK
16. THE DEAD RABBIT, NEW YORK
17. ORIOLE, LONDON
18. COUPETTE, LONDON
19. HIMKOK, OSLO
20. SPEAK LOW, SHANGHAI

To see the full list, click here.