A bar and bookshop dedicated to Irish whiskey and literature, a drinking den for steak lovers and a Tequila tavern in Hong Kong were among the most exciting bars to open their doors last month.

While the team behind Grind opened a new cocktail venture in East London, Mayfair also welcomed an intimate nightclub and a new steak and booze joint near King’s Cross opened its doors.

In London’s Soho, esteemed cocktail duo Bobby Hiddleston and Mia Johansson partnered up with Edmund Weil and Rosie Stimpson of Nightjar and Oriole to unveil an elegant drinks offering over two floors, while the masterminds behind Barrio Bars and Brixton’s Sovereign Loss debuted a 60s-inspired drinking den.

Did you miss our favourite openings from October? Check out the list from last month.

Click through the following pages to discover some of the hottest bars to open around the world in November 2016.

Blue Caboose, Sydney

Summer may be over in the Mediterranean but it lives on in Crows Nest with the opening of new Mediterranean-inspired specialty bar, Blue Caboose. The bar focuses on spritz-style drinks, aperitifs and amari to complement its Mediterranean tapas. The drinks list comprises a stellar range of craft cocktails created by renowned bar consultant Alex Clark (QT Sydney, Eau de Vie, Lobo Plantation) acknowledging on-trend methods such as infusions, fat washing and flamed ingredients.

Swift, London

This is the latest haunt from cocktail duo Bobby Hiddleston and Mia Johansson in collaboration with fellow husband and wife team Rosie Stimpson and Edmund Weil, of esteemed bars Nightjar and Oriole in London. Located on the former site of bartender favourite LAB, Swift brings an elegant cocktail offering, combined with the welcoming friendliness of a local bar, right in the centre of Soho’s buzzing cocktail scene. Expect ‘swift’ drinks spread over two floors, alongside a selection of small plates including a choice of native and rock oysters served with Nikkei sauce and shallot vinegar respectively, and a Guinness Welsh rarebit with caramelised onion and sourdough toast.

Bar + Block, London

Explore an ever-changing selection of steak royalty, from classic cuts all hand cut to order, to Butcher’s Block steak specials. Bar + Block is all about the beef, using British breed cattle, grazed on the stunning planes of the Pampas in South America, these 28-day aged steaks are the real deal. Wash it all down with the bar’s extensive drinks menu. For a post-work tipple, while the evening away with a pint of craft beer, a glass of sparkling Champagne, or an expertly crafted cocktail.

Ashland Hill Brick Bar, Los Angeles

Snuggled inside Ashland Hill’s old taproom is Ashland Hill Brick Bar, a bar that only serves gin and tonics and boasts 60 different varieties of gin. Esteemed LA mixologist Vincenzo Marianella of Copa d’Oro crafted the cocktail menu using vibrant ingredients and has developed twists on classic gin cocktails, employing gin styles like London Dry, Old Tom and Genever.

Clerkenwell Grind, London

The Grind franchise has headed back east for its seventh venture in Clerkenwell with a bold new emphasis on food set alongside a crafty, basement bar (The Lounge) and a club space open till late. The venue spans two floors of dusty pink velvets, two sweeping white and green marble bars, and a neon commissioned from Toronto tattoo artist Curt Montgomery. Those looking for more can descend to the club below, serving the Grind’s infamous Espresso Martinis and other cocktails until the very late of night, all to a killer soundtrack.

Buck Milligan’s, Melbourne

Named after the character in Ulysses, Buck Mulligan, a bar and bookshop specialising in Irish whiskey and Irish literature has opened in the Melbourne suburb of Northcote. Alongside what it claims is the largest Irish whiskey selection in Melbourne, the bar also offers a small but selective menu of Irish dishes with an Australian twist. Guests can enjoy a dram or an Irish coffee in the cosy surroundings while curled up with a good book from a wide selection of plays and poetry.

Disrepute, London

Mezcalito, Hong Kong

Located on Central’s On Lan Street is Mezcalito, bringing the mezcal to Hong Kong within a spacious lounge bar, decked out with low-slung couches, tables and floor-to-ceiling windows. Inspired by the popular lounge bars of LA, the drinks menu boasts house-crafted cocktails and Hong Kong’s largest selection of agave spirits. Cocktails on offer include the Paloma, a combination of Mezcal del las Hormigas, elderflower, agave nectar and grapefruit; and El Chapo, a blend of TwoNine Tequila, Aperol, Frangelico, fresh lemon and bitters.

Aristocrat, London

Baro, Toronto

Traditional Latin culture and cuisine are combined with distinct modern flair in this four-storey space located in Kings West. Baro will delight its guests with an extensive cocktail offering including Iron Tyrant, curated specifically for Baro with roasted cacao-infused Ron Diplomatico, vanilla gomme, tincture of saffron, cherry cedar Bitters, tobacco essence and toasted oak-infused ice.