From a Jamaican drinking den with a focus on island-inspired drinks and reggae rhythms to a 1920s Prohibition-style bar disguised as a pharmacy – here are 10 of the hottest bar openings in August 2017.

Concept bar Junior in Singapore features on our list of hottest bar openings in August 2017

In France, noted bartender Tony Conigliaro opened Cognac-focused bar Luciole on the banks of River Charente in Cognac, marking his first international venture outside of the UK.

Meanwhile in London, hospitality entrepreneur David Layton unveiled a bustling neighbourhood cocktail bar in Clapham and a 1920’s prohibition-style bar under the guise of a pharmacy opened its doors in Chiswick.

Across the pond in Chicago, the Fifty/50 Restaurant Group revealed a cocktail bar inspired by a sea monster featuring a smoky drinks list and a dark spirits offering.

Click through the following pages to discover some of the world’s hottest new bars in August 2017.

Missed our top openings in July? Check out last month’s list.

Luciole, Cognac

The latest haunt from esteemed drinks expert Tony Conigliaro is Luciole, a Cognac-focused cocktail bar in France. The bar has a vast and unique Cognac selection representing the whole of the Cognac category. Carefully curated by Conigliaro and his business partner Guillaume Le Dorner, the collection is displayed on the “Cognac Wall”, a signature feature of the bar. The cocktail menu features 18 drinks, with a focus on Cognac, as well as a simple menu of classic French bar food.

Junior, Singapore

The team behind 28 HongKong Street, Proof & Company, and Crackerjack has introduced Junior, a concept bar in Singapore. Junior serve as a platform to showcase spirits and food through an intimate, authentic experience. The bar will rotate and present two original concepts each year. With only ten seats in a private space, Junior will focus on one core topic every six months. The first concept is Norma, short for Norma Oficial Mexicana, the series of compulsory standards for Mexican spirits such as Tequila. Norma celebrates the craft and tradition of authentic agave spirits with over 100 bottles of Tequila, mezcal, and lesser known spirits of Mexico.

Jamaica House, Sydney

Newtown’s newest cocktail bar and diner has a distinctly Caribbean flavour, featuring an array of reggae rhythms and island-inspired drinks. With its walls decked out in killer murals, and its DJ’s throwing down hip hop tracks, this one’s about as lively as they come. Visit for Jamaican jerk eats from the kitchen, rum-infused cocktails and Red Stripe on tap.

Meraki, London

Contemporary Greek restaurant Maraki has opened in the heart of Fitzrovia, led by Greek chef Dimitrios Siamanis. The heavily Greek-influenced drinks list will feature a large selection of Greek wines from independent growers and will also showcase some of the country’s growing craft beer industry. A dedicated cocktail bar will serve drinks made from authentic Greek herbs including kritamo, mastic and marjoram, and using citrus from the Greek island of Naxos.

Leviathan, Chicago

Leviathan is a cocktail bar from Benjamin Schiller & The Fifty/50 Restaurant Group, inspired by the sea monster from the book of the same name, by English philosopher Thomas Hobbes. Try the bar’s namesake cocktail, a tantalising concoction of Bruichladdich, Botanist gin, El Dorado rum, North Shore aquavit, ginger syrup, lime, Angostura, shaved bonito flake, and mint. Or go for the dark-and-fruity Midguard, which is comprised of Scotch, cabernet reduction, blackberry, walnut, and fig.

Red Door, Leeds

With venues already in Liverpool and Chester, Red Door has headed north with a new bar in Hirst’s Yard. The 200-capacity bar is reminiscent of a US dive bar with an eclectic soundtrack that will switch between soul, funk, disco RnB, pop and live music. As well as classic tunes, you can of course expect some classic cocktails too. If you’re going all out for a night to remember, then look no further than the Zombie Sharer. Not for the faint of heart, it combines Bacardi, Goslings 151, Absinthe, Rhum Orange, Luxardo Maraschino, passion fruit and pink grapefruit.

Brick & Liquor, London

Hospitality entrepreneur David Layton has opened a second Brick & Liquor site in Clapham South, following the inaugural site in Tooting Broadway last year.

Brick & Liquor offers a bustling neighbourhood cocktail bar concept, serving creative cocktail creations alongside their ‘Social Eats’ menu of sharing plates. The 50 cover, 1000 square foot Clapham bar offers classic twists such as the Salted Caramel Espresso Martini, alongside unique creations such as the Nine & A Half Weeks; a blend of Havana 3 rum, orange curacao, white vermouth and orange bitters, aged for nine and a half weeks within a merlot and IPA conditioned oak cask.

Propeller, Singapore

Propeller, a new rooftop bar at Bay Hotel Singapore, overlooks the Keppel Harbour and Sentosa. Set between Sentosa and Mount Faber, you’re certain to enjoy spectacular sunsets while enjoying the bar’s selection of signature cocktails and tapas plates. Highlights on the cocktail menu include the signature Propeller Bay made using 42 Below vodka mixed with orange juice, lime espuma, raspberry syrup and thyme. While the Mozartz is made with chocolate liquor, Campari, Campano Antica Vermouth, orange foam and house-made Campari dust.

Playground, Montreal

This free ping pong bar in Montreal lets guests select from three tables, take a snowshoe at the bar and use as many balls as you can. Described as “the place where shots meet balls and balls meet rackets”, the bar offers cocktails, beers and snacks, along a wide array of games including billiards, baby foot, video games and there’s even basketball nets.

Evans & Peel Pharmacy, London

Evans & Peel is a new 1920’s prohibition-style bar and restaurant disguised as an old London pharmacy in West London’s Chiswick. The hidden bar is styled with vintage furniture and serves an extensive cocktail list and small plates of 1920’s American classics. The cocktail list features variations of the classic Old Fashioned as well as innovative pharmacy-inspired creations from the in-house bar team. Vintage Japanese whiskies and intricate spirits will be on offer, as well as sophisticated wines and Champagnes.