New York’s Dante has walked away with the top accolade at Tales of the Cocktail’s Spirited Awards, winning the title of World’s Best Bar.

Dante in New York has won the top accolade of World’s Best Bar at Tales of the Cocktail’s Spirited Awards

Hosted over the weekend in New Orleans, the 13th annual Spirited Awards is one of the most prestigious awards ceremonies for the on-trade, recognising excellence among bartenders, bars, brand ambassadors, writers and publications.

The World’s Best Bar award is given to the venue that achieved the most votes across the American and International categories. This year’s recipient – Dante – is based in New York’s Greenwich Village and dates back to 1915, when it operated as a café. The bar was also named Best American Restaurant bar.

Other notable winners of the night were Monica Berg, of Tayer and Elementary, who was named International Bartender of the Year, while Singapore’s Atlas won the title of Best International Cocktail Bar and cocktail expert Javier De las Muelas received the Helen David Lifetime Achievement Award.

New this year, the Foundation introduced three new awards categories: the Philanthropy Award, American Timeless and International Timeless Awards.

The awards opened with a speech from Breaking Bad actor Bryan Cranston, who launched his new mezcal brand – Dos Hombres – at the festival. Cranston launched the brand with his Breaking Bad co-star Aaron Paul.

All of the categories were assessed by a panel of more than 140 industry experts led by Charlotte Voisey (Spirited Awards chairperson), Jacob Briars (international Spirited Awards chair), Paul Clarke (writing chair), Bridget Albert and Kiowa Bryan (US judging chairs), and Joseph Mortera, Lauren Mote, Claire Warner, Giuseppe Gallo, Micaela Piccolo, Zdenek Kastanek, Kurt Schlechter and Rebecca Sturt (international judging chairs).

Click through the following pages to see the full list of winners at this year’s Spirited Awards.

American categories

Katana Kitten in NYC won Best New American Cocktail Bar

American Bartender of the Year presented by Amaro Montenegro

Julio Cabrera – Cafe La Trova, Miami, FL

Best American Brand Ambassador presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

Tim Cooper, Fords Gin

Best American Bar Team presented by William Grant & Sons

Herbs and Rye – Las Vegas, NV

Best American Cocktail Bar presented by Select Aperitivo

Attaboy – New York, NY

Best American High Volume Cocktail Bar presented by Grey Goose Vodka

Herbs and Rye – Las Vegas, NV

Best American Hotel Bar presented by Altos Tequila

Compére Lapin at The Old No. 77 Hotel & Chandlery – New Orleans, LA

Best American Restaurant Bar presented by Woodford Reserve

Dante – New York, NY

Best New American Cocktail Bar presented by Elijah Craig Bourbon

Katana Kitten – New York, NY

International categories

Monica Berg grabs the International Bartender of the Year award

International Bartender of the Year presented by Bacardi Rum

Monica Berg – Tayer and Elementary, London, UK

Best International Brand Ambassador presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

Joe McCanta, Grey Goose

Best International Bar Team presented by The House of Angostura

Licorería Limantour – Mexico City, Mexico

Best International Cocktail Bar presented by Maison Ferrand

Atlas Bar – Singapore

Best International High Volume Cocktail Bar presented by Beam Suntory

Schumann’s Bar – Munich, Germany

Best International Hotel Bar presented by Perrier

Manhattan at Regent Singapore – Singapore

Best International Restaurant Bar presented by Peroni Nastro Azzurro

Hawksmoor Spitalfields – London, UK

Best New International Cocktail Bar presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

Maybe Sammy – Sydney, Australia

Global categories

Atlas bar in Singapore won the accolade of World’s Best Spirits Selection

Best Bar Mentor presented by Barsmarts

Ivy Mix and Lynnette Marrero

Best New Spirit or Cocktail Ingredient presented by Tabasco Brand

Fords Gin Officers’ Reserve

World’s Best Cocktail Menu presented by Wine & Spirit Education Trust

Trick Dog – San Francisco, CA

World’s Best Spirits Selection presented by Beam Suntory

Atlas Bar – Singapore

Writing and media categories

Bartender at Large is this year’s winner of Best Broadcast, Podcast or Online Video Series

Best Cocktail & Spirits Publication presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

SevenFifty Daily

Best Cocktail & Spirits Writer presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

Robert Simonson, The New York Times, Imbibe Magazine, Punch

Best New Cocktail or Bartending Book presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

Cocktail Codex: Fundamentals, Formulas, Evolutions by Alex Day, David Kaplan, and Nick Fauchald

Best New Book on Drinks Culture, History or Spirits presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

A Drinkable Feast: A Cocktail Companion to 1920s Paris by Philip Greene

Best Broadcast, Podcast or Online Video Series presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

Bartender at Large

Additional industry awards

Speed Rack was presented with the Philanthropy Award

World’s Best Bar presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

Dante – New York, NY

Helen David Lifetime Achievement Award presented by William Grant & Sons

Javier De Las Muelas

Philanthropy Award presented by Santa Teresa 1796 Rum

Speed Rack

Timeless American Award presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

Napoleon House – New Orleans, LA

Timeless International Award presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

El Floridita – Havana, Cuba