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Autumn 2024’s hottest global bar openings
The spirits industry is well-equipped to handle the business autumn brings – and so is the on-trade, with new bar openings aplenty.
From Manchester to Manhattan and Madrid… to Heidelberg – autumn was extremely kind to bar goers, with new openings in a wide range of destinations. The season also provided us with some unusual settings, from a bar influenced by the Bauhaus art movement to one resembling the inside of a bustling 1940s post office. Autumn really had it all.
Here are 12 of the hottest bar openings from the season – and if you’re after more, check out what caught our attention this summer.
Want your new bar to be considered in our next seasonal roundup? Please send details to info@thespiritsbusiness.com.
Bar Martinelli, Heidelberg
After exploring its grand castle and Baroque old town, you can now cap off a big day playing tourist in the German city of Heidelberg at a cocktail bar.
Bar Martinelli is the personal project of Angelo Martinelli, who has a wealth of international experience, including at hotel bars such as the Shangri-la Beijing, as brand ambassador for Maison Ferrand in Germany, and as the creator of his own wine-based bitter, named Martinelli (naturally).
Within the stripped-back space, with concrete walls that contrast against the glowing orange bar, you’ll find high-concept serves showcasing Martinelli’s skills. The Tropical Journey is described as a ‘journey between agricole rhum, coconut milk, pineapple papaya leather and cocoa shell’, or you could try out the extra frosty Martini Martinelli. And everything – from the ingredient sourcing to the production – is done sustainably, too.
Address: am Bahnbetriebswerk 5, 69115 Heidelberg, Germany
Clemente, New York
The worlds of fine art and drink collide at Clemente, which is situated a floor above three-Michelin-starred restaurant Eleven Madison Park.
Clemente was created by Eleven’s owner Daniel Humm, who called in the restaurant’s beverage director Sebastian Tollius to curate the cocktail menu and neo-expressionist artist Francesco Clemente to create the artwork in the wood-panelled room, which takes the form of two 17-foot fresco murals.
While the paintings make for impressive viewing, the drinks provide plenty of eye candy in their own right. The lineup is divided into six sections: fresh, carbonated, clarified, whipped, bold, and zero proof/low alc. Serves to consider include a Tequila Highball named La Tomatina; a Negroni Colada; and a twist on an Old Fashioned featuring The Macallan 12 Sherry Oak, Amontillado Sherry, shochu, barley and plantain miso.
Address: 11 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10010
Bar Snack, New York
Bar Snack feels more like the main course in East Village since it opened last month, offering cocktails, wine, beer and snacks (of course) in its lively, glitter-touched 50-capacity space, backed by a walnut-stained bar top that’s surrounded by orange vinyl bar stools.
“Dressed-up classics for dressed-down people” is the ethos of owners Oliver Cleary and Iain Griffiths, a pair of industry veterans who can list fellow NYC watering hole Minnow’s and Trash Tiki on their CVs.
There’s no messing about with finicky cocktails here. The idea is to keep it casual, with speed and convenience at the fore. Drinks come from taps, with a seasonal house Daiquiri available in a single serve, a pitcher or as a ‘Snaquiri’. Kick the party off with shooters (like the Vibes Provider, made with Mr Black coffee liqueur, blueberry vodka, bitters and soda) and stay for the frozen cocktails such as the 1am Latte (essentially a frozen Espresso Martini made with pumpkin spice).
Address: 92 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10003, United States
Cahoots: Postal Office, London
Crazy-looking cocktails, toilets that merit videos and a drinking space that resembles the inside of an old British institution… it’s the ‘immersive experience’ known as Cahoots.
Following on from its Soho venues, the latest instalment of the Inception Group’s popular speakeasy (or ‘illicit cocktail hideout’, as the team prefers to call it) is located in Borough, and this time the concept is ‘old post office’. Within its walls, you’ll find ‘decorative items’ like carrier pigeons and undelivered letters, while cocktails are delivered to guests via a series of air-powered tubes.
When the post office environment gets a little too much, take refuge in the tea room, where you can listen in on 1946 gossip that plays from repurposed telephone switchboards.
Address: Unit 205, 18 Stoney St, London SE1 9AD
Tuxedo, Shanghai
An homage to the mystery and elegance associated with the suit and the cocktail that bear the same name, Tuxedo was opened by Robin Leung, a former senior bartender at both Coa Hong Kong and Shanghai.
Now going solo in Shanghai’s Former French Concession, Leung calls his drinks ‘postmodern cocktails’ that interpret classics using contemporary techniques and tools. For instance, a Soufflé Martini is inspired by an Espresso Martini and topped with a cloud-like foam that looks like soufflé cake.
The interior, meanwhile, includes a main narrow bar area (which resembles ‘a vintage train travelling from the western cocktail world to the east’) and a private room behind the bar, designed for those who want to be left alone and where drinks can be served directly through a small window. Other decor details include vintage bottles and cocktail books, as well as old Chinese design elements.
Dress code? Tuxedos are optional…
Address: 46 Sinan Road (Rue Massenet) Shanghai, China / 上海思南路46號, Shanghai, China
A Bar with Shapes for a Name, Bordeaux
Influential bartender Remy Savage has shipped his Shapes for Name concept from London to Bordeaux in France. Cocktails take the same – well – shape, drink for drink, and the interior is kept minimal, much like the art movement the bar is based on: Bauhaus. Think plenty of colourful shapes and symbols, but stripped back on the materials front, with everything from the lights to tables chosen for function.
As in London, guests will choose the base spirits for cocktails via a blind tasting, with options including the Kazimir, a fat-washed creation inspired by Russian artist Kazimir Malevich, which is made with vodka, absinthe and peach yogurt.
Savage expects Bordeaux to eventually carve a path of its own after a few months: “It was a fun thing to introduce ourselves to the Bordeaux market. We ask people to say out of 10 Tequilas, can you pick the best? Even if it’s the same idea as London, it’s the people in Bordeaux choosing this time. The terroir of people is going to make the bar eventually go in a completely different direction.”
Address: 17 quai des salinières – Bordeaux, France, mercredi à dimanche 18H-2H
Devil’s Cut, Madrid
From one of the most influential figures in the bar industry to another: this time it’s Shingo Gokan’s latest bar opening. With Devil’s Cut, he’s in uncharted territory – Europe. His first foray on the continent – having opened 12 venues across Asia and the US over his career – Devil’s Cut lies in Madrid’s Las Letras district, in a space sporting a cavernous atmosphere with saloon-style mirrors and lights.
Gokan has split the menu into three sections: Angel’s Classics (drinks from his time at Angel’s Share in New York, with some that still appear on the menu today); SG favourites (signature serves from his bars in Tokyo, Okinawa, Shanghai and Hong Kong); and Devil’s Exclusives. For Devil’s Exclusives, Gokan has adapted his approach to Spain with a list of Sherry cocktails, including a PX Highball and a Jamón Ibérico Fashioned, which is fat-infused and garnished with Ibérian ham. Gokan spent his early days as a bartender at a venue called Sherry Museum in Ginza, Tokyo, so you could call the Sherry focus a return to his roots.
The bar also marks the most challenging opening of his career, he told us: “But at the same time, it’s a good challenge and more fun to open up a new market as well. We are probably the first internationally influenced cocktail bar to arrive here [in Madrid], and I hope a lot more bars and bartenders can come in and join us in the challenge.”
Address: C. del León, 3, Centro, 28014 Madrid, Spain
Bamboo Bar by Trader Vic’s, Miami
Trader Vic’s Hospitality Group’s proficiency in tiki bars can be found on full display again with Bamboo Room, which is newly opened inside South Beach’s Esme Hotel.
This time, the interior is smarter and sleeker than your usual Trader Vic’s, with the concept said to ‘embrace escapism’ – which, beyond the tropical decor that’s both tranquil and eclectic in equal measure, is easily done when faced with the bar’s big book of rum-based cocktails, many of which are served in proper tiki mugs.
Drinks to transport you to exotic locations include the Edo Daiquiri, which takes after the first Trader Vic’s venue in Tokyo, and is made with Sancho-soaked rum, citrus and matcha mango foam; the Isle d’Abondance, which sweeps you to the shores of Seychelles through its combination of Flor De Caña, banana liqueur, passionfruit and housemade avocado syrup; and the Hinky Dinky, a clarified Mai Tai made with Zacapa 23.
If a clarified Mai Tai is a little too modern for you, there’s also the original – claimed to be invented by Trader Vic himself (full name: Victor J Bergeron), in Oakland, in 1944. It’s on the menu at the new site and is made with lime, orgeat, rock candy, orange curaçao and aged rum.
Address: 1438 Washington Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139, United States
Zum Barbarossa, London
Hailing from Amsterdam, speakeasy bar Zum Barbarrosa launched its second outpost in a Soho basement in October, promising a ‘night to remember’.
Disappear down the stairs into its sultry red-lit, cellar-like room and you’ll be able to feast on caviar-topped blinis, washed down with cocktails like a Spicy Rose Paloma and Hot Honey Highball. While it is a speakeasy, Zum Barbarrosa also hopes to create a clubbier vibe as the night goes on through live DJs and a sound system provided by L-Acoustics.
Co-founder Pep de Visscher said: “Our London speakeasy will have a similar feel to the original bar but will encompass the spirit of the city’s buzzing nightlife.”
While some may say London’s nightlife is in the middle of a bad patch, Soho seems to be in the midst of a revival; the area has overseen openings such as Archive & Myth and Little Violet Door in the second half of the year.
Address: 77 Dean St, London W1D 3SH
Bobbie’s, Sydney
After many decades ruling Sydney’s restaurant scene, veteran chef Neil Perry has finally turned to bars with Bobbie’s, which is named after Australian radio announcer Bob Rogers, inspired by his era of liquid lunches and big personalities.
Adding further glam to Sydney’s well-heeled Double Bay suburb, the underground space oozes class and sophistication, where live saxophones provide the music, the lights are dim, and the velvet chairs plush and cosy, with banquet seating coloured in a cool mint green.
As for drinks, there’s an NYC to NSW feel, with the Martini given its own dedicated part of the menu, with choices ranging from a Lychee Martini, a White Chocolate Espresso Martini and a Pornstar Martini to the bar’s namesake Bobbie’s Martini, which features Sydney’s own Hickson Road Gin.
Not after a Martini? No problem: opt for something from the aperitivo section, like Dante’s Negroni. If you’re wondering where the inspiration came from: Bobbie’s was launched in partnership with Linden Pride and Nathalie Hudson of Dante in New York, who are old friends of the Perrys.
Address: 24 Bay St, Double Bay NSW 2028, Australia
Outline, Mexico City
Mexico City can’t stop welcoming top-class cocktail bars right now, with its streak continuing at the end of September with the addition of Outline.
This one’s from husband-and-wife duo Maura and Alex Lawrence Milia, who are bringing impressive pedigree to the city, including stints at two of the world’s best bars: London’s Connaught for Maura, and Mr Lyan for Alex. Outline marks the first of a few ventures for the pair in Mexico City, with the couple partnering with Walter Meyenberg (owner of Hanky Panky and Brujas) for project number one.
The all-star team is emphasising draft cocktails for the drinks, with some 30 on tap – think quick rounds of Tomato Highballs and Guava Daiquiris – while Mexican streetwear brand Tony Delfino has been called in to contemporise the space with its team of graphic designers and visual artists. And, of course, this won’t all happen in silence. Music will play a key part in the day-to-night operation too, with a Function-One sound system being the fulcrum.
It will be one to keep an eye on for next year – something we noted in our 2025 Global Bar Report for North America.
Address: Oaxaca 99, Roma Nte. Cocteles en draft, Vinos, Comedor Mexicano, Música.
Ego Death, Manchester
New in Manchester’s Northern Quarter, Ego Death presents a no-holds-barred night out free of life’s worries (with cocktails and glasses of Champagne in hand), where, as the name suggests, you just have to leave your ego at the door. But to find that door…
Guests can locate it unmarked inside a burger takeout spot, Super Awesome (handy for after). And once behind its greasy ruse, you’ll descend into a space low-lit with a warm glow and fitted cosy corners. The bar is inspired by Manhattan life, so cocktails are of that nature; there’s The Samantha, a Champagne Cosmo named after Sex and the City’s Samantha Jones; a Pornstar Martini featuring Grey Goose, melonade, apple and passionfruit clarified through vanilla ice cream; and the Pick Me Up, which is twist on an Espresso Martini made with Jägemeister, Kahlúa, miso barley, coffee and chocolate milk.
The menu has been masterminded by former Sexy Fish bartender Cressida Lawlor, who has partnered with the team behind Manchester institution Socio Rehab to create her first bar.
Lawlor’s co-founder Beau Myers said: “The night will start civilised and transition into an anything-goes party vibe. It’s been 20 years since we opened Socio Rehab, so it seems pretty poignant to be opening another amazing cocktail bar. We changed the landscape of cocktail bar culture then and that’s something we’re trying to do again.
“We’re hoping to offer a place where everyone can leave any issues at the door, cut loose and indulge.”
Address: 12 Thomas Street, Greater Manchester M4 1DH
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