The world’s hottest bar openings from winter
Oops, it seems the bar world may have missed the ‘winter means hibernation’ memo – here are 12 of the best openings from the season.
Listening bars, dive bars, sky-high bars – it felt like winter was on a mission to tick off every venue type.
In New York, Schmuck presented a new case for having the city’s longest bar queue, while in Sydney the Maybe Sammy crew showed their rebellious streak with Little Cooler, and in Chicago, Gus’ Sip & Dip ditched the back bar altogether.
Elsewhere, cocktail capitals such as Singapore, London and Milan also welcomed in new faces.
Keep scrolling for the full list of openings from the season, and for previous roundups, see what caught our eyes last autumn and summer.
Want your new bar to be considered in our next seasonal roundup? Email info@thespiritsbusiness.com.
Lubna, Milan
Fashionable, arty and sleekly designed, Lubna fits into Milan’s bar scene like a glove (a leather Prada one, considering it’s Milan).
The team behind fellow Milan hotspot Moebius are the brains behind the operation and have gone for a cocktail lounge meets listening bar theme. The action takes place inside a previously derelict warehouse in the city’s meatpacking district, Scalo di Porta Romana.
Guests can start by parking up at the 15-foot bar with a few rounds of the house Highballs, before heading to the outdoor area/oasis shaded under the view of the planted trees, and then returning inside once the night gets under way with a DJ station playing from an impressive collection of vinyls.
A section of the cocktail list also includes drinks ‘from the grill’, which means they’ve all have in some form been touched by fire, such The Peanut and Rosemary, which incorporates its namesake ingredients with burnt lemongrass-infused Belvedere Vodka.
Address: Via Vezza d’Oglio, 14, 20139 Milano MI, Italy
Press Club, Washington DC
Also getting in on the listening bar act over winter was Press Club, which opened in Washington DC last December.
The subterranean bar – fitted with dim lights and dark tones – classifies itself as part cocktail lounge and part record bar, which is great news for all those who enjoy good cocktails with good music (i.e everyone).
Aptly-named, the Track List portion of the menu is made up of 12 à la carte cocktails presented on custom record sleeves, while the other part is called the Play List and features a cocktail tasting menu with paired bites.
Co-founder Will Patton (previously of Bresca and Jônt), said of the format: “They [the drinks and the tunes] are arranged much like a record, starting with hit singles and crowd-pleasers, followed by deep cuts, and ending with more experimental, out-of-the-box creations.
“We hope to capture the intrinsic link between music and drinks that so many people naturally enjoy.”
Address: 1506 19th St NW, Washington, DC 20036, US
Gus’ Sip & Dip, Chicago
Opened in River North, Gus’ Sip & Dip is looking to follow in the footsteps of the classic taverns that were around 50 years ago – which might sound like a backwards step, but it’s about “trying to make the place feel like it has a familiar aesthetic and vibe”, beverage director Kevin Beary explained to us when the bar opened at the turn of the year.
It’s also about doing what you can to provide the best possible experience in a cost-conscious environment. The price of cocktails has shot up in recent years (above US$20, ouch) and Beary is manoeuvring around this by borrowing from the playbook that the city’s old taverns once used: no back bar. That means there’s no wall stacked with spirits – instead, guests have clear sight of one another from across the central bar – and just the one spirit is used to represent each category. For example, Tanqueray No. 10 for gin and its designated cocktails the Martini and Clover Club.
This also means the bar can work within a healthier budget and the customer pays a much less scary US$12 (plus tax) for their cocktail. Everyone wins.
Address: 51 W Hubbard St Suite 100, Chicago, IL 60654, US
Bar Somma, Singapore
Located in New Bahru, Bar Somma has charmed Singapore’s cocktail goers by way of modern Italian luxury since its opening at the tail end of last year.
Unsurprising, as it’s hard to resist the allure of Italian leather and stone, timber and peach upholstery, which all make appearances on the design front, and classic aperitivo serves, which provide a solid starting point for the drinks.
For guests who want to roll up their sleeves and get a little more complicated, bar manager Mel Chavez has reimagined Italy’s signatures, and we’re talking both dishes and drinks. A Dirty Martini riff – the Mirko Martini – is served at -7°C and garnished with anchovy-stuffed olives and Parmigiano, while the Bolognese Muse seeks to ‘capture Italy’s beloved pasta in liquid form’ blending whisky, tomato shrub and beef consommé, and clarifying those for a ‘clean and herbaceous’ finish.
Address: 46 Kim Yam Rd, #04-02A New Bahru, Singapore 239351
Bar Bota
Osaka has a spectacular skyline and Bar Bota gives guests one the better views of it from its 37th floor domain at the Four Seasons Hotel.
A strong argument can also made that the view looks even better with one of the bar’s Japanese-inspired cocktails in hand, which celebrate the city’s local botanicals. These are designed by bar manager Andrei Marcu and include the crystal clear Dotonbori Slider (inspired by the Japanese Slipper cocktail) and a Umeboshi Martini that’s made with Japanese flavours in red ume-washed gin, bonito, and umami bitters, alongside Martini Bianco Vermouth.
Wash these down, slowly, and soak up the city below.
Address: Japan, 〒530-0003 Osaka, Kita Ward, 37/F2 Chome−4−32 Dojima
Shy Shy, New York
A new opening in Manhattan’s Chelsea, Shy Shy comes from Krissy Harris and Marissa Cheshier, who are also behind the bar around the corner, Jungle Bird.
Both concepts aim to transport visitors to the pair’s favourite holiday destinations from their childhoods, with Jungle Bird envisioning a tropical vacation and now Shy Shy, inspired by their cabin getaways in the West Coast. The space decked out with fresco-style paintings and dreamy sunset lighting.
While it sounds like Harris and Cheshier lived the life when they were kids, they know their drinks too, and have (understandably) placed an emphasis on Martinis. A Dirty Chai-tini is an Espresso Martini riff made with an aged rum, chai spices and orange oil, while a Caesar Martini uses Ketel One vodka that’s been infused with lemon peel, black pepper, shiitake mushroom, salt, and then fat-washed with extra virgin olive oil. It’s then garnished with romaine leaf, parmesan curl and boquerones to complete to complete the metamorphosis from salad to cocktail.
With Martinis and a beach vacation-inspired bliss, you can’t really go wrong when in need of an escape from New York’s hustle and bustle.
Address: 169 8th Ave, New York, NY 10011, US
Little Cooler, Sydney
The creators of Maybe Sammy have gone all underground dive bar on us with their latest project, Little Cooler.
While Maybe Sammy is smart and suited, this is the team channelling their 90s rock and post-punk era, so it’s grittier, grungier and just a bit more rebellious. Guests can find it down a neon-lit basement on Clarence Street, small in size (not stature) and soundtracked to rock and old-school hip-hop – so don’t expect a mellow night.
And as it’s Maybe Sammy, there are world-class cocktails on offer too. The Breakfast Martini is made with gin, orange wine triple sec and whipped avocado oil, while a Sex on the Beach isn’t as you might remember it, jazzed up here with house-salted peach liqueur, orange wine, tepache, vodka and dark berry liqueur.
Little Cooler is also not going to be one of those parties that goes on for too long, as the team also only have the space for a limited time until 2026. Don’t miss out.
Address: Basment/275 Clarence St, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
Schmuck, New York
After what feels like forever (for anyone following them on social media at least), Moe Aljaff and Juliette Larrouy finally cut the ribbon on Schmuck last month.
The pair’s last permanent project – Barcelona’s Two Schmucks – was regarded as one of the world’s better bars during their time there, so their arrival in New York is being treated with the appropriate hype. The space they’ve settled on, in East Village, is split between two areas: the living room, for lengthy stays and for more people with sort of chic house party flow to it, and the kitchen, which is commanded by a long maplewood table and is geared more towards quick visits where guests can ‘dip in and out’ of multiple conversations.
The interior itself takes style points from Mid-Century Modern, Space Age and Brutalist movements, while the drinks reinterpret some of their favourite dishes, like a Fika that puts the cinnamon bun and custom into cocktail form (via Bacardi 8 and Mr Black coffee liqueur) and Bread with Tomatoes, which is described as a Grey Goose savoury Highball ‘with bread and well… tomatoes’. The Schmuck Martini makes a comeback too, with Ford’s Gin and dots of olive oil.
At the end of the day, expect high-energy service, fun times, technical but also approachable cocktails, and yes, a very long queue.
Address: 97 1st Ave., New York, NY 10003, US
Cinco, London
Say hola to Cinco.
The Dalston bar is London’s latest little agave temple, with owners Daniel Corrochio and Amy McQuarrie even transporting in liquids from Mexico that were bottled at the still.
Corrochio (one of 15 siblings) is from Jalisco and his family’s influence is said to have played a big part on how the cocktail menu has turned out. On show, The El Pichón pairs Tequila with the likes of melon liqueur and grapefruit soda, while the El Guapo matches up Espadín mezcal with vermouth and Alma Finca Mexican orange liqueur.
If you’re after something different to Tequila and Mezcal, though, head straight to the Mexican spirits section where you’ll find drinks such as the El Tejate that’s made butter fat-washed Abasolo Whisky, Nixta corn liqueur and crème de cacao.
Fitted with bare brickwork and Mexican artwork collected by its co-founders, the bar has done an admirable job of making the distance between London to Mexico not feel like a 12-hour flight.
Address: 76 Stoke Newington Road, London N16 7XB
Hush, Royal Leamington Spa
Hush is a new speakeasy that timewarps its guests to the 1920s during the Prohibition era, though thankfully, as it’s 2025, a few Old Fashioneds are legally allowed here and we don’t have to keep it a secret.
Situated – some might say ‘discreetly’ – in the town of Leamington Spa, in Warwickshire, the speakeasy counts 13 gins 13 rums and 25 whiskies among its spirits selection, so there’s more than enough on offer to tuck yourself away in a clandestine corner for a few hours listening to live jazz.
Bar manager Bethany Gaunt said “it’s not just about the drinks themselves”, however. Hush’s design takes after Gatsby-style Art Deco with murals and artworks recreated by local artist Gemma Grao.
“The entire experience: from the moment you find the unmarked door and order your first drink to the minute that you leave. What we have here has the wow factor as well, it is visually spectacular,” Gaunt added.
Address: Somewhere in Leamington Spa (2 The Terrace, Royal Leamington Spa, Leamington Spa CV31 3AB)
Extra Dirty, Boston
Boston’s Extra Dirty cuts out all the potential things that can go wrong in the bar experience – no fighting over the bill, no second guessing your cocktail order and of course, no scenario where you forget to pay the bill.
That’s because the concept adopts a fixed-priced format where guests pay US$90 per person for a ticket before entry and receive an aperitivo (a daily rotating porthole infusion), multiple cocktail courses, and a selection of small plates, such as beef meatballs and handmade pasta. This, the bar explained, dodges the ‘transactional nature often found in dining and drinking experiences’.
In short, perfect for date night.
Address: 326b Commercial St, Boston, MA 02109, US
Baptist Street Rec, Sydney
If you didn’t live through those hazy, care-free Australia summers of the 1980s and 1990s, you’ll feel like you did after a visit to Baptist Street Rec Club.
The neighbourhood bar – located in the suburb of Redfern – taps into the nostalgia of that time with offbeat decor (think old gig flyers and movie posters) and imaginative serves that twist the classics, like a Breakfast Martini made with a spiced pineapple marmalade and a toast garnish.
Of the approach, beverage director Jason Williams said: “We’ve created a venue that’s for the people, not the bartenders”.
His menu co-creator, Dan Cramsie, meanwhile, added: “In a time when we’re all feeling the squeeze, we want this bar to be an escape from the rat race. You’re at Baptist Street Rec Club for a good time, and the great drinks are an added bonus.”
Address: Corner of Cleveland &, Baptist St, Redfern NSW 2011, Australia
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