Well, what a year Sydney cocktail bar Maybe Sammy has had. Overnight at the World’s 50 Best Bars ceremony held in London it was announced that Maybe Sammy landed at number 43 on the prestigious list.
Maybe Sammy is the only Australian bar to land in the top 50 this year, but there were four Australian bars in the full top 100 list: Bulletin Place (66), The Baxter Inn (79), Black Pearl (80), and PS40 (95).
“We are blown away that Maybe Sammy has been so well received by our national and international peers,” says co-owner Stefano Catino. “To be named as one of The World’s Best 50 Bars is such an honour, especially within our first year. We had a clear vision for Maybe Sammy and are very grateful to our amazing team for bringing it to life. We really couldn’t have done it without them.”
The number one bar in the world this year changed hands once again, and this year went to expat Australians Linden Pride and Nathalie Hudson’s New York bar, Dante, which is headed. up by fellow Australian Naren Young.
Expat Aussie San Ross’ Attaboy also featured again on the list this year, with the New York bar landing at number seven on the list.
The result for Maybe Sammy tops off a stellar year of awards for the ‘hotel bar minus the hotel’ as it is billed. Maybe Sammy was awarded Cocktail Bar of the Year and Bar Team of the Year at the 2019 Bartender Magazine Australian Bar Awards held last month, and in July picked up the award for Best New International Cocktail Bar at the Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards.
The Bartenders’ Bartender award this year went to Monica Berg, formerly of Himkok, Norway, but who is now co-owner of Tayer + Elementary in London.
Take a look at the full list below.
1. Dante, New York – best bar in North America
2. Connaught Bar, London – best bar in Europe
3. Floreria Atlantico, Buenos Aires – best bar in South America
4. The NoMad, New York
5. The American Bar London – legend of the list award
6. The Clumsies, Athens
7. Attaboy, New York
8. Atlas, Singapore – best bar in Asia
9. The Old Man, Hong Kong
10. Licoreria Limantour, Mexico City
11. Manhattan, Singapore
12. Native, Singapore – sustainability award
13. Carnaval, Peru – highest new entry
14. Katana Kitten, New York – new entry
15. Guilhotina, Sao Paulo – new entry
16. Three Sheets, London
17. Himkok, Oslo
18. Bar High Five, Tokyo
19. Salmon Guru, Madrid – highest climber award
20. Paradiso, Barcelona
21. Indulge Experimental Bistro, Taipei
22. The Dead Rabbit, New York
23. Coupette, London
24. The SG Club, Tokyo – new entry
25. Dr Stravinsky, Barcelona – new entry
26. Employees Only, New York
27. El Copitas, St Petersburg
28. Scout, London
29. Jigger & Pony, Singapore – new entry
30. Operation Dagger, Singapore
31. Baba Au Rum, Athens
32. La Factoria, San Juan
33. Presidente, Buenos Aires
34. Schumann’s, Munich
35. Speak Low, Shanghai
36. Little Red Door, Paris
37. Tjoget, Stockholm – new entry
38. The Old Man, Singapore – new entry
39. Lyaness, London
40. Happiness Forgets, London
41. Swift, London
42. Trick Dog, San Francisco
43. Maybe Sammy, Sydney – best bar in Australasia
44. 1930, Milan
45. Sober Company, Shanghai – new entry
46. Electric Bing Sutt, Beirut – best bar in the Middle East and Africa
47. Kwant, London – new entry
48. Artesian, London
49. COA, Hong Kong – new entry
50. Jerry Thomas Speakeasy, Rome