By Adrian Spinelli
The prestigious “World’s 50 Best Bars” list has been announced by Drinks International and two San Francisco haunts are gracing the list. Hayes Valley-ish Tiki/rum/pirate themed Smuggler’s Cove has checked-in again this year at #16 and fast-rising Mission bar, Trick Dog is a newcomer to the list at #33. For the third year in a row, the top bar in the world is London’s Artesian.
Smuggler’s is up a whopping 14 spots from last year’s #30 ranking and is a marquee destination for rum drinkers. Especially if you like really big ass punch bowls filled with rum and other sweet stuff that barely makes it seem like you’re drinking booze.
The Trick Dog selection truly represents SF bar culture. They seem to be pulling all the right strings drink-wise; The “Coit Tower” is the perfect blend of herbal and fruit tones around rye whiskey (order it, thank me later) and their food options have only gotten better with the addition of Executive Chef Michael Logan. The wood panelling throughout creates a speakeasy feel that’s a signature of San Francisco’s best bars.
This begs the question of “Where the heck are Bourbon & Branch and Rickhouse?” Bourbon & Branch is responsible for championing the wave of quality speakeasy cocktail lounges in San Francisco and it’s curious that it doesn’t appear on the list. Maybe it takes the speakeasy concept too far, by “recommending” quiet conversation from its patrons. But this isn’t an issue at it’s sister bar Rickhouse, which boasts a jaw-dropping collection of whiskeys from around the world and some of the most delicious cocktail creations around. SOMA’s Bar Agricole is also a candidate for a future nod with Thad Vogler’s creative cocktails, paired with a comprehensive Euro/Cali fusion menu.
A glance at winner Artesian’s exceptional drinks list shows an absence of rye and bourbon-based cocktails, which highlights a characteristic of American bars to incorporate the spirit in addition to classic gin, vodka, and ordial-focused concoctions. But it should be noted that the US dominated the list with 16 out of the 50 selections and 9 of the 14 “new entries.” If this trend continues into next year, expect to see more than two SF bars on this list.
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Via CNN, photo by Sierra Hartman
