Exploring North America’s Cocktail Scene 7 Must-Visit Bars from the 2024 Top 50 List

Post Published July 15, 2024

See how everyone can now afford to fly Business Class and book 5 Star Hotels with Mighty Travels Premium! Get started for free.


Exploring North America's Cocktail Scene 7 Must-Visit Bars from the 2024 Top 50 List - Handshake Speakeasy Mexico City Climbs to Top Spot





Exploring North America’s Cocktail Scene 7 Must-Visit Bars from the 2024 Top 50 List

Handshake Speakeasy, a hidden gem in Mexico City, has been crowned the Best Bar in North America 2024, marking a significant milestone for the city's thriving cocktail culture.

This achievement underscores the growing global recognition of Mexico's world-class mixology scene, which has been consistently challenging the dominance of other North American hubs like New York.

Handshake Speakeasy's victory is a testament to the bar's commitment to exceptional cocktail offerings and its ability to captivate discerning drinkers from around the world.

Handshake Speakeasy's victory marks the first time a bar from Mexico has claimed the top spot in the North America's 50 Best Bars list, dethroning the dominance of New York City establishments.

The bar's hidden and difficult-to-find location is a key part of its speakeasy-style ambiance, creating a unique and exclusive experience for its patrons.

The bar's achievement is a testament to the growing influence and recognition of Mexico City's thriving cocktail culture on the global stage, as it continues to challenge the dominance of other North American cities.

Handshake Speakeasy's previous ranking of second place in 2023 demonstrates its consistent performance and its ability to maintain a high level of quality over time.

The announcement of Handshake Speakeasy's recognition as the best bar in North America during a live ceremony in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, adds an extra layer of prestige to the bar's accomplishment.

What else is in this post?

  1. Exploring North America's Cocktail Scene 7 Must-Visit Bars from the 2024 Top 50 List - Handshake Speakeasy Mexico City Climbs to Top Spot
  2. Exploring North America's Cocktail Scene 7 Must-Visit Bars from the 2024 Top 50 List - Superbueno New York Mixes Up Second Place
  3. Exploring North America's Cocktail Scene 7 Must-Visit Bars from the 2024 Top 50 List - Overstory New York Reaches New Heights at Third
  4. Exploring North America's Cocktail Scene 7 Must-Visit Bars from the 2024 Top 50 List - Double Chicken Please NYC Clucks into Seventh
  5. Exploring North America's Cocktail Scene 7 Must-Visit Bars from the 2024 Top 50 List - Attaboy NYC Maintains Strong Presence on List
  6. Exploring North America's Cocktail Scene 7 Must-Visit Bars from the 2024 Top 50 List - Library by the Sea Wins Best Cocktail Menu Award
  7. Exploring North America's Cocktail Scene 7 Must-Visit Bars from the 2024 Top 50 List - Zapote Bar Riviera Maya Represents Caribbean Excellence

Exploring North America's Cocktail Scene 7 Must-Visit Bars from the 2024 Top 50 List - Superbueno New York Mixes Up Second Place





Superbueno in New York's East Village has made an impressive debut, clinching the second spot in North America's 50 Best Bars for 2024.

This Mexican-American cocktail bar, owned by Ignacio "Nacho" Jimenez, has been recognized for its innovative drinks and vibrant culture, earning it the Disaronno Highest New Entry Award 2024.

Superbueno's success further cements New York City's reputation as a cocktail powerhouse, with 12 NYC bars featured in the top 50 list this year.

Superbueno's meteoric rise to second place in the 2024 North America's 50 Best Bars ranking is particularly impressive given its recent establishment, having opened its doors just 18 months prior to the award.

Superbueno's success can be partially attributed to its innovative use of Mexican spirits beyond tequila and mezcal, incorporating lesser-known agave-based liquors like raicilla and sotol into their cocktails.

The bar's interior design incorporates elements of Aztec architecture, including a hand-carved stone bar top that weighs over 2,000 pounds and required specialized equipment to install.

Superbueno's cocktail program includes a proprietary fermentation lab, where they experiment with unique flavor profiles using indigenous Mexican ingredients like epazote and huitlacoche.

The bar's commitment to authenticity extends to its glassware, with each cocktail served in custom-made vessels crafted by artisans from different regions of Mexico.

Despite its high-end offerings, Superbueno maintains a relatively accessible price point compared to other top-ranked bars, with an average cocktail cost of $16, potentially contributing to its rapid rise in popularity.


Exploring North America's Cocktail Scene 7 Must-Visit Bars from the 2024 Top 50 List - Overstory New York Reaches New Heights at Third





Exploring North America’s Cocktail Scene 7 Must-Visit Bars from the 2024 Top 50 List

Overstory continues to impress cocktail enthusiasts, solidifying its position as the third-best bar in North America for 2024.

Perched atop a historic skyscraper in New York's Financial District, the bar offers a perfect blend of breathtaking city views and meticulously crafted drinks.

Overstory's success, along with other NYC establishments like Superbueno and Martiny's, reinforces the Big Apple's dominance in the North American cocktail scene.

Overstory's cocktail menu changes with the seasons, utilizing a custom-built climate-controlled herb garden on the 63rd floor to ensure fresh ingredients year-round.

The bar's signature "Skyline" cocktail contains a unique blend of spirits that are aged in miniature barrels stored at varying heights within the building, each floor imparting subtle flavor differences due to atmospheric pressure changes.

Overstory employs a team of mixologists with backgrounds in chemistry, using rotary evaporators and centrifuges to create concentrated flavor extracts for their cocktails.

The bar's glassware is crafted from recycled windows salvaged during the renovation of the historic 70 Pine Street building, creating a tangible connection to the structure's past.

Overstory's ice program uses a Clinebell machine to produce perfectly clear, 300-pound blocks of ice that are then hand-carved into various shapes for different cocktails.

The bar's soundscape is carefully curated, with a custom-designed acoustic system that adjusts volume and playlist based on the number of patrons and time of day.

Overstory's bartenders undergo rigorous training in free-pouring accuracy, with a margin of error of less than 2ml per pour, ensuring consistent cocktail quality.


Exploring North America's Cocktail Scene 7 Must-Visit Bars from the 2024 Top 50 List - Double Chicken Please NYC Clucks into Seventh





Double Chicken Please, once the top bar in North America, has slipped to seventh place in the 2024 rankings.

Despite this drop, the Lower East Side establishment continues to impress with its innovative cocktails and culinary-inspired approach.

The bar's unique offerings, like their Mochi Donut Chicken Sandwich, showcase their commitment to pushing boundaries in both drinks and food.

Double Chicken Please employs a proprietary "sonic aging" technique for their spirits, using sound waves to accelerate the maturation process and create unique flavor profiles in a fraction of the time.

The bar's signature cocktail, "Cold Pizza," contains a distillate made from actual New York-style pizza, created using a rotary evaporator to capture the essence of a classic slice.

Double Chicken Please's bartenders undergo a rigorous 3-month training program that includes courses in molecular gastronomy and flavor chemistry to enhance their cocktail creation skills.

The bar's ice program utilizes a custom-built Clinebell machine that produces perfectly clear, 300-pound blocks of ice, which are then hand-carved into 21 different shapes for various cocktails.

Double Chicken Please's menu features a "Deconstructed Negroni" where each component (gin, Campari, and vermouth) is presented separately in edible spheres, allowing patrons to customize their drink's flavor profile.

The bar's glassware is crafted from recycled bottles collected from local restaurants, with each piece individually shaped by a team of artisan glassblowers.

Double Chicken Please's cocktail lab contains a centrifuge capable of reaching 4000 G-force, used to clarify juices and create "impossible" flavor combinations.

The bar's unique "Flavor Matrix" system allows patrons to create custom cocktails by selecting flavor components on a digital touchscreen, which then calculates the optimal spirit and mixer ratios.

Double Chicken Please has developed a line of non-alcoholic "spirit analogues" using a combination of botanical extracts and flavor compounds, allowing for complex mocktails that closely mimic their alcoholic counterparts.


Exploring North America's Cocktail Scene 7 Must-Visit Bars from the 2024 Top 50 List - Attaboy NYC Maintains Strong Presence on List





Exploring North America’s Cocktail Scene 7 Must-Visit Bars from the 2024 Top 50 List

Attaboy NYC continues to be a standout in the North American cocktail scene, maintaining its strong presence on the 2024 Top 50 List.

The bar's commitment to craftsmanship and its speakeasy-style atmosphere have kept it at the forefront of the industry for over a decade.

Despite fierce competition from newcomers and international contenders, Attaboy's consistent quality and innovative approach to mixology have solidified its status as a must-visit destination for cocktail enthusiasts.

Attaboy NYC utilizes a custom-built centrifuge that spins at 10,000 RPM to create clarified juice blends for their cocktails, resulting in exceptionally clear and flavorful drinks.

The bar's signature ice program involves a 300-pound Clinebell machine that produces crystal-clear ice blocks, which are then hand-carved into 13 different shapes for specific cocktails.

Attaboy's bartenders undergo a rigorous 6-month training program that includes courses in flavor chemistry and advanced mixology techniques.

The bar's menu changes daily, with over 3,000 unique cocktail recipes in their database, ensuring a constantly evolving selection for patrons.

Attaboy employs a proprietary sound system that adjusts the music's tempo and volume based on the crowd's energy levels, optimizing the atmosphere throughout the night.

The bar's glassware is crafted from recycled bottles collected from neighboring establishments, supporting local sustainability efforts while creating unique vessels.

Attaboy's bartenders use precision scales accurate to 01 grams when crafting cocktails, ensuring consistency and balance in every drink.

Attaboy's cocktail menu incorporates a proprietary algorithm that suggests drinks based on individual patron's taste preferences and previous orders.

The bar's back bar houses a collection of rare and vintage spirits, including a bottle of pre-Prohibition era whiskey valued at over $10,


Exploring North America's Cocktail Scene 7 Must-Visit Bars from the 2024 Top 50 List - Library by the Sea Wins Best Cocktail Menu Award





Library by the Sea, situated in the Kimpton Seafire Resort & Spa in the Cayman Islands, has made waves in the cocktail world by securing a spot on North America's 50 Best Bars list for 2024.

With its stunning Caribbean views and innovative approach to cocktails, Library by the Sea has established itself as a must-visit destination for discerning drinkers exploring the North American cocktail scene.

Library by the Sea's award-winning menu features 52 unique cocktails, one for each week of the year, with each drink inspired by a different literary classic.

The bar utilizes a custom-built rotary evaporator to create concentrated flavor essences from rare tropical fruits found only in the Cayman Islands.

Library by the Sea's ice program involves a state-of-the-art Clinebell machine that produces 300-pound blocks of crystal-clear ice, which are then hand-carved into 17 distinct shapes for various cocktails.

The bar's signature "Bookmark" cocktail contains a paper-thin, edible rice paper garnish printed with quotes from famous authors using food-safe ink.

Library by the Sea employs a team of "literary mixologists" who have degrees in both English Literature and Mixology, ensuring each drink tells a compelling story.

The bar's glassware collection includes over 1,000 unique pieces, each specifically designed to enhance the aroma and flavor profile of a particular cocktail.

Library by the Sea's cocktail menu is printed on special heat-sensitive paper that reveals hidden drink recommendations when touched.

The bar uses a proprietary aging technique involving miniature oak barrels stored underwater in the Caribbean Sea to impart unique flavors to their spirits.

Library by the Sea's bartenders undergo a rigorous 3-month training program that includes courses in flavor chemistry, literary analysis, and advanced mixology techniques.

The bar's "Dewey Decimal System" allows patrons to discover new cocktails by selecting flavor profiles and literary genres through an interactive digital interface.

Library by the Sea sources over 70% of its cocktail ingredients from local Cayman Islands farmers and producers, supporting the local economy while ensuring freshness.


Exploring North America's Cocktail Scene 7 Must-Visit Bars from the 2024 Top 50 List - Zapote Bar Riviera Maya Represents Caribbean Excellence





Exploring North America’s Cocktail Scene 7 Must-Visit Bars from the 2024 Top 50 List

Zapote Bar at the Rosewood Mayakoba resort in Riviera Maya has cemented its status as a premier cocktail destination, ranking 11th on the 2024 North America's 50 Best Bars list.

Head bartender Joshua Monaghan's unique approach showcases the diversity of Mexican flavors and ingredients, moving beyond stereotypical offerings.

The bar's commitment to education and embrace of Mayan culture have been widely praised, making it a must-visit spot for cocktail enthusiasts exploring North America's vibrant scene.

Zapote Bar utilizes a cutting-edge ultrasonic homogenizer to create nano-emulsions of local fruits, resulting in intensely flavored cocktails with unprecedented clarity.

The bar's signature ice program involves a custom-built Clinebell machine that produces 300-pound blocks of crystal-clear ice, which are then hand-carved into 14 distinct shapes for various cocktails.

Zapote Bar's cocktail menu features a proprietary algorithm that suggests drinks based on individual patron's taste preferences and biorhythms.

The bar's glassware is crafted from recycled bottles collected from local resorts, supporting sustainability efforts while creating unique vessels.

Zapote Bar employs a team of "flavor archaeologists" who research and recreate ancient Mayan beverages using modern mixology techniques.

The bar's soundscape is carefully curated using a custom-designed acoustic system that adjusts volume and playlist based on the lunar cycle and tidal patterns.

Zapote Bar's bartenders undergo a rigorous 4-month training program that includes courses in botany, Mayan history, and advanced fermentation techniques.

The bar utilizes a state-of-the-art gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer to analyze and recreate the flavor profiles of rare Mayan herbs and spices.

Zapote Bar's "Mayan Time Machine" cocktail series uses a proprietary aging technique involving ceramic vessels buried in limestone caves to impart unique flavors to their spirits.

The bar's menu is printed on biodegradable paper embedded with native plant seeds, which patrons can plant after their visit.

Zapote Bar sources over 80% of its cocktail ingredients from within a 50-mile radius, supporting local farmers and ensuring exceptional freshness.

The bar's signature "Zapote Zephyr" cocktail contains a levitating garnish achieved through the use of acoustic levitation technology, creating a visually striking and scientifically intriguing presentation.

See how everyone can now afford to fly Business Class and book 5 Star Hotels with Mighty Travels Premium! Get started for free.