Sips
Cocktail bar · l'Antiga Esquerra de l'Eixample
C/ de Muntaner, 108, L'Eixample, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
Highlights
World's best cocktail bar: creative, playful, and theatrical drinks.
World's best cocktail bar: creative, playful, and theatrical drinks.
"The line outside Sips is the first hint that something special is afoot, and the second is the doorperson telling you that you won’t get in without a reservation. This sexy, intimate cocktail lounge has an advanced booking system, but seats sell out quickly and some punters try to walk in on the night. Everyone is here for the cocktails made with minimal gimmicks, shaken or stirred either at the island bar or right at your table. Yes, you’ll still find non-melting ice that cools a perfectly balanced bergamot Negroni without watering it down—but their stunts feel intentional. If you’re someone who would name your first-born Margarita, consider the liquid tasting menu at Esencia, Sips’ bar within a bar (10 sips for €75, or 15 sips for €97)." - isabelle kliger
"The line outside Sips is the first hint that something special is afoot, and the second is the doorperson telling you that you won’t get in without a reservation. This sexy, intimate cocktail lounge has an advanced booking system, but seats sell out quickly and some punters try to walk in on the night. Everyone is here for the cocktails made with minimal gimmicks, shaken or stirred either at the island bar or right at your table. Yes, you’ll still find non-melting ice that cools a perfectly balanced bergamot Negroni without watering it down or icy fruit pearls that add flavor and texture to a colorful drink made with lychee, rhubarb, lemongrass, and bone-dry fino sherry—but the stunts feel intentional. If you’re someone who would name your first-born Margarita, consider the liquid tasting menu at Esencia, Sips’ bar within a bar (10 sips for €75, or 15 sips for €97)." - Isabelle Kliger
"A Barcelona "drinkery house" that shot to international acclaim after opening in 2021 and claiming the top spot on the World’s 50 Best Bars list in 2023 (currently ranked number three for 2024). The menu is deliberately split into five sections — eccentric, art, seasonal, pret a porter, and “classips” — and the drinks skew playful and thoughtful: Bubble, a take on the pornstar martini that features, yes, bubbles; and the Blanc cocktail, which combines Fundador brandy with pine nuts, raisins, and freeze-dried spinach. The selection of “classips” pays homage to cocktail favorites that Caporale and Sips co-owner Marc Alvarez called “98 percent of a classic cocktail with a 2 percent Sips philosophy.” Co-owner Marc Alvarez honed his cocktail background with 10 years working with the Adrià brothers of El Bulli, and Simone Caporale brings a decorated résumé — during his time at the Artesian inside the Langham in London it was named the best bar on the World’s 50 Best Bars list four years in a row (2012–2015), and Caporale was named International Bartender of the Year at the 2014 Spirited Awards. The team also opened Esencia in 2024, a separate bar within the Sips space that serves a tasting-menu format of drinks." - Dianne de Guzman
"If you're walking in the door, chances are you have been standing outside in line for quite some time. SIPS was named the number one bar in the world by 50 Best in 2023, turning what was already a popular spot into a place of pilgrimage for cocktail lovers. And deservedly so. Once inside, the vibe is upbeat and lively but—thanks to a strict all-seating policy—it never gets chaotic or hectic. There are two types of modern cocktail bars: the ones that are all about the performance, and others that let the booze do the talking; SIPS belongs to the latter category. That’s not to say that SIPS co-founders Simone Caporale and Marc Álvarez take presentation any less seriously—but the overall experience focuses more on storytelling than theatrics. There's the complex, blood-red Primordial, made from whisky, Port, and nashi pear, served in a pair of metal hands representing the primordial human drinking tool. Or try the refreshing Krypta that comes in an oval-shaped, greenery-adorned vessel with an opening that drinkers must place over their nose and mouth to breathe in the fresh herbaceous scent while sipping. These are flavors that will stay with you long after you have rolled back out into the street." - Isabelle Kliger, Naren Young
"First impression? If you're walking in the door, chances are you have been standing outside in line for quite some time. SIPS was named the number one bar in the world by 50 Best in 2023 , turning what was already a popular spot into a place of pilgrimage for cocktail lovers. And deservedly so. Once inside, the vibe is upbeat and lively but—thanks to a strict all-seating policy—it never gets chaotic or hectic. How’s the crowd? Global fame has turned SIPS into a must-visit destination. However, due to the aforementioned line outside, a certain level of commitment is required to get in. Most patrons are die-hard cocktail lovers from around the world, who were willing to brave the wait to come here. How are the drinks? There are two types of modern cocktail bars: the ones that are all about the performance, and others that let the booze do the talking; SIPS belongs to the latter category. That’s not to say that SIPS co-founders Simone Caporale and Marc Álvarez take presentation any less seriously—but the overall experience focuses more on storytelling than theatrics. Like the complex, blood-red Primordial, made from whisky, Port and nashi pear, served in a pair of metal hands, representing the primordial human drinking tool. Or the refreshing Krypta that comes in an oval-shaped, greenery-adorned vessel with an opening that drinkers must place over their nose and mouth to breathe in the fresh herbaceous scent while sipping. These are flavors that will stay with you long after you have rolled back out into the street. If there’s food, is it worth ordering something to eat? A full bar menu featuring everything from olives to a deeply satisfying serving of pâté en croûte, a decadent French-style pâté wrapped in a flaky pastry dough. Did the staff do you right? Caporale and Álvarez run a tight ship and their staff seem to take as much pride in their creations as they do. Wrap it up: what are we coming here for? SIPS has been named the number one bar in the world with good reason. If you only visit one cocktail joint in Barcelona, make it this one." - Isabelle Kliger
