Thirsty for a drink paired with an appreciative welcome and maybe even camaraderie?
Have a look my Best of 2018 list of my favourite bars sidled up to this year (with entries from London, Edinburgh Dublin, Cleveland and the Texas Hill Country).
Please note, this list merely reflects how I chose to spend my time during the year and is comprised of well established and brand new venues as well as businesses that are somehow related to where work and play took me.
Items appear in alphabetic order, not ranked.
Best Bars in London
Behind This Wall
411 Mare Street, E8 1HY
This dimly lit and snug basement bar in Clapton does inventive drinks with lots of made-in-house syrups and such. Atmosphere is relaxed.
Behind This Wall is also listed in my ‘best of’ list for Cocktails.
Bottles Wine Bar
67 Brushfield Street, E1 6AA
Opened this year, Bottles Wine Bar at Old Spitalfields Market does a smart wine list with a wine-smart staff and brilliant kitchen preparing perfect plates for pairing The Bottles wine list isn’t lengthy but expresses deep knowledge and appreciation (particularly when it comes to Italian wines), which reflects the fact that every member of the staff is a sommelier.
Dukes Bar
Dukes Hotel, 35 St James’s Place, SW1A 1NY
Arguably London’s most elegant bar serving arguably the word’s best martini, Dukes is an upscale institution.
Passyunk Avenue
80 Cleveland Street, W1T 6NE
A South Philly themed sports bar? In Fitzrovia? Yup. And in addition to being the only place in London serving a Citywide Special (that I’m aware of), it’s a welcoming watering hole for quality beers and excellent bona fide cheesesteaks.
The Shrub & Shutter
336 Coldharbour Lane, Brixton, London SW9 8QH
I’ve heard great things about the food here, but my visit was late night and in search of “one more for the road” a few months back. Sadly off my radar before that, this rustic Brixton bar serves thoughtfully made cocktails with novel house-made ingredients.
The Tapas Room
Unit 3, Broadway Market, 29 Tooting High St, London SW17 0RJ
Smart stop in South London for top of the line tapas and an impressive Spanish wine list compiled with a connoisseur’s knowledge and a chef’s sensibility. There’s a sister bar recently opened in Deptford that I’m dying to get to.
Tapping the Admiral
77 Castle Road, NW1 8SU
This old school Kentish Town pub seems to be everything a local boozer should be, with everything a pub should provide: a excellent line up of Real Ales and craft beers, beautiful Victorian furnishings, a ragtag assemblage of stools, tables and chairs, a wood-burning fireplace, a resident cat, lots of board games and assorted clutter.
This is the second time that Tapping the Admiral has made the ‘best of’ list for Bars and Pubs.
Best Bars Beyond London
11th Street Cowboy Bar
307 11th Street, Bandera, Texas 78003, USA
On the main drag in Bandera, Texas, the 11th Street Cowboy Bar is small saloon with a giant outdoor stage and lots of cozy spots for enjoying a drink under the stars (and they do indeed shine bright deep in the heart of Texas Hill Country). I was there on BYO steak night and loved my evening of watching line dancing, drinking cold beers, and sharing in communal grilling.
Arkey Blue’s Silver Dollar
308 Main Street Bandera, Texas 78003, USA
The “other bar” in downtown Bandera, Arkey’s claim to fame is that it is the oldest continuously operated honkytonk in Texas. Owner Arkey is something of a country music legend and so have been many of this bar’s guests. When you go, look for the table where Hank Williams (Senior) carved his name.
Fish Shop, Benburb Street
76 Benburb Street, Dublin 7, D07 X3PN, Ireland
Back to basic menu augmented by an extraordinary wine list, the austere little fish shop and wine bar in Dublin is an ideal setting for those times when you want to focus on simple high quality food and drink.
Happy Dog at the Euclid Tavern
11625 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA
Word is the University Circle bar has recently closed, but the original Happy Dog on the other side of Cleveland remains open and remains a stalwart of the Detroit Shoreway scene. Craft beer, gourmet hotdogs and an enlightened and eclectic lineup of live music and thought provoking events to encourage community cohesion won my heart over for Happy Dog.
Holyrood 9a
9A Holyrood Road, Edinburgh EH8 8AE, UK
Old atmospheric pub with excellent craft beer selection and amazing burger menu … candles … creaky floors.
Piglet Wine Bar
5 Cow’s Lane, Dublin 8, D08 F959, Ireland
This easygoing and comfy eatery on the edge of Temple Bar has kitchen leaning on local produce and mostly Mediterranean cookery and a quaff filled list of quality wines and spirits.
O’Donoghue’s Pub
15 Merrion Row, Dublin 2, D02 PF50, Ireland
O’Donoghue’s sets the template for what an Irish pub is supposed to be. And if you like traditional Irish folk music, there are few finer places to hear performed.
Superelectric Pinball Parlor
6500 Detroit Ave, Cleveland, Ohio 44102, USA
A couple of dozen pinballs machines ranging from antique to contemporary, craft beer and fried chicken: I’m not sure life gets much better than that. Whiling away some time with $5 worth of tokens lasted relaxingly longer than I expected anticipated at the Cleveland bar.
Honourable Mentions
- The Briton’s Protection, 50 Great Bridgewater Street, Manchester M1 5LE, UK
- Grocery Wine Vault, 52-56 Kingsland Road, London E2 8DP, UK
- The Bar at Luckenbach, Texas, 412 Luckenbach Town Loop, Fredericksburg, TX 78624, USA
- Trader Vic’s, Hotel Bayerischer Hof, Promenadeplatz 4, 80333 München, Germany
- Whiski Bar & Restaurant, 119 High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1SG, UK
More of the Best of 2018 to follow!
