World's 50 Best Bars 2012 from Drinks International Announced

Drinks International tonight announced the 2012 World's 50 Best Bars, based on a polling of hundreds of the best-traveled bartenders and brand ambassadors from around the world. 

This year, the top bars were:

1. Artesian, London
2. PDT, NYC
3. Nightjar, London
4. Connaught Bar, London
5. American Bar, London
6. Death & Co, NYC
7. The Baxter Inn, Sydney
8. 69 Colebrooke Row, London
9. Calooh Callay, London
10. Bramble, Edinburgh

The full list is here.

Funny thing, last year we were critized for so many bars on the list being in New York and London (see the comments and my post here), so we made sure to expand our survey to reach even more bartenders internationally. It turns out this actually reinforced those cities. 

Hopefully in coming days they'll list the voting panel. (I was one of the people who polled the bartenders.)

And for those reading the list in San Francisco: Last year Smuggler's Cove, Tommy's Mexican Restaurant, and Bar Agricole made the list. This year, just Smuggler's Cove made it, at a very respectable #24.