London’s Connaught Bar top the Best Bar’s List of 2020

The Connaught Bar wins the Best Bar of 2020 title despite the unstable condition of the times. Nevertheless, it was forced to close its doors again.

The Connaught Bar has been named the Best Bar of 2020. This comes after England had to declare a 4-week lockdown to halt the resurgence of COVID-19 cases in the country. Thus, the exclusive bar had to close its doors to awaiting customers even when it merely reopened in mid-September.

Picking the best bar of the year was altered, as well. Last year’s event was a stand-up gig at London’s famous Roadhouse. Journalists and the industry’s known personalities gathered for the celebration, complete with typical soiree of sorts. 2020’s version, however, was completely different as everyone who had a say had to make do with today’s new normal meeting place, Zoom.

In spite of the hugely diminished revelry, Connaught’s Agostino Perrone and the whole bar’s team of employees are extremely pleased with their victory.  “It’s the achievement we’ve been looking for,” gushes Perrone.

Already considered a Mayfair institution, the Connaught Hotel opened its doors to the public way back in 1815 with the former name, Prince of Saxe Coburg Hotel. Its 1920s-style bar is also an impressive experience.

The Connaught bar has been a consistent feature in the past 11 year’s Best Bars lists, although it is only this year that it was able to get the most yearned for topmost title. Maura Milia, the bar’s assistant manager shares that consistency and quality have been the guiding principles of the establishment. These could be deciphered when ordering the best bar’s iconic martini—a drink that can still be ordered via takeaway.

The on-going COVID-19 pandemic has heavily impacted the hospitality industry this year. All over the world, various bars and hotels needed to close particularly during the early months of the crisis. Due to the need to stop the exponential spread of the disease, physical distancing and quarantine procedures were put in place. For months, bars and other similar businesses had to shift to takeaway service and crowds were discouraged from mingling about.

Giorgio Bargiani, the best bar’s senior mixologist praises the Connaught Hotel for its unrelenting support as employees and customers had to connect via the internet, replacing the age-old routine of in-house service. Perrone looks forward to next year as he hopes that the gradual easing of lockdowns will permit them to reopen once more. “Recognition is always an injection of energy, an injection of creativity,” he asserts.

The World’s Best Bar Academy is populated by 540 bar experts coming from all over the world. They are equally halved by gender, as well. Judging occurred between January 2019 until March 2020, abruptly curtailed by the unprecedented onset of the pandemic. Voting happened earlier in July.

The Best Bar title was fought over by New York and London, although Asia had its representatives with 4 of Singapore’s bars appearing in the top 15 list. “We’re looking at a whole lot of options, because we think that 50 Best has an important role to play in promoting the hospitality sector in what are very challenging times. The precise way we do that is going to keep evolving,” posits William Drew, 50 Best’s director of content explains.