Two Australian bars have been announced in the top 50 most influential bars, with Sydney’s Maybe Sammy coming in at 16th, and Melbourne’s Caretaker’s Cottage at 47th.
It marks a successful year for the two bars, with Caretaker’s Cottage also announced 19th in The World’s 50 Best Bars 2025 list, and Maybe Sammy at 42nd.
The most influential bars list, according to Top 500 Bars, was revealed at a ceremony in Florence overnight.
The list is determined through data collected from more than 2,000 sources across 125 cities in 53 countries. Those sources include journalists, industry experts, online reviews, search engines, and social media channels.
Maybe Sammy co-founder Stefano Catino said the recognition was both humbling and affirming.
“What makes this list special is that it’s built on data — on what people are searching for, talking about, and sharing,” says Catino.
“To see Maybe Sammy continue to resonate with guests around the world is really humbling. It’s a reflection of how people feel when they visit, and that’s the part that matters most to us.”
Panda & Sons in Edinburgh was crowned in the top spot of the influential bars list.
Maybe Sammy has previously come in at number eight on the list in 2024, and first in 2023.
See the top 50 below:
1 Panda & Sons, Edinburgh
2 Paradiso, Barcelona
3 Bar Leone, Hong Kong
4 Handshake Speakeasy, Mexico City
5 Jigger & Pony, Singapore City
6 Himkok, Oslo
7 Tayēr + Elementary, London
8 Alquimico, Cartagena
9 Moebius, Milan
10 Sips, Barcelona
11 Salmon Guru, Madrid
12 Connaught Bar, London
13 Tres Monos, Buenos Aires
14 The Cambridge Public House, Paris
15 Locale, Florence
16 Maybe Sammy, Sydney
17 Danico, Paris
18 Bar Nouveau, Paris
19 Tan Tan, Sao Paulo
20 Baba au Rum, Athens
21 Scarfes, London
22 Satan’s Whisker, London
23 CoChinChina, Buenos Aires
24 Angelita, Madrid
25 Zest, Seoul
26 Hope & Sesame, Guangzhou
27 Drink Kong, Rome
28 COA, Hong Kong
29 Dr. Stravinsky, Barcelona
30 Bar Us, Bangkok
31 Gucci Giardino, Florence
32 The Clumsies, Athens
33 Tlecan, Mexico City
34 Devil’s Cut, Madrid
35 Superbueno, New York
36 Jewel of the South, New Orleans
37 Freni e Frizioni, Rome
38 Atlas, Singapore
39 Nouvelle Vague, Tirana
40 Lyaness, London
41 Camparino in Galleria, Milan
42 Bar Benfiddich, Tokyo
43 Eximia, Sao Paulo
44 Lady Bee, Lima
45 Bemelmans Bar, New York
46 Mirror Bar, Bratislava
47 Caretaker’s Cottage, Melbourne
48 Spy Bar, London
49 Double Chicken Please, London
50 Red Frog, Lisbon
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