Behind an unassuming black door marked “13” in Colonia Juarez, Mexico City, lies the best bar in the world: Handshake Speakeasy. Since opening in 2019, the bar has evolved from its original Polanco roots into a world-class destination, complete with a newly expanded basement space that complements its upstairs Art Deco-inspired lounge. They also swiped the title of No. 1 on the lists of World’s 50 Best Bars and North America’s 50 Best Bars (twice now), amid numerous other prestigious global awards.
With creative direction from Eric Van Beek, the team constantly pushes boundaries of modern molecular mixology. Each cocktail coming out of their avant-garde, on-site laboratory is meticulously crafted with flavours that are mind-blowingly complex, yet familiar at the same time. The Brown Butter Mushroom Old Fashioned, for instance, is a masterclass in balance—rich, boozy, with just enough savoury notes from the mushroom. It’s not overly complicated on the palate, yet you can’t help but crave another sip, even months later. The Mexi-Thai is another classic from the menu, a Thai-curry-meets-Mexican-ingredients in a cocktail form. It’s vibrant, layered and delicious.
With that level of creativity and flawless execution, combined with the high-energy Mexican hospitality—we even played “caja de toques” with the bartenders as we were polishing off every drop of our cocktail—it’s easy to see why Handshake Speakeasy earned the top spot on the Best Bars list(s). The only challenge? How many cocktails can you try within the 90-minute seating time?
—by Viranlly Liemena
