MR PORTER’S guide to the best under-the-radar places to drink.

What do the bars we might consider to be good have in common? Relatively little. You would expect the drinks to be delicious, of course, and well made, with high-quality ingredients. You would hope for knowledgeable, skilled bartenders who look like they want to be there. Everything else, really, is subjective. One man’s idea of a good time is perching on a cushioned chair in the lobby of a grand hotel perusing a cocktail list as long as his arm, packed full of ingredients he can’t pronounce. Another’s is sitting in a dive bar in an unloved part of town drinking largeritas. Each to his own. Which is all well and good, but, if there is no set formula, it makes the business of recommendations and “best bar” lists a bit tricky.

If we were to listen to anyone’s opinion above all others, however, few people are more qualified to speak on the topic of bars than those who work in them. So, let us raise a glass to Where Bartenders Drink, which follows on from Phaidon’s bestselling insider guides Where Chefs Eat and Where To Eat Pizza. Published today, Where Bartenders Drink is, as you might expect, a collection of the world’s best bartenders talking about their favourite places to drink. In the introduction, author Ms Adrienne Stillman says the book covers 700 bars mentioned by 225 bartenders. Many well-known establishments found on The World’s 50 Best Bars list feature – whether it be The American Bar in London or Employees Only in New York. So, we thought we would surface a few slightly less celebrated places in the hope that you discover somewhere new. Scroll down to find out more. Or pick up a copy of the book here.

Recommended by Mr Dale DeGroff, founding president, Museum Of The American Cocktail, New Orleans.

“A bartender’s bar, open 365 days a year. They used to close for only two hours each day, to mop the floors… It’s always open and there are always people.”

915 3rd Avenue New York 10022 ** pjclarkes.com **

Recommended by Ms Amanda Boucher, head bartender, Pas De Loup, Paris.

“Favourite neighbourhood bar by far. I’m lucky enough to live in the same neighbourhood as this quirky place. Cocktails are spot on, beer flows on tap, and negronis are €5. The vibe is great as well, music, clientele (usually) and the staff… What else can you ask for?”

1 bis Rue de la Forge Royale **Paris 75011

facebook.com/RedHouseBarParis **

Recommended by Mr Denzel Heath, head of the MMI Bar Academy, Dubai.

“The Blind Pig is situated above the Social Eating House, and pretty much inconspicuous other than the sign outside the building stating ‘optometrist’… The bar team is on point, the drinks are creative and edgy, and the ambience is exactly what one expects in a 1920s-themed dram house.”

58 Poland Street London W1 ** socialeatinghouse.com **

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