Handshake Speakeasy retains its No.1 ranking to be named The Best Bar in North America 2025, sponsored by Perrier. Discover what makes this Mexico City bar so special.
Can this year live up to 2024’s extraordinary achievements for Handshake Speakeasy? If the first bars ranking of 2025 is a yardstick, the indications could not be more positive.
After topping the polls for both North America’s 50 Best Bars and then, sensationally, The World’s 50 Best Bars in 2024 – becoming the first Mexican bar to be claim the global crown – Handshake’s winning streak continues this year by taking the titles of The Best Bar in Mexico and The Best Bar in North America 2025, sponsored by Perrier.
Co-owners Eric Van Beek, Rodrigo Urraca and Marcos Di Battista could not contain their joy and surprise after the announcement in Vancouver, Canada.
Handshake Speakeasy retains its No.1 spot in the 2025 ranking
“We really can’t believe it. We were sure that we were going to drop some places this year,” says Urraca. Despite this being the third time the bar has claimed the top spot in a 50 Best ranking, Van Beek says his nerves have not improved as the countdown descends from No.50 to No.1. “It never gets better – I was dying inside,” he laughs.
Handshake’s continued success is no accident – it’s the result of a well-oiled operation that has every detail honed to a tee. “The secret is the team and unique Mexican hospitality,” says Di Battista. “Everywhere we go, we bring as many of our team with us and ensure they have a high quality of life, through good wages, education and more,” Urraca adds.
Looking forward, the Handshake team is still aiming high. “We’re going to keep pushing and keep growing,” says Urraca. “We need to create more figures internally from within Mexico’s bar scene, so we are always giving that platform to our bar team to make them stars.” Urraca revealed that Handshake will open a brand-new space within Mexico City in the coming months that will serve the bar's signature serves in a laid-back setting.
Here are some of the ways this ultimate drinking destination has stayed at the top of its game.
1. Evolving spaces.jpg)
Handshake's main bar space seats just 32 guests per sitting
As Handshake reached lofty heights on the rankings of both North America’s 50 Best Bars and The World’s 50 Best Bars, reserving a table became an increasingly difficult task for guests. Urraca acknowledged it was a ‘good problem to have’ and used the opportunity to open a new bar space inside the NH Hotel, still within the Colonia Juarez neighbourhood.
Inside, its main bar area retains all the spirit and aesthetics of its predecessor, with black and gold furnishings that hammer home The Great Gatsby-esque feel. Beneath the main space, an area that was once used for food storage made way for a new second subterranean drinkery that veers stylistically towards a contemporary Japanese izakaya, while seamlessly blended with the bar’s overarching 1920s influences. Together, the evolution of spaces has only kept the bar continuously moving upwards and improving the experience for cocktail lovers.
2. Patriotic drinks programme
The Once Upon a Time in Oaxaca is served with a lit steel wool ball
Over the last five years, Mexico’s cocktail renaissance has seen the bars of its capital shoot to stardom. At the heart of the new wave is a shared mission to fight back against dated and harmful stereotypes of their home country and its food and drink culture, and Handshake is now proudly leading this campaign.
The bar’s drinks pull from a plethora of international influences, but it remains grounded in Mexican sensibilities and a mission to highlight the very best the country has to offer. Take the Once Upon a Time in Oaxaca, for example, where mezcal is infused for eight hours with mint and absinthe as an homage to the country’s master mezcaleros. A peek at its back bar will also reveal a line-up of agave distillates from artisan producers – whether sotol, tequila, mezcal or others – proudly displayed front and centre.
3. No-fuss flavour
Despite the 1920s look and feel to the bar, Handshake’s cocktails are firmly rooted in the 21st century. The magic behind each of its lauded drinks is the bar’s on-site flavour lab, where the majority of the core components behind the deceptively simple drinks list are prepared. While all cocktails are easy-drinkers, each pour is the culmination of hours of research, development and preparation.
Take the Salt N Pepper, Handshake’s take on the paloma. At its base, the usual tequila is swapped for mezcal, which is infused with strawberries for 24 hours before being combined with an elixir of bell peppers slow-cooked with water, citric acid, sugar and wood. The resulting cocktail is one that can be prepared quickly at the point of service, but makes zero compromises on depth of flavour.
For those unable to make a decision on what to order, a selection of Handshake’s signature serves is available as miniatures to help guests explore the whole offering. Outside of the menu, the bar team is equally as happy to create any classic cocktail upon request.
4. Exclusivity and hospitality
Handshake believes the secret to its success is its team
Beyond its speakeasy-style entrance marked only by the number 13 above its door, the main bar area seats just 32 guests per service. However, reservations are now limited to 90 minutes to allow a larger crowd to enjoy the drinks each night.
The short but sweet windows ensure that each guest receives the highest calibre of personalised service. Upon entering, guests are greeted with warm shouts of ‘welcome!’, before being offered a hand towel to freshen up. From then onwards, the chatty and knowledgeable bar team ensure there’s never an empty glass or bowl of snacks in the room. After the 90 minutes have flown by, a chorus of ‘goodbye’ rings throughout the room.
5. International culinary influences
The PB&J is one of Handshake's most beloved serves, inspired by the classic American sandwich
When not in their own bar, Van Beek, Urraca and team are often found travelling the world in the pursuit of knowledge and, most importantly, flavours to bring back to bolster their own cocktail programme. But the team’s scope extends beyond just international drinks combinations, oftentimes finding ideas in the foodstuffs of the countries they visit.
The inspiration behind the Mexi-Thai – one of Handshake’s most ordered cocktails – came from Van Beek’s love of tom yum soup from Thailand. To create the cocktail, tequila is fat-washed with coconut oil and combined with a house-made makrut lime leaf distillate and clarified tomato cordial. The resulting libation is a border-bending masterwork of aromatics that blends the two culinary cultures together.
In addition to this year’s ranking reveal, a host of other special award winners was also revealed at the ceremony of North America’s 50 Best Bars 2025. Here are the winners of this year’s accolades:
- Altos Bartenders' Bartender Award: Eli Martínez Bello
- Roku Industry Icon Award: Julie Reiner
- Campari One To Watch Award: Lemon, Chicago
- Rémy Martin Legend of the List Award: Licorería Limantour, Mexico City
- Three Cents Best New Opening Award: Clemente Bar, New York
- Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award: Thunderbolt, Los Angeles
- Disaronno Highest New Entry Award: Sip & Guzzle, New York
- Michter's Art of Hospitality Award: Bar Pompette, Toronto
- Nikka Highest Climber Award: Mírate, Los Angeles
- Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu Award: Civil Works, Toronto
- Best Bar Design Award, sponsored by St-Germain: Carry On, Phoenix
The list of North America’s 50 Best Bars 2025, sponsored by Perrier, was revealed at a live awards ceremony in Vancouver on 29 April
