TIE
OK... OK.... It's a cop out to name two Euro bars of the year, but both are exceptional in their own way.
Let's start with Swift. Are you team Mia or Bobby? Mia's a hugger with top-notch hospitality and refreshing drinks upstairs. Bobby sure knows how to sling whiskey in the not-so-seedy underbelly downstairs. Damn it. Another tie!
Make a point to visit both venues. Perhaps an aperitivo as you stand casually at the bar chatting with a friendly bartender whose conversation is as refreshing and sparkling as the drink you'll be served.
Swift bar upstairs, photo courtesy Swift
Then wander around Old Compton to source your dinner. May I suggest Barrafina on Dean Street (1* tapas), The Ninth (1* Italian small plates) or Lima (Central's offshoot)?
But don't miss your reservation downstairs and ask for a prized seat at the bar tucked away in the corner of the long room. Here you'll find 250+ whiskey selections. Don't play it safe. Sure they have that bottle you've been trying to source. You can sip neat anytime. Order a cocktail. Bobby is happy to geek out with you over his concoctions. An ever-changing menu awaits that stands up to the best bars in the world. Vodka, bourbon, gin, rum... There's a spectacular cocktail build for every spirit.
Oh, and don't tell Bobby because he might get a swelled head, but now that I've done an Irish coffee comparison at Swift and Dead Rabbit (which Bobby opened), Swift wins by a hair.
Swift Bar downstairs, photo courtesy Swift
Paris is so rude!
Except... it's not. I experienced welcoming hospitality throughout the city and perhaps the best example was on display at Little Red Door. Even the doorman greeted me with a smile and wished me a pleasant evening upon departure.
The menu, in book form, is inventive, whimsical and thematic. 2019's edition? A way with words. Using a cocktail as a vehicle to break down language and barriers. And who doesn't love a drink with "terroir" listed as an ingredient?
The international crew is exceptional. You'll never have a better drink in your life mixed by a Venezuelan in a Paris bar.
There are no reservations so go early, stay late and pray for a centre stage seat in one of the comfortable blue chairs (not everything can be red here). There's no food service so fill up before you imbibe.
Before I left, I waited 2-3 minutes for a lull in service and approached the head bartender who had mixed some of my drinks. I offered a handshake, thanked him for the courtesy and hospitality and wished him well. A server standing next to me on my side of the bar said "That was really nice. We don't get that type of appreciation much."
Appreciate you will. A true gem is waiting for you in the 3rd.
Little Red Door, photo courtesy London the Inside
To qualify for The Single Table awards, I had to visit that location in the given calendar year.