During my recent visit to Barcelona for the World’s 50 Best Bar annual event to announce the 2024 rankings, I first visited Sips, the top-ranked bar of 2023. I asked Simone Caporale, the owner, which bar he thought had the best chance of becoming the world’s top bar this year. Simone matter-of-factly said it would be Handshake Speakeasy, a prohibition-era style bar in Mexico City. His words turned out to be prophetic.
The 2024 list saw Sips slip to #3, while Hong Kong’s Bar Leone rose to #2 – the highest-ever rank for an Asian bar. Handshake Speakeasy was crowned the world’s best. For the first time, both the top two bars are from outside Europe and the US, marking the global spread of cocktail culture.
Coincidentally, bartenders from Handshake Speakeasy are on a guest shift at two major Indian bars this week—Slink & Bardot in Mumbai and The Johri in Jaipur. This brings to mind my conversation with Handshake’s co-founders, Eric Van Beek and Roderigo Urraca, at the Barcelona event.
Handshake Speakeasy is a two-level bar in the Colonia Juárez neighbourhood of Mexico City that opened in 2019. The cocktails here are crafted by co-owner Eric Van Beek, a Dutch mixologist who first made a name for himself in Amsterdam, winning the Bacardi Legacy Global Cocktail Competition in 2018. He moved to Mexico the following year to adapt his skills to the local Mexican style, joining his partner, Roderigo Urraca, at Handshake.
Eric has a laboratory attached to the bar where he hones the magic that has propelled Handshake to world-winning status. Working long hours, he uses techniques like molecular gastronomy to create innovative cocktails. One recent creation, the Olive Oil Gimlet, is a Mexican twist on the classic Gimlet. Using Don Julio Blanco Tequila, olive oil, Lillet, rosemary, and green apple, he creates a silky drink that, as he says on Instagram, has a ‘silky mouthfeel’ with a ‘nice crispness’ from the green apple.
Opening just before the pandemic, Handshake nearly shut down in its early days. Fortunately, this was also when the 50 Best Bars organisation launched a Recovery Programme for global bars in need. Despite being relatively unknown, Handshake’s team took a chance and applied, securing a grant that helped them survive.
The pandemic also brought unexpected exposure. While much of the world locked down, Mexico’s regulations were more relaxed, drawing global visitors to Mexico City and giving Handshake, among other Mexican bars now on the Top 50 list, newfound recognition. This exposure showcased Mexico’s vibrant culture, including its rich food and drink heritage.
“People opened the door and they stayed,” said Roderigo. Eric added, “We had a motto of doing cool shit with cool people. We don’t say it out loud, but we live it. We rose organically, without forcing it.”
Despite its name, Handshake is not a true speakeasy. It has an Instagram handle, a phone number, and is easy to find. “The concept is speakeasy, but nothing about the bar is speakeasy-like,” says Roderigo. It’s not dimly lit with jazz; instead, it’s a lively bar infused with the founders’ effervescent personalities.
The co-owners envisioned a bar welcoming everyone – you, your family, your date – for any occasion. Eric says, “Some may not like a drink or the music, but we’ll treat you well. We genuinely appreciate your presence. You choose to spend your time with us, and we don’t take that for granted.”
Eric has received requests to open a Handshake in Amsterdam or New York, but he says, “What makes us unique is the team and the Mexican vibe. We can’t recreate that elsewhere.”
Before Covid-19, Eric and Roderigo were unaware of India’s bar scene. Since then, they’ve become familiar with names like Hoot’s, Sidecar, and ZLB 23, some of which they’ve personally visited. “It’s the same story as Mexico,” Roderigo notes. “People didn’t know, and now it’s opening up. India has a rich history, and the bar industry is on the rise. You’re building an industry.”
