Six brilliant bars for your 2025 celebrations, hot off the Wallpaper* travel desk
Wallpaper’s most-read bar reviews of the year can't be wrong: here’s inspiration for your festive and new year plans, from a swanky Las Vegas lounge to a minimalist London drinking den

With 2025 just around the corner, it’s time to make the important decision of where to celebrate the new year in style. Follow the instincts of Wallpaper* readers with this round-up of the most-read bar reviews of the past year. These hot spots around the world span from a minimalist London drinking den to an utterly decadent Las Vegas lounge and a subterranean New York negroni bar. Let cocktail hour begin…
The best bars to make for in 2025
Ama Bar in Vancouver, Canada
To reach Ama, a new Japanese-inspired cocktail and raw bar in Vancouver, one must first locate it. Bathed in orange light, its subtle signage can be hard to spot, but once found, guests are ushered through a discreet orange metal door, up a large staircase and into a space that could easily be a set backdrop for Blade Runner 2049. Designed by Canadian studio &Daughters, with branding by Glasfurd & Walker, the moodily-lit interiors are dominated by polished black granite surfaces, backlit shelves and textured plastered walls with semi-transparent golden mirrors, while the menu offers up inventive cocktails infused with Japanese flavours, such as jasmine and yuzu, as well as melt-in-the-mouth, predominantly raw seafood dishes.
Ama is located at 3980 Fraser St, Vancouver, BC V5V 4E4, Canada, @ama.rawbar
Bauhaus Warehaus in London, UK
Remy Savage is undoubtedly the mixologist of the moment, and his conceptual bar, A Bar with Shapes for a Name – represented by a yellow triangle, red square, and blue circle – is a Bauhaus-inspired triumph of functionalism and minimalism. Situated on Kingsland Road, between Shoreditch and Dalston, Shapes has swiftly become one of east London’s most buzzworthy destinations. This year, Savage expanded his vision with Bauhaus Warehaus, a sister venue also on Kingsland Road. Despite being a production facility, Warehaus is an inspiring place to drink and unwind, nestled among the shelves of bottles, colour-coordinated crates and stainless steel surfaces.
Bauhaus Warehaus is located at 538 Kingsland Rd, London E8 4AH, @bauhaus_warehaus
Thinking of dining out? See our reviews of the best new London restaurants.
Comblé Bar in Shizuoka, Japan
Comblé Bar, in Shizuoka (a few hours west of Tokyo on Japan’s Pacific Ocean coast), is considered one of the last publicly accessible spaces designed by the late Shiro Kuramata in Japan. Located on the first floor of an unassuming building, the bar features the designer’s hallmark style, blending geometry and sweeping curves with floating elements, a bold colour palette, and striking materials like acrylic, glass, and terrazzo. Opened in 1988, just three years before Kuramata’s passing, it was part of a series of projects he undertook in Shizuoka, a region known for its green tea and traditional crafts. A growing number of fans are making a pilgrimage to experience the space first-hand.
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Comblé Bar is located at Seizen Bldg. 2F 2-7 Gofukucho, Aoi Ward, Shizuoka City, @comble.bar
El Minutito in Mexico City, Mexico
Mexico City café-bar El Minutito, designed by architect Lucas Cantú, was envisioned as a sanctuary for the enjoyment of life’s simple pleasures. Mirrors are strategically placed to reflect and expand the space, while wood infuses it with a warm, cosy atmosphere. At the central, custom-designed bar where a bespoke clock elegantly ticks away the minutes, paying homage to the café’s name (‘in a minute’ in Spanish) – guests can savour pastries, pan dulce and Mexican hot chocolate during the day. And, as evening falls, botanas (snacks) are served on dainty plates, while moreish cocktails mark the beginning of the evening as the music picks up pace.
El Minutito is located at Londres 28, Juárez, Cuauhtémoc, 06600 Mexico City, Mexico, @el.minutito
The Pinky Ring in Las Vegas, USA
Global design studio Yabu Pushelberg and Bruno Mars joined forces this year to unveil The Pinky Ring, a cocktail lounge and live music venue at the heart of Las Vegas’ Bellagio Resort and Casino, full of decadence and 1970s flair. From the plush velvets paired with marble tabletops to the no-phones policy, every detail evokes opulent nostalgia. Curved furnishings flow through the space, while a mirrored passageway showcasing Mars’ Grammy collection leads guests into the secluded 5,000 sq ft debonair retreat. Signature cocktails include the Mars Mocha (chocolate rum, Cognac, espresso, banana, and toasted sesame froth) or the Hooligan (tequila, Cointreau, agave nectar, lime, and jalapeño with a Tajín rim). Puns most likely intended.
The Pinky Ring is located within the Bellagio Hotel and Casino, 3600 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109, United States, bellagio.mgmresorts.com
Sotto in New York, USA
Tucked beneath Lupetto, a chic wood-fired Italian steakhouse in Manhattan’s Flatiron District, lies Sotto – a sleek negroni bar. Infused with the rich aromas of woody vermouth and burnt orange, Sotto’s low-lit, pink-and-gold-toned interiors set an irresistibly sultry mood. Its subterranean setting creates an immersive escape from the hustle above. Studio Parts and Labour accented the interiors with the old-world history of the location; bespoke highlights include a velvet-framed chandelier adorned with a squared grove of hand-dyed tassels and a special Hollywood-style banquette created in a quirky nook. The drink menu celebrates craft amari, featuring sparkling, white, rosé, and red wines, alongside bold and complex cocktails like the signature Lupetto Negroni.
Sotto is located within Lupetto at 1123 Broadway, New York, NY 10010, United States, @lupettonyc
Sofia de la Cruz is the Travel Editor at Wallpaper*. Before joining the team in 2023, she worked for Hypebae and Hypebeast UK, where she focused on the intersection of art, fashion, and culture. Additionally, she contributed to Futurevvorld by covering a variety of sustainability topics.
-
Rétromobile revisits some of the icons of car design, along with their modern descendants
We tour the halls of Rétromobile Paris 2025 and take in remastered automotive classics, futuristic record-breakers and mighty monographs
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Designer Danny Kaplan’s Manhattan showroom is also his apartment: the live-work space reimagined
Danny Kaplan’s Manhattan apartment is an extension of his new showroom, itself laid out like a home; he invites us in, including a first look at his private quarters
By Diana Budds Published
-
Ulla Johnson’s collaboration with artist Julie Hamisky on the A/W 2025 runway is blooming lovely
Ulla Johnson and French artist Julie Hamisky have created 12 new jewellery pieces for the designer's A/W 2025 runway
By Hannah Silver Published
-
Wallpaper* checks in at Hoshino Resorts KAI Akiu: a soothing onsen hotel
In Japan’s bucolic northeast, Hoshino Resorts KAI Akiu breathes new life into a sleepy hot spring village without betraying its ancient roots
By Eric Millman Published
-
Dinner and doilies: Bar Valette is an homage to intimate, yet unfussy dining
Founder of The Clove Club, opens Bar Valette, a new London restaurant where comfort is king, and its thick chocolate mousse might be its showstopper
By Tianna Williams Published
-
Milanese modernism meets Eastside cool at this LA pizza parlour
Wildcrust dishes up Neapolitan flavours courtesy of chef Miles Okabayashi, and seductive interiors by Jared Frank Studio
By Carole Dixon Published
-
Hot news: Claridge’s Bakery is set to open this summer
Claridge’s, London’s grand dame of hotels, announces the opening of its very own bakery, led by British baker Richard Hart
By Sofia de la Cruz Published
-
The rise of listening bars in London: where to drink to the vinyl revival
Drinks expert Neil Ridley – also an audiophile and vinyl junkie – explores the growing trend for high-end listening bars in London and shares his favourite spots
By Neil Ridley Published
-
Six hotels where you’ll find the winter sun this February
From intimate seaside inns to lush tropical resorts, here are six Wallpaper*-approved winter sun escapes
By Sofia de la Cruz Published
-
Gordon Ramsay Restaurants are taken to new heights with three openings in one of London’s tallest buildings
Gordon Ramsay Restaurants open at 22 Bishopsgate, from Asian-inspired cuisine and martini menus at Lucky Cat and Lucky Cat Bar; to an intimate chef's table, and an all-skill level cooking academy
By Tianna Williams Published
-
Where to dine in London this Valentine's Day
From sultry interiors to casual settings we have put together our top dining spots for Valentine’s Day to date nights beyond
By Tianna Williams Published