Mexico City’s Hanky Panky bar has won the Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award, part of the World’s 50 Best Bars awards of 2022.
The Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award was created to acknowledge the importance of hospitality in the bar world, and is one of two awards that will be announced prior to the revealing of The World’s 50 Best Bars 2022 in October.
Hanky Panky was selected by The World’s 50 Best Bars Academy – a group of more than 650 anonymous industry experts who were tasked with naming the bar where they had received the best hospitality experience over the voting period.
A speakeasy-style bar, Hanky Panky is renowned for its elegant seasonal cocktails, unique service and driving ethos of ‘collaboration, friendship and community.’
Content Director for The World’s 50 Best Bars, Mark Sansom, said that Hanky Panky was a worthy winner.
“When Hanky Panky burst onto the list last year at No.12, we knew to expect great things from them,” Sansom commented.
“Not only is the bar at the forefront of the incredible craft cocktail culture developing in Mexico City, its unwavering commitment to extending world-class hospitality to every guest that walks through their door has, in just a few short years, firmly established it as one of the world’s must-visit cocktail bars.
“We’ve long believed that hospitality plays a crucial role in measuring the best bars in the world and we are delighted to offer our warmest congratulations to the entire Hanky Panky team on this well-deserved win,” Sansom continued.
Matt Magliocco, Executive Vice-President of Michter’s Distillery, also saluted Hanky Panky.
“Congratulations to the Hanky Panky team on winning the Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award. This special recognition is a testament to Hanky Panky’s sterling global reputation,” Magliocco said.
Hanky Panky takes its name from a classic cocktail created by Ada ‘Coley’ Coleman at the famous Savoy Hotel – a combination of gin, Fernet Branca and sweet vermouth.
The bar itself is a classic speakeasy that picks up on ‘all the best tropes of the genre’, with access (and indeed, address information) only available to those who have made a booking, or contacted staff through social media. The bar team is headed up by Gina Barbachano and Ismael Martínez, who serve up a mixture of original concoctions and traditional offerings.
Walter Meyenberg, Hanky Panky’s Founder, reflected on his venue’s win.
“When I received the news that Hanky Panky won the Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award, I felt super happy for the team and their hard work and I felt an immense honour to be the first Latin American bar to receive this recognition.
“Mexicans have hospitality in their blood! My first memory of hospitality is when my mother sat me at the baby chair, cooked my meal, served the dish and kissed my forehead,” Meyenberg continued.
“That wonderful feeling is what hospitality means to us – we want to make every single person feel special and loved.”
The full list of The World’s 50 Best Bars will be revealed on Tuesday 4 October 2022, with a live ceremony in Barcelona – the first time the event has been held outside of London.