When tasked to choose the places that would top our collective list of travelworthy drinking destinations this year, we wondered if it would even be possible to narrow it to just five. As the world’s great drinking cities wake up from a pandemic-induced slumber, many have emerged transformed—recognizable but brimming with fresh promise, ready to be discovered anew. This is the conclusion we came to after tapping dozens of our contributors, confidantes and acquaintances from all over the world. Each made a compelling case for their city being on a list of places to drink not just generally, but right now.
What ultimately drove us to the five destinations below was the way in which each place combined both deep-rooted, generations-old traditions with a fresh, progressive perspective on nightlife. The results are often surprising, sometimes frenetic, tense, even bewildering, but never boring. From a city reimagining American drinking in the Midwest to a Japanese town with a legendary appetite and trove of drinking secrets still undiscovered, here’s where we want to drink in 2023. — The Editors of Punch
Map: Where to Drink in OSAKA
Talk like a local
Lisbon is, and has been for some time, a culinary destination—the go-to stop to take in some of
the freshest cod, clams and sardines in the world at family-led taverns, or tascas, or to stuff your face with pastel de nata (luscious egg custard tarts) at the city’s many padarias (bakeries). But, thanks to a growing interest among lisboetas (Lisbon locals) in domestic wine, and a progressive culinary culture whose influence is beginning to extend to cocktails, there’s as much to love about the city’s nightlife.
Not by chance, Portugal has the highest rate of wine consumption in the world (almost 52 liters per capita per year), which is well represented in its capital. Sampling a glass of regional wine, made from more than 250 indigenous grape varieties, is as authentic a local experience as riding the yellow trams that run through the city.
No discussion of Portuguese wine is complete without considering the region’s native fortified wines, like Porto, Madeira and Carcavelos. While excellent on their own, or mixed simply into highballs, like the ubiquitous Porto Tónico, these wines are also what lend the cocktail culture a distinctive Portuguese flavor. Combined with an array of local produce, including fruit from Portuguese islands and seaweed from the vast Portuguese coast, each glass is a reflection of both homegrown—and homemade—ingredients. And whether it’s at the new-school, high-concept bars translating Portuguese dishes into cocktails or the traditional counters serving ginjinha (a beloved sour cherry liqueur), Lisbon’s nightlife seamlessly unites the country’s eras, regions and style, one glass at a time. — Rafael Tonon
A culinary destination turns its focus to drinks.
Map: Where to Drink in Lisbon
Drink Like a Local
When it comes to beer, the Portuguese people have the habit of drinking panache, a mixture of beer and soda, to make the brew both sweeter and less alcoholic. Though purists may balk, it’s a common sight in everyday cafés or snack bars.
A Glass of Panache
Although gin has had its moment in Portugal, the spirit is often replaced in the Gin & Tonic formula with Port, typically either white or rosé. The resulting Porto Tónico, as it is better known, is a light, refreshing staple of the city’s drinking scene.
A Round of Porto Tónicos
The tradition of drinking this homegrown liqueur—made from sour cherry and aguardente, sweetened with sugar and flavored with cinnamon sticks—dates to the 19th century, when a Galician entrepreneur opened the city’s first ginjinha stand. It’s usually served in small shot glasses in downtown shops like A Ginjinha, Ginjinha Sem Rival and Rubi.
A Shot of Ginjinha
Typified by its unique process, this take on the classic is a citywide standard. Sugar and bitters are mixed together to form a paste that coats the entire inside of the glass. In goes
a cube or two of ice and bourbon and, to finish, an
expressed orange peel and/or cherry garnish.
Old-Fashioned
Osakans are proud of their dialect and learning key phrases will put you in their good graces. Swap your arigato for okini (pronounced “oh-kee-nee”) and if anyone asks how you are, the answer is always bochi bochi—or “not too bad.”
Clarito
The Fernandito, or fernet mixed with cola, is Argentina’s unofficial drink of choice. Many Argentines, especially young people, make a communal “viajero”: They cut a plastic liter bottle in half, pour fernet, cola and ice inside, then pass it around at a party or as a roadie.
Fernadito
A Suitcase Full of
Argentine Bitters
Argentina is the undisputed aperitivo capital of South America and the world’s largest consumer of fernet. In fact, Fernet-Branca has only two distilleries: one in Milan, the other in Buenos Aires. The country makes a number of homegrown bitter liqueurs worth carrying back. Look for Amargo Obrero, Hesperidina and Pineral, all of which are local favorites.
Drink Like a Local
Buenos Aires’
Must-Try Drinks
Sample Japanese Whiskey For a Song
Around half of the 800-odd bottles at the Umeda branch of spirits retailer Liquor Mountain are open for tasting pours at $1 to $2 a pop—the cheapest way to get a handle on the multitude of Japanese spirits.
But First, Highballs
In Osaka, a highball is a litmus test of bartender prowess in the same way beurre blanc is for a French chef. The favorite first order of the night in this city affords room to showcase technique and personalization: Is it built on a single whisky or a blend? Are the ingredients pre-chilled? Ice? Wilkinson or local Nosé soda water? Express a zest? The only rule: It must be elegant and refreshing.
Dozens of Tiny
Dive Bars Under
One Roof
A cabaret hot spot in the 1960s and ’70s, Misono Universe is now home to more than 40 minuscule dive bars, most of them with eccentric themes and owners. Rule of thumb: If the door is open, expect a warm welcome. If it’s closed, keep walking.
BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA
OSAKA, JAPAN
LISBON, PORTUGAL
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
MADISON, WIS., UNITED STATES
When tasked to choose the places that would top our collective list of travelworthy drinking destinations this year, we wondered if it would even be possible to narrow it to just five. As the world’s great drinking cities wake up from a pandemic-induced slumber, many have emerged transformed—recognizable but brimming with fresh promise, ready to be discovered anew. This is the conclusion we came to after tapping dozens of our contributors, confidantes and acquaintances from all over the world. Each made a compelling case for their city being on a list of places to drink not just generally, but right now.
What ultimately drove us to the five destinations below was the way in which each place combined both deep-rooted, generations-old traditions with a fresh, progressive perspective on nightlife. The results are often surprising, sometimes frenetic, tense, even bewildering, but never boring. From a city reimagining American drinking in the Midwest to a Japanese town with a legendary appetite and trove of drinking secrets still undiscovered, here’s where we want to drink in 2023.
— The Editors of Punch