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These hotspots offer the perfect blend of top-tier sound systems, live music and expertly crafted drinks.
It's not just about killer cocktails and drop-dead gorgeous interiors at world-class bars anymore. Top-tier sound systems and in-house vibe curators are also on the rise, drawing the most discerning drinkers through their doors. Indeed, a 'little ambience' – light jazz, tinkling ivories or chillout tunes – is being replaced by meticulously-curated soundscapes that don't just bring out the best in the drinks, but complement the decor and atmosphere too. From a tiki terrace in Mykonos to a cosy vinyl wonderland in Mexico City, discover seven bars with the best sounds.
Seed Library, London
A basement cocktail bar from mixology maestro Ryan 'Mr Lyan' Chetiyawardana, Seed Library has a refreshing emphasis on artisanal cocktails and analogue music. However, it's always eclectic and surprising, meaning you can enjoy familiar genres such as rock, soul and disco alongside niche styles like Nigerian funk, Japanese hip-hop and Ethiopian jazz. Although Chetiyawardana and his team collaborate with DJs to curate the sounds, long-time partner Max Pastor of clothing and music store Diggers Dozen does a large chunk of the programming and can often be found spinning the vinyl on the weekend. Kit-wise, two turntables and a Bozak rotary mixer mix tracks as well as the drinks: the Asteroid Garden mixed with fermented apple, the vaguely tropical Orkney Breezer and the super-fruity Breakfast Bellini are must-tries.
Scorpios, Mykonos
As the musical epicentre of the island, Scorpios – now part of the Soho House group – is where it's at in hedonistic Mykonos. Set against mesmerising views of the Aegean, there's a clotted cream-coloured beach and stone-built restaurant for lazing with rosé all-day, but it's the open-air terraces and custom-built stages for daily sunset rituals that really get the party started. A roster of eclectic cultural programming brings together both established artists and new talent – from superstar DJs to virtuosos of ancient instruments like the Cretan lyra – while an in-house record label was founded in 2021 to recreate the evocative sounds that spill out onto Paraga Beach every summer.
Café de Nadie, Mexico City 
From the team behind The 50 Best Restaurants mainstay Pujol comes Café de Nadie: a warmly lit, wood-clad, bar where the team's all-out music obsession is channeled into a 1,500-strong collection of vinyl and a cutting-edge hi-fi system. As for the drinks, expect sensational martinis, caipirinhas and mezcal negronis soaked up with generous plates of fish ceviche, fried oysters and a chicken sandwich with brioche slathered in homemade barbecue sauce.
Rhinoçéros, Berlin
Husband-and-wife team Bénédict and Martina opened Rhinoçéros in a tribute to the Japanese jazz kissa – small whisky and coffee cafés where vinyl and jazz are played from quality audio systems. Despite their background in disco and house, the couple have fully committed to the concept with jazz, blues, soul and funk on any given night, while they play records from their own collection on two Altec Lansing A7s, one round Micro-Seiki turntable from the 80s and a rare Thöress F2a11 tube amp. There are no DJs and no talking while the music plays, but there are many listening events, such as No Room for Squares, which is dedicated to showcasing genre-defying records. There's plenty of sustenance in the form of classic and modern cocktails using quality ingredients and Japanese products and techniques, together with artisan wines and cheese boards.
Alquimico, Cartagena
Spread across three floors of a 19th-century mansion in Cartagena's Old Town, Alquimico serves a different set of drinks in all its different spaces. On the first floor – all mosaic tiles and cracked plaster – you'll enjoy concoctions dreamt up by local agricultural communities; the second floor focuses on traditional cocktails with local twists; while on the third floor, there are drinks made from ingredients grown on the owner's smallholding. But it's the vibe that makes this bar an international star, with talent booking and musical curation all down to Spanish DJ Marahuaco with different guest DJs every night and a signature mix of Latin, urban, Afro, R&B and disco. The first and second floors share the same sound, as the latter is a mezzanine, but the third is soundproofed to create its own environment; and serious bits of kit come in the form of two Pioneer CDJ 3000s and Mixer Pioneer 900NX2s on the second floor and a pair of Pioneer XDJ-XZ controllers on the rooftop.
Public Records, New York
In a long line of New York listening bars, Public Records stands out for embracing the traditional concept with hi-fi equipment wrapped in a distinctly Brooklyn aesthetic. Housed in a 1910s-era building formerly used as an ASPCA office and animal shelter, perforated plywood panels revive the space into a hub for clear listening. There are five concepts under one roof, including a vegan restaurant and music lounge, an immersive club space, an all-day café and record store, an intimate cocktail bar and listening lounge, and an open-air nursery and event place.
Estereo, Chicago
It's coffee by day and cocktails by night at Estereo, a hybrid café-bar now with two sites in Chicago, such is its roaring success. The clue's in the name: music shares top billing with the drinks – from Latin and Caribbean LPs from the 60s and 70s to the sounds they went on to influence, all heard through a vintage audio system that's custom-tuned to the space. Classic drinks, from palomas to piscos, complement the seriously good vibes.
Discover more fantastic hotels, restaurants and bars with The 50 Discovery, and start planning your next adventure.
