Award-winning Japanese restaurant Zuma in Dubai has been placed in the 2011 World’s 50 Best Bars list. Published in partnership with sponsor Stolichnaya and compiled via polls coordinated by World’s 50 Best Bars editor Lucy Britner and US drinks writer Camper English,  the list  profiled around 100 bar professionals including the Playboy Club’s Salvatore Calabrese, King Cocktail Dale DeGroff, Esquire US’s David Wondrich and diamond ice-carver Hidetsugu Ueno making it the first time that top names in the industry voted for their favorite bars.

This year, New York speakeasy PDT (Please Don’t Tell) took the top spot, with London hotel bars The Connaught and the Artesian in second and third place. These votes were coupled with global votes from 100 bars polled or featured in the 2010 list. Votes were received from every continent and bars in 16 countries made the top 50. The list pays tribute to the speakeasy- style bar which features an ability to make classic drinks, unearth old recipes and recreate forgotten ingredients.

Zuma Dubai was given 49th place, an accolade which comes as a welcome addition to the recent achievement of Jimmy Barrat, Zuma’s head barman, who was placed amongst the top ten barmen in the world earlier this year at the prestigious Diageo Reserve World Class 2011. “This is the first time that the top names in the industry have come together to vote for their favourite bars – making it the most authoritative list to date,” said Ajaz Sheikh, Director of Operations for Zuma Dubai. ”It’s therefore a tremendous accolade for Zuma and our team to be placed alongside these internationally recognized bars.”

The accolade comes at a time when Zuma is working towards further expansion within the Middle East and internationally. “Our hope for any Zuma is that the bar continues to be an exciting part of the restaurant’s overall concept and that we maintain international standards in every local region,” Sheikh added. “The team continues to push forward and continually develop the cocktail list in every region thus offering some specialization depending on the local product and season.”

News of Zuma Dubai’s recent accolade provides all the more reason to visit the renowned Japanese restaurant to experience the bar’s continuously creative concoctions as well as taste its award-winning cuisine.

Find a full list of the Top 50 below:

1. PDT, NY 2 Connaught, London 3 Artesian, London 4 Death & Co, New York 5 Milk & Honey, London 6 American Bar at the Savoy, London 7 69 Colebrooke Row, London 8 Drink, Boston US 9 Harry’s New York Bar, Paris 10 Black Pearl, Melbourne, Australia 11 Pegu Club, NY 12 Dry Martini Bar, Barcelona 13 Eau De Vie, Sydney 14 Bramble, Edinburgh 15 Employees Only, New York 16 La Capilla Bar, Mexico 17 Merchant Hotel, Belfast 18 Nightjar, London 19 Smuggler’s Cove, San Francisco 20 Buddha Bar, Paris 21 Skyview Bar, Dubai 22 The Varnish, Los Angeles 23 Tippling Club, Singapore 24 Milk & Honey, New York 25 878 Bar, Buenos Aires 26 Der Raum, Melbourne 27 Callooh Callay, London 28 Clover Club, New York 29 Door74, Amsterdam 30 Tommy’s, San Francisco 31 Floridita, Havana 32 City Space, Moscow 33 Matterhorn, Wellington, NZ 34 High Five Bar, Tokyo 35 Le Lion, Hamburg 36 LAB, London 37 Boadas, Barcelona 38 Dutch Kills, New York 39 Worship St Whistling Shop, London 40 BarAgricole, San Francisco 41 Papa Doble, Montpellier 42 Quo Vadis, London 43 Lounge Bohemia, London 44 Mayahuel, New York 45 Mutis, Barcelona 46 Ruby, Copenhagen 47 Rules, London 48 Hemingway Bar, Paris 49 Zuma, Dubai 50 Star Bar, Tokyo.

Zuma Dubai, +971 4 425 5660, reservations@zumarestaurant.ae

www.zumarestaurant.com