In this article, we are going to discuss the 20 cities with the most bars per capita in the world. You can skip our detailed analysis of the history of bars and pubs, the global bars, pubs, and nightclubs market, the effects of Covid-19 on the bars and pubs industry, the resurgence of Guinness, the rise of brewpubs, and the ongoing consumer shift towards a healthier lifestyle, and go directly to 5 Cities with the Most Bars per Capita in the World.
Retail establishments that serve alcohol date back to ancient Greece, where men would gather in the evenings for food, drinks, music and theatrical entertainment. In ancient Rome, taverns were being built alongside busy roads and trade routes, to meet the needs of travelers and soldiers. In England, up through the 11th century, public houses (or pubs) became the designated places to hold personal or business meetings. The British loved their bars so much that they enacted laws during the 1600’s, making it illegal to not have a pub in town. Even during the colonial days of America, taverns were often built before churches.
The Global Bars, Pubs, and Nightclubs Market:
According to Verified Market Research, the global bars, pubs and nightclubs market was valued at $95.33 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach $124.57 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 3.4% during the forecast period. A major cause of this is the increased urbanization in developed countries, leading to the development of more bars and other related establishments.
Infrastructure development, such as new airports and highways, also encourages restaurant and hotel chains to build more bars and pubs. Additionally, the global disposable income has also received a boost during the last decade, leading to a higher demand for premium drinks, which brings in more revenue for the said establishments.
Effects of Covid-19 on the Bars and Pubs Industry:
Bars and pubs are inherently social spots, so the social-distancing rules in the pandemic obviously had devastating effects on the industry. After the closure of bars, more and more people started drinking at home, leading to a rise in the off-premises sales of alcohol.
According to data from the National Institute of Health, lockdowns and social distancing between March to September 2020 led to a 27% decrease in on-premises sales of alcohol and a 20% increase in off-premises sales, suggesting a shift from bar consumption to home drinking.
However, the industry witnessed a sharp revival after the restrictions were finally lifted and people rushed back to their favorite taverns. According to a report by Provi, a B2B e-commerce marketplace for the beverage industry, the on-premise sales of alcohol witnessed a YoY increase of 350%, for the 12 months ending December 21.
The Resurgence of Guinness:
Ireland’s biggest export is its drinking culture. Irish pubs are characterized by a unique culture centered around a casual and friendly atmosphere, hearty food and drink, Irish sports, and traditional Irish music. Their widespread appeal has led to the Irish pub theme spreading across the world.
And it goes without saying that an Irish pub is virtually incomplete without the iconic Guinness Draught. Owned by Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO), the iconic Irish dry stout is currently Britain’s most popular pint but the last decade hasn’t exactly been all rainbows and butterflies for the brand.
Guinness witnessed very little to no growth in sales since 2010, and 2020 was especially bad when the worldwide sales of the brand plunged by around 15%, as compared to the previous year. However, due to the relentless, innovative and aggressive marketing strategies of Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO), the brand has now witnessed a sudden resurgence and boasted a 16% increase in global sales in 2022. Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) is also set to open a $94.5 million Guinness ‘Culture Hub at Old Brewers’ Yard in Central London that promises a ‘grain-to-glass immersive visitor experience’ in the mold of the Dublin original.
The rise of the craft beer industry over the last few decades has led to the development of brewpubs, which combine the efforts of a craft brewery with the concept of a traditional English pub. Brewpubs sell beer brewed on the premises, with brewmasters working within the confines of the pub-style restaurant, in order to provide customers with unique beers on tap. According to the Brewers Association, the American brewpub segment grew 5% by volume in 2022.
The alcohol industry giant Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (NYSE:BUD) also entered the brewpub business after its acquisition of the craft beer maker Goose Island. Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (NYSE:BUD) ventured into the craft business in 2011 when it acquired the Chicago-based brewer in a deal worth $39 million. Since then, Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (NYSE:BUD) has invested aggressively to establish a chain of Goose Island brewpubs in America, as well as internationally.
The modern consumer, especially Gen Z, is getting more and more health conscious and health conscious drink trends are becoming increasingly important in the competitive bars and pubs business, as they saw a 55% increase in the U.S. in 2022.
We are witnessing bars move towards supplying vegan food and both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, which means that drinks are becoming healthier and more imaginative.
With that said, here are the Cities with the Most Bars per Capita in the World.
20 Cities with the Most Bars per Capita in the World
To collect data for this article, we have looked up the cities with the most number of bars and pubs on TripAdvisor, and then divided that number by the respective cities’ current populations to get the Cities with the Most Bars per Capita Globally. To keep our list relevant, we have only selected cities with populations of 250,000 and above. When two cities had the same number of bars per capita, we ranked the one with the most bars and pubs overall higher.
20. Las Vegas, NV, U.S.A
Bars per Capita: 0.0001
In Las Vegas, the bars aren’t just on any old street or in any specific neighborhood, they are right in the heart of all the action. Alcohol is served 24/7 in Sin City, so you’ll always find somewhere to grab a drink.
19. Portland, OR, U.S.A
Bars per Capita: 0.0001
With a total of 67 bars in the city as shown on Tripadvisor, Inc. (NASDAQ:TRIP), Portland ranks 19th in our list of cities with the most bars per capita. Crux Fermentation Project is a craft beer maker in Portland and the brewery recently opened a new brewpub in Rose City.
18. St. Louis, MO, U.S.A
Bars per Capita: 0.0001
St. Louis also has a strong beer culture and the Civil Life Brewing Co. Brewpub is the city’s top-rated bar on TripAdvisor. St. Louis-based Major Brands is the largest wholesale distributor of wines, spirits, and beer in the state of Missouri and the company is now being acquired by the Breakthru Beverage Group. Breakthru is one of the leading alcohol wholesalers in the U.S. and the largest broker in Canada. They employ over 7,000 people and boast more than $6 million in annual sales.
17. Pittsburgh, PA, U.S.A
Bars per Capita: 0.00011
Tripadvisor, Inc. (NASDAQ:TRIP) has mentioned a total of 34 bars in Steel City on its online platform. The city’s Carson Street offers a variety of nightlife options, from top-shelf whiskey selections at Carmela’s Plates and Pints to a wide selection of beers on tap at the Vault Taproom.
16. Tallinn, Estonia
Bars per Capita: 0.00011
Like any other metropolis, Tallinn has a number of Irish pubs and sports bars where you can meet football fans or world travelers searching for a friendly atmosphere. You can also discover Tallinn’s stylish speakeasies that are inspired by American secretive bars operating during the Prohibition Era in the early 20th century.
15. Kraków, Poland
Bars per Capita: 0.00011
For many visitors, the main attraction of Kraków is its nightlife. The Old Town, in particular, and Kazimierz are packed with fantastic basement bars and beer gardens. Poland is also one of the Top Alcohol Drinking Countries in the World.
14. Edinburgh, U.K
Bars per Capita: 0.00012
Edinburgh’s city center and New Town are absolutely bursting with cocktail bars and cozy pubs. The Scottish capital provides a wide range of taverns, catering to different moods of the visitors, as well as catering to choices across generations. The U.K. is the country with the most pubs in the world, followed by Japan.
13. Orlando, FL, U.S.A
Bars per Capita: 0.00013
With 40 bars and pubs on TripAdvisor, Orlando is among the Cities with the Most Bars and Pubs per Capita. However, the city council passed two controversial new measures in March this year, restricting nightlife in Orlando’s downtown. Orlando is the city with the most bars per capita in North America in our list.
12. Amsterdam, Netherlands
Bars per Capita: 0.00013
Popular for its nightlife all over the world, Amsterdam has a wide variety of bars, pubs and coffee shops to keep its visitors entertained. A major tourist attraction in the heart of Amsterdam is the Heineken Experience, a brand experience with Heineken’s oldest brewery in the Dutch city. Headquartered in Amsterdam, Heineken N.V. boasted a revenue of over $37.35 billion in 2022.
11. Tel Aviv, Israel
Bars per Capita: 0.00015
Tel Aviv is awake 24 hours and the city’s nightlife is known to be remarkable, as one can engage in many amusing activities after the sun goes down. The city has 67 bars and pubs available on TripAdvisor.
Verstill is an Israeli startup which develops technology capable of producing premium spirits quickly and cost-effectively. The company announced a collaboration with the Israel-based Malka craft brewery, coming on the back of funding of more than $3.2 million.
10. Rome, Italy
Bars per Capita: 0.00015
Trastevere is a touristy neighborhood and is probably the top spot for a pub crawl in the Eternal City. It features lots and lots of wineries, restaurants and bars, where you can enjoy a nice aperitivo. Peroni Nastro Azzurro, owned by Asahi Holdings, is a very popular beer in Roman bars. Rome is among the top 10 cities with the most bars and pubs per capita in the world.
9. Seville, Spain
Bars per Capita: 0.00016
Tripadvisor, Inc. (NASDAQ:TRIP) has listed a total of 107 bars in the Spanish city of Seville on its online platform. Tourism represents 18% of Seville’s GDP directly and the tourists flock to the numerous establishments in the Alameda de Hercules plaza in the city.
Tanqueray gin, owned by Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO), has recently added a new expression to its alcohol-free range inspired by the flavors of Seville, called Tanqueray Flore de Sevilla. Spain also holds the record of being the country with the most bars per capitain Europe.
8. Barcelona, Spain
Bars per Capita: 0.00016
La Rambla street is especially popular for its bars and pub crawls in Barcelona, a city with 254 bars and pubs listed on TripAdvisor. Paradiso, a bar hidden behind a pastrami shop in the El Born neighborhood of Barcelona, was named the top drinking spot by World’s 50 Best Bars in 2022.
7. Dublin, Ireland
Bars per Capita: 0.00018
In Dublin, the local pub is a pillar of the community in the same way a local church would be. It functions as both a place to consume alcohol at leisure, as well as the place in which to meet and greet the people of the locality.
A tour of the Guinness storehouse is a popular experience in the Irish city and since its opening in 2000, the major tourist attraction has attracted over 23.9 million visitors.
International investors see great long-term value in the Dublin pub market and 27 pubs, with a capital value of just over $102 million, were sold in the city in 2022.
6. Prague, Czech Republic
Bars per Capita: 0.00019
The combination of thousands of students and visitors fuels a lively, eclectic mix of bars and music clubs in the UNESCO World Heritage city. Do as the locals do and decamp to a neighborhood pub or head off to catch a live show. Prague’s vibrant nightlife has something in store for everyone.
