Hanky Panky is the acclaimed speakeasy in Mexico City known for its elegant seasonal cocktails, unique service, and driving ethos of collaboration, friendship, and community. Named after the potent cocktail concocted by Ada Coleman at The Savoy in London in the early 20th century, Hanky Panky is a truly modern speakeasy, picking up on all the best tropes of the genre. It’s a sexy, low-lit space with a long marble bar and red leather chairs.
The only way to get in – and discover the address – is by making a reservation on the website or via its social media accounts. Behind the bar, head bartenders Gina Barbachano and Ismael Martínez, along with their team, shake up clever twists on classics and original creations that have put Hanky Panky in the spotlight since its origin.
Today, we are delighted to be the first media outlet in Vietnam to share the news that Hanky Panky is the winner of the Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award as part of The World’s 50 Best Bars Awards 2022.
The winner of this award is selected by The World’s 50 Best Bars Academy, which is made up of more than 650 anonymous industry experts who are asked to name the bar where they received the single-best hospitality experience during the voting period.
Mark Sansom, content director for The World’s 50 Best Bars, said, “When Hanky Panky burst onto the list last year at No.12, we knew to expect great things from them. Not only is the bar at the forefront of the incredible craft cocktail culture developing in Mexico City, but its unwavering commitment to extending world-class hospitality to every guest that walks through its door also 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.”
Vietcetera exclusively caught up with Hanky Panky’s Bar Manager Gina Barbachano and their Founder Walter Meyenberg to get their instant reaction to this wonderful news.
We asked Gina how the spirit of hospitality shines through at Hanky Panky. “Our main goal at Hanky Panky is to make guests feel special and comfortable while feeling like they are amongst long-time friends every time they visit. Our guests love the whole experience because we have amazing bartenders who work passionately to ensure guests enjoy great cocktails and leave their worries outside,” the general manager said.
Gina also shared that their bartenders adopt a tailored approach to each and every guest by asking them for their preferred flavor profile before they recommend the best cocktail for them.
When Vietcetera pressed Gina to recommend her favorite cocktail, she said, “One cocktail I enjoy very much is the 5 Boroughs which is a black Manhattan-style cocktail, where Italian vermouth and liquor are infused with nuts and mixed with Michter's whiskey.”
Walter described the ambiance at Hanky Panky as being cozy yet elegant and reminded us that their concept was inspired by Ada “Coley” Coleman the iconic head bartender at the Savoy Hotel in London.
Ada took up this position around 1905 and stayed for over 20 years, famously inventing the vibrant red-colored “Hanky Panky” cocktail made from gin, sweet vermouth, and Italian herbal liquor. Walter summarised their design approach as being all about “recreating the red and elegant vibe of Ada’s drink in our space with red velvet chairs, dark wood, marble and cozy lightning making our whole vibe so very unique.”
Created to recognize the importance of hospitality in the bar experience, the Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award is the first of two special awards announced in the run-up to The World’s 50 Best Bars 2022, sponsored by Perrier.
The live ceremony will take place on Tuesday, 4 October 2022, in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.