Where to drink in Hong Kong this season

If you’re looking to sip some drinks amid sweeping views of the Victoria Harbour, drop by at the highest rooftop bar in the world, Ozone, and check out the new addition to their signature Five Elements cocktail menu ($138 per cocktail). Drawing inspiration from the five forces of nature, the cocktail menu includes the spicy mezcal-based Fire made with sous-vide jalapeño, sweet mango nectar, elderflower liqueur, a dash of bird's eye chilli tincture served in spicy sugar-rimmed glass; gin sour Metal made with Italicus Rosolio Bergamot Liqueur, gin, lemon oleo saccharum, and jasmine kombucha; umami rum-based Water made with Plantation Rum, sous-vide salted plum, clarified grapefruit, served with seaweed crisp and plum powder; rich piña colada-inspired Earth made with chioggia beetroot infused-Alto del Carmen, Cynar liqueur, pineapple, coconut cream, taro, and coriander bitters; and a boulevardier twist called Wood made with Bulleit bourbon fat-washed with black truffle, Mr Black Coffee Amaro, Mancino Rosso Vermouth, Campari, and Fernet Branca (aged in an oak barrel for three months). To pair with the new cocktails, Ozone also crafted a Five Element-themed afternoon tea menu ($298 per person, including one glass of Five Elements cocktail) that includes five bite-sized savoury treats and a pastry. 

If you're looking for drinks on the Kowloon side of the harbour, head to the swanky Rosewood Hong Kong and hang out at the DarkSide to taste their new tipples. Crafted by Rosewood's bar director Arkadiusz Rybak and Darkside beverage manager Simone Rossi, the menu features 12 new cocktails inspired by the classics. For spring sipping, try the menu's Fish House Punch ($160) made with DarkSide's Pierre Ferrand Cognac, Plantation 3 Star rum, peach brandy, maraschino liqueur, Champagne, and lemon, or if you're craving for a spirit-forward kick, the Treacle ($160) – made with Plantation dark rum, Kirk & Sweeney 12 YO rum, sugar, Abbot's bitter, apple, served with a side of cherry macerated in bourbon vanilla orange bitters and maraschino liqueur – will do the trick. For those who want to learn to make their own cocktails, you can reserve a slot at Arkadiusz Rybak's 90-minute cocktail masterclasses ($1,388/person) available from Thursdays to Sundays, 2pm to 4.30pm. Craft three cocktails and enjoy the drinks alongside a charcuterie and cheese board. 

For a no-fuss sake drinking experience, make your way to Wan Chai and knock on the new hidden bar Heya. Heya, which means room in Japanese, is a cosy little nook tucked on the fourth floor of Winner Commercial Building on Lockhart Road. This new 18-seater drinking den serves over 30 labels of sake – which you can order per glass ($50 to $100 per glass; $250/flight of three) or bottle, for dine-in or takeaway – sourced from lesser-known breweries in Japan, along with shochu, whisky, fruit liquor, and Suntory beers on draft ($48/glass).

Light bites are available on the menu and it includes a homemade Cantonese soup to warm the stomach. But what's great about the space is you can bring your own food (no extra fee), and co-owner Sean Li will gladly help you pair your food with the right bottle of sake. From our last visit, we enjoyed a box of pizza paired with a 2017 Kakeya Junmai Muroka Nama Genshu ($70/glass; $380 bottle) – an umami sake with subtle notes of ripe apples and spices. You can also order bottles sold at an affordable retail price, and the bar will deliver them to you for free even on single purchases to Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and New Territories.

To reserve a seat or order a bottle of sake, call 3188 9201. Follow them on Heya Hongkong on Instagram for updates.  

Craft cocktail dive bar The Pontiac recently dropped its new libations showcasing new drinks crafted by the bar's queen bee, Beckaly Franks. The new menu features simple and straightforward cocktails that include the pink cocktail called The Starting Gun ($108) – made with Applewood Coral gin, pear eau de vie, salted hibiscus and dill, soda, and cucumber – a Long Island twist called Shells & Cigarettes ($88) – made with ecoSpirits liquors Widges Gin, Tried & True Vodka, Plantation 3 Star, Arquitecto Tequila, mixed with citrus scrap oleo saccharum, milk clarified, and coke float – and a special Martini – crafted in collaboration with Okra's chef Max Levy – called The Hightide Martini ($108) made with gin, dashi dry vermouth, okra's wormwood tincture, and pickled celery. So drop by Old Bailey Street and make your way to The Pontiac for some quality cocktails and a whole lot of cheers.