Check out our recap of Asia's 50 Best Bars 2023 in the reel below:
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For its eighth annual edition, Asia's 50 Best Bars 2023 held its live ceremony in Hong Kong for the first time in partnership with the Hong Kong Tourism Board. It was a night of exhilarating surprises as the best in the industry eagerly awaited their moment in the spotlight at Rosewood Hong Kong on July 18. For the first time since the world was gripped by uncertainty, the region's bar community came together in full force, united by their shared love for the craft.
Since the launch of Asia’s 50 Best Bars in 2016, Hong Kong and Singapore have always topped the list. This year, Oaxacan-inspired bar Coa continued to reign in the top position of the list. Other notable bars that represented Hong Kong on the prestigious list, which includes innovative bar Argo at number 8, Rosewood Hong Kong’s jazz bar Darkside at number 9, modern izakaya The Aubrey at number 17, eco-conscious bar Penicillin at number 26, multi-sensory mixology bar Quinary at number 31, omakase-style cocktail bar Mostly Harmless at number 33, Ernest Hemingway-themed venue The Old Man at number 47, and The Pontiac’s Beckaly Franks for the Altos Bartenders’ Bartender award.
Additional special awards announced during the ceremony include Hiroyasu Kayama from Tokyo awarded as the Roku Industry Icon, Analogue Initiative from Singapore selected for the Ketel One Sustainable Bar accolade, Virtù from Tokyo being chosen for Disaronno Highest New Entry, Mahaniyom Cocktail Bar from Bangkok honoured with the London Essence Best New Opening award, Sago House from Singapore chosen for Mitcher’s Art of Hospitality Award, Zest from Seoul recognised for the Nikka Highest Climber, The Cocktail Club from Jakarta appointed for Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu, Night Hawk from Singapore as the Campari One To Watch and Jigger & Pony earned the Rémy Martin Legend of the List.
The prestigious Asia's 50 Best Bars list for 2023 was curated by an Academy composed of 250 industry leaders, including writers, educators, journalists, bartenders, and bar owners. This year's voting rules considered the travel limitations during the last 18 months, allowing voters to nominate up to seven bars, with a maximum of five from their own country.
Here’s the full list of Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2023:
1 Coa, Hong Kong, China (Best Bar in Hong Kong)
2 Jigger & Pony, Singapore (Best Bar in Singapore, Rémy Martin Legend of the List)
3 BKK Social Club, Bangkok, Thailand (Best Bar in Thailand)
4 Bar Benfiddich, Tokyo, Japan (Best Bar in Japan)
5 Zest, Seoul, Korea (Best Bar in Korea, Nikka Highest Climber)
6 Tropic City, Bangkok, Thailand
7 Nutmeg and Clove, Singapore
8 Argo, Hong Kong, China
9 Darkside, Hong Kong, China
10 Sago House, Singapore
11 Indulge Experimental Bistro, Taipei,Taiwan (Best Bar in Taiwan)
12 Vesper, Bangkok, Thailand
13 Cham Bar, Seoul, South Korea
14 The SG Club, Tokyo, Japan
15 Analogue Initiative, Singapore (Ketel One Sustainable Bar)
16 Republic, Singapore
17 The Aubrey, Hong Kong, China
18 Sidecar, New Delhi, India (Best Bar in India)
19 The Cocktail Club, Jakarta, Indonesia (Best Bar in Indonesia, Best Cocktail Menu)
20 Virtù, Tokyo, Japan (Disaronno Newest Entry)
21 Manhattan, Singapore
22 Mahaniyom Cocktail Bar, Bangkok, Thailand (Best New Opening)
23 Lamp Bar, Nara, Japan
24 28 Hongkong Street, Singapore
25 Le Chamber, Seoul, South Korea
26 Penicillin, Hong Kong, China
27 Atlas, Singapore
28 Alice, Seoul, South Korea
29 Pantja, Jakarta, Indonesia (new entry)
30 Employees Only, Singapore (re-entry)
31 Quinary, Hong Kong, China
32 Stay Gold Flamingo, Singapore (new entry)
33 Mostly Harmless, Hong Kong, China (new entry)
34 The Curator, Manila, The Philippines (Best Bar in The Philippines)
35 The Bombay Canteen, Mumbai, India (new entry)
36 Bar Trigona, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (Best Bar in Malaysia)
37 Southside Parlor, Seoul, South Korea (new entry)
38 Copitas, Bengaluru, India
39 Hope & Sesame, Guangzhou, China (Best Bar in Mainland China)
40 Smoke & Bitters, Sri Lanka (Best Bar in Sri Lanka)
41 Vender, Taichung, Taiwan
42 Native, Singapore (re-entry)
43 The Public House, Taipei, Taiwan (new entry)
44 Bee’s Knees, Kyoto, Japan
45 High Five, Tokyo, Japan
46 Soko, Seoul, South Korea (new entry)
47 The Old Man, Hong Kong, China (previously Number 81 in Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2022
48 The Living Room, Mumbai, India (new entry)
49 The Bellwood, Tokyo, Japan (new entry)
50 Penrose, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Relive the highlights of Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2023 ceremony on 50 Best Bars TV YouTube channel and 50 Best Bars Facebook page.
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