Asia’s bar community was reunited in Hong Kong between 17 and 19 July for the first full-scale celebration of Asia’s 50 Best Bars, sponsored by Perrier, since 2019. Relive the best moments from the unforgettable series of events filled with celebration, elation and seriously good drinks in the Fragrant Harbour
1. Asia’s 50 Best Bars sailed into Hong Kong
50 Best arrived in Hong Kong for a three-day series of events that would mark the backdrop for a reunion of the continent’s bar community. The three official Asia’s 50 Best Bars parties were complemented by a mammoth 68 activations in bars across the city. It celebrated the moment by co-branding some of the city’s iconic Dukling boats with the 50 Best logo and that of destination partner, Hong Kong Tourism Board.
2. Anticipation was high, but so was the wind…
There is an ancient Chinese proverb that can be paraphrased to read ‘when VIPs arrive, so often does the rain’. This certainly proved to be the case in Hong Kong, as the days preceding the events saw the city prepare to battle its first typhoon of the year, which was predicted to reach severe T8 status and lock down much of the city. While many shops shuttered to brace for the storm, no bad weather was going to stop the 50 Best celebrations. The show must go on, as they say…
3. Four Seasons Hong Kong kicked off the Bartenders’ Feast
Taking welcome shelter from the gathering typhoon outside, guests arrived at the lobby of Four Seasons Hong Kong for the first assembly of listed bartenders. They were greeted at the hotel’s 50 Best-listed bar Argo with a welcome drink created by head bartender Federico Balzarini, which featured a signature sunken gummy bear.
4. Bartending talent from across Asia stirred up a storm at Argo
Bartenders from four other Asia’s 50 Best Bars-listed Four Seasons properties in the region joined forces with Argo to create a stellar drinks programme. These included Philip Bischoff of BKK Social Club in Four Seasons Bangkok, Thailand (No.3); Rohan Matmary of Bar Trigona in Four Seasons Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (No.36); Sarath Nair of Copitas in Four Seasons Bengaluru, India (No.38); and Odd Strandbakken of Charles H in Four Seasons Seoul, South Korea (No.51).
5. Celebrations continued upstairs in the Ballroom
After an hour’s reuniting over great drinks, guests were invited upstairs to the second location of the night, which offered food stations from great Hong Kong restaurants and street food vendors. The cuisine was matched with a whole new set of cocktails to enjoy.
6. International bartenders kept the liquid flowing
The bartending baton was relayed onto a new set of mixologists from 50 Best-ranked bars flown in from outside Asia. Eric Van Beek of Handshake Speakeasy in Mexico City (No.2 in North America’s 50 Best Bars 2023); Coralie Doillet of Galaxy Bar in Dubai, UAE (No.45 in The World’s 50 Best Bars 2022); and Iain McPherson of Panda and Sons in Edinburgh, Scotland (No.32 in The World’s 50 Best Bars 2020) manned the respective drinks stations. They were joined by more Four Seasons teams including Keith Motsi of Virtù in Tokyo, Japan (No. 20 in Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2023) and bartenders from Grain in Sydney, Australia, and One-Ninety in Singapore.
7. HK’s legendary street food paired perfectly with the drinks
Great cocktails met outstanding food as bartenders were offered an authentic taste of Hong Kong through numerous food stations. Delectable dishes included rice rolls with X.O sauce, Hainanese chicken rice, Hong Kong-style egg waffles and Peking duck prepared by the hotel’s own Lung King Heen, a regular on the Asia's 50 Best Restaurants list.
8. Handshake Speakeasy’s Banana Split did not divide opinion
While all six bars successfully kept thirsts quenched, Van Beek’s lauded creation, the Banana Split, proved one of the most popular libations of the evening. Combining banana liqueur, Michter’s bourbon and a blend of sherries, it became a repeat order for many of the guests owing to its remarkable balance of sweet, sour and savoury flavours.
9. Asia’s 50 Best Bars Academy Chairs arrived at the venue
The 50 Best Academy Chairs – the industry experts who select the 260-member voting panel behind the Asia’s 50 Best Bars list – arrived at the event. Left to right, Nick Coldicott (Japan), Priyanka Blah (Asia – South), Vivian Pei (China and Korea, North Asia, Southeast Asia) and newly-appointed John Ng (Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau).
10. Traditional dance KO'd the night
A traditional kung-fu dance, featuring acrobatics and weaponry, brought the evening to a cultural close through a flamboyant and athletic demonstration.
11. The atmosphere was electric as awards day arrived
The stage was set in the Grand Ballroom of Rosewood Hong Kong ahead of the highly-anticipated reveal of the Asia’s 50 Bars 2023 ranking. A whopping 18 bars served 53 incredible cocktails from 50 Best’s partner brands between them.
12. South Korea lit up the red carpet
As bartenders started to arrive at the venue, national pride among the South Korean contingent featured in this year’s ranking was palpable. They took to the Rosewood red carpet readying themselves to support their compatriots.
13. Singapore’s Night Hawk took home the first award of the evening
At the start of the ceremony, before the reveal of the main list, the Campari One To Watch Award was revealed as Night Hawk in Singapore. This bar, led by Peter Chua, was given the only 50 Best-selected accolade for its incredible hospitality and drinks programme set in its mid-century artistic bar enhanced with touches of futurism.
14. The Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award winner was announced as Analogue Initiative
The second special award of the evening saw a win for Singapore as Vijay Mudaliar’s venue Analogue Initiative took home the award that celebrates a bar’s ecological and inclusive practices. The venue, whose centrepiece is a 3D-printed accessible bartop made from recycled materials, caught the attention of the Sustainable Restaurant Association – the Sustainability Audit Partner of 50 Best – as the leading green-focussed establishment in the continent.
15. Celebrated mentor Beckaly Franks collected her peer-voted award
Hong Kong-based Beckaly Franks took to the stage with her signature charisma as she lifted the Altos Bartenders’ Bartender Award 2023, the only peer-voted accolade of the evening, presented by cocktail industry legend Dre Masso.
16. Mahaniyom Cocktail Bar was named the London Essence Best New Opening 2023
This Bangkok-based bar, led by self-taught bartending talent Ronnaporn Kanivichaporn, has taken the Asian bartending scene by storm since it opened in 2022, winning this year’s London Essence Best New Opening Award. Kanivichaporn and Chennarong 'Jan' Bhumichitr jubilantly collected their award on stage with appropriate beaming grins, fresh out of The Land of Smiles.
17. Singapore’s Sago House won the Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award 
Three of Sago House’s team collected the Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award, which was awarded to the Singaporean bar for its indomitable service programme and warming hospitality offered from its Chinatown location.
18. The Cocktail Club netted a double bill of trophies
The Jakartan bar team gleefully took to the stage to collect their trophies as both the The Best Bar in Indonesia and the winner of the Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu Award 2023 for its list, A Guide to Good Drinking.
19. Bar Benfiddich’s Hiroyasu Kayama was named the Roku Industry Icon
The Japanese bartending legend was individually recognised on stage as he was announced as the Roku Industry Icon to one of the loudest cheers in the room. It cemented his status as a titan of Asia’s cocktail community.
20. Virtù won the Disaronno Highest New Entry Award
The Tokyo bar’s team, led by Keith Motsi, celebrated its remarkable debut at No.20 on the list. As the bar which landed in the list in the highest position, it was named the winner of the Disaronno Highest New Entry Award.
21. Zest roused a roar for its staggering 43-position climb
Celebrations from the South Korean bartenders went through the roof as Zest in Seoul was named the Nikka Highest Climber 2023 for its unprecedented rise from No.48 in last year’s ranking to No.5 in 2023.
22. The Rémy Martin Legend of the List Award went to Jigger & Pony
Singapore bar Jigger & Pony has featured on every ranking of Asia’s 50 Best Bars since its creation in 2016 and collected this coveted award for being the most consistent performer in the list. It was also named The Best Bar in Singapore, holding on the No.2 spot for the third consecutive year.
23. Coa broke the record as the first three-time champion of Asia’s 50 Best Bars
Coa was named The Best Bar in Asia, sponsored by Perrier, for a third time in a row, which is now a record series of wins. The bar’s owner and Hong Kong native Jay Khan took to the stage in disbelief to collect his No.1 award in front of a euphoric home crowd.
24. Asia’s first 50 Best Closing Party said a fond farewell to Hong Kong
The final event of the three-day programme saw guests assemble at celebrated Cantonese restaurant Hutong and its sister bar, Aqua.
25. Food and drink was aplenty in Hutong’s sky-high dining room
Brilliant Chinese food stations featured dishes of caviar-topped siu mai, knife-cut wok-fried noodles, Peking duck and more, which proved the ideal and relaxed counterbalance following the previous night’s festivities.
26. Cocktails continued downstairs at Aqua
The final cocktail menu of Asia’s 50 Best Bars saw more drinks created by international bartending talent, with Coralie Doillet and Iain McPherson returning alongside Sydney’s Maybe Sammy and the host venue’s mixologists.
27. See you next year!
Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2023 marked a successful and long-awaited gathering of Asia's best bartenders and will return in 2024 with a brand-new ranking and accompanying festivities. Until then, stay tuned on our channels to keep up to date on all Asian cocktail news.
Now recap the highlights in video:
The list of Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2023, sponsored by Perrier, was announced on Tuesday, 18th July at a live awards ceremony at Rosewood Hong Kong. To stay up to date with all news and announcements, browse the website and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.
