As Hong Kong’s Coa clinches the No.1 position in Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2023, sponsored by Perrier, it also becomes the most awarded venue in the history of the list, beating the previous record set by Singapore’s Manhattan as a two-time winner. The third victory for the bar reflects the growing appreciation of agave spirits across the continent, largely spurred by Coa owner Jay Khan himself
On 18th July 2023, the Rosewood Hong Kong provided the backdrop for the unveiling of the eighth annual edition of Asia’s 50 Best Bars, sponsored by Perrier: a glamorous setting for a record-breaking night. Coa, Jay Khan’s agave-spirits-focused bar in the same city, retained the No.1 position that the Asia’s 50 Best Bars voting Academy already bestowed on it in 2021 and 2022, becoming the first ever three-time winner.
The latest accolade cements the unassuming bar’s status as the most influential drinks venue in Asia of recent times – one that, in less than six years, turned largely misunderstood spirits such as tequila and mezcal into must-haves for discerning drinkers across the whole continent.
Returning to the stage once again to receive his bar’s dual trophies as The Best Bar in Asia and The Best Bar in Hong Kong 2023, sponsored by Perrier, a visibly emotional Khan said: “Six years ago, we opened Coa without any expectations. Today, we’re here for the third time in a row on this stage, and this year in our hometown, which makes it the most special one of all. If you have a dream, go for it, because dreams do come true.”
Coa’s head of operations Ajit Gurung thanked the bar’s passionate team on stage
The Hongkonger’s appreciation for agave spirits dates to the early 2010s when – only a few years into his career – he began working at Agave Bar in Hong Kong, part of the Epicurean Group venues that was Khan’s then-employer. Intrigued, in 2014 the budding bartender decided to take a solo trip to Mexico and contacted a few agave distilleries prior to his visit.
There, he was blown away not only by the quality of the artisanal spirits they produced, but also by their warm welcome and the passion with which they shared the special place that agave drinks hold in Mexican culture. It was a turning point and, in 2017, Khan opened his own bar, Coa, in Hong Kong’s Central district, with a mission to educate Asian drinkers in the often-underrated agave spirits.
For a bar at the top of the continent’s drinks scene, Coa remains refreshingly accessible. “We try to make our drinks programme simple and approachable,” says Ajit Gurung, Coa’s head of operations, in an exclusive live interview after the announcement. “We try to be creative, but we also want to keep a sense of familiarity.”
Indeed, Coa’s cocktail menu, which is updated monthly with seasonal additions, doesn’t need to rely on esoteric terms or lofty concepts to achieve its primary aim: to offer a glimpse into the potential of tequila, mezcal and other Mexican liquors hand-selected by Khan, such as raicilla, bacanora, sotol and charanda.
Coa is named after the machete-like tool for harvesting agave
Patrons are offered the chance to leaf through 41 pages of agave spirits available to taste, categorised by species of agave, terroir, microclimate and soil. A coa, the traditional tool used by agave producers to cut the plant looks over proceedings from above Coa’s bar after being hand-carried by Khan himself from Mexico.
Six years into this adventure, it’s fair to say that Khan is well on the way to achieving his dream. From the start, he was adamant that communication with the guests was crucial – and so Coa breaks down barriers with a casual atmosphere and a high level of interaction between bartenders and customers, allowing them to ask any agave spirit-related questions they wish.
“Our focus is on making everything very simple and staying focused on the guest’s experience,” says Khan. “We take every single detail very seriously. Having guests come to our bar and making them feel like it’s their home, that has always been our end goal – and has been since day one.”
Too often seen as material for shots accompanied by lemon and salt, in Khan’s hands tequila takes on a whole different meaning. The bar’s signature drink, named Ancho Highball, features tequila blanco with salted plum, ancho chili and house-made guava soda; while the now-iconic Bloody Beef Maria combines savoury flavours – such as beef stock – with both tequila and mezcal, Sichuan pepper, Morita chili and tomato cordial. There are also mezcal flights available to introduce guests to the diversity of agave flavours, including one accompanied by another one of Mexico’s great gifts to the world: chocolate.
Bloody Beef Maria features beef stock, mezcal, morita chili and Sichuan pepper
Khan is also the founder of Mezcal Mission, a Hong Kong-based non-profit that marries his ambition of evangelising agave spirits with a humanitarian focus by organising educational tequila and mezcal tastings that donate all proceedings to charities Feeding Hong Kong and ImpactHK.
Following Coa in the Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2023 ranking are Singapore’s Jigger & Pony at No.2, which also picks up the Rémy Martin Legend of the List Award; Bangkok’s BKK Social Club at No.3; Tokyo’s Bar Benfiddich at No.4, whose owner Hiroyasu Kayama also receives the Roku Industry Icon Award; and Seoul’s Zest at No.5, honoured with the Nikka Highest Climber Award after jumping up 43 spots in the list since 2022.
The Asian bar community is reunited in Hong Kong for the Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2023 awards ceremony
The 2023 edition of Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2023 features 13 first-time entries and includes venues spanning 17 cities across the Asian continent. Other award winners include Analogue Initiative in Singapore taking home the Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award 2023; Mahaniyom Cocktail Club in Bangkok being named the London Essence Best New Opening 2023; and Tokyo’s Virtù receiving the Disaronno Highest New Entry 2023 accolade.
The prize for the rising star of the Asian bar scene – the Campari One To Watch Award – goes to Singapore’s Night Hawk, while The Cocktail Club in Jakarta is recognised for its boundary-pushing drinks list with the Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu Award 2023.
As the saying goes in Mexico, para todo mal, mezcal; para todo bien, también; si no hay remedio, litro y medio – if it’s going badly, mezcal; if it’s going well, as well; if there’s no solution, a litre and a half. Khan and his team will likely be following the adage tonight, with Asia’s drinks aficionados following suit.
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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.
