Art deco vibes, a dystopian film set, a jazz theme – 3 bars in Hong Kong that offer more than just a drink

Bars in Hong Kong are going all out to entice customers through their doors – one new venue pays homage to singer Ella Fitzgerald and is all about live music

Another place, hidden in Tai Kwun, has a clandestine, Prohibition-style vibe, while another looks like the set of a dystopian movie or the skeleton of an animal

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Artifact, in Central, is a futuristic take on a cocktail bar and one of a string of new openings shaking up the Hong Kong nightlife scene. Photo: NCDA

Published: 7:15am, 26 Apr 2024

Having weathered several tough years, Hong Kong bars and restaurants are trying hard to bounce back. Drinking establishments in particular are keen to raise the bar from a design perspective to entice customers through their doors.

While a fancy interior will eventually mean little if the drinks are not up to scratch, Tiana Ludhani, co-founder of hospitality group Singular Concepts, believes that bar-goers today are after immersive experiences in wallet-friendly venues that embody a sense of place.

“There is still a sense of post-pandemic celebration, but people aren’t spending as much as they once did. They want authenticity and to be introduced to new cultures, but not at a high price,” says Ludhani, who was instrumental in the design of Ella, which opened in February.

Part of The Trilogy multi-genre music hub in Pottinger Street’s H Code in Central on Hong Kong Island, alongside Keyz nightclub and rooftop bar Wav, Ella pays homage to jazz great Ella Fitzgerald.

Ella, part of the Trilogy music hub in Pottinger Street’s H Code, pays homage to jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald. Photo: Eugene Chan

The lounge-style interior features jewel-hued furnishings, a marble-topped bar and poignant photographic reminders of Fitzgerald’s life. There are subtle design references to New Orleans, the birthplace of jazz, such as the bar’s fleur-de-lis logo.

“Hong Kong has seen a resurgence of retro bars but we only wanted elements of the style to avoid making Ella look clichéd or kitsch,” says Ludhani, adding that the existing bar counter and shelving from former bar Carbon was kept to avoid wastage.