Asia’s 50 Best Bars: our pick of Hong Kong bars hosting guest mixologists this weekend
- With the region’s best bartenders in town, top Hong Kong bars from Coa to Artifact are turning over their shakers to visiting talent – and naturally there’s a tipple for everyone
Often referred to as the Oscars of the bartending world, Asia’s 50 Best Bars returns to Hong Kong for the second successive year on Tuesday (July 16). Expect a who’s who of the regional and international bar scene as the greats of mixology descend on the city to sling all manner of elixirs and libations in the lead-up to, and aftermath of, the awards announcement at the Rosewood Hong Kong.
If there’s any doubt as to the mood around this week’s proceedings, you have been warned: with 50 guest shifts and counting on the books, Hong Kong is set to be sozzled by craft cocktails.
Veteran imbibers undoubtedly have their barhopping routes mapped with military precision, but for the uninitiated, behold our picks of the top guest shifts to mark on your calendar – then possibly notify next of kin.
1. The Foundry’s Canto Night Takeover at Ser Wong Fun
Kicking off proceedings in style on Sunday, Singapore-based marketing agency The Foundry has commandeered the 129-year-old snake restaurant Ser Wong Fun to throw an industry soirée in celebration of the rich heritage of Cantonese culture. Headlining the event are Lola Lau of Guangzhou’s Hope and Sesame, which was ranked the best bar in mainland China by Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2023; Samuel Kwok of forthcoming The Opposites, a new cocktail bar from the former manager of Quinary and veteran bartender Antonio Lai; Tiger Irene Leung of Changsha-based CMYK; and yours truly, representing Cantonese cocktail bar Kinsman. Cocktails made using Ser Wong Fun’s snake wine aren’t the only attraction though: May Chow, founder of Little Bao and winner of Asia’s Best Female Chef 2017, will tend the woks to turn out Cantonese bar bites against the thumping disco beats of remixed Cantopop from DJ Fabsabs.
Sunday, 8-11pm
Ser Wong Fun, G/F, 30 Cochrane Street, Central
2. Sips and Handshake Speakeasy at Coa
The Hispanosphere, all the way from Spain to Mexico, comes together at tequila and mescal haven Coa – placed first among Asia’s 50 Best Bars three times. The star-studded event will be headed by Simone Caporale of Sips Barcelona, reigning king of the World’s 50 Best Bars. Meanwhile, Handshake Speakeasy’s bar director, Eric van Beek, brings the molecular mixology of North America’s best bar of 2024 from Mexico City. If anything less than No 1 doesn’t cut it for you then this is not to be missed – if, that is, you can beat the queue outside Coa, which is sure to swell to even more epic proportions than usual.
