Forget Asia’s 50 Best Bars – these are Hong Kong’s top nightlife venues
Only 8 Hong Kong bars made this year’s Asia’s 50 Best Bars list, and The Old Man was knocked off the top spot – so STYLE’s party animal mixed up this guide to the city’s best overlooked after hours haunts that didn’t make the cut, starring The Poet, The Diplomat and Mizunara: The Library
Keen for a cocktail? You’re in luck as Asia’s 50 Best Bars has just revealed its 2020 list of the region’s best watering holes. Singapore hotspot Jigger & Pony was ranked number one, displacing Hong Kong’s The Old Man from first place after a year at the top.
Despite that blow to our civic pride, and despite a relatively quiet 2019 with few people keen to open new bars because of the months of civil unrest in the city, Hong Kong continues to be well represented in Asia’s 50 Best Bars. Coa rose through the ranks to land right on The Old Man’s coattails at number 3, and a further six bars – Quinary (16), The Wise King (18), Otto e Mezzo Bombana (28), Caprice (34), The Pontiac (35) and Lobster Bar and Grill (44) – also made the cut.
While we wouldn’t want to question the choices of the Asia’s 50 Best Bars judges – the above establishments are all certainly among Hong Kong’s top places to get a drink – here are our suggestions for some alternative Hong Kong bar awards.
Best for classic cocktails – Bar De Luxe
Hidden away 30 floors up at the summit of the nondescript Asia Pacific Centre in Central, Bar De Luxe is a Japanese-style cocktail bar par excellence. Opened in conjunction with legendary bartender Hidetsugu Ueno, Bar De Luxe maintains Ueno-san’s reputation for flawless mixology. The menu is updated regularly but you cannot go wrong with any classic here. Sit at the bar and marvel at the technique on show, or take a seat by the window and enjoy the view from on high overlooking Central.
Best hidden bar – The Poet
Hidden bars is a trend that never seems to die in Hong Kong – over the years the likes of Stockton, The Old Man, Foxglove and many have adopted this secretive approach to building up hype. The Poet, which opened earlier this year, is evidence that the concept is not dying out any time soon. Located on Staunton Street, the cocktail bar’s thoroughly innocuous exterior means you are bound to walk right past it if you do not know it is there. Fortunately, there’s more to The Poet than its surreptitious location. With bar staff taken from 001 (itself an excellent speakeasy) the drinks are always worth your time. Don’t miss the excellent Negroni.
Best bar food – The Diplomat
