Celebrity Life

Jay Khan's meticulously crafted temple to all things agave is now the #1 bar in Asia, flanked by an ensemble cast of Hong Kong venues that account for one-fifth of the region's best drinking destinations. 

Following the release of its closely followed '51-100' ranking, the '50 Best' Academy has just announced this year's list of the 50 Best Bars in Asia. Late last night, in various competing establishments across the region, news came down that Hong Kong is home once again to the #1 bar in Asia. In 2021, that honor goes to the agave-centric Central drinking den, COA. Proprietor Jay Khan and his team have gone from strength to strength since their debut (the venue also took home the title of 'Best New Opening' in 2019), ascending at terminal velocity to become Asia's most favoured bar within three years -- this latest accolade sees COA push classic cocktail den Jigger & Pony into second place, the Singapore-based champion of the '50 Best' list in 2020.

The results deepen the fierce (albeit friendly) rivalry between Hong Kong and the Lion City, with the latter playing host to 4 of the current top 10 bars within Asia. Nevertheless, those Hongkongese venues which did manage to crack the upper echelons of the competition were noteworthy in multiple ways -- best exemplified in the guise of Caprice Bar. Swooping into the #10 spot on the 2021 list, this opulent drinking den (tied at the hip to Four Seasons' three-Michelin-starred restaurant of the same name) has made massive strides in a single year. For climbing a staggering 24 spots since 2020, the venue has also been awarded the 'Highest Climber Award' (jointly shared with Delhi-based Sidecar). Under the collaborative leadership of managers Lorenzo Antinori and Summer Lo, Caprice Bar has emerged from a place of relative ignominy -- favoured by corporate executive types and diners posting up for pre-meal tipples -- to become one of Hong Kong's most exciting destinations for "thoughtfully concocted, beautifully presented" libations.

Meanwhile, the all-important 'Best New Opening' -- often, an early indication of a venue's future potential in competition -- has been awarded to The Diplomat, John Nugent's "small but mighty" tippling concept that mixes together 'modern classic' cocktails, best-in-class bar snacks, and a raucous social club with spectacular results. Other honourable mentions overall include: longstanding favourites Quinary and The Pontiac (#25 and #26 respectively); Penicillin, the new sustainability-focused concept from the original team behind previous 'Asia's 50 Best' winner The Old Man; and Rosewood Hong Kong's spirited divan Darkside -- a newcomer to 'Asia's 50 Best' list, making its auspicious debut at #40.

Now into its 5th consecutive year, the 'Asia's 50 Best Bars' list is a comprehensive, multi-country ranking of popular and critically acclaimed drinking establishments throughout the world's largest single continent. Venues are ranked according to total number of votes (counted using a preferential methodology) cast by a selection of anonymous panelists who hail from over 14 different Asian countries. The Academy's exact composition includes personnel from within the drinks industry, various hospitality bodies, distributors/importers, and notable media personalities. The list is compiled and published by William Reed Business Media, who also own and publish the 'World's 50 Best Restaurants' imprint.

You can view the full list of Asia's 50 Best Bars for 2021 below. (Editor's Note: Venues in Hong Kong have been highlighted in boldface, whereas asterisks denote the presence of new entries on the list.)

1. COA
2. Jigger & Pony
3. The SG Club
4. Indulge Experimental Bistro
5. Sober Company
6. Manhattan
7. Atlas
8. No Sleep Club
9. Bar Benfiddich
10. Caprice Bar
11. The Bamboo Bar
12. Bar Trigona
13. Charles H
14. Native
15. Hope & Sesame
16. Sidecar
17. Bar Mood
18. Bee's Knees
19. Room by Le Kief
20. The Diplomat*
21. 28 HongKong Street
22. Tropic City
23. Tell Camellia*
24. AHA Saloon
25. Quinary
26. The Pontiac
27. High Five
28. The Wise King
29. Barbary Coast*
30. Penicillin*
31. Union Trading Company
32. Speak Low
33. Union Brasserie, Bakery and Bar
34. Bar Cham
35. Backstage Cocktail Bar
36. Tippling Club
37. Junglebird
38. The Curator
39. D.Bespoke
40. Darkside*
41. Alice
42. The Old Man
43. Bar Trench
44. Le Chamber
45. MO Bar
46. Vesper
47. Three X Co*
48. Teens of Thailand
49. Sago House*
50. Star Bar

The post COA and other Hong Kong cocktail bars win big at Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2021 appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

A hearty congratulations to Asia's 50 Best Bars 2020, especially the eight Hong Kong bars that made it on the list this year.

Much like Asia's 50 Best Restaurants, the annual award ceremony for Asia's 50 Best Bars was unveiled as a virtual event. The fifth edition of the list featured the very best across Asia and included eight bars from Hong Kong.

[caption id="attachment_207065" align="alignnone" width="1501"] The Old Man Hong Kong[/caption]

This year, The Old Man Hong Kong dropped from the No.1 spot and placed second to Singapore's Jigger & Pony. The Singaporean bar entered the ranking two years ago and in 2019, won the Highest Climber Award by moving up a whopping 33 places, before jumping an additional 8 to take first place this year. Although The Old Man were knocked off the top, award-winning mixologist and co-owner Agung Prabowo was awarded the inaugural Industry Icon award, while sister bar The Old Man Singapore ranked in at 22. Meanwhile, Hong Kong's agave-based cocktail bar COA took third place, rising 9 spots to place 12th on the list. Co-founder Jay Khan was also awarded the Altos Bartenders' Bartender for 2020.

[caption id="attachment_207067" align="alignnone" width="1646"] Jay Khan of COA[/caption]

Other bars from Hong Kong on Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2020 include Quinary (No. 16); The Wise King (No. 18); Otto e Mezzo Bombana at (No. 28); Caprice Bar at (No. 34); The Pontiac (No. 35 -- newcomer); and Lobster Bar and Grill (No. 44).

The full list of Asia's 50 Best Bars 2020:

1. Jigger & Pony, Singapore
2. The Old Man Hong Kong, Hong Kong
3. Coa, Hong Kong
4. Indulge Experimental Bistro, Taipei
5. Atlas, Singapore
6. Native, Singapore
7. The Bamboo Bar, Bangkok
8. Manhattan, Singapore
9. The SG Club, Tokyo
10. Aha Saloon, Taipei
11. Vesper, Bangkok
12. Sober Company, Shanghai
13. Bar Mood, Taipei
14. Bar Trigona, Kuala Lumpur
15. Bar Benfiddich, Tokyo
16. Quinary, Hong Kong
17. Tippling Club, Singapore
18. The Wise King, Hong Kong
19. Speak Low, Shanghai
20. Bar High Five, Tokyo
21. Bee's Knees, Kyoto
22. The Old Man Singapore, Singapore
23. D.Bespoke, Singapore
24. Tropic City, Bangkok
25. Gibson, Singapore
26. Draft Land, Taipei
27. Room By Le Kief, Taipei
28. Otto E Mezzo Bombana, Hong Kong
29. Charles H, Seoul
30. 28 HongKong Street, Singapore
31. Rabbit Hole, Bangkok
32. Nutmeg & Clove, Singapore
33. Backstage Cocktail Bar, Bangkok
34. Caprice Bar, Hong Kong
35. The Pontiac, Hong Kong
36. Hope & Sesame, Guangzhou
37. Junglebird, Kuala Lumpur
38. The Odd Couple, Shanghai
39. Bar Trench, Tokyo 
40. Sidecar, New Delhi
41. Bar Orchard Ginza, Tokyo
42. The Curator, Manila
43. Union Brasserie, Bakery & Bar, Jakarta
44. Lobster Bar & Grill, Hong Kong
45. The Back Room, Manila
46. MO Bar, Singapore
47. Alice, Seoul
48. Coley, Kuala Lumpur
49. Le Chamber, Seoul
50. Cham Bar, Seoul

The post 8 Hong Kong Bars Listed on Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2020 appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Originally due to be held at the Capitol Theatre in Singapore, this year's Asia's 50 Best Bars awards show was streamed online.

The post Jigger & Pony takes the top spot on the Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2020 list appeared first on The Peak Magazine.

Originally due to be held at the Capitol Theatre in Singapore, this year's Asia's 50 Best Bars awards show was streamed online.

For more stories like this, visit www.thepeakmagazine.com.sg.

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The post Hong Kong’s The Old Man named the best bar in Asia appeared first on The Peak Magazine.

Revealed at the awards ceremy for Asia's 50 Best Bars 2019, The Old Man from Hong Kong has clinched the number one spot.

For more stories like this, visit www.thepeakmagazine.com.sg.

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The post Drinks to cool off in this warm weather appeared first on LUXUO.

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Nine drinking spots here clinch top honours in inaugural Asia's 50 Best Bars awards.

The post Singapore’s 28 HongKong Street is Asia’s best bar appeared first on The Peak Magazine.

Nine drinking spots here clinch top honours in inaugural Asia's 50 Best Bars awards.

For more stories like this, visit www.thepeakmagazine.com.sg.