Top 10 Hong Kong Champagne Bars

Whether it’s fish and chips washed down with a bottle of Krug, or a bubbly bohemian cocktail you’re after, we list Hong Kong’s choicest venues.

If you have something to celebrate, nothing fits the bill quite like Champagne and when it comes to finding the perfect location, Hong Kong residents are spoiled for choice.

Read on for the top 10 Champagne bars (in no particular order), each with their own unique twist.

1. THE KRUG ROOM

1/F, The Mandarin Oriental, 5 Connaught Road, Central, 2825 4014

An evening at The Mandarin Oriental’s tucked-away, private dining room will cost you, but the experience is definitely worth the price. Seating up to 12 guests, the intimate space looks into the hotel’s central kitchen, allowing guests unobstructed views of chef Uwe Opocensky and his team at work. Foodwise, the multicourse set menu (starting from nine courses) is dictated by Opocensky’s whims and may include dishes such as tomato “tea” and vegetable “flower pot”. Basic dinner includes two glasses of Krug Grand Cuvée per guest, but you can always upgrade and add Krug Vintage 1998 or Krug Rosé to the evening. Feel free to indulge. After all, outside of France, this place does boast the most extensive selection of Krug Champagnes in the world.

2. ALFIE’S BY KEE

Shop M18-19, M/F, Prince’s Building, 10 Chater Road, Central, 2530 4422

A collaboration between British fashion house Dunhill and KEE Club, Alfie’s boasts a winning trifecta with its sophisticated and masculine interiors, refined gastropub fare (think Devon pork bangers and mash with shallot gravy, and wagyu steak and kidney pie) and a finewine list crafted with the help of Berry Brothers & Rudd just next door. The Champagne selection includes a choice of fine vintages and it’s not unusual to see the diners here enjoying a plate of fish and chips with a bottle of Krug on a Friday evening. More adventurous drinkers should also go for the house signature Black Velvet cocktail made with Veuve Clicquot and Guinness.

3. CHAMPAGNE BAR

L/F, Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, 1 Harbour Road, Wan Chai, 2588 1234

Inspired by the romance and glamour of Paris in the 1920s, the Grant Hyatt’s classy, lobby-level bar carries one of the most impressive Champagne selections in Hong Kong. The wine list includes all the big names, including Dom Pérignon, Krug, Billecart Salmon, Salon and Louis Roederer. Grab a seat at the circular bar and sip on any of these fine bottles while you enjoy caviar on Melba toast and Champagne Bar’s nightly live jazz performances. This stunning, art-deco bar is also among one of the few venues in town that offers Krug Grand Cuvée by the glass.

4. CHAMPAGNE ETC

19 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, 2568 2009

While not technically a bar, this high-end retail store (opened by Altaya Group’s Paulo Pong) is equipped with winetasting tables and hosts regular tasting sessions and food-pairing events so customers can try some before they buy some. As the name suggests, the shop only sells bubblies and focuses specifically on grower Champagnes from small-scale, independent vineyards in France. Each bottle boasts its own distinct flavour profile and particular standouts include the Jacques Selosse Cuvée Substance Grand Cru and Cedric Bouchard Inflorescence Blanc De Noirs Val Vilaine. For those who want to play it safe, the store also carries more wellknown labels such as Taittinger and Louis Roederer, but we highly recommend trying some of the independent offerings.

5. FLUTES

27 Elgin Street, Soho, 2810 0005; www.flutes.com.hk

This intimate space may not offer the most extensive or exciting sparkling wine selection but it does win points for being the most laid-back and reasonably priced Champagne bar in town. The Elgin Street venue offers seven bubblies by the glass, as well as a decent selection of reds, whites and sparkling wines. They also do a range of Champagne-based cocktails, but it’s best to stay away from those and just focus on the real stuff. For a chilledout, casual evening, grab a high table on the small, entrance-side terrace and sip your bubbly while you watch the scenes of Soho. Oh, and don’t forget to order the excellent cheese platter while you’re at it.

6. L’ATELIER DE JOËL ROBUCHON

Shop 401, 4/F, The Landmark, 15 Queen’s Road, Central, 2166 9000; www.robuchon.hk

The wine list at L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon is constantly hailed as being the best in the city so it should come as no surprise that the Champagne section also includes some of the world’s most sought-after labels. There are close to 100 different bottles on offer from the Champagne region in France, ranging from the easy-drinking Arlaux Brut and Veuve Clicquot Vintage to rare, Dom Pérignon Oenothèque Vintages or single vineyard Krug Clos d’Ambonnay. Enjoy a few glasses of bubbly with Robuchon’s refined, modern French dishes and you’ll see why this venue deserves three Michelin stars.

7. SOIREE

19 Elgin Street, Soho, 2857 2808

It’s bubbly for bohemians at this sleek and sexy Soho bar and lounge. The tastefully flamboyant, Moulin Rougeinspired décor is half the fun and helps to draw in a predominantly female crowd on most evenings. The delicious cocktails are a big hit here (try the Seven Sins or the Seven Chakras), but at the end of the day, most people come here for the fantastic selection of vintage Champagnes, which includes hard hitters such as Krug and Salon. The bar offers a good number of bottles by the glass so even if you don’t want to crack open a whole bottle, you can sip away the evening while you enjoy the bar’s chocolate-dipped strawberries and the finest Iranian caviar served on mother-of-pearl spoons.

8. THE CENTRAL WINE CLUB

3/F, Sea Bird House, 22-28 Wyndham Street, Central, 2147 3448; www.thecentralwineclub.com

This is among the crème de la crème of fine-wine venues in Hong Kong. The two-page Champagne list may seem surprisingly short at first, but it’s a selection that places quality over quantity with a carefully culled compilation that includes some of the usual suspects, as well as less mainstream and independent premium labels such as Roses de Jeanne and Jacques Selosse. Several bottles are exclusive to the wine club so be sure to give those a try. Members receive discounts and special privileges (including wine concierge service, complimentary cellar usage and free corkage), but wine tastings are open to the general public.

9. PSYCHIC JACK

1/F, 30-32 Wyndham Street, Central, 2868 6102

This LGBT-friendly bar and lounge channels slick, designer furnishings (courtesy of Zanghellini & Holt) and brilliant cocktails (try any of the fresh fruit Martinis or the Frangelico Sour made from hazelnut liqueur, cranberry juice and puréed maraschino cherries). Aside from the mixed drinks, though, PJ also offers an impressive repertoire of fine wines that includes a short but sweet Champagne selection all displayed in its top-class cellar. The atmosphere is laid-back earlier in the evening, but it can get pretty packed and rowdy after 9.30pm on the weekends – so be warned. Sign up for Psychic Jack’s newsletter and receive email updates of the bar’s weekly password, which allows customers one free drink on Fridays and Saturdays.

10. SKY LOUNGE

18/F, Sheraton Hong Kong Hotel & Towers, 20 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, 2369 1111

Tucked behind the Sheraton hotel’s famous Oyster &Wine Bar restaurant, Sky Lounge offers a relaxed environment and stunning harbour views to complement its impressive collection of international wines. The bar does a neat selection of delicious cocktails and also boasts around 20 different wines on Enomatic dispensers, but if it’s Champagne you’re after, the well-stocked venue carries Piper Heidsieck, among other renowned labels. Aside from being a great spot for late-evening drinks, we also recommend this classy bar and lounge for afternoon tea with a glass of bubbly.