Seven HK bars make ‘Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2018’ list

Seven bars in Hong Kong have been named in this year’s Asia’s 50 Best Bars list, with newcomer, The Old Man, leading the pack; peaking at No. 5 on the list.

The Old Man is a collaboration between three of Hong Kong’s cocktail and bar veterans, Agung Prabowo, James Tamang and Roman Ghale.

“We are incredibly proud to be featured on Asia’s 50 Best Bars list at number five, making us the highest new entry in 2018,” the Hemingway-inspired cocktail bar wrote on its Facebook page after the results were announced in Singapore last night.

Led by Agung Prabowo, who previously oversaw the beverage programme at the Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong and Lobster Bar & Grill at Island Shangri-la, the speakeasy bar on Aberdeen Street in Central serves cocktails inspired by the literary giant Ernest Hemingway’s writing.

Last year, Quinary was ranked the top bar in Hong Kong at No. 7 but its ranking slid to No. 15 this year, surpassed by two other bars – Lobster Bar inside the Island Shangri-la hotel (No. 10) and Stockton, a speakeasy bar on Wyndham street in Central (No. 11). 

Zuma climbed a few spots to No. 18 this year, while 8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana improved its ranking from last year and rose to No. 20. The Pontiac however dropped from last year’s No. 16 to No. 31.

Last year’s entries such as The Chinnery inside the Mandarin Oriental and Dr Fern’s Gin Parlour failed to make on the list this year.

Meanwhile, Singapore led the way with the majority of the bars on the list, popular late-night hangout Manhattan, led by head bartender Philip Bischoff, topped the list for the second time.

The full list can be viewed here.