Singapore’s Jigger & Pony crowned the best bar in Asia

Asia’s 50 Best Bars unveiled its list for the 2020 edition over a virtual awards ceremony last week, with Singapore’s Jigger & Pony nabbing the top spot.

Voted for by an influential group of over 230 professionals in the bar sector across Asia, the fifth edition of the award featured eight new entries and saw Jigger & Pony clinch the best bar honour in Asia.

Co-founded by Gan Guoyi and Indra Kantono, Jigger & Pony is a bar concept that specialises in re-imaginations of classic drinks. It first debuted on the Asia’s 50 Best Bars list in 2016, and was ranked No.9 last year, winning the Highest Climber Award after rising 33 places in the list.

Coming in at No. 2 is The Old Man Hong Kong, which topped the list in the previous edition, while Coa a Mexican-inspired cocktail bar from Hong Kong, came in third position. Taiwan’s Indulge Experimental Bistro took the No.4 spot and at No.5 is Atlas, a gin bar in Singapore.

Singapore is home to the most awarded bars on the list with 11 making the list, followed by Hong Kong (8 bars) and Japan (6 bars).

For individual awards, Jay Khan, co-founder of Coa, Hong Kong, won the Bartenders’ Bartender Award to recognise his repertoire of artisanal cocktails using a wide range of agave spirits. Argung Prabowo, founder of The Old Man in Hong Kong and Singapore, was named the Industry Icon in recognition of his efforts in the Asian bar scene.

Owing to the impact of Covid-19, the awards ceremony, which was originally planned to take place in Singapore for the third consecutive year at Capitol Theatre, was replaced with a virtual broadcast ceremony. The bar awards has confirmed its partnership with the Singapore Tourism Board to bring the the event back to Singapore next year.

The full list of Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2020 is below:

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