Five Hong Kong bars are included in the list of Asia’s 51-100 Best Bars for 2023, which was unveiled on Tuesday. Hong Kong had the second-highest number of bars in this section of the list. Singapore had the most establishments among the rankings with eight entries.
There were no new entries from Hong Kong in the list this year. Other cities that had multiple entries in the rankings were Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, and Taipei with four bars each, followed by New Delhi and Shanghai with three bars each.
The Pontiac, No. 53 (No. 33 in 2022)
This NYC-inspired dive bar was co-founded by Beckaly Franks, who also has the distinction of being named Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2023 Best Bartender. If you’re in the mood to shake a leg to tunes from a juke box with a killer cocktail in your hand, this is the place to be.
13 Old Bailey Street, Central | +852 2521 3855
Mizunara: The Library, No. 86 (No. 71 in 2022)
This bar should be on every whiskey connoisseur’s must-visit list as it has more than 700 bottles from Japan, Scotland, Taiwan, and India. Savour them neat or try Mizunara’s signature concoctions, while you unwind at the Japanese garden or sophisticated wooden bar.
4/F, Kiu Yin Commercial Building, 361-363 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai | +852 3571 9797
The Wise King, No. 89 (No. 34 in 2022)
The Iberian influences evident in this watering hole should come as no surprise, seeing that it is named for 13th century ruler King Alfonso X of Castile. Revel in a nightlife experience fit for a king over cocktails and bar bites.
Basement, 25 Staunton Street, Soho, Central | +852 2326 5822
Tell Camellia, No. 97 (No. 53 in 2022)
If you’re into tea-based cocktails, then Tell Camellia’s menu is well worth a try. Its Teatails section features tea-infused cocktails that take inspiration from a tea’s country of origin, while the T-Tonic list has teas blended with gin, which are then redistilled and topped with tonic.
LG/Floor, H Code 45 Pottinger Street Entrance via 48 Cochrane Street, Central | +852 9821 5501
Honky Tonks Tavern, No. 98 (No. 55 in 2022)
If you’re in the mood for a drink with something more than just a bite on the side, mosey on over to this American South-themed bar. The cocktails and wines pair well with the Nashville hot chicken and pizzas on offer.
Man Hing Lane, Central
The 51-100 list is determined through a process that sees the Asia’s 50 Best Bars Academy, which comprises 260 members with expertise in the industry, vote for their seven best bar experiences in the 18 months prior.
Asia’s 50 Best Bars for 2023 will be announced at a live ceremony in Hong Kong on July 18, in what will be the first full-scale gathering of Asia’s bar community since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Last year, Hong Kong’s Coa topped the list for Asia’s Best Bars of 2022, and eight more bars in the SAR were in the top 50.
Header image credits: Mizunara: The Library via Facebook
