Best bars in… Hong Kong
It started with a citywide thirst for whisky; now Hong Kong’s bar scene is all about single spirit bars from rum rooms to gin joints, as BarChick discovers.
BarChick rounds up the best bars in Hong KongHong Kong has been in the midst of a bar boom for over a decade now, with new speakeasy-style spots and rooftop haunts opening all the time. A relatively young city, this tropical rock never had an established drinking tradition of local distillers or breweries, missing out on centuries of cocktail culture. They’ve certainly caught up fast though, with a booze-fuelled expat community as the catalyst for the city’s cocktail craze. And they’re moving on already, with single spirit bars emerging as the next big thing in town.
Colourful and chaotic, this cosmopolitan city is packed with hardworking, harder-playing people, looking to spend their well-earned cash on living the high life. Sales of spirits are steadily rising, as is interest in new international brands arriving in town. This was the cue for a spate of bars specialising in one type of spirit, catering to this demand for diversity.
As Fabien Marcault, general manager of tiki bar Honi Honi, explains: “Spirit culture is getting bigger in HK because of these bars. There is a demand for new things and people are getting educated about each particular spirit. Expats expect the quality they have back home, which has raised standards across the board.”
It all started with whisky, which has been in fashion here for many years. Bars such as The Chinnery at The Mandarin Oriental, purportedly with the largest collection of single malts in Asia, are frequented by locals and expats alike, and thankfully have quashed their men-only admittance policy.
“Hong Kong’s love of whisky is still clearly on the up,” says Francesca Martin, director of BEE Drinks Global, a drinks consultancy based in Hong Kong. “There are probably more small independent whisky bars here than any other type of bar in town. Many of these are gentleman-type clubs linked to cigar smoking, which aren’t widely publicised, so you have to be in the know.” Naturally, these are male-dominated places, though BarChick has certainly been to a few and puffed away on a Cohiba and sipped a Hibiki 17-year-old, without too many sidelong glances.
Rescued whisky bars
Other bars however, like Angel’s Share from the owners of Tastings Wine Bar and Quinary, have rescued whisky bars from the past. In cool contemporary settings, this gastropub-style venue explores the diverse ways in which whisky can be enjoyed with a long list of rare blends and small-batch bottles. Just like whisky and sashimi bar Ronin, the emphasis is on pairing the spirit with the food.
Increasingly sophisticated drinkers are fuelling a trend towards premiumisation both in terms of brands available and the environs in which they drink. While the exclusive b.a.r Executive is by appointment only, The Chairman’s Cellar takes things to James Bond levels of secrecy with a fingerprint-activated door to which only around 100 select members have access.
Other spirits are making a bid for their corner of the market, and carrying more cool cachet for novelty value. Honi Honi is leading the way as a haven of rum-drinking packed out with a hip crowd dancing it up on the outdoor terrace. The other rum bar, Havana, goes for the Cuban vibe with Daiquiris and Mojitos, showing that even within single spirit bars, each venue is looking for its own niche.
On the gin front there’s now Origin where culinary techniques and molecular cocktail craft, are bringing gin drinking to another level. This is a trend that doesn’t seem likely to stop, with a Latin fever fuelling a thirst for pisco and Tequila, and bartenders finding endlessly innovative ways to rework Western classics for the Asian palate. Only vodka hasn’t yet been fully explored, but it won’t be long until we see a boutique Russian bar opening up on the backstreets of LKF.
Flick through the next few pages to discover the best bars in Hong Kong.
For more global bar recommendations, visit BarChick.
The Blck Brd
6th Floor & Roof Garden, 8 Lyndhurst Terrace
Situated in Emeryville, this laidback neighbourhood bar is worth a trip across the Bay. The super friendly service lets you get as involved as you want in bar chat about what you’re sipping. Go big from their massive back bar selection or keep it cool with any of their awesome list. When the sun is shining, this is a super spot to grab a pitcher of cocktail goodness with a few friends and sit outside in their industrial cool patio.
Honi Honi Tiki Cocktail Lounge
3/F Somptueux Central, 52 Wellington Road
Hong Kong’s answer to the traditional tiki bar, this has been a big hit among the city’s cool crowd. This is Polynesian kitsch at its most decadent, with plenty of bamboo, bright colours and foliage. The large terrace has a shower to cool you down on hot, heady nights and some of the best toilets in town. Founder Max Traverse has created a menu of hard-hitting rum cocktails.
Lily
5/F & 6/F, LKF Tower, 33 Wyndham Street
The drinking half of Lily & Bloom is a combination of the best bars in history with touches of everything from Prohibition New York to wartime Shanghai. Cocktails fit the theme from the Daisy #2 (think Gatsby) to D.W.I (Dutch West India). The décor gives the spacious bar an eclectic vibe somewhere between an old-school after-supper club and a sexy salon.
Quinary
Another offering from Charlene Dawes of Tastings Wine Bar, this place devises cocktails so complex they require tools like a centrifuge to create. With gastronomic influences from the world of food science such as el Bulli, expect drinks with balls of earl grey infused jelly ‘caviar’ and mouth-melting foams. Dimly lit and atmospheric, this is a sleek spot and a must stop on the HK cocktail scene.
