Asia’s 50 best bars for 2023 have been announced, and Coa from Hong Kong has taken the top spot. Bangkok’s highest-placed bar on the list is BKK at No. 3– the highest a Bangkok bar has made on the list.
The list was unveiled at the Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2023 event, which was hosted at the lavish Rosewood Hotel in Hong Kong. Attendees included barmen, industry insiders, and media from all over Asia, including Time Out Bangkok—it’s the first time we reported the results on location.
There were a lot of surprises on this year’s roster. While Coa in Hong Kong and Jigger & Pony in Singapore maintain their first and second spots, awesome bars across Asia have thrived on taking top spots across the list. BKK Social Club made us Bangkokians proud for its jump to the third place. Tokyo's Bar Benfiddich has jumped to No. 4, while Zest in Seoul has risen to No. 5.
Bangkok, home to this year’s No 1. in Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list, had a great showing with BKK Social Club at the 3rd place. The other bars from Bangkok on the list are Tropic City at No. 6, Vesper at No. 12, and Mahaniyom, which debuts on the list at No. 22.
Asia’s 50 Best Bars is an extension of the much-anticipated World’s 50 Best Bars list. For this regional roster, the results are taken from votes cast by Asia’s 50 Best Bars Academy, a committee composed of 260 journalists, bartenders, and connoisseurs.
There are special recognitions, too. The Campari One to Watch Award goes to Nightwatch in Singapore, while the Campari Sunsanable Bar Award lands on Anaalogue Initiative in Singapore. Altos Bartenders' Bartender prize is given to female bartender Beckaly Franks at Hong Kong's Pontiac. The prestigious Industry Icon prize sponsored by Roku gin goes to Hiroyasu Koyama. The award for the art of hospility has been given to Sago House.
Here’s the complete list of Asia’s 50 Best Bars for 2023:
- Coa, Hong Kong (The best bar in Hong Kong)
- Jigger & Pony, Singapore (The best bar in Singapore)
- BKK Social Club, Bangkok (The best bar in Thailand)
- Bar Benfiddich, Tokyo (The best bar in Japan)
- Zest, Seoul (The best bar in South Korea)
- Tropic City, Bangkok
- Nutmeg & Clove, Singapore
- Argo, Hong Kong
- Darkside, Hong Kong
- Sago House, Singapore
- Indulge, Taipei (The best bar in Taiwan)
- Vesper, Bangkok
- Cham Bar, Seoul
- The SG Club, Tokyo
- Analogue Initiative, Singapore
- Republic, Singapore
- The Aubrey, Hong Kong
- Sidecar, New Delhi (The best bar in India)
- The Cocktail Club, Jakarta (The best bar in Indonesia)
- Lamp Bar, Nara
- Virtù, Tokyo (Highest new entry)
- Mahaniyom, Bangkok
- Lamp Bar, Nara
- 28 Hong Kong Street, Singapore
- Le Chamber, Seoul
- Penicillin, Hong Kong
- Atlas, Singapore
- Alice, Seoul
- Pantja, Jakarta
- Employees Only, Singapore
- Quinary, Hong Kong
- Stay Gold Flamingo, Singapore
- Mostly Harmless, Hong Kong
- The Curator (The best bar in The Philippines)
- The Bombay Canteen, Mumbai
- Bat Trigona, Kuala Lumpur (Theest bar in Malaysia)
- Southside Parlor, Seoul (new entry)
- Copitas, Bengaluru
- Hope & Sesame, Guangzhou (Best bar in Mainland China, down from No. 18 in 2022)
- Smoke & Bitters, Hiriketiya (Best bar in Srilanka)
- Vender, Taichung
- Native, Singapore
- The Public House (new entry)
- Bee's Kees, Kyoto
- High Five, Tokyo
- Soko, Seoul
- The Old Man, Hong Kong (re-entry)
- The Living Room, Mumbai
- The Bellwood, Tokyo
- Penrose, Kuala Lumpur
Congratulations to all the winners!
SEE ALSO: All Bangkok bars on the Asia's 50 Best Bars 2023 list