A guide to Hong Kong bars currently open as cafes or restaurants

As a result of the latest social distancing regulations, The Diplomat has amended its opening hours from 4pm to midnight every Mondays and Thursdays with extended services on Fridays and Saturdays from 12nn to 12mn. The bar is shifting the focus from its extensive drinks menu to its grub offerings with their refined versions of pub and tavern staples. Highlights include Cubano made with suckling pig ($170), one of the city's best burger, The Diplomat Burger ($180), and even the king of Western comfort food, truffled mac and cheese ($90). Customers can dine in order takeaways from 12pm to 3pm and 6pm to 12am. You can even pick up some of The Diplomat’s signature cocktails-to-go packaged in individual wax-sealed bottles or enjoy the bar's famous mini martinis for only $100. 

American-style dive bar, The Pontiac will stay open from Monday to Saturday 3pm to 12mn and Sunday from 3pm until 10pm. From November 29 to December 2, catch Mexcellente, Pololi's latest Tex Mex-inspired concept at The Pontiac for a limited-time-only pop-up offering flavourful Mexican dishes with a twist. The menu will include the Tres Amigos Tacos (starts from $70) – a choice of spicy pork adobada, beef barbacoa, or the vegetarian tofu sofritas – with three double-layered tacos, and a choice of caliente salsas, along with avocado, cilantro and onion. The Pontiac team also prepared festive cocktail offerings – Hotnail, Clyde Common Egg Nog, and Five-Spice Mulled Wine – to keep you warm during the winter. The bar's daily happy hour will continue from 5pm to 8pm. 

The Daily Tot, the newest bar on Hollywood Road, is still slinging rum concoctions from Tuesdays to Saturdays, 4pm to 12mn, and Sundays at 3pm to 11pm. Managed by Gerry Olino, patrons can look forward to tasting signature rum cocktails that highlight rum's versatility from classic recipes to new twists. Sip on these libations and take a bite on some of their bar grub on offer including a special rum and raisin cookie made exclusively by Cookie DPT. 

For your beer cravings, Blue Supreme, one of the best craft beer bars in the city, is open for dine-in and takeaway on the corner of Tung Street and Upper Lascar Row. They open by 12pm until 11pm. Call or message 5998 3088 via Whatsapp to order delivery or drop by, dine-in, and enjoy a unique selection of lambics and ales. 

If you are hankering for some fine wine, James Suckling Wine Central is open from Monday to Saturday 6.30 pm to 11pm. The bar is currently running the biggest wine event of the season, the Great Wines of the World 2020. Catch wine masterclasses with James Suckling happening on November 28 and December 7 to 12, or taste as many wines as you like over two hours in a socially distanced tasting on December 5 and 6 ($488). Spots will be allocated on a first come first serve so make sure to reserve a spot in advance. All the wines from the masterclasses are also available by the glass as a special menu at the bar.

Antonio Lai's hidden bar in The Pottinger hotel, Room 309, is open daily from 4pm to 12am. You can warm-up your winter with any of their clear cocktail creations or enjoy any of the seasonal drinks on offer as long as you get food with your order. 

Agung Prabowo and Roman Ghale's new venture, Penicillin is slinging sustainable libations Mondays to Saturdays from 3pm to 12mn. Order their tasty bar grubs like KFC, Ultrasonic Fries, and Dead Dog to go with your drinks. The cocktail menu, titled You Gotta Sustain it, is divided into three sections and focuses on locally sourced or upcycled ingredients and stays as authentic as possible to the flavours of Hong Kong.

Multisensory cocktail bar Quinary is open to the public daily from 4pm to 12mn. Catch their current seasonal menu inspired by food markets from around the world crafted to help customers satisfy their travel itch. Customers must order food to get a seat. 

Agave spirits drinkers can rejoice as our favourite Mexican-inspired bar is also open in their Sheung Wan watering hole. Order your favourite cocktails and dig-in on the bar's food offerings. Coa also launched their new online shop to cater to your home imbibing needs. The shop offers Coa's Arette Artesanal Blanco Tequila ($1,400), La Paloma De Oaxaca in cans ($118 to $2,112), tepache inspired La Niña Fresa beer ($160), and other agave spirits. 

Another one of Antonio Lai's bars tucked away in The Pottinger hotel; The Envoy will remain open daily from 12pm to 12am. For the Christmas season, the bar is offering Charles Dickens-themed seasonal cocktails that can be paired with the kitchen's delectable festive treats. Drop by on December 25 to 27 ($395) and January 1 to 3 ($395) for a festive all-you-can-eat brunch which includes a selection of 11 small plates and a choice of three carved meats.

Head over to Kowloon side and enjoy the fresh breeze with food and cocktails at Terrible Baby's open terrace dining. Sip on the bar's two new festive cocktails on offer to usher in holiday cheer. Crafted by bar manager Axel Gonzalez, the menu features a Woodfire Cocktail ($85) – made with mezcal, amaretto, coffee liqueur, cold brew coffee, and homemade chilli syrup, served with toasted marshmallow – and Coquito ($85) – which translates to 'little coconut', which is prepared with a blend of white and spiced rum, coconut milk, coconut cream, condensed milk, cinnamon, cloves, and pink peppercorns. Both cocktails are available throughout December.

11 Westside's cocktail bar, The Wilshire is also open for business serving patrons daily from 5pm to 12mn. Guests can order any of 11 Westside's food offerings and enjoy it with cocktails at The Wilshire. The bar also offers The Wilshire-at-home takeout menu offering bottled Negronis, Martinis, and Manhattans, each cocktail available in three variants at $80 per bottle, $200 for three, and $540 for all nine. 

Hidden cocktail bar 001 is open from Mondays to Saturdays, serving up tasty food and refreshing cocktails from 3pm to 12am. They recently added new cocktails to their menu, and it includes a white Negroni twist, Shizu Samurai made with yuzu sake, gin, shiso liqueur, and Lillet Blanc. Dine-in for some afternoon snacks and order their grilled truffle cheese sandwich or charcuterie platter and pair it with any of their cocktails.

For food and wine pairing, head to Soho wine bar Think Wine, now operating from 3pm to 12mn daily. Enjoy delicious dishes from their menu and order any of their available wines to pair with your meal. 

A must-visit for whisky buffs. This cool new cafe in Prince Edward turns into a whisky den at night. Enjoy hand drip coffee brews or a double ristretto – highly concentrated espresso coffee – in the morning and sip on drams of whisky once the bar opens at night. The whisky bar is run by online liquor retailer Malt Cask, so expect drams of independently bottled whiskies (That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Scotch Malt Whisky Society, Duncan Taylor, Douglas Laing, and many more), limited-edition releases, and other brands that will tickle any whisky enthusiast. The cafe-slash-bar doesn't provide much food on the menu aside from the regular homemade mystery cake that changes depending on what is available for the day.