The Time Out Bar Awards celebrates the very best institutions and players in our city’s vibrant bar scene, and this year's awards will take place on December 4 at Cassio in LKF. With less than a month to go until this exciting event, we thought we’d give a breakdown of some of the awards that we’ll be presenting, nominees and the all-important judging criteria.
Still haven't bought your tickets? Get them here, and don't forget to cast your vote for the Time Out Readers' Choice Bar award.
For our Best Bar award, we are looking for somewhere that is friendly, accessible and welcoming. The staff must be knowledgeable, with a clear understanding of Hong Kong’s drinking and wider cultures and deliver excellent drinks (food must be at least decent if purveyed). The bar must have been open for at least 6 months.
Nominees:
This year's best bartender must demonstrate mastery in their field, show care and skill set not just in drink creation, but also in customer service. They must also operate in a friendly way conducive to a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere, and exhibit a deep understanding of drinking and wider cultures in Hong Kong
Nominees:
Agung Prabowo (The Old Man)
Arkadiusz Rybak (DarkSide)
Jay Khan (Coa)
Natalie Lau (The Old Man)
Shelley Tai (Quinary)
This year's winner of the Best New Bar award must have opened within the last year, and summarise a cultural movement or new movement in the city. The bar must provide a novel concept and experience to customers every time, be relevant to Hong Kong’s bar industry and purvey excellent drinks (food must be of high quality if purveyed).
Nominees:
Our Rising Star must have made significant progress through the ranks in the last months, gaining attention and respect from peers. They must offer something new to the Hong Kong bar scene, whether that be in terms of style, approach, skill set or concept.
Nominees:
Heidi Cat (Honi Honi)
Jake Mendoza (The Sea by The Old Man)
Robin Leung (Coa)
Summer Lo (Caprice)
Yiu Yvonne Chan (The Old Man)
The best cocktail must be delicious and illustrate an in-depth understanding of nuanced flavours and how they compliment each other. It must be a signature creation and unique enough to separate itself from all other cocktails, and characteristic of the bar in which it is made.
Nominees:
Earl Grey Caviar Martini (Quinary)
La Paloma De Oaxaca (Coa)
A Moveable Feast (The Old Man)
Sin Tax (Stockton)
Zuyu Collins (PDT)
The award for best ambience will go to an establishment with an incredible atmosphere that separates it from the crowd. It will be a bar with a novel concept and astute attention to detail. This bar must not rely on its ambience however, but must also purvey excellent drinks. The bartenders must exhibit thoughtfulness and expertise in their approach and show an understanding of customer service and marketing appropriate to the concept.
Nominees:
New for 2019, the Best Beer Bar award will be given to a bar that offers an exciting, diverse and dynamic list of beers that aims to educate rather than intimidate customers. The winner will present themselves as a local, comfortable and welcoming pillar of their community, in line with the ideology behind the classic beer pub.
Nominees:
Another new-for-2019 award, the winner must embody the spirit of the city, down to subtle nuances, whilst providing an incredible experience that does Hong Kong proud with excellent customer service and a novel approach.
Nominees:
The best rooftop bar must offer visitors a breath-taking experience through a combination of view, quality of drinks, and outdoor space, whilst not just relying on the view. It must exhibit attention to detail regarding curation of menu and creation of drinks.
Nominees:
The best hotel bar must be captivating and original, and created at least partially with travelers in mind. It must operate in a friendly and knowledgeable way, and enhance an overall staying in Hong Kong experience by being relevant to the city.
Nominees:
We will also present our Readers' Choice and Legends Award on the night.
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