The fifth annual Time Out Hong Kong Bar Awards is back to celebrate Hong Kong's ever-evolving bar industry. This year's Bar Awards programme aims to showcase the best of Hong Kong to the world, featuring the places and people shaping our bar culture. The award presents 14 refreshed categories that reflect our current drinking scene. Together with our expert critics, who will help us crown this year's honorees, we've put our livers on the line, sipped various drinks, and stumbled our way to the city's best bars to shortlist the nominees.
Winners will be announced on January 16, 2023, in a live event at Popinjays, where guests can mingle with Hong Kong bar personalities and enjoy a fun night with delicious drinks, great food, and lively music.
Read below to see the complete list of establishments and industry personalities who made the cut for the fifth annual Bar Awards and learn more about how we will select the winners.
Watch this space for the announcement of this year's winners!
RECOMMENDED: See how Hong Kong's drinking scene will look like in 2023.
Every year, we crown the best bar in Hong Kong. This category honours the establishment that offers the best drinking experience in the city from its well-thought-out drinks, atmosphere, and excellent service, led by an expert personality. They stand out among the city's list of the best drinking dens. It's progressive and pushes boundaries in the city's drinking scene.
Nominees:
Argo
Coa
DarkSide
The Aubrey
Quinary
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The Best Bartender award goes to a personality who personifies what it means to be a bartender. They're one of the reasons we keep coming back to their establishments. The winner of this category celebrates the bartender who made a significant impact in the local bar sector for 2022 because of their continued effort in promoting their bar and the Hong Kong bar industry, which includes educational programmes they've championed throughout the year.
Nominees:
Ezra Star, owner, Mostly Harmless
Devender Sehgal, beverage manager, The Aubrey
Gagan Gurung, co-founder, Tell Camellia and Barcode
Masahiko Endo, bartender-in-chief, Mizunara The Library
Simone Rossi, director of bars, DarkSide
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It's been challenging to open a bar during the pandemic, but so many establishments have opened their doors to introduce new drinking experiences in the city. The winner of the Best New Bar celebrates the best opening of 2022. Along with an exciting bar programme and unique offerings, the bar is a fantastic addition to the city's F&B industry and has managed to attract regular patrons within the short time they have opened.
Nominees:
Bianco & Rosso
Carbon Brews Central
Kuromaru
The Mixing Room by Iron Fairies
Mostly Harmless
Hong Kong is home to many excellent beer bars serving a variety of local and imported brews. The winner of this category stands out among the destination pubs in Hong Kong and offers a great beer menu that locals are willing to cross town for. It provides an extensive selection of beers and a rotating programme of new brews for customers to discover, complemented by delicious food, and an exceptionally friendly, inclusive, and welcoming atmosphere.
Nominees:
Carbon Brews Central
Grain
Ho Lan Jeng
Second Draft
Yardleys Taproom
As the city slowly opens for tourism, hotel bars will play an essential role in the traveller's drinking experiences as its essentially a social hub where locals and hotel guests can mingle. The winner of this category is a destination bar that upholds the hotel's storied tradition and offers the same quality service, drinks, and atmosphere as its accommodations.
Nominees:
Argo, Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong
DarkSide, Rosewood Hong Kong
Popinjays, The Murray, Hong Kong, a Niccolo Hotel
The Aubrey, Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong
The St Regis Bar, The St Regis Hong Kong
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Rooftop bars offer the best spots in the city to enjoy sundowners and unparalleled views of the Hong Kong skyline. And the winner of the Best Rooftop Bar promises the best of this experience – from breathtaking views, a creative drink programme, a great ambience, a modest food menu, and a welcoming team.
Nominees:
Aqua
Popinjays
Plume
Skye
Terrible Baby
Over the past years, we've seen more and more multi-concept dining spaces in the city, including resto-bars where people come for the food but stay for the drinks. Along with a great drink programme and an expert managing the bar, the winner of the Best Restaurant Bar category must offer a unique feature that stands out and has a standalone bar that is just as appealing as a seat at the dining table.
Nominees:
Clarence
Magistracy Dining Room and Botanical Garden
Maka Hiki Tropical Bar & Grill
Sake Central
Woo Cheong Tea House
We're crowning another budding bartender with a big future ahead of him. This category celebrates the bar professional who made significant progress through the ranks and has gained the attention of the industry and senior peers in the last year. Remember the names of these nominees, as they might be the next influential personality in the city's drink industry.
Nominees:
Jack Ng, Argo
Kenzo Lee, 25:00
Lydia Wong, Sugar
Morris Chang, Penicillin
Quentin Luk, Kuromaru
Bars and their team of mixologists work hard to present a cocktail experience to their patrons. The winner of this category recognises that effort and honours the most creative cocktail programme we've seen in 2022. The menu must reflect the bar's philosophy, tells an interesting story and offers a unique selection of drinks that caters to all tastes.
Nominees:
Argo Cook Book, Argo
Now That's What I Call The Pontiac, The Pontiac
The Art of Mahjong, DarkSide
Awakening Journey, Apothecary
The Timeless Imagination Cocktail Menu, Quinary
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This award recognises the bar that serves some of the best wines in the city in a fun and engaging way that attracts wine experts as well as novice wine drinkers. They carry a varied and interesting wine list that offers something different for drinkers at all levels, with a wide selection that can be sampled by the glass.
Nominees:
Clarence
James Suckling Wine Central
La Cabane Wine Bistro
Somm
The Baker & The Bottleman
The city offers many cafes and coffee shops that provide excellent brews to keep us going in the morning. But there are those that add boozy concoctions to their offerings and fuel our energy for socialisation way into the night. The winner of this category does both exceptionally well. Aside from its cosy and laidback surrounds and welcoming staff, the winning bar must have a solid coffee menu and cocktail programme.
Nominees:
Barcode
Coffee Analog
Dio
Gokan Lounge
Ponty Cafe
Inspired by the Bar World of Tomorrow, a sustainability movement that supports the shift towards greener practices for the bartending community, this award is given to the cocktail that encompasses key sustainability aspects. From utilising raw ingredients to their full potential, using local and seasonal produce sourced from environmentally and socially positive suppliers, to being innovative in waste reduction, removing single-use items and being mindful of the usage of ice – the award will go to the most delicious eco-friendly cocktail in the city.
The winner will be revealed on January 16, 2023.
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This year's Bar Awards celebrates the pioneering personality who continues to shape the way we drink in the city. The Trailblazer Award recognises an individual who has proven to be an innovative leader in the city's drink scene and has propelled the industry forward, forging a path for others to follow.
The awardee will be revealed on January 16, 2023.
Same as in our past Time Out Bar Awards, this list will not be complete without asking our readers about their favourite bars in the city.
Have your say, and cast your vote here and help us crown your favourite drinking spot in town.
The winner will be revealed on January 16, 2023.
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