Story and Photos by Nianne-Lynn Hendricks
HONG KONG — The best bar in Thailand is BKK Social Club at No. 7, which is named The Best Bar in Thailand.
Vesper is No. 13 and Mahaniyom Cocktail Bar is No. 18. New entrant Bar Us is at No.21, which is a concept “drinking room”, where the spirit of the world’s most progressive restaurants gets translated into the realm of cocktails.
The One To Watch award also went to one of Bangkok’s newly-opened bars, Dry Wave Cocktail Studio, which runs a stellar beverage programme of classic and creative libations led by veteran bartender-owner Supawit “Palm” Muttarattana.
Asia’s No.1 Best Bar is also the Best Bar in Hong Kong — Bar Leone, which is also the winner of the Highest New Entry Award. The defining concept is “cocktailpopolari”, an Italian phrase that means “cocktails for the people”, or that’s how owner Lorenzo Antinori interprets the tagline of his first solo venture.
The Best Bar in South Korea and at No.2 is sustainability-forward Zest, helmed by Demie Kim along with fellow Korean bartending stalwarts Sean Woo, Jisu Park and Noah Kwon. The Best Bar in Singapore at No.3 is Jigger & Pony.
The list of Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2024 was announced at a live ceremony in Hong Kong and features bars from 17 cities across the region.
Bangkok is represented by six bars on the extended 51-100 list, with Tropic City at No.62 and Opium at No.73. New entrant Firefly, at No.83, is the Sindhorn Kempinski’s lavish lobby bar where whimsical cocktails and live jazz are complemented by a cigar parlour, followed by Asia Today at No.90 and The Bamboo Bar at No.91. Closing Bangkok’s showing at No.98 is another new entrant, Dry Wave Cocktail Studio. Visit worlds50bestbars.com/asia for the complete list.
