The much awaited award ceremony of Asia’s 50 Best Bars was held at the Rosewood Hotel in Hong Kong last evening. Teams of bartenders and bar owners from Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru had flown in to attend it and receive their trophies.
The ceremony began by naming the best bars across Asian countries—Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, India, China, Indonesia, Phillipines, Malaysia. Bars in Hong Kong, Tokyo and Singapore received the maximum awards, with Coa in Hong Kong securing the spot for the Best Bar in Asia.
Apart from the 50 Best list, the award body recognises the top spots to drink across Asian countries. Sidecar from Delhi was named the best bar in India and ranked 18th on the list. It is co-owned by Minakshi Singh and the legendary mixologist Yangdup Lama, and the bar team is led by Lopsang Galchen Lama. The Bombay Canteen from Mumbai was placed 35 with Prantik Haldar guiding the bar team as the head of beverage innovations. Copitas from Bengaluru ranked 38 with Sarath Nair at the helm of the bar. Finally, The Living Room from Mumbai secured the 48th spot, thanks to their mixologist Ankush Gamre’s highly technique-drinks with clean flavours.
Apart from the 50 best list, the award body honours the best bar across Asia, and Coa in Hong Kong received this honour. It recognises an iconic bartender from the industry, and Hiroyasu Kayama, the owner and head bartender of Bar Benfiddich from Kayama in Japan that follows the farm-to-bar philosophy picked this trophy. Beckaly Franks, mixologist and bar owner of The Pontiac in Hong Kong, was named the bartender’s bartender through a peer-voted process. She “is credited with pushing for female empowerment and creating an inclusive space where everyone is welcome,” reads her bio on worlds50bestbars.com.
