In recent years, Hong Kong has become a behemoth in the drinks world, shelling out world-class cocktails and bars across the city. The new wave of cocktail makers have sprouted locally and bars are attracting the best mixologists of the world to learn the craft in Hong Kong.
We amassed our favourite bartenders in Hong Kong to hear what makes them proud about working in the city’s cocktail scene, why they love drinking, and what truly gives them joy for making cocktails in Hong Kong.
Why Hong Kong’s bartenders love Hong Kong
Lorenzo Antinori, founder of Bar Leone
“I think Hong Kong has a great diversity when it comes to drinking options, a variety of concepts which spans from high end hotel bars to specialised concepts and neighbourhood ones. The Hong Kong cultural melting pot has helped in creating this diversity.”
Jen Queen, bar manager for The Pontiac
“Working in Hong Kong’s [bar scene] is a dope community with so many places around Central that we can seek peer support from or help out when needed. There’s a lot of us that hold each other up and I can see the next generation of bartenders do the same.”
“Accessibility is a great thing for Hong Kong, where we have everything at our fingertips and a lot of unique spirits brought into the city.”
Jake Erder, general manager of Honky Tonky’s Tavern
“The reason I believe Hong Kong is a great city to drink in is because of how close some of Asia’s Best Bars are to each other. If you are in Central and throw a stone, you would most likely hit five world class bars down the road.”
“On a night out, you could easily go to five plus bars if your heart desires without taking any form of transportation. It allows complete freedom, control and ease based on the mood you are in at that exact moment, it makes it more fun and exciting.”
Rolf Flaminiano, mixologist at Avoca
“It is all about the community aspect for me. [Mixing cocktails] is how you can connect with people. I have been doing this for almost 12 years now and it is a great way to make a lot of good friends!”
Joe Villanueva, head of bars and beverage at The Dorsett Hong Kong
“Hong Kong is a great place [to mix and drink] because you can connect with the local culture and make the city proud. The city has evolved to become a trendsetting destination, evolving with the different trends and high engagement.”
“Bartenders these days are getting more inspiration from chefs with sous vide, rotovaping, and distillation, making Hong Kong stronger and stronger in the bartending world.”
Axel González, bar manager of Terrible Baby
“In Hong Kong, we are able to use a lot of high quality spirits and liqueurs. The better products we use, the more this improves the experience for the customer, and of course less painful hangovers!”
“The variety creates a huge offer of completely different bar concepts which let our guests never ever get bored in the city.”
Gail Lanorias, mixologist of Salisterra
“Making drinks in Hong Kong is a dream because you can get your hands on almost any ingredient you want, which is great inspiration for any bartender, especially fresh produce. Inspired bartenders make better and a wider variety of drinks, which makes Hong Kong a great city to drink in.”
Jay Khan, co-founder of COA and The Savory Project
“The density of quality bars and variety can not be found anywhere else in the world but Hong Kong. You can easily make up a list of 50 bars to hop around, from concept-driven bars to hotel bars, high-volume bars to creative, strong drinks.”
Maikal Gurung, group beverage manager of Singular Concepts
“As bartenders, drinking brings our community together, whether this be a guest shift, bar convention, masterclass, or special events. That is what all bartenders love about drinking.”
“I love making drinks in the city because I have a deep love for making the classics. Hong Kong is a cosmopolitan city, allowing us to share our passions and multicultural essence and making this a fantastic place for enjoying drinks.”
Kosa Law, co-founder of Ohm… Cafe & Bar
“Hong Kong is a very international city, making the bar scene very diverse and the cocktail style very different, compared to other countries. They may want to maintain their own style, but Hong Kong is very experimental with our cocktails.”
“The bars are very close to each other, making it very convenient for tourists to get a taste of Hong Kong drinks in one night!”
Imelda Ng, bar & beverage manager of Intervals Bar
“Drinking in Hong Kong is a thrill, with an array of bars just around the corner. I adore the bar community here and am even thinking of moving back to Central instead of living near the airport.”
“My go-to cocktails? The Paloma from Coa, the Gibson from Diplomat, the Filthy Martini from Bar Leone, wine and cheese in Caprice Bar, and the amazing team at Argo! But my all-time favourite has to be the Mezcal Paper Plane or a Bloody Mary at Intervals Bar at Hong Kong Airport.”
Ranjeet Khatri, founder of Courtyard
“I like mixing in Hong Kong because I can encourage people that serious cocktail bars can be more fun. We are able to promote social sustainability, work on food wastage, and host events for charity.”
“Cocktails are a medium to create an ambience and get to know each other, building a community. There is a lot of collaboration and friendliness between bar owners, with bartenders from around the globe coming to Hong Kong with more knowledge and flavours. This is what makes Hong Kong a great place for drinks.”
Eartha Hui, bartender at Quinary
“Hong Kong has a super international reputation, but great local ingredients. I am able to use my background and childhood to fuse flavours into my drinks.”
“Not a lot of cities and countries have a cocktail bar scene as popular as ours. We are lucky because we are able to attract drinkers and bartenders because of our identity.”
Mic Fung, co-founder of DIO Cafe Bar
“Hong Kong is a great city to drink in. There are many different types of cocktails to find, using innovative technology and Hong Kong ingredients, something you don’t see in other countries.”
“In terms of gin and whiskey, our city is a great place to easily import products from other countries!”
