For ex-banker Richard Tam and ex-IT worker Andrea Mak, opening a second bar in Hong Kong is part of their faith in “bullish” Hong Kong.
Following the success of their cocktail bar The Holywell’s in April 2024 in Sheung Wan, the pair launched wine-inspired cocktail lounge Grapevine in mid-May in Soho. To them, drinking is as central to the identity of Hong Kong as is eating, Hong Kongers look to bars as third places to relax.
“Hong Kong has and will continue to be the center of Asia, there is no alternative to Hong Kong [with this culture,] so intertwined with the east and west.”
Richard has witnessed a summery energy return to the streets of Soho, Central, and Sheung Wan, a base for Hong Kong’s cocktail scene. “People are going out more often and in the week, not just Fridays and Saturdays,” he says. “There is an improved trend of people drinking before dinner now, as opposed to us getting busy after 8PM [at The Holywell’s.”
A year into operating a hit cocktail bar renowned on Instagram and Xiaohongshu, the pair do not see a second bar opening as a bold move, they are confident in business and that people want a drink in Hong Kong.
“The idea of choosing between [opening] a restaurant or bar never crossed our mind. We like hosting people and really like drinking red and white wine. We assumed that a lot of people would too. That’s why we opened Grapevine, a casual spot to enjoy wine-themed cocktails.”
“If we are purely talking about the risk and reward of opening an F&B joint in Hong Kong, the ratio is highly unfavourable. But compared to a corporate job in Hong Kong, this is [much] more fun!”
Richard is not the only bar operator to place a bet of confidence in Hong Kong’s economy and thriving bar scene in opening a second bar of his own. Established bartender Lorenzo Antinori is opening Cuban-themed Montana in June, Orchard founder Alex Pun opened dive bar Oasis in mid-May, Socio co-founder Amir Javaid has opened his second cocktail bar GOSSIP after the success of his first venture.
In early 2024, Laura and Agung Prabowo christened Soho with their second cocktail bar LOCKDOWN, carrying a 1920s Prohibition-era theme with craft cocktails priced slightly higher than their PENICILLIN, their first bar in Hong Kong. Just like Richard and Andrea, the couple are optimistic about Hong Kong’s future.
“In the past year, we have been lucky and blessed to be busy everyday in both bars, despite the F&B [business] slowing down in Hong Kong,” Laura told Foodie.
“Some months, like May, have slowed down a tiny bit due to the weather and less tourists, but we expect summer to be strong in the run up to the 50 Best Bar ceremonies hosted in Macau and Hong Kong.”
Drinking habits have not changed, Laura claims. As she sees it, drinking alcohol in Hong Kong is part of the culture in the city.
“We all need a drink here. When you are happy, you drink, break your heart, you drink. This has not changed much in the past few years.”
Since early last year, Laura has noticed that people are ordering larger rounds at PENICILLIN and drinking more at LOCKDOWN, a hotspot currently for fans of the mixologist couple who are seeking antique cocktails and vintage spirits.
Laura looks to the future of Hong Kong’s bar industry with optimism, rather than hope, as tourists are streaming back in and the 50 Best Bar award ceremonies will help christen Hong Kong’s cocktail haunts.
Beyond the sophisticated cocktail bars in the city, other bar operators like co-founder of Dead Poets Eshan Arif are aware of Hong Kong’s post-pandemic challenging economy with spending and drinking habits changing.
When the vibey cocktail bar opened in December 2023, the “whole point of opening a bar in Soho was to make sure we are affordable enough that anyone can enjoy a night out without breaking the bank,” Eshan told Foodie.
The price of the bar’s signature cocktails initially shocked people. “When we gave them the bill, customers would ask if it’s only HKD80 bucks [for a drink]. We do not cheap out on inexpensive ingredients, we use high quality spirits and pre-batch cocktails or make large volumes to bring down the costs.”
Since then, the bar has raised prices to HKD90 in 2024 and later HKD100 at the beginning of 2025 with no service charge added on. “The reason for the [price increases] is we are trying to balance out the slow months we have had, plus increasing the quality of the ingredients and spirits we use in our drinks.”
The affordable prices of Dead Poet’s drinks, under market rate in the area, have allowed them to buoy economic pressures felt by other neighboring cocktail bars in Soho with prices ranging from HKD120 to HKD150.
“We don’t worry about weekend service as our crowds are always pretty decent. Service is unpredictable during the long weekends in Hong Kong, but we are constantly hosting collabs, guest shifts, or popups with other Hong Kong or Asia bars to help support the business.”
