[dropcap size=small]S[/dropcap]ingapore is still the leading drinking capital of Asia, as the second annual ranking of Asia’s 50 Best Bars announced June 21 shows.
Manhattan bar at the Regent Singapore rises from fifth place last year to claim the top spot as Asia’s Best Bar, taking over from last year’s No. 1 – 28 HongKong Street, which is now in fourth place. Also sitting in the top 10 is Operation Dagger (No. 6) at Ann Siang Hill.
In total, 13 bars from Singapore make up the top 50 – with five new entries. They are Atlas (No. 12) at Parkview Square; Employees Only Singapore (No. 17) and Native (No. 20) – both at Amoy Street; Nutmeg & Clove (No. 30) at Ann Siang Hill; and The Other Room (No. 35) at Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel.
Fairmont Singapore’s Anti:Dote bar – ranked No. 43 last year – did not make the cut this time. The rest of last year’s entrants – Tippling Club (No. 11) in Tanjong Pagar Road; Gibson (No. 14) in Bukit Pasoh Road; Jigger & Pony (No. 21) in Amoy Street; D.Bespoke (No. 29) in Bukit Pasoh Road; and Sugarhall (No. 38) in Amoy Street – are still on the list.
China and Hong Kong also made a strong showing, with a combined total of 12 bars on the list – eight from Hong Kong alone. Shanghai’s speakeasy bar Speak Low, the Best Bar in China, stays in second place.
Also retaining its spot in the top three is High Five – from Tokyo, Japan – which comes in at No. 3, and is one of the six bars to represent Japan on the list.
There are 18 new entries on the list this year, including Taiwan’s Indulge Experimental Bistro, which comes in at No. 5, and is the Highest New Entry. India also makes an appearance on the list for the first time at No. 37, with Mumbai’s Aer Bar & Lounge in Mumbai.
Almost 200 industry experts from Asia voted to determine the list.
The list is published by William Reed Business Media, which organises the annual World’s 50 Best Bars Awards in October, as well as The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, and Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants lists.
The full list:
1. Manhattan (Singapore)
2. Speak Low (Shanghai)
3. High Five (Tokyo)
4. 28 HongKong Street (Singapore)
5. Indulge Experimental Bistro (Taipei)
6. Operation Dagger (Singapore)
7. Quinary (Hong Kong)
8. Stockton (Hong Kong)
9. The Union Trading Company (Shanghai)
10. Lobster Bar (Hong Kong)
11. Tippling Club (Singapore)
12. Atlas (Singapore)
13. The Bamboo Bar at Mandarin Oriental Bangkok (Bangkok)
14. Gibson (Singapore)
15. Alice Cheongdam (Seoul)
16. The Pontiac (Hong Kong)
17. Employees Only Singapore (Singapore)
18. Backstage Cocktail Bar (Bangkok)
19. Sober Company (Shanghai)
20. Native (Singapore)
21. Jigger & Pony (Singapore)
22. Bar Benfiddich (Tokyo)
23. The Curator Coffee & Cocktails (Manila)
24. Zuma (Hong Kong)
25. Bar Orchard Ginza (Tokyo)
26. 8 1/2 Otto E Mezza Bombana (Hong Kong)
27. Charles H (Seoul)
28. Bar Trench (Tokyo)
29. D.Bespoke (Singapore)
30. Nutmeg & Clove (Singapore)
31. Star Bar (Tokyo)
32. Le Chamber (Seoul)
33. Janes & Hooch (Beijing)
34. Q&A Bar (Hong Kong)
35. The Other Room (Singapore)
36. Lamp Bar (Nara)
37. Aer Bar & Lounge (Mumbai)
38. Sugarhall (Singapore)
39. East End (Taipei)
40. Vespar Cocktail Bar & Restaurant (Bangkok)
41. Omakase + Appreciate (Kuala Lumpur)
42. The Chinnery at Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong (Hong Kong)
43. Potato Head Beach Club (Bali)
44. Bar D.Still (Seoul)
45. ABV (Makati City)
46. Teens of Thailand (Bangkok)
47. Keepers (Seoul)
48. Dr. Fern’s Gin Parlour (Hong Kong)
49. Club Boys Saloon (Taipei)
50. The Night Rooster (Bali)
Adapted from The Straits Times.
