Slick Hong Kong cocktails bars in Central and Kowloon
Ten fabulous cocktail joints with attitude in Hong Kong.
Ten fabulous cocktail joints with attitude in Hong Kong.
01
Dragonfly, Central, HK Island
Inspired by interior designer Ashley Sutton’s apprenticeship in stained glass and love of art nouveau, this dramatic cocktail lounge is awash with mosaics, stained glass and cast iron in every hue of blue, plus cutting-edge cocktails, of course. In the newly opened Tai Kwun art and dining compound in the repurposed colonial-era Central Police Station, Dragonfly captures the decadence of Europe’s bohemian era; so much so that sitting at the bar under the twinkling ceiling of upturned mosaic glass lamps, the only reminder that you are in Hong Kong and not Prague or Paris, is bar manager Brent Flowers’s Dragon’s Pearls cocktail of jasmine milk tea mixed with mandarin, gin and cognac that riffs on ubiquitous Chinese bubble tea drinks; diningconcepts.com/restaurants/Dragonfly.
02
Behind Bars, Central
Also within the Tai Kwun precinct is Behind Bars in one of the heritage police station’s decommissioned prison blocks. As the name suggests, you can sip your pre-mix cocktail behind bars in one of the underground prison cells, which have been restored and transformed into sitting nooks. The lighting is neon and the soundtrack more clubby than chilled, so don’t expect it to be too intimate, despite the confinement. Seedlip, the world’s first distilled non-alcoholic spirit, is served here, making hangover-free drinking a real possibility; facebook.com/behindbars.hk/.
03
Quinary, Central
This stalwart remains ahead of the game, helmed by master mixer and shaker Samuel Kwok, with national and international awards under his belt. Come here for molecular mixology that plays with your senses in a dark and moody setting. Start with an amuse bouche (or should that be amuse booze?) of Bulleit rye-spiked toasted marshmallows (a revelation), as Kwok whips up one of his signature cocktails. Perhaps an Earl Grey Caviar Martini served in an elegant long-stemmed coupe topped with Earl Grey pearls and crowned with a soft serve-like swirl of aromatic foam to inhale as you sip; quinary.hk.
04
The Old Man, Central
This sophisticated hole-in-the-wall drinking den inspired by Ernest Hemingway is the brainchild of some of Hong Kong’s top hospitality names. The luxe interior references the writer’s love of tropical climes and the small counter bar is lined with palm-green velvet stools. Hemingway fans will recognise names such as The Sun Also Rises (curry leaf-infused gin with sweet vermouth, pandan and Kaffir lime), and The Snows of Kilimanjaro (marshmallow gin with fermented raspberry topped with grated gruyere cheese), while lovers of the classics can order what could be the best Old Fashioned in Hong Kong; theoldmanhk.com.
05
Bar Butler, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
When Samuel Kwok from Quinary (see 03) has a night off, he heads to Bar Butler for a taste of Ginza without leaving Hong Kong. This diminutive Japanese whisky bar has just 20 seats and is an intimate watering hole where you can dodge the crowds amid the rowdy strips of bars at Tsim Sha Tsui. A night here is a lesson in Japanese precision; bartenders wear white tuxedo jackets and black bow ties while meticulously pouring single malts and preparing cocktails from a leather-bound menu with Zen-master grace. But it’s not just the drawing-room ambience and sophisticated drinks that attract Kwok. “I love the (pasta) carbonara,” he says, describing it as a “surprising addition” amid snacks of rice crackers and Japanese pickles; butler-gr.com.
06
Piqniq, Central
This all-day rooftop bar is the city’s answer to Paris’s guinguettes, or convivial open-air drinking establishments. On the rooftop of the trendy H Queens arts venue, Piqniq tempts with a bird’s-eye view of the city that sweeps from the harbour, over the glassy high-rises and pastel housing blocks to the leafy summit of The Peak. There’s a super-relaxed alfresco vibe and did I mention Aperol spritz on tap and a giant red and white spotted pumpkin from contemporary Japanese artist du jour Yayoi Kusama? Or the personalised Piqniq basket, which might be loaded with artisan cheese or charcuterie boards, fresh salads, French quiches and tarts? And then there’s the “wagyu sando”, a steak sandwich that already has a cult following; lecomptoir.hk/piqniq.
SH
07
The Dispensary, Central
Another Tai Kwun hot spot, The Dispensary has a medicinal name and its cocktails are just the shot. It’s wedged between British-influenced Statement and The Chinese Library, two stablemate dining rooms from Aqua Restaurant Group, and is all moody lighting, black-and-white tiled floor, opulent fittings, and a drinks list as long as your billiards arm. Expect the likes of hand-chiselled ice, crushed and sugared rose petals popping up in your beverage, and cocktail names that pay homage to the territory’s Chinese roots and British colonial heritage. Head mixologist and bar manager Isabella Vannoni uses infusions of contemporary ingredients and Chinese herbs and her pukka British Collection includes The Crown, inspired by the reigning monarch’s reputed fondness for carrot juice. Accordingly, it features Tanqueray gin shaken with Campari, lemon juice, rhubarb cordial and carrot juice mixed with aromatic Peychaud’s Bitters. I can attest to its delicious potency and ditto, from the Chinese collection, a fizzy libation inspired by a bellini and named the Mango Tree for the 60-year-old specimen still standing within the grounds of the old Central Police Station; aqua.com.hk.
08
Popinjays, The Murray, HK Island
Alongside the decorative restaurant of the same name, this convivial spot atop The Murray hotel up on Cotton Tree Drive is wrapped by a 420sq m outdoor terrace with big views. Forget spindly bar stools and sink into comfy chairs and sofas and grab the likes of an utterly delicious blood orange mimosa. The Aviary Collection references the Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens across the road with names as cute as The Blue Macaw (with themed drinking cup to match) and Cockatoo on the Rocks, a mix of Johnnie Walker black label, elderflower, yuzu, finger lime, manuka honey and Angostura bitters. A Peacock Royale comes with a feather from the namesake bird, perhaps to fan yourself on a sultry Hong Kong evening; niccolohotels.com.
09
Captain’s Bar, Mandarin Oriental, Central
This HK institution is reassuringly old-style, a respite from all that shaking and rattling. There are draught beers served in silver tankards, hefty bar snacks of the likes of lamb samosas with mango chutney and minted yoghurt, and the cocktails are refreshingly simple, such as Captain’s Orders, with white and dark rums, almond syrup and pineapple, grapefruit and lime juices. Sink into a red leather lounge and listen to live jazz and blues, Tuesday-Saturday, and kindly refrain from wearing flip-flops, torn jeans and “gentleman sandals”; mandarinoriental.com.
SK
10
Veda Bar, OVOLO Central, HK Island
Officially reopened last month after a full refurbishment, the well-located OVOLO Central hotel has a new bar on its lower level attached to its plant-based restaurant of the same name, conceived by Hetty McKinnon of Arthur Street Kitchen (Sydney) and veg cookbook fame, but with a separate entrance for passers-by. The drinking dens of Lan Kwai Fong and the revitalised Tai Kwun precinct are minutes away, but all is calm at cute little Veda Bar, with Australian wines by the glass or bottle curated by Sydney-based OVOLO group sommelier Shun Eto. There are seven signature cocktails, one for each day of the week, and the daily happy hour is more like a martini marathon, all yours from 3pm to 7pm; ovolohotels.com.hk.
JM