The winners for the World's 50 Best Bars 2023 were officially announced on 17th October at the awards ceremony in Singapore - the first of its kind to be organised in Asia. This year, ten Asian bars cinched ranking in the coveted global competition - with special mentions going to Thailand's Bangkok Social Club which won the title of Best Bar in Asia, as well as Seoul's Zest, which was recognised as the winner of the Disaronno Highest New Entry Award.⁠

The World's 50 Best Bars award, sponsored by Perrier, is an annual list that recognises the best of the international drinks industry. The annual ranking is voted on anonymously by 680 drinks experts globally, including bartenders, consultants, drinks writers and cocktail specialists.

Read on for a breakdown of the winning Asian bars:

No.48 Atlas in Singapore

Glitz, glamour and serious quantities of gin are the name of the game at Atlas. With a collection of bottles north of 1,300 brands, this Singaporean bar is destined to ascend its guests to a gin-based valhalla, with a little bit of Gatsby-era opulence thrown in for good measure.

| Read more: Our interview with Atlas Bar's Head Bartender Yana Keller

No. 37 Bar Benfiddich in Tokyo

Hiroyasu Kayama’s landmark bar requires little introduction. Hitting all the motifs of traditional Japanese bars, including silky smooth movements and no menu, it remains a must-visit for all cocktail enthusiasts within the sprawling Tokyo metropolis.

No. 36 The SG Club in Tokyo

International bartending legend Shingo Gokan made waves when he finally opened a spot in his hometown in 2019. The SG Club, which is really three bar concepts within one venue, makes its return to the ranking this year for its creative cocktail offering.

No. 34 Argo in Hong Kong

Sat within the Four Seasons Hong Kong, Argo offers an epic drinks programme fit to match the stunning vistas of Victoria Harbour. Expect savoury-inflected cocktails within its latest menu, with a few of the bar’s signature gummy bears thrown in for good measure.

No. 32 Sago House in Singapore

Desiree Jane, Jay Gray and Abhishek C. George joined forces in 2020 to create this bar with their own bare hands, and that labour of love shines through. With a weekly rotating menu and superlative hospitality, it’s a fast-rising staple of Singapore’s superb bar scene.

| Read more: Our interview with Sago House's Jay Gray

| Read more: Revive a Sago House cocktail!

No. 20 Coa in Hong Kong

A true pioneer of Hong Kong’s bar scene, Jay Khan’s temple to agave continues to jump from strength to strength. Whether there to sample its savoury Bloody Beef Maria or a classic Paloma, an evening at Coa is always one to savour.

No. 19 Mahaniyom Cocktail Bar in Bangkok

The latest brainchild of Ronnaporn ‘Neung’ Kanivichaporn and Chennarong ‘Jan’ Bhumichitr, Mahaniyom is all about maximising singular ingredients and extracting their every element to create memorable, low waste cocktails. With its apt moniker meaning ‘very popular’, it’s now one of Bangkok’s most beloved cocktail spots.

No. 18 Zest in Seoul

With its name serving as a portmanteau of ‘zero’ and ‘waste’, Zest is, unsurprisingly, all about sustainable serves. With all mixers made in house to cut down on single-use vessels, honey from urban beehives and many other local initiatives, the Seoul watering hole is at the forefront of the modern sustainable bar movement and is earning acclaim at an exponential rate, making its debut on the ranking and winning this year’s Disaronno Highest New Entry Award.

No. 14 Jigger & Pony in Singapore

A true OG of Singapore’s effervescent cocktail scene, Jigger & Pony may now be into its 11th year of existence, but it shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Through years of tweaking and subtle evolutions, including its now-famed ‘menuzines’, it’s retained its status as one of the Lion City’s finest drinking dens.

No. 13 BKK Social Club in Bangkok

Set within the luxurious Four Seasons Bangkok at Chao Phraya River, BKK is the convivial bar where Buenos Aires meets Bangkok. A South American-inflected menu, curated by bartending veteran Phillip Bischoff, uses ingredients found across Latin America to create one of the city's best bar experiences. As the highest placed establishment in the continent, BKK Social Club is named The Best Bar in Asia, sponsored by Torres Brandy.

The full global list of winning bars can be found on Worlds 50 Best Bars' official website here.

Kanpai!

88 Bamboo Editorial Team