Hong Kong’s bustling Central District is home to one of the highest concentrations of bars in the whole city. But we aren’t just talking about generic wine bars and gritty pubs; no, we’re talking about world-class concept bars and speakeasies.
To be fair, it’s admirable seeing as to how there’s probably nowhere on this good earth that sees such an abundance of top bars clustered in a single area. Drinking your way through Central alone is no easy feat, but we’ve compiled a list of 14 awesome cocktail bars to help you get started.
1. Dr. Fern’s Gin Parlour – In the basement of Landmark Hong Kong
Blurring the lines between apothecary and cocktail bar, Doctor Fern at the upscale The Landmark is a gin-centric bar that boasts an encyclopaedic collection of worldwide gins—a literal paradise for gin lovers. The bar sources local and organic ingredients whenever possible for his supply pantry; working with local organic farms across the city in order to bring a fresh experience to this one-of-a-kind gin parlour.
Dr Fern provides nourishing light bites, delicious coffee, and herbal teas throughout the day, as well as no-nonsense gin prescriptions at night for whatever ails your weary soul. From the beginning of June till end August, the bar’s offering a summer G&T named the “Porcelain Remedy” (pictured above).
In light of the month of June being World Gin Day, Dr. Fern will be celebrating Hong Kong Gins all throughout the month. This event aims to educate novice drinkers and gin-lovers alike on each locally crafted gin. Guests will be given the opportunity to vote for their favourite gin throughout the month and participate in a giveaway that might see them walk away with a free bottle of gin!
Address: Shop B31A, First Basement Floor, Landmark Atrium, 15 Queen’s Road Central, Central, Hong Kong
Opening Hours: 3PM – 1AM (Sun to Thu), 3PM – 2AM (Fri & Sat)
Contact: +852 2111 9449
2. Draft Land HK – Cocktails served on tap
Threading on what some would assume to be dangerous waters as far as the art of cocktail-making goes, the good folks at Draft Land HK—similar to its sister-branch in Taiwan—are all about providing cocktails on tap.
That’s right, the brainchild of two master mixologists want customers to enjoy a medley of pre-mixed cocktails, on tap. The ideology behind the unorthodox concept stems from the founder’s belief that the true mark of a properly-made cocktail should reflect its flavours rather than its aesthetic and theatrics.
Address: 63 Wyndham St, Central, Hong Kong
Opening Hours: 5PM – 1AM (Mon to Thu), 5PM – 2AM (Fri & Sat), Closed on Sundays
Contact: +852 2711 8809
3. Please Don’t Tell – A bar within a bar
A living embodiment of ‘bar-ception’, PDT Hong Kong is, in essence, a bar within a bar, hidden on the other side of a secret phone booth in the mezzanine level of MO Bar. Once inside, the bar announces itself as a hip, intimate and low-key bar that comfortably seats 25 guests at most.
Fortunately for PDT, the experience doesn’t cease once you progress past the phone booth. The cocktails here are stellar, as are the snacks. Must-try drinks include Benton’s Old Fashion and Big Fan.
Address: 15 Queen’s Road Central, Central, Hong Kong
Opening Hours: 5PM – 1.30AM (Mon to Thu), 5PM – 2AM (Fri & Sat), 5PM – 12.30AM (Sun)
Contact: +852 2132 0110
4. Room 309 – You need a keycard to enter this secretive bar
Brought to you by Antonio Lai behind Quinary, ROOM 309 is tucked within a charming boutique hotel, on the third floor of The Pottinger Hong Kong. While it is not a speakeasy per se, entry is by invitation only.
To enter, you’ll need a key card from ‘The Reception’, located in the Envoy restaurant on the hotel’s third floor. Once inside this one-of-a-kind hotel room bar, expert resident bartenders whip up an array of personalised cocktails, making the experience an intimate affair for no more than 20 guests at a time.
Try the ‘Vanishing Watermelon Martini’ and the ‘Gone Gimlet’.
Address: 3/F The Pottinger Hong Kong, 74 Queen’s Road Central, Central, Hong Kong
Opening Hours: 5PM – 12AM (Mon to Thu), 5PM – 2AM (Fri & Sat), Closed on Sundays
5. Stockton – Charming cocktail bar in Lan Kwai Fong
Regarded as one of Hong Kong’s best and most original speakeasy cocktail bars, Stockton is where one goes for their fill of wild gimmicks and delightful, original cocktails. The bar itself is something to admire.
Albeit hidden and requiring some effort to locate, the bar sports a charming old-school vibe reminiscent of Victorian-era London luxe. The drinks are mostly original concoctions but delicious as they are, they are often complemented with nuggets of fun facts and even etiquette guidelines to add an element of theatrics to the overall experience.
Address: 32 Wyndham St, Central, Hong Kong
Opening Hours: 6PM – 1AM (Wed & Thu), 6PM – 3AM (Fri & Sat), Closed on Sundays, Mondays & Tuesdays
Contact: +852 2565 8668
6. The Iron Fairies Hong Kong – Ten thousand preserved butterflies
To plainly say that Iron Fairies is just like any other concept speakeasy bar would be drastically understating it. It’s more than just a bar, its a culmination of vision, experience and imagination that has been intricately bound into a unique, classy and above all, believable escape from reality.
The bar is furnished in raw iron, timber and leather, giving it a rustic aesthetic. The most captivating feature, however, is the bar’s hanging garden of 10,000 preserved butterflies elegantly dangling from the ceiling. The level of mixology here is exceptional and the drinks, though in line with its theme, retain senses of artistry and sophistication.
Address: LG, 1 Hollywood Rd, Central, Hong Kong
Opening Hours: 6PM – 2AM (Sun to Thu), 6PM – 3AM (Fri & Sat)
Contact: +852 2603 6992
7. Tell Camellia – Brilliant tea-infused cocktails in Central
Hidden in an alley underneath hip, lifestyle building H Code in Central, Tell Camellia goes beyond the average cocktail bar by offering a well-curated menu of nine cocktails that beautifully marries a range of tea and gin, made by harnessing modern techniques and cutting-edge equipment.
Tell Camellia’s drinks are inventive, distinctive and are a homage to the camellia Sinensis plant, the so-called mother plant where all teas in their rawest form are grown.
Address: LG/Floor, H Code 45 Pottinger street Entrance alley on 48 Cochrane Street also, Central, Hong Kong
Opening Hours: 5PM – 1AM (Sun to Thu), 5PM – 2AM (Fri & Sat)
Contact: +852 9821 5501
8. The Pontiac – American dive bar with great cocktails
This grungy neighbourhood American-style dive bar is where it’s at if what you’re searching for is an epic night out. A highly inclusive joint where anything goes—from wild themed parties to bartenders who inexplicably hop on counters and begin pouring liquor down the throats of rowdy guests (very Coyote Ugly)—this bar’s a fun spot to hang out at.
The music’s often loud, the vibe’s never short of convivial and the drinks, though elaborate, tend to lean towards the potent end of the liquor spectrum—a trait that isn’t unsurprising at a fun joint like this.
Address: 13 Old Bailey St, Central, Hong Kong
Opening Hours: 3PM – 1AM (Mon to Sat), Closed on Sundays
Contact: +852 2521 3855
9. Quinary – Ranked no. 16 in Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2022
Unsurprisingly stylish, Quinary is considered a veteran of the city’s cocktail scene, having made its debut way back in 2012. A regular fixture on Asia’s 50 Best Bars, coming here will almost always guarantee a world-class experience.
Boasting a dizzying array of cocktails—we’re talking at least 40 concoctions available to order—sip on award-winning cocktails that offer multi-sensory enjoyment. Some are playful, approachable and easy on the palate, others are complex and exotic at the same time.
At the helm of their transcendent drinks programme is Diageo World Class 2015 Hong Kong & Macau Champion Antonio Lai, the same man behind Draft Land HK.
Address: 56, 58 Hollywood Rd, Central, Hong Kong
Opening Hours: 5PM – 1AM (Mon to Sat), Closed on Sundays
Contact: +852 2851 3223
10. Bar De Luxe – Cocktail bar by legendary mixologist Ueno San
One of Hong Kong’s latest Japanese cocktail hotspots, Bar De Luxe comes courtesy of legendary bartender Hidetsugu Ueno, the man behind Tokyo’s famous Bar High Five and master ice craftsman. The bar is led by the icon’s protégé, Yuriko Naganuma, who mastered her craft under Ueno and another of Japan’s most decorated bartenders, Takao Mori.
If you’re searching for a proper gentleman’s bar, you won’t find another quite like it. The place it resides in touts itself as a gentleman’s hangout and also features tailoring and grooming services. The bar is a haven for expertly crafted cocktails and modelling after classic Japanese cocktail venues, expect ambient lighting, low music and sophistication.
Address: 30/F, Asia Pacific Centre 8 Wyndham Street, Asia Pacific Centre, Wyndham St, Central, Hong Kong
Opening Hours: 4PM – 12AM (Mon to Thu), 4PM – 2AM (Fri & Sat), Closed on Sundays
Contact: +852 3706 5716
11. Dragonfly – An ethereal bar experience by Ashley Sutton
Playing on the European heritage associated with the Tai Kwun complex; Dragonfly creates an ambience synonymous with the art nouveau styles of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Dragonfly is a comfortable boutique bespoke cocktail lounge and eatery with an aesthetic that will wow and surely impress.
The bar features an eclectic selection of creative cocktail creations passionately prepared by a team of international mixologists. With its classic design overtones, Dragonfly presents a cosy ambience of comfort and relaxation in an era of a time gone by. Perfect for drinks with friends, Dragonfly takes guests into a timeless world of enjoyment
Address: Shop 10 – G1, Tai Kwun, 10 Hollywood Rd, Central, Hong Kong
Opening Hours: 5PM – 1AM (Sun to Thu), 5PM – 2AM (Fri & Sat)
Contact: +852 2777 2633
12. Foxglove – Disguised as an umbrella shop
Disguised as a bespoke umbrella shop with the only means of entering being via a secret doorway towards the back of the boutique (+ slideshow), Foxglove is an institution in Hong Kong’s bar scene. An elegant establishment modelled after the great drinking dens of the 1950s, it is a place that marries comfort with a dash of sophistication. Named after the poisonous flower, the venue one of Hong Kong’s most exclusive jazz lounges. The bar offers a selection of rare cognac and spirits, bottled in the 1930s, 40s, and 50s—aged for as long as half a century.
Bottles from defunct distilleries as well as Japanese cask-strength whiskies are also available. A carefully crafted cocktail menu pays homage to a bygone time when spirits were king and bartenders revered. Choose your favourite cocktails from fascinating selections such as “Homage to Prohibition” or “A Taste for the Exotic”.
Address: 2/F, Printing House, 6 Duddell St, Central, Hong Kong
Opening Hours: 12PM – 3PM, 5PM – 1AM (Mon to Thu), 12PM – 3PM, 5PM – 3AM (Fri), 5PM – 3AM (Sat), Closed on Sundays
Contact: +852 2116 8949
13. Sevva – Luxurius rooftop bar perched atop Landmark Prince
Located on the 25th floor of the iconic Prince’s Building in Central, SEVVA is an ultra-chic and posh Hong Kong rooftop bar. It’s swanky and upscale yet cosy enough for one to just lean back and relax.
If you want to escape LKF’s rowdiness but soak in the splendour of downtown Hong Kong, visit SEVVA. You’ll fall in love with their exceptional cocktails, vibrant atmosphere and the magnificent neon light display. Being very popular among both locals and tourists, we highly recommend making a reservation prior to visiting.
Address: 25/F, Landmark Prince’s, 10 Chater Rd, Central, Hong Kong
Opening Hours: 12PM – 10PM (Mon to Fri), 11AM – 10PM (Sat), Closed on Sundays
Contact: +852 2537 1388
14. The Wise King – Asia’s 34th Best Bar 2022
The Wise King, a modern classic bar that takes its cues from the decadent era of the 13th century and celebrates the golden age and rise of tapas food and drinking culture. Less than 2 years old, and a new entry to Asia’s 50 Best bars last year, The Wise King has rapidly established itself as a Hong Kong favourite with a difference.
Its individuality lies in its heavy Iberian accent; its name pays tribute to Alfonso X of Castile, a 13th-century Spanish monarch who allegedly contributed to the creation of the country’s culinary tradition of tapas with a decree stating that no alcoholic beverage should be served without food. Try the signature cocktail named after Alfonso himself, El Sabio or The Wise, featuring spiced peach and pineapple wine reduction with Cava.
Address: 25 Staunton Street, Basement, Soho, Tsung Wing Ln, Central, Hong Kong
Opening Hours: 6PM – 1AM (Mon to Thu), 6PM – 2AM (Fri & Sat), Closed on Sundays
Read our guide to Hong Kong’s nightlife.
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